It’s the end of the world as we know it
It’s the end of the world as we know it – many thanks to REM (the group not the biological function)
But I don’t feel fine…
This was going to be called ‘can a squirrel get epilepsy?’ for reasons which may or may not become apparent later on.
But whatever you do and wherever you turn the only topic of news and conversation is COVID-19 with an extraordinary number of results on Google of just shy of 4 Billion!
No doubt still rising.
The way the advice and reactions have changed over the last week is unbelievable.
Some day it will all go away and we will be able to tell our grandchildren that we lived through the pandemic.
Potentially the worst pandemic since Spanish flu in 1918.
It will be exciting/unsettling to review this posting in three months time and see what has transpired…
A week ago the world changed.
Countries started closing borders, there were lockdowns (not in the spellchecker until now) and people with symptoms were asked to self isolate.
On first hearing of self isolating it sounded like something teenage boys might do and would lead to a run on tissues.
But then the hoarders started panicking.
I wasn’t at all surprised – we’ve turned into a nation that can’t cope with shops being shut. Look at Xmas grocery shopping.
It’s the same at Easter.
Why do they do it? If your house is full to the ceiling with toilet rolls, baked beans and dried pasta, get in touch.
I want to know why!
It’s the end of the world as we know it – no it isn’t you stupid !*!*.
But that was just the start.
Gatherings of more than 5, 10, whatever people are discouraged, schools are shutting, workers are being asked to work from home and get their groceries, etc. delivered.
A meeting I organised with a local bank for earlier this week was cancelled as their face-to-face limit was effectively zero.
Got around it – rescheduled the meeting with Zoom (other conferencing apps are available) and went ahead with each of us in the comfort of our own rooms.
If it works don’t knock it.
Every networking event I go to has been postponed indefinitely.
I am a pretty gregarious soul and the prospect of several months meeting no one but family (sorry dear) will drive me potty.
But we are where we are.
My final pain clinic session due this morning was shelved.
That makes me sad too.
Okay we have the WhatsApp app (WhatsApp not being in the spellchecker did confuse me – thought I’d misspelled it but I hadn’t) but you can’t get facial nuances from a text app.
Can you?
I’ll live – obviously – but it does reduce the quality of life.
There are lots of people I feel sorry for.
See – not just myself 😲 You’ve got me all wrong.
It does seem to be especially virulent in the elderly and those with compromised immune systems.
If you’re over 70 and already unwell it could really be the end of your world.
But there are asymptomatic (oddly is in the spellchecker) fatalities.
And I’m seeing suggestions of asymptomatic carriers – which could mean we’re all doomed until we get a vaccine.
Or we achieve herd immunity.
It crosses my mind that, if I could be (reasonably) sure it’s not going to kill me, it would be better to have the sort of chicken pox parties you took your kids to to get it all out of the way.
But that’s all very well if the morbidity rate is very low.
I’m reading 0.7% but that still means seven out of every thousand.
But I’m also reading around 3% in the elderly so in the ‘not elderly’ that means less than 0.7%.
But by how much depends on who’s been tested – are the testees (not in spellchecker) representative within the sample.
Or are they self-selecting (as opposed to self isolating) in which case the actual prevalence in a random sample could be literally anything!
I did read today of a small town in Italy (definitely shut as a country) that has tested everyone.
Which could be useful. But may be not.
I really must stop thinking about this stuff – it’s making my head hurt…
It’s the end of the world as we know it.
So what can we do?
These events of the last week or two could not have come at a worse time for me (I hesitate to say us but she may agree).
Over this winter we’ve been exploring ways of mitigating the cold and damp that makes my life such a misery in this part of the year.
And we thought we’d come up with a viable plan.
Well that’s a complete non-starter in the present climate so I’m going to have to grit my teeth and get on with things.
Tell you more later once everything returns nearer to normal (or whatever normal becomes).
Massively disappointing and it does drop my defences (bloody American English spellchecker) a bit against depression.
BUT in the scheme of things at the present, suck it up man… Cringes.
Actually my pain clinic “stuff” comes in handy here.
We were working on a flare up plan to mitigate the effects of our aches getting the better of us and the principles transfer pretty nicely here.
Concentrating on the Stress/frustrations/mood issue my strategies were:
- Relaxation
- Mindfulness
- Treats
- Distractions, and
- Remember – it WILL end
And the flare up plan does come in handy in its own right.
Without meetings, I’m back in front of the computer monitor and bits that haven’t really got sore for a few weeks are telling me they are seriously not happy.
Completely confused me earlier this week – I’m thinking where are all these aches and soreness coming from – and why now!?
Surprising how quick you can forget.
It’s the end of the world as we know it…
Maybe – it’ll never be quite the same again.
I feel really sorry for Die Tocher.
Not much call for a travel blogger in this version of the world.
Stuck in Gibraltar which has turned into a ghost town. Her latest picture almost seemed like you should be able to see the tumbleweed running down the road.
But she has a sideline in SEO work which she is getting rave reviews and that IS a growth market in these troubled times.
With everyone stuck indoors and doing all their shopping remotely some firms are going to do well.
Get in contact with her if you have any needs. I’m sure she’d value the contact.
Others are not doing so well.
My heart goes out to anyone in:
- Travel
- Hospitality and leisure
- Music and the arts
- Anyone who is renting
- Anyone with an electricity prepayment meter
- If you’re over 70
- If you’ve a compromised immune system
- And anyone out there who needs a hug
Here’s one – unfortunately just a virtual one for now 🤗🤗🤗🤗 but sent with compassion.
So what can we do?
Help others. No two ways about it. Watch out for the elderly and infirm in your area.
Can you help them with their shopping? Can you put their bins out for them?
Don’t hoard. All the suppliers are saying there is plenty to go round.
Just been talking to die Tochter. She made a very good point.
If you’ve a hotel/travel, etc. booking, don’t cancel it – let it ride and take it at a later date.
Because the supplier is not going to be awash with funds and if there is a major call on resources the only thing they can easily cut is staff.
Be sympathetic – some people will take the p***. They always do but don’t let it stop you helping the genuinely unfortunate.
And don’t hold on to problems you cannot do anything about. They will eat at your soul or whatever you want to call it and it’ll make nooooo difference at all.
You know, I think that’s enough for this week. Over 1300 words and several pearls of wisdom.
Don’t worry – I’m not at all egotistic (that I’m going to admit to anyway).
Take care of yourselves. Talk soon.
Postscript – Lorraine has just got in.
She was at our local post office posting 48 envelopes but she had to wait while the person printed 48 postage labels one at a time because they didn’t have enough stamps.
Who is hoarding stamps??? It’s the end of the world as we know it?
It’s the end of the world as we know it? I just could not resist once I’d seen this! Image by Sumanley xulx from Pixabay
