Hermit Spring
light_of_summer woke up her diary here for what she is calling #hermitspring, and it seemed like it might be a good idea to do the same.
Is anyone out there listening? Check in if you are. I just glanced at my reading list after many years, and it looks like quite a few of you are still active, which is heartening.
I am wired extremely poorly for this kind of social isolation. But don't worry, I am wired for scientific pragmatism and I am doing what has to be done, and finding what workarounds I can.
Based in part on the advice of a friend who is a lay expert, I had been believing that small gatherings (4-6 people, in person, with care) were going to be okay, so the shelter-in-place rules for the Bay Area came as a huge shock, and I had a hard day on Monday, including collapsing into tears on the phone with a dear friend. But sine then (two actual days of the three-week initial planned shelter), I have been doing really well. I never thought I would be relieved to have put off retirement, because having a job and a five-day-a-week schedule is helping immensely. My employer is also being extremely thoughtful and responsive, and my colleagues are setting up video chats just for check-ins, as well as for work.
My partner and I live in a two-story duplex, and our downstairs neighbors (who are the tenants of the third homeowner) are long-time friends of ours. We've declared that the three of them (mom, dad, 7-year-old kid) are part of our pod and we aren't observing social distancing with each other, which means we can have dinners together, and I can help homeschool Kai, which is also helping me.
Walks every day, sometimes with Alan and sometimes alone. T'ai chi practice (well, one day out of four). House projects, because I dread having this be over and feeling like I threw the time away.
Lots of talks with friends.
Starting to plan some virtual events: tried some gaming-by-Zoom last night and it worked well, planning some "watch the same theater performance at the same time from different houses" and chat about it.
Keeping up with my political work.
I know what you're doing to stay healthy, and not to spread whatever you might have. What are you doing to stay sane?