Some random quarantine thoughts

I believe this is day #29 for me being at home, off work, and under the stay-at-home lockdown instituted by the State of Indiana (though other people seem to have different dates/numbers). For me, the last day I worked was March 18th. One month ago today was my first day of being laid off.

One thing I've been doing is staying up late and sleeping late into the morning. I haven't been able to do this for some time. I do not miss going to bed at 8 pm and rushing into each weekday at 3:50 am.

Last night I stayed up and listened to Dan Kimball do a Facebook Live bible study. I used to love reading Dan's stuff. He has even commented on this blog a time or two. He talked about Blind Willie Johnson, Led Zepellin, and the Bible. It was great to see/hear him again, and I love stuff like that. It got my mind a'whirring with ideas...

Anyway, on to some thoughts from my morning lookout over the street outside my house...

I have actually started getting unemployment checks. So far I have received two - for $152 each (per week). Ironically enough, I have still not been approved for unemployment though! My status is still "pending." Whatever. I will take the money, little as it is.

I'm starting to think getting paid 47% of my wage to stay home and not work is much better than the people who are now trying to work from home. My wife's frustration level with her work is through the roof. Oh, and she had her hours cut 25% (meaning her pay was also cut) while also being expected  to still do her same job.

One of the better things I've seen on Facebook is this quote from Neil Webb:

"You are not working from home; you are at your home during a crisis trying to work."

That is so true. There ARE people who work from home. The majority of people doing so now do not really fall into that category. I wish my wife's employer would be a little more understanding of this. I am glad for those bosses who can empathize and have a sense of compassion.

One thing that has me most concerned about this whole coronavirus/covid-19 thing... I'm afraid too many people are hoping to merely "go back to how things were" once the stay-at-home orders is lifted. You know, things were not that great for a lot of people to begin with. The poor, the homeless, the overworked, overlooked, stressed and lonely and... a host of others living their lives in ways that were not soul-satisfying. Not to mention the business and political world that favors making the rich richer and the poor poorer. This would seem a great time for all of us to re-think and re-shape how things COULD BE. As I think I've written before, this seems akin to the Israelites wandering in the desert wishing to return to slavery in Egypt, rather than grasping the idea of a Promised Land...

Anyway... in other news...

I have started a CV journal. Of course I started a month too late, but yesterday I opened a new moleskins journal pad and each morning I want to take just 5 minutes or so (one page) to jot down what's happening and what I'm thinking during this time.

These really are unprecedented times, and I actually think it's an exciting time to be alive. I want to remember this historic era from our lives. Most of us have never lived through anything historic like this. Oh, sure, there was 9/11, but I don't think that had NEAR the impact this will have, not only on the United States, but much of the world.

I used to believe the hype that the USA actually was a world leader as far as countries goes. But for probably 25+ years now I've had the inkling that was disappearing and I could really see us being no more than just another third-world-type country someday. Maybe not sliding that far, but our politics is as corrupt as anywhere else, the gap between rich and poor is widening, we now have a dictator for a president (even if only in his mind), and in just a few short years we have lost the respect we once had from other countries (though I realize there have always been those opposed to the USA for different reasons). For some reason I don't really see any of this as a bad thing. Oh, sure, it is bad... but I think it may actually be good for us as people; as individuals. Let's face it, Americans ARE/HAVE BEEN arrogant turds when it comes to the rest of the world. The "American work ethic" has become something other than what was perhaps originally intended. We've toppled ourselves from within with our do-more, be-more, only-the-fittest/richest-survive mentality. Our kids have been raised in an over-stressed and under-healthy culture (at least mentally/emotionally), and to suddenly just STOP EVERYTHING may not be the worst thing in the world to happen. Again, this is a great chance to reset our priorities, our habits, our wants, desires and expectations...

Sorry for that long paragraph. I am typing as I think, so I'm sure I am not wording things well and I could be remembering some things wrong and whatnot...

Anyway, while these are certainly strange times, and I still have my fits of frustration and down days... the sun is shining brightly today. We've got a lot to be thankful for, even if we are struggling to make sense of life right now. The key, though, is that it is still life! We are still alive, and we have the ability to do way more than most of us think we can. And that doesn't mean do more stuff... I'm not talking about adding more to our already-over-piled plates... But let's think about... possibilities. It's a great time for possibility thinking, because... really, there is no better time to make changes than right now! Don't you think?

So, peace out, my friends; and in.