Couch 212: The French Vanilla couch

Weird. On my iPad it's facing properly. On my laptop it's sideways.

I've found cropping pics to make them closer to square seems to help.

It has to do with the data that mobile devices with cameras use in their pictures to indicate orientation. If whatever you upload it to doesn't recognize the data, it won't be oriented correctly.

It seems to happen most often with iOS devices.

I'm having a sense we could be going on lockdown/shelter in place soon. Earlier, we made sure we had essentials in terms of food and personal care items (toothpaste, etc.). A bit ago, I went out to a locally owned liquor store to stock up. And I'd ordered a few things to help entertain D last week (like children's yoga cards) that are just arriving by Amazon. I'm not at all emotionally ready for this (see: beer purchase), but in other ways we are!


I'm just worried about all of us if they do put us on lockdown/shelter in place. D has already had a couple meltdowns today about not being able to go out (I ended up crying with her during the one she had with me, saying I'm sad/angry we can't go out, too). So H got some carryout lunch and they went to the top of the parking garage at his (vacant) office building to eat and do some sidewalk chalk. Just afraid we're all going to lose our minds...

Wish I could be more like the guinea pigs and just care about food and sometimes chasing each other...

OK, D is now wearing a Princess Jasmine wig and giggling at the guinea pigs. So that's a nice moment at least...trying to hold onto those.

I went through the freezer deciding what to cook next. And I have a confession to make.

I have apparently been hoarding mashed cauliflower.

I don’t know how I can live with myself.

I made a long list of things to do while quarantined/socially distancing and stuck it in a reddit post. (I'd post it here directly but it's super long and the formatting gets screwed up when I try to copy/paste.) Let me know what other things y'all are doing to stay sane! (Or as sane as any of us get )

Do you have a backyard or are you in a condo, where you dont really have any land?

Also, does anyone play Animal Crossing? I'm trying to decide if I should get it for the Switch. I really loved Stardew Valley (started playing after ElectricManatee mentioned it on this forum, actually!); is it anything like that?

I never could figure stardew valley out - not how to make it work or what the point was. my little farmer guy just kept getting lost in the forest or stuck by the canal or more creepily - entering people's houses when they were not there. Never tried animal crossing.

Townhouse, where our actual "backyard" is a deck off the basement. There's some common, shared greenspace in the community, but nothing that we own.

I'm a bit envious right now of the families in big houses with, like, a swingset and huge yard out back. But then, we're also not cooped up in an apartment or condo, so...

Just wondering what you and D could get involved in doing in what little outside you do have. Do you guys plant flowers around the outside of the house?

Aww, I'm so glad you like Stardew Valley! There really is nothing that quite compares, but My Time in Portia and the Harvest Moon games are similar. The Stardew people are producing a followup game that looks like a really fun Harry Potter rip-off, but it has been in production forever. I haven't played Animal Crossing, but I have a few friends who like it.

I love Animal Crosding i played it lot when i was newly separated i was in my Daughters town they added a camping ground that i didnt really like i did enjoy collecting all the things for the museum tjough

We used Zoom to screenshare and play Jackbox games with several of our friends last night. You just need the room code and then everybody can play from their own phones or tablets. Trivia Murder Party is my favorite, but there are many fun and silly party games.

Now I'm occupying myself by looking at swing sets and outdoor climbing things. My MIL offered to ship something to our house to occupy our energetic little monkey while the playground is off-limits I am resistant to the idea that this is life for the next long while, but I think that's where things are heading. It's tough. One day at a time.

Its going to be intereting 3 of our states ahave closed rheir borders and 2 of those states have closed schools. I am eager ot see if this slows the number of cases. Our PM wasnt keen on doing anything and at the beginning all precautions were just suggestions why are some politicians so stupid

For you all who play game on the computer:
Epic Games' two new freebies: Watch Dogs and The Stanley Parable - CNET

And some apps reduced. I did sort of enjoy the alto ones.
Your App Sliced Week In Review - Sunday, March 22nd

Much like therapy - I wanted to get swept up by some game or other in the positive sense, but I just don't know how to do it.

Ok looks like we had some new things decided last night gyms, pub clubs cinemas places of worship and indoor sports areas are closed for at least 6 months.

My state only has 161 confirmed cases so far but a third of them are in my county. I live in a tri-county metropolitan area (plus technically a 4th county in the neighboring state) and the county with the main city in it only has 19 cases. I wonder if my county is just testing more people or we are just doing a terrible job of social distancing. Two of the surrounding states are in the thousands of cases so I wonder if it's going to get that bad here as well.

I wouldn't be surprised if the number of cases was AT LEAST double what they say. Here there is no testing unless you have been out of the country even though that is not how people are getting it anymore.

The other criteria is get tested if someone you know has it. Since no one can get tested no one knows who has had it or not.

In good news, my yoga instructor will be setting up a zoom yoga session, I could definitely use the relaxation lol

I am not particularly religious but this does put me in mind of David and Goliath

The Columbo tonight is the one where Laurence Harvey plays a hard of hearing shirtless murderous chess player. My favorite kind!

Are there many murderous chess players out there?

oh btw my wife's fever went away and she got her period so 99.9% sure that was the cause. Yay? I guess but not for her haha

I have all Columbo series on my hard drive but i cant watch because my laptop died and i need batteries for the tv remote and guess whatbpeople have been panic buying. I am reasonably sure electrical power stations are an essential service and we wont lose power.