Covid Support Thread
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Shelter in place orders seem to vary a bit state to state. My home state, where my parents still live, for example, is more strict than mine. Like if you go to your local Target, you cannot purchase anything deemed nonessential (e.g., gardening supplies). They also recently banned travel between homes, clarifying that this means no traveling between your home and a friend’s (was surprised this had to be clarified) or even your own homes if you have more than one. They were the first state dealing with protestors outside the state capitol, to my knowledge, which I think is so embarrassing, but not terribly surprising.
Here, we’re asked to stay home unless it’s an essential errand — grocery, pharmacy, dog walks, solo outdoor exercise are all okay. But I think if I wanted to paint or garden or whatever, I’d still be able to find/buy those supplies in stores unlike my home state.
My boss set up a department meeting on Friday to discuss “management-related issues,” where I’m sure I’ll learn what my company’s plan is for the foreseeable future. The governor hasn’t officially extended our SAH order yet, but I’m expecting it. They tend to let people go on Thursdays, so I’m a little nervous for a Friday a.m. update. I know plenty of people who have had their salaries cut, been laid off, furloughed, etc. We’ll see!
The last thing myself or anyone wants in Chicago is to have a free-for-all. Maybe give us a few more open outdoor spaces where social distancing can happen. Who knows. Whatever is announced, I will continue to comply and minimize risk, I just know that a lot of the delay in announcing the continuation is because the governor wants people to know that he is empathetic to their economic and health plights. That the city of Chicago’s struggle is different than downstates struggle. We have been successful at pushing the apex back, that’s a good thing and hopefully will continue to push back/flatten/reduce. The initial motivation for the lockdown got a lot of compliance, now we’re in stage two of the psychological struggle to keep it up.
So no, don’t worry, I’m not rushing out to get a haircut or do anything other than stay home, go to work when I need to, get exercise, go to doctor.
People really want their nails done too. I don’t know, I want the stay at home orders lifted but I know realistically that when the orders are lifted it doesn’t mean we are safe or the orders won’t be reinstated some time in the future. I so want this over and keep having fantasies that something like “War of the Worlds” will happen and something unique in humans will just kill of the virus (which is obviously not happening).
My husband introduced me to the Stockdale Paradox based on POW James Stockdale ‘s experience. Boiled down in the simplest terms it is the hope for the best but prepare for the worst mantra that many of us anxious types live by. We actually printed out a quote from him and taped it to our bathroom mirror. “You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end — which you can never afford to lose — with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.” We were both really losing hope and starting to get a little bleak in our outlook but this helped us refocus.
It’s okay to want this done, it is okay to feel like stay at home orders are restrictive and it is okay to express that. But we need to remember our individual actions effect much more than just us or our families. We need to be cognizant that sometimes just because we want to doesn’t mean we should or be able to.
I’m dying for a haircut. I needed a trim BEFORE all this started. I’ve never mentioned this before as it simply seemed irrelevant. And thus not even worth mentioning.
So yeah. My hair is a big, giant, unruly puffball now and I wear a hat on ZOOM. And now that cowboy hat is getting awfully tight.
That said, I damn well can’t imagine me ever using my fucking REALLY bad hair as some argument for reopening the economy. But hey —- that’s just me.
I don’t think anyone who comments on this site is advocating to reopen for a haircut or nails. Yes, I’ll occasionally complain. Last night, I told the husband that maybe he should shave my head. But I’m following the orders. Will continue to do so. And will not put people at risk for my vanity. I did send my stylist money because she’s not working right now.
Stay strong, everyone. MG is right that we are entering a stage where we have to keep the psychological stuff in check. It’s going to get harder. We have to get stronger. Life is going to be different for longer than any of us want, and we will have to do without things that feel really important to us (I am expecting I won’t be able to see my parents for a year or two, for example. I am bracing myself to lose people I love). I think accepting this is going to happen in waves for us, just as grieving will happen in waves, and anger will happen in waves, and we have to do our best to respect where people are in this journey.
Except for the morons who are demanding to open everything up because they want a haircut or don’t believe in vaccines. I don’t respect where they are at all.
And to be clear, I’m not not talking anyone this site; I’m talking about the camo-wearing, gun-toting assholes waving signs that literally say “I want a haircut.”
Oh my god, those signs are the absolute worst. Every single one of them. I looked through a slideshow of them yesterday and regretted it immediately after.
** Clarification. I’m speaking of the world outside of this website, too. People whining about their desperate need haircuts in Red (and Blue) state protests was all over the news yesterday.
I’d also certainly LIKE a haircut, and generally think it’s okay for people to want or miss these things, but yes, I know it’s not a priority right now or a reason to reopen the economy.
I gave my boyfriend a haircut a few weekends ago and I think I did a pretty good job. I’ve always been pretty good at styling hair, though, so I was excited to try my hand at cutting after watching a couple videos. Need to watch some videos about trimming face framing layers. I’ve always cut my own bangs during my bangs phases, but face framing layers seem a bit more involved. I think I can figure it out, though.
I hope that I am wrong I think that even if we get this under control I think that we’re going to be in a period of ongoing mitigation for a long time. People are probably going to think strategically about the kinds of risks that they take. I don’t know that I am going to go to large indoor social gatherings or let my daughter do so until there’s a vaccine and we know it works.
I have been showing my Dad how to use zoom to access religious services and he was saying how he can’t wait to back in shul and shaking people’s hands on shabbat. I didn’t want to tell him that it’s probably going to be a while before services open up and no one is going to be shaking hands.
I wish that there were better ethnography studies of how this was getting spread. There’s reason to think that it doesn’t spread in open outdoor areas. It would be useful to know so that they could strategically open up activities that have lower risks.
Anyway, I am not trying to hector anyone or worsen their stress during this terrible time. I hope that everyone is holding up OK and staying safe and healthy.
