4 months/18 weeks/122 days

"jminer" (jminer) 07/13/2020 at 11:45 • Filed to: None

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The afternoon of March 11th: news around a pandemic sweeping the globe was reaching a fever pitch, Italy was in lockdown with deaths skyrocketing, the rest of the world was shutting down all while our president said this disease was going to magically go away while preparing to do nothing to combat it.

That was the last time I was in my office, my work hadn’t announced any WFH policy yet but they had banned all non-essential travel March 1st even though I was sent on a trip March 3rd.

A bowling alley in Cleveland on March 4th, the last time I was either in a bar or out of my home state

I talked to my wife (who is much smarter than myself) and told her I was starting to feel pretty nervous being in a building with 1200 other people and what should I do? She agreed with me and I talked to my boss telling him I wasn’t comfortable working in the office until things calmed down. He reluctantly agreed to let me WFH, but on Friday the 13th of March our organization went into full contingency anyway and all non-essential staff got sent home for two weeks .

I have now been working from home for 122 days, since March 12th...

For the first couple months the only time I left the house was to go to the grocery store every other week, lately I’ve been out every couple days to buy this, or pickup that but always with a mask and maintaining distance. So far I we’ve gotten lucky and stayed healthy , but like half of my coworkers have gotten it.

I do need to be better about getting outdoors - the last time I went outside was Memorial Weekend ...

The last time I was more than 15 miles from my house - I need to do this more

I’m also very lucky that when a large portion of the US has either been furloughed or laid off I’m working and am very unlikely to loose my job due to this.

I do seriously want to thank Oppo! You all have been an awesome community to be a part of for the 5 years I’ve been here, but during the end of the world that is 2020 you’ve been an amazing source or interaction and support, not sure how I could have gotten through this even remotely sane without you!

adamftw > jminer 07/13/2020 at 11:52

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Today is day work day # 80 for me, since 3/23 . I’ve been getting out and around my place, and I happen to live where its a little less populated (but more touristy) compared to the rest of Long Island so I have that going for me. I’ve been able to get out and find unpopulated places to go for a walk or let my dog run around. And I have a pool, so I have that going for me. I’ve been stir crazy AF and I’m always worried about my job, so, yea. Good days and bad.

CalzoneGolem > jminer 07/13/2020 at 11:54

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Glad to hear you’re doing well. I think a lot of us are getting a lot our social interaction here these days. Some of us have been getting a lot our social interaction here for years. 

jminer > adamftw 07/13/2020 at 11:57

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The emotions that have rolled across me in the last 4 months are things I never though I would feel. I live in a relatively rural area, almost suburbs so it’s generally quiet but I also live in the heart of the bible belt so maybe 2 out of every 10 people wear masks so it’s stressful as hell getting out of the house.

We had a thought to put up a pool, but we had it a few weeks after everyone else also had the idea so everything was sold out by then...

Hope your job stays stable, it’s an insane time right now with this much uncertainty and with Congress essentially doing nothing about it for months now.  

smobgirl > jminer 07/13/2020 at 11:59

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I’ve been traveling for work, almost entirely by car. But otherwise I’m getting insanely bored. I’ve thankfully done a bit of hiking and I’m back to trail running but it’s difficult to find outdoor spaces here that aren’t packed with other folks in the same situation.

The worst part is having the time to start some serious projects at the house but not being  able to risk the financial investment. 

jminer > CalzoneGolem 07/13/2020 at 11:59

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I was always on oppo atleast a few times a week before but these last few months with facebook becoming even crazier this is essentially my non-work interactions.

jminer > smobgirl 07/13/2020 at 12:01

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I was contemplating an extended trip in a couple weeks but then everything exploded so I’m staying home. I’m with you on the outdoor spaces being full, I had to wander a few hours away deep into forest service land to find relative quiet but still came across quite a few others!

I’m with you on the projects though - want to do more but not sure about spending too much on it with everything still so crazy.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > jminer 07/13/2020 at 12:05

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Summer school has taken up a huge portion of my days but long nighttime walks are a good way to unwind before bed. You never see anyone else out and it is much cooler out.

I can only walk the same streets so often however, so Oppo has been a major help in keeping me sane in the absence of social interaction. I haven’t been keeping track of the days because that would just be depressing. 

jminer > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 07/13/2020 at 12:09

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I wasn’t keeping track of them but it hit me this weekend that it had been 4 months and it was shocking to think about.

Times like this make me both appreciate I live in the sticks and wish I didn’t. I have 1 gravel road to walk back and forth on past my neighbors which gets boring quickly. Frequently during this I wished we lived somewhere with sidewalks and paved roads to bike and walk but the quiet has also been nice.

We don’t have any kids so it’s just the Mrs and myself keeping each other company/staying out of each others hair depending on our moods.

ZHP Sparky, the 5th > jminer 07/13/2020 at 12:10

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Agree with everything, especially Oppo! This truly has been one of the few social interactions I’ve had outside of work and my wife+toddler!

Down to the day on everything else too. I was sick on 3/12 and 3/13 with COVID like symptoms and stayed home (a coworker had been VERY sick around then too including hospitalization and the worst cough on earth). Our office went full remote on 3/16 so I haven’t been in to work since then either. Don’t expect to do so for many months to come.

In fact in 20 mins I have a call with my doctor to try getting an antibody test for COVID. I was sick as mentioned, then my wife, and before that our toddler as well. Wife tested negative for COVID weeks later, but they admitted she may very well have had it but was tested too late. And toddler was tested for everything under the sun except COVID, all of which came back negative - this was those early days when COVID tests were like unicorns.

This week we’re finally going camping (on a private property to be away from too many people) and will be our first outing. I’ve gone out to pick up groceries or other random things but never in to a store. So fortunate to have all the options we do and to be able to afford it all. Camping will be our toddler’s first car ride since early March. My wife has been nowhere except to the doctor’s office during this time. It’s her birthday today so feel like camping is a great way to celebrate it, even if a few days later. 

TheRealBicycleBuck > jminer 07/13/2020 at 12:10

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Was I supposed to be counting? Let’s see. My last day in Houston was March 6th. I was in the office for a week, then we were sent home, so I guess it was march 16th. That makes it just abou t 4 months for me. I’ve been away from the house about once every two weeks, but I have yard work and my small shop where I can work on other projects to get me out of the house itself. We were supposed to visit my in-laws this week, but my son came down with something and now we have to wait until he’s feeling better and the test comes back negative for COVID. B oth of my in-laws are high risk, so we have to make sure we’re all healthy before going for a visit.

gin-san - shitpost specialist > jminer 07/13/2020 at 12:13

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Looks like your timing is pretty much the same as what happened to me.

I’ve only hung out with one friend during this whole thing, and it was only once. It can be a bit rough on people who live alone since some days I won’t talk to a single person over anything but text, d epending on my work. As much as I appreciate my own time this has taken things overboard and it’s wearing me down.

Under different conditions I’d enjoy working from home but since I don’t have separate office space I absolutely loathe it. I need that physical distancing between my work and home, and the fact that I simply don’t have space for a separate home office made this WFH situation worse for me.

All things considered, I’d say I’m on the good side  of things but returning to the office is something I'm looking forward to so that I have my proper workstation setup that's also much more ergonomic. 

jminer > ZHP Sparky, the 5th 07/13/2020 at 12:18

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Oppo has been a lifesaver for sure!

Enjoy the camping - it should be fun. My wife has only been out of the house a couple times since she has both severe Asthma and a compromised immune system making her especially susceptible to it.

jminer > TheRealBicycleBuck 07/13/2020 at 12:20

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I wasn’t counting, but over the weekend it hit me that it had been 4 months which made me count the days and it was quite depressing...

Hope your son feels better and the projects keep you busy.  I’ve been doing the same with getting things done around the house.

avalonian > jminer 07/13/2020 at 12:22

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Here in Geogia, it’s been absolutely stupid. We have been working from home since the middle of March. But things have gotten worse due to dumb people and a lack of care, even our mayor got covid. And then started acting like it was important, as a recent 25 year old I didn’t celebrate a birthday. Can’t go on dates or anything and as an extrovert it’s gotten difficult, but I’ve been blessed to work from home.

H owever, I do miss going and doing stuff with friends. There's been alot of online gaming so that helps talk with friends and what not. And I have friends my age who know better who are being not very bright and going to beaches and whatnot, and when I tell them they ignore it which is frightening. But it's not my responsibility to take care of them just advise and be there friend. 

jminer > gin-san - shitpost specialist 07/13/2020 at 12:23

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I do enjoy working from home, but the lack of a break in the monotony is exhausting and the inability to take a trip isn’t helping either.

We don’t do video conferencing at my work so it’s conference calls and skype chats to get through the day but even then it’s only like 5 or 8 people I talk to other than my wife any given week.

jminer > avalonian 07/13/2020 at 12:26

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There are definitely a lot of stupid people out there - why is it that most of the red/bible belt states are not taking this seriously? I live in Missouri and maybe 2 out of every 10 people I see are wearing masks.

I’m naturally a home body so it was nice for the first few weeks but then the monotony set in and has been tough to deal with.  Keeping busy with postponed projects around the house but still not quite enough.

adamftw > jminer 07/13/2020 at 12:31

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Yea man, its crazy out there. At least most people are masked up around here.

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > jminer 07/13/2020 at 12:41

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eh.....i havent had any overtime for 4 months...and shopping is kind of a pain in the arse now...but other than that ive not really been affected over here...but then...up here in the north of the netherlands we were all antisocial bumpkins to begin with...for once that turned out to be a good thing.

anyhoo...good to hear you are doing well :)

avalonian > jminer 07/13/2020 at 12:42

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Something, that I have seen that has been UNBELIEVABLE. Is that in lower income areas it’s been taking more seriously. However, in higher income areas there has been less masks being worn, and it is honestly it is astonishing. Are people flexing their healthcare coverage and what not? I don’t get it, and now the president is trying to vindicate Dr.Fauci and it makes no sense when did we start listening to politicians for science as opposed to scientists? I don’t bring a grocery clerk to a court case why are the most uneducated people on science speaking on this.

Once, schools open back up. Its game over, there will be an explosion in cases that we have never seen completely eliminating any chance of correction. If people keep acting this dumb we might see more than half a million deaths or more. And I don’t wanna see kids die.

CalzoneGolem > jminer 07/13/2020 at 12:45

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I don’t have Facebook but shit’s crazy all over ... it’s nice to come here and argue about brake lights or post a picture of routine car maintenance.

jminer > avalonian 07/13/2020 at 12:58

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Schools opening is a terrifying thought without a serious investment in them which is not coming.  There aren’t any great answers but the idiot’s at the top’s answer is ‘fuck everyone else - I need to make more money’

ZHP Sparky, the 5th > jminer 07/13/2020 at 13:00

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Definitely a wise move, hope you and the family are able to continue getting through this OK. 

jminer > farscythe - makin da cawfee! 07/13/2020 at 13:21

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Glad you’re doing well too - This insanity has definitely made the Mrs and myself think seriously about moving out of the US.  It’s something we’ve talked semi-seriously about in the past but it feels now even more that a move would be a not bad idea.

Taylor Martin > jminer 07/13/2020 at 13:39

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I don’t where what part of the country you’re at, but I envy the fact that you aren’t utterly petrified by going to the grocery store. Here in Florida, everyone is a brainlet and everything is a mes The local Walmart market is doing ok, they require masks which is good. however the stores are super crowded all the time, and the staff make it plain to see that they don’t actually care (the last time I went, the lady who was supposed to keep count of how many people go in and out was sitting with her head down on what I can only assume was the company phone. Maybe she was keeping track, but she didn’t seem to care for it one bit).

I’m living off of soup and tortillas, and whatever I can bum off my roommate, for at least the next 2 weeks. Sucks being at home, but it sucks dying even more, and Oppo has made this whole experience much more bearable, because otherwise I’d be home playing video games an awful lot.

jminer > Taylor Martin 07/13/2020 at 14:28

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I’m in Missouri and it’s full of idiots not wearing masks but it’s relatively unpopulated and not many come here for vacation making it safer. I still never wander out of the house without a mask and hand sanitizer.

I also only go shopping in off-hours like 10am on a Thursday or late at night on a Tuesday. Otherwise it’s to unbusy places like an auto parts store. I went to Home Depot this week as some plumbing broke and required immediate fixing and it was panic inducing as people were everywhere and none were wearing masks.

Taylor Martin > jminer 07/13/2020 at 14:51

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Home Depot is a madhouse. It’s like a perverted game of Pac Man the few times I had to go in. My faith in humanity dwindles with every dimwit who refuses to protect others because one piece of cloth is uncomfortable or believe the whole COVID thing is a sham...

fintail > jminer 07/13/2020 at 15:18

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Suburban Seattle - traffic on some roads appears back to pre-pandemic levels - aka it sucks to drive, and just getting out is a pain. There’s a lot of construction traffic in my neighborhood, as some office towers are going up (Class A high capacity office space might not be the most desired type of property in the future) along with likely some condos for money laundering residency purchasers. Nothing beats a stream of neglected looking probably overloaded dumptrucks using your street as a cut through at 7am, maybe I need to use it as an alarm cl ock and stop sleeping in so much.

Everyone I know is WFH for the indefinite future. Many recreational activities are still closed, even though the local mall and most restaurants seem to be open again. I kind of miss the gym as I don’t think I am losing weight being home so much , but I really miss skating and hockey - I have skated once since March, and it was too weird - put on gear in the parking lot, and expensive, too. I want that to return to normal more than anything.   I go for a 3-4 mile jog 5 days a week, which feels good.

At least the vast majority of people in stores here are on team mask, and most wear it properly. I keep one at my desk and one in each of my cars, so it’s never an issue.

avalonian > jminer 07/13/2020 at 15:19

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Yup, money ain't worth anything if you can't spend it or use it how you want. 

jminer > Taylor Martin 07/13/2020 at 15:36

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I’m with you - blows my damn mind!

jminer > fintail 07/13/2020 at 15:40

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That’ s good people are wearing a mask there.

I’ve been biking more which is good but hasn’t quite sufficed or made up for my lowered activity level.

Roads are the same here with about the same level of cars as pre-pandemic too but atleast I don’t have to commute for the forseeable future.  The place I work isn’t giving us great guidance as they do want us back in the office eventually but I imagine we’re remote atleast through 2020 at this point.

gin-san - shitpost specialist > jminer 07/13/2020 at 15:43

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The trip is what really shook me mentally, I usually just take a month off and travel but obviously that couldn’t happen.

With Europe opening up I may take my chances and travel in the fall but I haven't looked into it thoroughly yet. 

fintail > jminer 07/13/2020 at 16:10

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This area was more or less the original hot zone, but most people here maybe aren’t complete idiots, and have at least a minor degree of self-awareness. If me going to the huge oppression of wearing a mask keeps one single person out of the ICU, it was worth it. And if it doesn’t, I’m still out virtually nothing. I am saddened that this is too much for some people.

I am really testing my willpower by not snacking all the time at home - sometimes I pass the test, sometimes not. I am not a big anxiety eater, but every now and then I’ll indulge on a bad day, too. I’d probably feel guilty if I didn’t get some activity - especially as it seems gyms opening here again is a ways off.

That’s the picture I get from many here, where most work for larger finance or tech/ tech adjacent firms - nobody really knows, but 2020 is done.  And as work still seems to be getting completed as usual, maybe this is the start of a real shift.

jminer > gin-san - shitpost specialist 07/13/2020 at 19:37

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If you’re US based then it’ll be hard to get in. Most of Europe is banning tourists from the US with our pandemic so ridiculously out of control.

But I’m with you on the lack of travel, I normally take a trip for work once a month and 2 or 3 times over time either extend a trip or take my own 4-5 day excursion and I haven’t left my state since March and it’s more brutal on me than I expected.

jminer > fintail 07/13/2020 at 20:08

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I’ve had the same struggle with snacking. I was bad at first then got better for a couple months and actually lost some weight but recently have gotten into the bad habit of snacking so some of it has rejoined me...

Where I get the most success is to cut down to two meals plus a light snack. I eat a late breakfast or early lunch and then an afternoon snack plus dinner.

I’m with you on moving remote permanently , I’d like it.  My work wants us back in the office eventually but it’s an old fashioned organization.  I imagine more companies than not are going to be a lot more accepting of working from home after this.

fintail > jminer 07/13/2020 at 20:57

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I try to behave myself most days, but then now and then just say to hell with it. That was one thing about being at the office , my cabinet of cookies and stuff was several miles away, and the gym was open, too. Now, the cookies are a few steps away, and no gym. I now drink a lot of water and smaller meals, but I splurge on weekends, or I’d lose it.

The problem I have experienced is micromanagers unwilling to cut the cord - some of the old guard still are on the “you aren’t working if I can’t see you” idea, and this is in tech-adjacent. But their bosses will eventually force them to wise up.