Social Isolation/distancing

[peewee1]

I managed to live in the county within the state with the most reported cases. Yet it seems that most are going about their normal business. Like everywhere else the schools, eating establishments, etc and the 50 people rule are enforce. Where I work the hours that we are open were reduced but the company still pays us for a full 40 hours each week. Those that can work from home do and those of us that have to deal with customers do. My monthly income includes hourly wage plus performance pay. The company calculated what we earned in performance pay prior to the this month and then averaged that amount so that we do not lose income going forward. I see very few wearing masks. My son saw this coming so he stocked up on masks, toilet paper, bleach, freezer bags for storing meat, but most else seems available in the stores. There is a sanitation crew that comes to where I work and cleans twice each day. They wipe everything with disinfectant. Some of the company locations were closed but those employees were spread around to those locations, like where I am, that remain open to fill in and help with the increased customer traffic caused by the closed offices. I feel bad for those affected by health and income challenges. And why is there a proposal to help the airlines with a 50 billion bail out? They are not going to be flying anywhere anyway. Save that cash for unemployment, healthcare, and the banks.

[jeep]

This may be a shock, but I'm leading my life pretty much as normal. I always buy things when they are on sale. I think the ladies at the grocery store call me a "cherry picker", lol... I have a Foodsaver so the meat I buy can last up to 10 years in the freezer. I rarely eat out... I learned to cook by watching my grandmother, and she taught me well so the food I cook is better and cheaper than most restaurants. My freezer always has frozen soups. I fire up my smoker twice a year for 3 days, I give away some of what I smoke and shrink wrap the rest so I have a good supply of pre-cooked brisket, ribs and chicken on hand. I can my own veggies from my garden and I've always been a TP hoarder (that's a joke, but I do buy it on sale as well), so I've been prepared for this without having to prepare.

What irks me is the people who are creating panic and fear. There's a guy on a local neighborhood group who claims this is a global killer and everyone MUST stay home and anyone who does not is "stupid", then tries to prove it by going around to all the stores taking photo's of long lines and empty shelves, and thus doing everything himself that he's trying to stop others from doing. My last trip to the store I was in and out in less than 10 minutes because I went through the quick check-out line with 4 items instead of 400... And just yesterday, I bought my milk at the gas station that's in the same parking lot as the grocery store, lol...

Some may know I've been off work for over a year due to a serious shoulder injury, but I've been doing some self-employment jobs recently and I've been very busy. It's slowed down drastically in the past week but I have to work to earn an income, so I will continue to do what I must do. I may even stop in at the local pub for a beer

[FischAutoTechGarten]

I'm in Alamos, Sonora, Mexico. A small pueblo in the mountains in the southern part of the northern state of Sonora (I'm about 8+ hours across the border from Arizona).
There were 3 known cases in Sonora as of Sunday in cities 3 to 5 hours north of me. Probably more now.

Restaurants are open, but tables have been spread out with allot of them removed. The culture is such that you wash your hands upon entering a restaurant anyway, so that's an easy thing to enforce. Festivals have been cancelled. Nearby beaches in beachy towns have been closed (but there are plenty of private isolated spots along the Sea of Cortez to enjoy with your family and no one else). That said, I see how other flus and colds spread through this little mountain pueblo, and I'm looking to leave in the next 10 days. Mainly because my Mexican casita is just 400 sq ft, Tough to isolate yourself in that without going stir crazy!

Thursday, we are taking an elderly neighbor to the airport (about 90 minutes away), so that she can fly to Canada and be with her sons in British Columbia. She'll just has to provide proof she wasn't in Spain or the USA. She will have to undergo a two week, at-home, quarantine when she enters Canada.

I'd feel more comfortable heading back to my desert home in Arizona (size/comfort). However, our home in Arizona is rented out (snowbirds/golfers), so we can't return to Arizona until after April 1st. We are hoping our renters bail out early, so that we can get home a bit earlier. I'm hoping for no border crossing issues as we have Sentry passes for ourselves and our automobile so that we don't wait hours and hours. Might become more of a hassle the longer we delay returning. I know that in Green Valley, Arizona, where our home is, that our health clubs, pools, etc.. have been closed.. Gatherings / Church Services have been cancelled. We will probably stay home allot and hike in the nearby SantaRita mountains and our own desert to keep from going crazy. I received a notice last night that the Desert Aquarist Society's April meeting has been cancelled (bummer as I was looking forward to bringing up some wild caught Cichlasoma Beani and Gila Top Minnows for members).

Regarding panic at stores, obviously not seeing this in our little mountain pueblo.... but it's probably different NOB in Arizona. Panic in my Fidelity managed 401K... Now that I've seen... man... it's lost about 35% of it's value in the last three weeks. Oh well, in it for the long haul, riding it out and trusting it will recover along with the rest of the people and economy...

[Johnny95132]

Hi Shan,
I concur that the government mandates to shelter in place have only made things worse. People are driving to the stores in droves, and transmitting the virus to one another. If what I've learned about the virus is true, that air borne particles can be picked up and transmitted by the central A/C, the particles can spread on surfaces, then the virus must be spreading like mad right now. The fact that half the Brooklyn Nets team has contracted the virus shows the ease of transmission. I have a gut feeling that sooner or later everyone of us will get the virus as it's inevitable that we will have to leave our homes. It's not the end of the world that if we do get infected, since most people won't fall seriously ill.

By the way Shan, I remember visiting the Hampton Roads area during a eighth grade field trip to Colonial Williamsburg. Such a beautiful landscape, with green grass and wooded forests. I think the East Coast is much more scenic as a whole versus the West Coast. There you have quaint homes built alongside the landscape, while here we have rows of rows of endless suburbia.

[Shan_Evolved]

I agree Johnny! But seriously hope everyone one of us don't actually get the virus. That's scary to think of!

I'm glad you enjoyed your visit and have a good memory of this place, but me personally I miss my home town Houston Texas. It was not a pretty place but the culture there was much nicer. There is hardly anything to do here. Not to mention the only discus keepers I've found here have horrible looking fish. And they're trying to give me advice lol

[Johnny95132]

Yeah, my prediction was probably too doom and gloom. Going forward, I will try not to send messages that convey a sense of panic haha. But from what I've heard, around half of the world's population will end up receiving the virus. This is coming from the mouth of Angela Merkel, Germany's PM, who stated that around 50-70% of Germans would end up contracting the virus.

Regarding your current city, I didn't expect that living there would be boring, given the proximity to the historical landmarks of Williamsburg. Though I would expect living there to be boring if one isn't a outdoor type of person. I would imagine that the forests would have lots of places for hunting and fishing. It does seems somewhat empty if you're more of a city type of guy.

And I can totally attest to meeting those types of discus keepers. It seems like the most active ones in my community happen to have the worst discus imo. I literally facepalmed when a guy was selling Red turq x pigeon blood fry, which were heavily peppered. Time after time, this breeder keeps finding the worst possible pairings of discus to breed.

[LizStreithorst]

You could be right, Johnny. I hope not, but I do understand how contagious it is.

There was a guy standing outside my small town supermarket. He greeted me and asked how I doing, a normal thing for a greeter. I was polite back. It was not until he turned away that I saw he had a gun on his hip, and SECURITY on the back of his T shirt. After I did my shopping I went up to him and asked him what he was securing us against. He said that not here but in other places people have caused trouble. I told him the story about a guy in another State who pulled a gun on someone for a box of diapers. He said that in Hattiesburg, my big city, did the same thing over some product! I swear, it should be unnecessary for a small town grocery store to have to hire an armed guard. It's sad.

The parking lot looked pretty full, but inside was not packed any more than normal. I couldn't wait to check out the toilet paper area. Sure 'nuff there was NOTHING there. I'm going to make a corned beef tomorrow and went to the bread isle because I'll be wanting a good loaf of rye for sandwiches. I busted out laughing. There was no bread at all, except for New Orleans French bread which is totally awesome, so I bought a loaf of that.

Brian, what kind of meat smoker to you have? I've been wanting one for years. I may finally buy one.

[FischAutoTechGarten]

I'm in Alamos, Sonora, Mexico. A small pueblo in the mountains in the southern part of the northern state of Sonora (I'm about 8+ hours across the border from Arizona).
There were 3 known cases in Sonora as of Sunday in cities 3 to 5 hours north of me. Probably more now.

Turns out the case in Guaymas was a rumor...and the case in Hermosillo had been counted twice... Then today it was revealed the case in Hermosillo was a false positive... So that means there are ZERO (0) cases in the Mexican state of Sonora... which is good.... Good to live in the hot desert sometimes...

[LizStreithorst]

Excellent. I no nothing but my instinct said that hot and dry isn't good for that bug.

[Johnny95132]

Wow, that's crazy Liz. Someone pulling a gun on someone for a box of diapers? That's just insane knowing that it was probably a parent who did it. I can imagine hearing my father telling me "I once had a gun at my head when I was buying diapers for you." Can't believe that a parent would pull a gun on someone.

[RogueDiscus]

The other part of that story is the woman had 2 packs of diapers, and her baby in the cart. The guy moved the baby to get one of the packs, so he's up for attempted kidnapping too: anything over 4" is considered kidnapping.

[LizStreithorst]

Good. I hope they take the guy's gun away and put a big scare in him.

[Johnny95132]

"Anything over 4 inches is considered kidnapping." Wow, I didn't know that there was a specific legal definition for kidnapping. It's crazy how detailed the law is written out on paper. I started to read the legal terms and conditions documents, and it seems like the writers have foreseen every possible scenario.

[jeep]

Brian, what kind of meat smoker to you have? I've been wanting one for years. I may finally buy one.

I used to be in competition smoking a while back and I've tried several different ones. My favorite budget smoker is this one from HD. I think it was $159 on their Spring black Friday sale each year. If you get the cover for it, it will last for years. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Char-Gri...1624/206282463

[LizStreithorst]

What you used to do is way over my head. I've been considering a webber in the shape of a bullet. That's what I had once a long time ago. I can't believe how wonderful the meat came out. I have a Food Saver knock of that I'm in love with. That thing is worth it's weight in gold.