Welcome to Connection in the Time of COVID-19

Yes, I know this is a play on the famous book title “Love in the Time of Cholera". If you are looking for something to do, why don't you download a copy of the book or order one from your local bookstore.

Shout from the balcony!

I’m a bit of a hermit by nature, but nothing has prepared me for the isolation that comes with social distancing, quarantine, and COVID-19. I’m used to being able to spend sometime at a coffee shop or bookstore, enjoying the atmosphere and talking to my friends who might be around.

Now I can’t even go over to a friend’s house without worrying that I could be spreading a dangerous virus. Grocery shopping along has become an exercise in keeping as far away from other people as possible. The only time I ever leave the house (aside from grocery shopping) is to take a walk so that I don’t go stir crazy.

I may be an introvert, but I still need some form of human contact.

Thank goodness for the Internet and cell phones.

My family and friends are constantly calling, messaging, and video chatting with me. Sometimes it’s so they can catch a break from the other people they are staying safe with. Other times they’re board and just want to say hi. Occasionally, we chat because we’re scared and worried and don’t know how to handle the situation.

I have noticed that the amount of time I spend on social media has increased. That’s not necessarily a good thing, but it makes me feel like I’m part of a larger community, instead of just the same white walls of my apartment. I try to share happy posts - fun videos from YouTube, my latest art project, or pretty things I see on my daily walks.

This is the most unusual time I have ever lived through. The closest my one friend and I can compare this to is growing up in the DMV during the DC sniper. We still went to school, but we couldn’t go outside and hardly anyone went shopping. It was a scary time, much like this.

I don’t even remember how we stayed sane those few months (was it months or week - my memory is a little fuzzy).

The current pandemic is completely different. Part of me has a hard time reconciling the idea that this will one day be taught in history classes in generations to come. It is affecting everyone and people feel powerless against a microscopic virus - myself included.

Aside from the general tension of our daily lives. Some people are struggling with their mental health right now. The lack of social interactions can lead to higher rates of depression and anxiety. The people going through these tough times might have trouble reaching out.

I urge everyone to reach out to your friends and family, heck even your coworkers, and check in with them to see how they are doing. Take some time to chat with someone, either via phone call or video, about anything and everything that isn’t virus related.

We will get through this time, hopefully healthy and whole. Until then, we have to stay as safe as possible and that means staying at home as much as possible.

But thankfully the technology is there for us to keep connected.

Facebook and Google might bury this post (it has COVID-19 in the title), but know I’ll be around writing whatever comes to my mind during these uncertain times.

Until next week.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.

Welcome To Your Doom

I feel like I face it more and more...

It sounds like the start of either a really bad joke or a song from an 80s cartoon. I mean it's not like the universe is going to end every time I feel a crisis coming...or will it?

I feel that my biggest downfall is my communication skills.Ironic since I have a weekly blog right? (Disclaimer - this blog is to help those who are just starting out and for my friends and family to read about my random adventures)Yeah, I can be articulate and I am able to speak well and be charming when the occasion calls for it, but the transition from college life to professional life is bit bigger than I originally though.

In college I could shoot off an email and not worry too much about the content. Most professors didn't care if there were mistakes in the email and if they did, most of them just rolled their eyes if they thought that the public education system had further failed us.

In the work force, your email, even a simple one, needs to be looked over a few times. Even a single typo is obvious in a work email that is sent.

Then there's the phone. The almighty help  me, I have the hardest time picking up the phone and calling someone. Even close friends I have a hard time calling. Then once I do call, I forget half the things I wanted to talk about. It can lead to some unproductive phone calls.

It's no wonder my generation has become dependent on text messaging and social media.

 So how to overcome my communication anxiety? Well when I need to make an important phone call, I make lists and the occasional power point. When it comes to emails, I don't put the people receiving the email in to the address bar until I have made sure to go over everything (and attach all attachments - I tend to forget those). It's important to proof read and to err on the side of formal over informal (i.e. be polite).

Practice also makes perfect and the more I'm forced to pick up the phone and write emails the better at them I get. So I can't be totally hopeless.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.