I rarely thought much about viruses prior to COVID 19. SARS and Ebola were always flittering on the fringes, stories in my periphery, but never a focus. Then COVID happened. A worldwide pandemic that swept away all sense of normalcy, compounded by a president and administration in the US that spread misinformation in the virus’ early days, appeasing Wall Street and anti-maskers, rather than tackling the virus.
I haven’t caught the virus. I know some who have, locally and abroad. In the early days, I thought about keeping a journal regarding the virus, lockdown, and complications of the pandemic, but that quickly grew tiresome. Instead I’d like to share what lockdown was like for me. If it’s ten years from now, will I remember weeks spent at home? And I’m not complaining, just recalling for the future.
Sometimes I wouldn’t go outside all day except to get the mail.
My truck that often emptied it’s tank at around the two week mark often takes six to eight weeks before I need to refill.
My daughter graduated from fifth grade, into sixth, a completely different school, and never once touched feet to linoleum in that new school, at least so far during her first year.
My work, where I started in September 2019, went remote in March 2020 and I’ve now spent more time working remote than I ever did in the office.
I received a promotion in December, where I lead a team of developers and other staff members. All our correspondence happens via slack chat or in zoom calls.
I haven’t sat in a restaurant since April of 2020, when I visited a restaurant with my brother and parents in Indiana — restaurants were shutdown in Champaign during that time.
I learned to work with wood the summer of 2020, building many shop projects, and a few small pieces of furniture.
While I had been somewhat learning to cook prior to COVID, I’ve taken a keen interest since.
Books provide a great adventure. I even went back to hardcover, with the occasional Kindle digital book.
Board and card games give us hours of fun.
Video games preserved what little social life I have left.
Masks worn everywhere. The blue surgical were my later go to. I’ve bought a box of 50 every couple months. My wife gets hers at work.
Sports have all been played in empty stadiums, including at the college level. Those first few months of the lockdown saw little realtime TV, as all sports were stopped. News was one of the only options.
Awaiting the vaccine like it’s some sort of mystical cure-all.
We currently lose thousands of people each day to this virus. There are still videos and stories of obtuse shoppers refusing to wear masks. Some cities have implemented fines for not wearing them. Illinois currently has the state on zoned lockdowns, we’re in a lockdown phase that only allows takeout from restaurants and essential shopping.
The vaccines developed in record time give us all hope that this part of our lives will be behind us. I know my family will welcome that with a huge sense of relief. If you lost someone to this virus, I hope the future holds you in it’s embrace and you find comfort from that pain.