Couch 213: The Tulip couch

My parents texted me to let me know they got toilet paper and paper towels at Wal-mart, apparently they had just gotten a shipment in. I can't believe this stuff has been so hard to find.

Like I was talking about a few days ago:
Build a coronavirus victory garden for fresh food and fresh air - CNET

It is not my thing unless things get super really bad and then of course I would- but I hate gardening (I don't like stuff on my hands) and have a lot of squirrels and rabbits in my yard -but for others a good idea. Watch for all of the ww2 propaganda to come out. When you ride alone - you ride with Hitler or when you ride with others you ride with coronavirus

There's already way too many WWII comparisons for my taste. This is just like the Blitz. Or hiding in a tiny attic from the Nazis. Or my grandfather watching the planes fly over Pearl Harbor.

Yes, I'm in "you kids get off my lawn" mode.

ETA: And I'm pissed off--two of the families in my building, single parents, one a chauffeur, one a housekeeper, got laid off with nothing like severance pay. If you can afford a full-time chauffeur or housekeeper, you sure can give them something to help them when suddenly unemployed in the middle of a pandemic-caused recession.

They can't make rent. So I'm covering their next month of rent for them (anonymously). Hopefully they can find something in April, or at least get benefits.

I think this is nothing compared to the blitz or being hidden in an attic for two years. That what is what I find so ludicrous about some of the extreme whiny reactions people are having - suck it up and do what we need to do even though it is a tad inconvenient.

On the other hand, I find propaganda fascinating and the fact that it works both intriguing and horrifying.

i figure with h having to go out every day to work (as his company is now doing a lot of medical deliveries) i need to keep doing my part to not leave the house. he can stop for milk/eggs as needed since he's already out at least once a day for work. They canceled our overtime for today so I am going to spend a couple hours in my kitchen organizing my pantry/freezer and planning some meals out of what we already have to minimize grocery store trips.

We had ice cream bars at two o'clock break today. My coworker in NY who is working from home was like send me some! I told her I would UPS RED them but they would melt! But I told her I had sent her a Saint prayer card to the office so whenever she goes into the office next (they are rotating) she will have it. Because she couldn't get her eye surgeries done.

I just discovered Zoom's "Touch Up My Appearance" option.

It's like those old movies where they film an older actress through gauze.

I coulda used that in the elevator yesterday with my crush. Also the smell-o-vision option.

smell-o-vision....

Recently we had some govt dept reshuffling and i now come under the Dept for Housing, Homelessness and SPORT

I was trying to explain scratch and sniff articles to my daughter and shes like 'why.'

Some of us call the smell o vision the shower.

This is kind of fun
THE SCOOP | Toronto Symphony Plays Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring From Their Homes

What is the world coming to! In my hime state nurses are being stopped in hospital car parks and being spat on by the public. Bloody little grubs. In the mistaken belief that they will get sick anyway and they are spreading the virus.

Similar things are happening in Spain, though there mostly the sick people are mistreated. I think lots of people are just overwhelmed with the situation and act out.

I talked to my case manager/care coordinator yesterday. She's concerned about the social aspects of my life with this Coronavirus happening. I am still able to go to work so some of my social needs are filled there although most of the day is spent in my office alone. I am sleeping a lot when I am not at work. She's concerned if we can't work or when we go to 4 days a week how it is going to impact my mental health. She likes what I am currently doing and she wants me to keep that up, but she also wants to make sure I am getting fresh air and socializing within the parameters of the pandemic. Apparently texting doesn't count! I did call a friend last night before we talked and she thought that was good, and I emailed another friend. But she did seem pleased with my progress and how I am getting along so far. I like how positive she is. She is always like, I'm so happy to talk to you! Who am I kidding, she is probably like that with everyone, but I can at least pretend that she cares. But last night we were talking on the phone and I was in the dining room and so were both of my parents and I had to remind them that I was on the phone because they were getting sort of loud. She seemed to think that me being around my parents all the time isn't a good thing for me. But with the pandemic, what else can I do? She said she is happy for me with me doing better although earlier in the conversation she asked me if I needed to go to the hospital due to my thoughts but I told her no that they were just thoughts.

Hi Couch. Hope everyone is hanging in there. I had my first Zoom therapy session. It was weird.

We lost our dog Wednesday, out of the blue. He was fine on our afternoon walk, collapsed in the evening. Emergency vet was a rock star. It was cancer, and she was clear and compassionate about our options. They are not allowing humans into the vet clinic except in cases like ours, to say goodbye. Everyone got to tell him he's a good dog. I keep running over things in my head to see what we missed, but really other than slowing down a little and being off his food for a couple days in that "Let's keep an eye on him" way, he seemed comfortable and happy, his usual self. I'm really grateful for that. We're all still a little in shock.

The UPS guy came to the door a bit ago and it was so quiet, no frenzied barking. Weird.

The project manager is off today, the head technician is off today, the business development person has been working from home, so I am all alone in the office. It's creepy.

So sorry to hear about your dog WFS, my sincere condolences for your loss. HUGS Kit

Hugs, WFS, so sorry for your loss...

I'm sorry about your dog, WFS.

It is hard to lose a pet. sorry to hear it.

Anybody else feel fairly okay right now? When I read the news, I feel some combination of terrified, sad, and angry, but when I'm living my everyday life, I feel pretty normal and okay.

I discussed this with Amy today, and she said most of her clients feel the same way. She said she mostly works with people who have stable jobs and health insurance and who have experienced developmental trauma. She said those kind of people are having an easier time because they don't feel isolated in their fear (because this affects literally everybody on the planet), they aren't worried about getting their basic needs met, and they don't feel left out because nobody is going anywhere or doing anything anyway. We also talked about how the world has never felt particularly safe to me, so this lack of safety isn't as shocking as it might be otherwise. And I have developed coping skills to manage the distressing feelings people are experiencing because I experience them somewhat frequently.

I think it would be a different story if I were a medical professional or if my spouse were still a police officer. But I still feel a little weird for being mostly okay, especially when so many of my Facebook friends seem very much not okay.

well I emailed L this morning just to check in and see how she's feeling and she said she's still sick and is riding it out at home. I'm worried about her but she's otherwise healthy and strong so I'm hopeful.

I cannot figure why people tell me about their over-reactions to the virus situation if they don't expect me to respond like they are over-reacting. I am not talking about social distancing - I am talking about escalating dooms day scenarios, hysteria, and general goofiness (checking temperatures several times a day, commands to everyone to wash, treating competent other adults like children and so on) - Do they think I have changed my entire outlook on life and over-emoting? I try saying things like -"mmhmm" and "wow that is hard" and even "I see" (even though I don't) - but still I am pressed for more when we all know I am going to fail them.