March 2020 - will be remembered in history as the year of the Coronavirus! Novel Covid-19 spreading across the globe like wildfire. China, Italy, Iran on lockdown. Eventually spread to the US causing school, restaurant, work shut downs in an attempt at social distancing. People stocking up and freaking out. The only topic all over the news and social media. Lotsa memes and lotsa panic at the same time.
In a time like this wherever I turn my head and whoever I talk to, it’s all I hear about! It’s all people want to talk about. I’m obsessing over it and freaking myself out. Another three weeks of this, and I gotta survive it! Decided to start chronicling this unique situation as a keepsake memory! And it would help get my attention away from whoring over news channels and social media. A let out I guess!
March 17th - Day 1!!!!!
Our company asked employees to work remotely starting today for the next three weeks. So I was at home today with A, didn’t send him to school though it’s open. K came back home from work in the afternoon. A and I ate maggi for lunch, yummy yummy in my tummy! Threw in some carrots and green peas to satisfy myself π
Was a relatively low key day at work also. Played with A between meetings and pampered him a lot! Logged off at 5pm sharp and went out for a walk with the boys. Got home and cooked dinner, cleaned up and ready to crash! Whew a busy day!!
What did I learn out of it today? Well, routine keeps me sane! I proved it to myself again! My plan to survive for the next few weeks - have a routine and stick to it as much as I can! I’m the kinda person who freaks out of something doesn’t go as planned, but that’s exactly the situation across the world that everybody is grappling with! So what the hell! Things will NOT go as planned, you just have to find the best way you can to deal with it! That’s my gyan for today. Dinner time! And time for another episode of ‘Story of God’ intense stuff!!
March 18th Day 2
Had a morning devoid of meetings. Used that opportunity to bond with A. Played with him around the house, ‘catch me’, hide and seek etc. Breakfast was egg sandwich for adults and of course he snatched my sandwich and ate it π
Feels like A is getting very clingy to me. Of course, since I’m spending so much time with him! One on one, fully focused. It will be really hard for me to let him go back to school. And it will be equally hard on him too. Downside of this attachment, he doesn’t let K have daddy time. Got K to make A sleep in the afternoon so he doesn’t forget there’s another adult in the house he should spend time with. I feel it’s unfair for K to miss out all the love and cuteness A gives. Went for a walk in the evening, A on his scooter. Came back home, K cooked dinner and had a good evening. Pretty close to what Day 1 was! I like it so far!
Love the fact that I’m enjoying A’s company so much. It’s amazing to see him in his element and get to experience it. I was awestruck when A changed the song ‘no more monkeys jumping on the bed’ to suit the situation of him jumping on the stairs! Super creative. I know he’s my baby so I’ll feel all the love in the world. But this time around I’m feeling emotions that I thought I should feel for him. Feels good!
Wondering if lack of work stress brings about these emotions in me. Seems possible. I’m much more relaxed, energetic without taking multi vitamins and cheerful with A. That’s a change!
March 19th - Day 3 panic mode!!!
Wrote such a long post and it didn’t get saved π
Don’t know if I have the same level of emotions to write it all over again!!!! Gonna try!!
Day 3, panic set in around afternoon. Was reading my close friend’s post about how they’re practicing social distancing. I was like, Really?! Wow! Should I be panicking more? Am I prepared enough? Etc etc! Started questioning whether or not to go to my friend’s house tomorrow for his daughter’s bday party - was going to be a big group but it’s just them and us for now.
Went to the chiro’s office. My back has been hurting so started seeing a Chiro a week ago. Three sessions so far. I’m feeling worse than before. Got an x ray and found that my L5 is getting compressed. Spent more than an hour n half in the Chiro’s office today. Got myself more anxious with the decompression machine, x ray etc.. So was a lil upset with that. And already being freaked out with social distancing on WhatsApp, totally freaked out in the office with other people around π€¦♀️ Deciding not to go back there till this whole pandemic craze settles down. Just to be safe. First time that I felt like I had to be more careful and not be exposed to other people. Came home with a grim face so K gave me a glass of wine. Cooked, cleaned up, and ate pani puri for dinner. A blissful way to end an anxiety filled day. A did ok, was a lil clingy in the afternoon. Didn’t get a chance to spend much time with him cuz of my crazy meeting schedule. Hoping to spend more time with him tomorrow. Kinda missed being with him today. I’m realizing that anxiety just makes me a not-so-happy person! Let’s see how the days ahead go!!
March 20th Day 4 - Broke Social distancing rules. Uh oh!!
Dinner at M’s home to celebrate D’s bday. Bday was yday but the original plan was to meet today since it’s Friday. Of course covid-19 put a damper on the plan, not complaining, but we decided to meet with a smaller group. Them, us, S. 9 people - one less than the recommended number of people π
Obviously our conversations were all centered around covid-19 and the current state of things around the world. Discussed about why this turned into such a big deal freaking out millions of people across the whole globe!! Good conversation, great company. But somewhere I was guilty that I stepped out of the house and didn’t stick to social distancing rules. At least I know I was with people who are equally, or if not more, cautious about this whole thing. Had a nice conversation with K on our way to M’s house. Was a good night. Fingers crossed, hope it doesn’t lead to something!
March 21st - day 5 (first Saturday in quarantine!)
Spent time cooking and decompressing today. Went to meet amma vaallu, they’re doing ok. A lil guilty to go see them since I really don’t wanna give them anything! S came over with Eva, fun time for A!!! Ended up eating swadeshi egg fried rice for dinner - amazing!!!!!
March 22nd - Day 6
Feels like it’s been a long long time, just 5 days so far π
Today it was announced that Dallas county should ‘shelter-in-place’. Goes into effect Tuesday night. Next level of quarantine for us! Things are getting more and more real here. Seriousness is increasing. Which is unnerving. Watched the movie ‘Contagion’ today with K and S. Man, what a movie!! Released almost 9 years ago, it’s such an accurate depiction of how things would happen in the event of a viral outbreak. All the situations, dialogues in that movie are like they were taken out of today’s media! It’s almost like someone knew how things would go down if something like this ever happened! Very freaky. Contributed to me feeling more anxious that things are getting more serious! S left today, Anna spent sometime with us. Wonder if this level of interaction will also fade away. My feeling is that things are going to get more and more worse. Seems like this could go on till End of April and worst case scenario till end of May. How long will this last? When will it end? How will we go back to normalcy, back to trusting people and living your life? All big troubling questions.
Anyway, will take one day at a time. Decided to take a shower and get ready for virtual presence at work. Hoping it will give me an additional feeling of normalcy during this time. We all gotta survive another few weeks at home. Fingers crossed!
March 23rd - day 7 Mixed feelings
I’ve been using a Mac for almost 6-8 months now. I was skeptical about using it that I didn’t even set it up the first 6 months that I had it. After setting it up I had some usability issues, the most painful ones being lack of OneNote/OneDrive and Webex plugin for Mac outlook which caused me lots and lots of pain! So I went back to my manager and asked for a windows machine, which I got 3 weeks ago. I was lazy to set it up so I didn’t. And this whole thing happened. I never thought I would say this, but I am, ‘Thanks’ to Covid and work from home mandates - our company expedited rolling out Microsoft Teams to all of Technology, which gave me OneDrive and eventually the most awaited OneNote! I realized today that the Webex Mac plugin is also resolved and now I have that too!! Which means I can keep my Mac woohoooo!!!! Now I can fully and thoroughly enjoy my Mac π
What positivity during these tough times!!
And then, on the flip side - went to India bazar to pick up something quick. And it wasn’t a pleasant experience, in my head at least π people were standing a few feet apart from each other in the line but just look in g at other people around me I freaked out. I bought just a few things but had to get through the line and then realized there was an express checkout counter π€¦♀️ Doh π
Anyway, got out of there and went to drop stuff off at Amma’s home. Didn’t stay very long at all, didn’t even sit down. Bapu was waiting for me so he could have a drink and I said I had to leave. Felt bad to rush out of there like not knowing when I would see them again. I know that sounds too scary but I’m being realistic now. It’s for their own good that we stay away from them. Bothering bothering me. It’s barely been a week at home but I already feel like it’s been sooooo long! When is this going to end? When will we get normalcy back in life? What is normal even going to feel like? Ughhhhhh
March 24th - Day 8 Happy Gugaadi!!
Ugaadi today! Start of a new year for Telugu people. Name of the year is SΔrvari. Apparently it’s Supposed to be the most auspicious year! Let’s see what’s in store for all of us! The beginning hasn’t been particularly auspicious π
Had a fun fun fun day with Ari. He participated in the pooja like a good good boy. Lots of love to him muuahhhhh π
He also touched my feet for blessings π adorable! It’s wonderful to see him show interest in such rituals. Reminds me of myself when I was a kid. Thank you god for this! I asked him to say Ugaadi and he said gugaadi π€¦♀️ Hence the title of my blog today.
Had a long long day at work, spent 7 hours on a call just listening and not actively contributing. Sorry for those who were driving it, but great job on getting through it! I cooked and got ready in the meanwhile. Wanted to go meet amma vallu but decided against it, in the interest of not risking them. Ento, let’s wait and see what happens in the next coming few weeks. Will try to keep spirits up and going!!!! Woohoooo!!!
