Social distancing / stay at home - love it or hate it?

[Nemo2]

When I first went to Riyadh, lo these 38+ years ago, my initial supervisor, a Quebecker, said that, being on the compound, he had never before spent so much time with his family....and he loved it.

Other marriages may not have fared so well...in fact I heard that one wife said to her husband, (just before she took off), that "I'm sick of 'the Telco', I'm sick of Saudi, and I'm sick of you".

Me, I couldn't imagine being happily sequestered with anyone other than DW....we're both ambiverts, so "Bring it on".

DW does, however, miss being able to go to the pool for her thrice a week swims...(luckily for me I have the elliptical).

 

[DrRoy]

I have no problem with staying home. What is odd is that DW is far more introverted than me but she gets severe cabin fever.

 

[Dtail]

Neutral overall.
I do miss Pickleball quite a bit and as a poor substitute am walking an hour daily.
My pool is in good shape and will start swimming this weekend.
Could be a lot worse.

 

[Midpack]

I hate it, but I believe it’s our best course of action at this point. Until the rate of new infections slows or stops and we’re much smarter with testing, we don’t have a better alternative. We’ve already let the virus spread longer than necessary and we’re by no means on top of the situation yet.

 

[GalaxyBoy]

I’m voting neutral as DW and I pretty much stay at home anyway. It’s the fact we can’t go out that’s frustrating. We stopped eating out very much recently as we don’t think our local restaurants are all that great, and since I FIREed there’s no work to go to. I do miss the monthly homebrew club. My genealogy club is sponsored by the library and we’re going to try video conferencing next week.

 

[DayDreaming]

Honestly, it's not much difference for me, other than limiting some shopping trips.


But if I'm sitting inside, listening to the news, it does feel a little stressful - the constant drone about danger, social distancing, etc - a constant reminder that this is not normal. If I turn off the news and listen to music instead, I'm back to my usual happy, carefree self.


People who feel they're going crazy staying inside should turn off the news!

 

[scrabbler1]

I'm an introvert, so there has been very little change from before. My school volunteer work, which had declined a lot this school year already, went to zero. I rarely go out to eat, so losing that isn't a big deal. Food shopping is a little strange, but it still happens without any big problems (they banned single-use plastic shopping bags here in NY a few weeks ago, a much bigger impact on my shopping experiences). No problems with getting my prescription drugs. I still see my ladyfriend all the time, same with my (snake-bit) friend. The local libraries are closed, a minor bummer.

 

[FIREd]

I can't say that I love it (I prefer to be free to come and go as I please), but I'm not bothered by it either. As an introvert, I take the situation in stride just fine.

 

[blueskyk]

I’m an introvert and have a big pile of TBR books and art supplies which feel like pure gold to me. However, I see these times are heartbreaking for so many with job loss, health concerns, caring for parents, etc. For the moment, the crises feels manageable at a personal level.

But really, we’re not okay until we are all okay. So it’s hard for me to celebrate my current comfort.

 

[Pellice]

Neutral. It hasn't been that much of a change. I get out solo birding, so far, so good. I am in the greater Megalopolis, but have had no trouble finding trails and areas without another person in sight.

I would normally be out birding some of the time with my buddies, but, even though the last time we met, about 10 days ago, we practiced social distancing, we're all now solo birding for the foreseeable future. We are exchanging a daily thread of emails (we are all single without children) sharing experiences and daily activities. I guess we're all introverts, because nobody's clamoring for facetime or phone calls. The emails seem to do it.

 

[athena53]

I'm not as introverted as I thought.

I'm comfortable- adequate supply of food and TP, love my house, no major financial concerns unlike a lot of people going through this. I have a treadmill downstairs and a TRX so I'm getting in good workouts. Right now I'm resisting the mad urge to drop off food donations at the donation barrel in a local grocery store after buying them at Costco yesterday. I have to go out to donate blood Tuesday and can do it then. As others have noted, it's having the options cut off (gym, non-essential shopping, volunteer activities, church) that really make this time difficult.

And I miss my grandchildren and the guy I'm dating. I'm within driving distance of both- DS and DDIL are 3 hours away, but DS is working from home, DDIL is home-schooling the kids and everything I do with the older 2 when I'm there is closed. I'd just be another person crammed into the house. BF is still working at a SHIP hotline so he may be exposed to COVID-19 (I sure hope he isn't) and we shouldn't be traveling anyway.

I really need a hug!

 

[jollystomper]

While I miss my major out of the house activities being closed down - particularly golfing, since I believe it could easily be done with social distancing - I am okay with things. Working from home for most of my last 8 years with Megacorp prepared me well. I have plenty of hobbies and activities in and around the house to keep me busy.

As long as the power stays on and water keep running, my biggest challenges will be getting too comfortable and gaining weight.

DW is a much more social person, and a teacher, so she hates it. For example, this past week she conducted her first set of online classes, and was surprised at how, in her view "casual" the students seemed to be taking it. Also one of her friends, who is in a troubled marriage and hates to be alone with her husband in her house, is always trying to get her and other friends to come over and hang out. DW likes to go but is trying to minimize it and social distance. It is tough when this friend is calling her multiple times a day.

At least we still love being around each other . Our house is big enough so that we can manage "together" time and "doing our own thing" time just fine.

 

[Moemg]

I miss going out twice a week for dinner and to meet our friends but otherwise it is okay . I had been home quite a while before this started because of pneumonia so it feels like forever to me .I feel really sorry for all the people this is affecting in financial ways and I pray it ends soon.

 

[RxMan]

I was actually working from home two days a week before this pandemic hit and they approved us working from home full time starting back on March 16th. We’re basically not going anywhere with the exception of the occasional trip to get groceries.

We went to Sam’s yesterday and there was no toilet paper, paper towels, hand soap, body wash, and disinfectant wipes among other things. It was weird to see things like whole turkeys and bagels also being sold out. The laundry detergent was sold out as well. What shocked me was while we were at Sam’s we were able to fill my wife’s car up with gas and at Sam’s it was $1.49/gallon!

I’m starting to get a little restless. It’s not like I usually go out a lot but I think working from home means I’m here almost all the time.

The thing that concerns me is that the cases keep going up and this might drag on into the summer. Originally our company told us we’d only work from home full time until March 31st but they were going to re-evaluate. I just checked my work email and no news yet but my guess is I’ll be working from home for at least most of April if not longer.

Hopefully everyone will stay safe and take as many precautions as possible. I may go on a hike this after just to get outdoors. That seems like it would be a great escape from the house and it is a really nice day today.

We’re all learning as we go through this new and difficult situation. Good luck to everyone!

 

[aaronc879]

Staying home doesn't bother me at all. The thing I hate is the change in my grocery shopping. I can't get what I want when I want it anymore and I hate that. I can't get sale items very often and if I can I can only get 1-3 depending on the item and store because of limits put in place. When pizzas are 5/$10 or 5/$11 I usuallu go and get 10 of them a few times during the sale week to stock up. This time I could just get 3 or them. I will have to eat things I don't like as much and cost more. I'm very frugal(<$20K/yr total spending) so don't like spending extra. I can't do my contract work because the businesses I work with are shut down but I don't qualify for unemployment benefits as far as I can tell. That doesn't seem right

 

[candrew]

A Mixed Bag For Us

We go on daily bicycle rides. Weather ideal here right now in the Phoenix area. Lots of wildflowers in bloom. Once we get into the summer months though, will have to limit outdoor activities to early morning hours.

Our plans to travel to Mexico at the end of May are in jeopardy right now.

What we miss most is being able to visit our family members. Most of all our grandkids.

 

[aja8888]

Hate it.

DW is "in" more than me because she has COPD and a weakened immune system. Plus, she's on oxygen full time.

I still meet each day with a few close friends for a morning coffee at Burger King (outdoor patio) and do the errands for DW.

DD is still working and we talk daily over the phone.

I think another few weeks of this and I will be looking for things to do. Maybe I'll look for another classic car to buy that needs restoration and start one again.

 

[scrabbler1]

Staying home doesn't bother me at all. The thing I hate is the change in my grocery shopping. I can't get what I want when I want it anymore and I hate that. I can't get sale items very often and if I can I can only get 1-3 depending on the item and store because of limits put in place. When pizzas are 5/$10 or 5/$11 I usuallu go and get 10 of them a few times during the sale week to stock up. This time I could just get 3 or them. I will have to eat things I don't like as much and cost more. I'm very frugal(<$20K/yr total spending) so don't like spending extra. I can't do my contract work because the businesses I work with are shut down but I don't qualify for unemployment benefits as far as I can tell. That doesn't seem right

I just got back from food shopping and I am happy to say things were much this time than the last time I went about 10 days ago. While the paper goods shelves were still empty, other shelves which were empty before are now mostly stocked, such as pasta, breakfast cereals, soups, and fresh meats (many have limits on quantities purchased). One item the store hadn't carried for more than 6 months magically reappeared on the shelves again, so I won't have to get it elsewhere. Yes, there are no sale items any more, as the store circulars have been discontinued for now. A few weeks ago, I loaded up on my most expensive item, boneless chicken breasts, which were deeply discounted (less than $2 per pound), so I am set with that at least through early May.

 

[mystang52]

I go out to run about 4 times a week, and do a walk with DW. With the nice weather coming, I'll incorporate a bike ride or 2 each week. But beyond that I feel cooped up. My 4 grandkids are very close, and we literally see them a few times a week, from a distance. I miss the hugs though.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

This hasn't affected us too much as I am retired and DW has w*rked from home for the last couple of years. Actually, we are quite happy to be home as we were out of town for DW's surgery and we *had* to be around people...which I did NOT like AT ALL. Now, we are happy to hang around the house and with the warmer weather the pool is being used, too. And of course, it's spring time so there's plenty of yard work to keep me occupied.

DW will start proton therapy in a few weeks, so hoping the worst of the virus will be behind us before we have to go back to society.

 

[pacergal]

I don't mind my time at home. I can go sit on the deck, read, garden, walk around the block for exercise.
What I don't like is not being able to visit with siblings and DD/SIL and grandkids.
Grocery shopping is frustrating, but at least I can get needed food. Paper products are a different issue all together. Hoping that gets better.

 

[Helen]

I am in total support of the shelter in place, but I hate it. I love being outside. We are in Palm Springs and they have closed all non-private pools. We can ride our bikes and play tennis so that is good.

At home in Portland they have closed all hiking trails in the area and closed all state parks. There we will be limited to walking around the neighborhood and riding our bikes when it isn't raining.

It will be nice to have this behind us. Stay healthy all.

 

[MRG]

Enjoying a little fresh snow. Next to the fire sounds like where I should be.

 

[braumeister]

As long as we can get out for a long walk or a run every day, we seem to be dealing very well so far with cabin fever, which we're both prone to. And now that the weather is getting nicer, the outdoor periods are getting longer.

Almost everyone in our neighborhood is very good about social distancing (like crossing the street when you see someone approaching on the sidewalk). The only ones who refuse to budge are the older folks (older than us). But they don't move very fast so they're easy to avoid.

 

[ER Eddie]

Love it.

Reinforcement for what comes natural.

I include outdoors/nature.