The Bishop and the Butterfly: Murder, Politics, and the End of the Jazz Age
    barefooted's picture

    Hi there, Zoom on in

    By barefooted on Tue, 04/28/2020 - 2:22pm |

    No, I haven't done Zoom.  Well, that's not entirely true; the other day Alan was doing his first one with a friend of ours and I popped in for a moment over his shoulder.  Trust me when I say that was more than enough for me.  I don't like to have my picture taken, for heaven's sake, so why would I want to see myself while I'm talking to someone else?  I've spent many terrified years imagining video phone calls ... please don't ask me to be camera ready at your disposal.

    Enough about that.  So how is everyone in this virtual universe?  Hopefully alive and well - though it's not likely that you're reading this otherwise - and managing to maintain your sanity.  Sorta.  Kinda.  Maybe.  We appear to be okay, though I'm not at all sure what that exactly is anymore.  I have to check with my online newspapers for daily information like what day it actually is, but other than that I appear functional.  Alan says I let myself get too upset over the news, so I counter by raging about some nonsense that came out of a politicians mouth and prove his point.  It's become sort of a routine.  We need those these days.

    Oh!  Great news!  He snagged toilet paper at the grocery store last week!  An entire 12 pack - we are indeed blessed.  He shops without me these days, and I get to unpack the bags and put stuff away, which has become a weekly highlight for me.  We make a list, but I'm never quite sure what he'll find 'til he gets home (he thinks of it like a treasure hunt).

    A make-up artist friend of his made and mailed to us two face masks.  He also has a "regular" one that he got on a production shoot a month or so back.  Maybe it was twenty years ago.  I don't know anymore.  Anyway, we do our part to promote the latest fashion craze.

    I've put together one 550 piece puzzle and am working on one that's a thousand pieces.  I've remained sane through the virus and the shut-down and the stay-at-home order and the hand washing and the masks and the keep away from me, damn it ... but if the time comes that I'm babbling incoherently, blame it on the jigsaw.

     

    Comments

    Ahhh ... that felt good.  ;-)


    by barefooted on Tue, 04/28/2020 - 2:25pm

    For me social distancing is the best thing to ever happen. People are constantly invading my personal space. I've learned to accept it but I don't like it. People are always too close to me in lines. Now they stand back and don't crowd me. I hate to touch strangers or even friendly acquaintances. But the men always want to shake my hand and usually hard enough to hurt. I'm not a weak person and can take a little pain, but why? I have a friend that likes to hug everyone. I hate it but I tolerate it. Now I don't have to. I live in a rural area so I can get out and walk and hike. When I occasionally meet people we can chat and stay for enough apart. I can meet with friends now and then which is enough for me. 

    I realize this is harder for some people and harder if you live in a high density area. I'm retired so I'm not missing work and getting the same amount of money each month as I did before. I'm not trying to down play the difficulties and suffering this is causing for most people but for me, it's great.


    by ocean-kat on Tue, 04/28/2020 - 9:56pm

    Be brave, Ocean.  Carry on.

    And by the way, you're absolutely entitled to be happy.  About this or anything else.


    by barefooted on Sat, 05/02/2020 - 2:54pm

    I am in my house in Brooklyn. It composes of three sectors.

    My wife occupies the central zone by working 12 hours a day through phone and computer to keep her group going forward. I already had plenty of respect for her but listening in on many conference calls while lurking in the background has caused me to realize that I have been married to a samurai warrior all these years.

    My son occupies the sector that used to be my shop. He had been in College but they shut down the dorms and he is doing his school work and lectures through the computer and scanning his hen scratchings filled with Math I cannot understand. I look forward to when the semester is over and I can use my shop again. I will also have a carpenters helper again. He knows I have evil plans even though I have said nothing about them.

    In my sector, I hunt and gather, consume entirely too much news, and clean stuff. I listlessly pick at the remains of the job I was on before the lockdown. I have no idea if it will ever resume. I mostly keep things in motion so my clients don't fall into despair.


    by moat on Thu, 04/30/2020 - 4:23pm

    You clean stuff??  Trust me when I say that your wife (at least) considers you her warrior.  You are enabling her fantasticness.

    Your son has your former space??  Okay, now he knows you love every inch of him.

    Carry on.


    by barefooted on Sat, 05/02/2020 - 2:59pm