Where is everyone?

It is very surreal. I've been awake since 1:30 am. It's 5:14 am right now. Can't shut my brain down. It's a very weird vibe right now in the world. Friday night felt like a Monday night. Everything has stopped, like in twilight zone episode. I'm not actually scared of the virus. It's just everything is so abnormal and lonely right now.

It's so quiet.

They mostly come at night.

Mostly.

I live in Atlanta but I'm riding this thing out 3 1/2 hours south at a summer house in the middle of the woods. The nearest town 15 minutes away of about 35000 people when the university is not in session (55000 when it is) is less busy since the school is closed until 3/30, and then they will begin 100% online studies until the beginning of May (unless things get worse). There haven't been any reported cases of Covid-19 infections in the county so far, but there have been a few in the surrounding areas. So, other than overhearing people talking about the virus in the grocery store and seeing more and more people wearing surgical masks out in public, not much has changed.

Normally I love my temporary time away from the hubbub down here. But I have to admit that it's a different situation now. I have some small amount of fear of the possibility of people looking to break in and loot if this thing is not stopped relatively soon. Hopefully that's just an overactive imagination. But I admit that I've got my pistol at the ready at all times. And I'm having increasing periods of the sads. I worry about my friends and my godchildren back in Atlanta and they all know if everything starts going to hell they're welcome here. And quite frankly, I'd be very happy if they did come at this point so my mind wouldn't have time to think about what a complete mess this country is in now.

I am not in the US. There are several cases a long distance away from my community. My home is located in a sparsely populated area just at the edge of a small town. I am self-employed, so public interaction is not a big thing. My partner works at a veterinary hospital, and they have recently brought about some changes to minimize the possibility of contagion.

I'm in a redneck red Republican state and I haven't left my house since last Sunday, when I went to my cousin's house for take out and to watch a movie. Every time I think of going out, I run through my options and decide to stay home for another day or two. I have a few sweet potatoes, a bag of dried pinto beans, and about 8 eggs. I'm thinking I'll have to buy some food on Monday or Tuesday.

Since I only have $8 in food stamps to get me to next Wednesday, I'm thinking a bag of potatoes and a dozen eggs will do, if they are available. I have no idea what the stores are like in my area, because I haven't talked to anyone about it and am not on facebook or other social media, except DL and YouTube.

I think I will go for a short drive every day, just a few miles. That is enough to chase away the sads for me.

Holy shit, R5. Is this your situation for the foreseeable future, or do you expect any sort of money/benefit in the near future? Do you live in such a small town that help isn't available?

In Sydney they going to shut the beaches on Monday as because of the surprisingly Surat of autumnal heat this week, thousand flocked to the beach.

On one hand I think they’re stupid as shit, on the hand, our Prime Minister won’t even shut down schools (he doesn’t want to ban medium sized gatherings until after Easter, because that’s his happy clappy Pentecostal cult church’s main time for in the profits. So in their mind, why shouldn’t they go to the beach?

Boo!

Right behind you.

I'm going out to start my car today because I haven't used it for a week. Probably unnecessary but I keep wondering about it.

Having my gentleman callers screened before they approach my abode. and no more than three at a time. Caution is in order.

R7, there's a food bank I usually go to, but since it always involves being in an unsterilized room where a hundred or so poor people congregate four days a week, plus another 30 or so volunteers who all touch the food items, the grocery carts, the boxes, the door knobs, etc., I'm inclined not to go this week. They were closed last week for spring break. Besides, it's common for them to give out inedible food, like expired salad greens and freezer-burned meat with an expiration date from six months ago. So it's not always worth the gas to drive across town to pick up the food.

I get $800 a month from Social Security, but after I pay all my bills, there is usually $20 to $100 left for food for the month. Plus I get $16 a month in food stamps.

I feel lucky, though. A lot of people won't have that $800 or the $16 in food stamps. I haven't heard directly from any friends who have lost their jobs, but a lot of them work at jobs that won't qualify them for unemployment benefits, and their challenges may be greater than mine. At least I don't have to pay rent or a mortgage, though my property taxes are due, and I don't know how I'm going to pay them. Usually I sell some things on eBay to scrape up a few extra dollars, but that was challenging this year before the virus hit, so it doesn't seem like a viable option now. Nobody wants used items.

London.

Had to go out this morning. Very little traffic. Went to the supermarket...I think because it's in a rich neighborhood, it wasn't overwhelmed...they've all fled town. Plenty of stuff - had to go to a different supermarket for eggs. No flour. No pasta. No TP. But I have most of that....but low on flour for my Sunday American pancakes.

I keep buying carrots. I'll be eating carrot soup for weeks. But they're great really. They last a long time in the fridge.

Went to the garden shop. Too full. Saturday morning! I'll go next week. Plan to work on my garden while I'm housebound.

No seating in the coffee shops so clusters of people hanging around outside all of them - which is beside the point, is it not? People like to be with people.

Bright sunny morning. The air in London since all this, is amazing. The days positively sparkle!...clear and crisp.

is it true the environment has improved? I guess less cars and airplanes is helping. I wonder if it will change how we deal with issues in the future? as humans we have short memories.

Fellow redstate resident here R5, and good luck getting potatoes or eggs. I haven't seen a fucking egg in two weeks. Bulk foods like that are going quickly and I know for damn sure the people buying them won't actually eat them, they're just panic shopping, the bastards.

If you're on a budget consider dried beans (which no one seems to want) and flavored rice boxes, both of which are cheap and plentiful so far.

Got an emergency message on my phone Wednesday saying our town was on lockdown, as it turned out we now have three residents with Covid-19. It's been deathly quiet since then, I think a lot of people have gone to stay with family elsewhere just because it feels safer to them. My partner works at a factory that makes machinery parts and it's considered an essential service, so he's actually got overtime, rather than being allowed to isolate, and it's been stressful. Eventually someone at work is going to get the virus and I'm afraid they won't shut down; they have taken on a lot of business from their German and Italian factories which shut down days ago.

Stores are reducing hours and many restaurants have closed. No one goes out to do yard work. I'm not getting emails like I used to except the occasional "What we're doing about coronavirus" PR thing. People aren't on social media as much.

We're probably all just waiting for the virus to explode in about a week or so, and that's the worst part of it.

I'm just holding out hope that this thing doesn't end up morphing into an airborne virus. From all I've read and heard so far it doesn't seem like that could happen, but I'm not counting on anything at this point.

I finally went out this morning and pulled down all of the vines that I have allowed to choke the trees (and neighbor's fence) for the last two or three years. It takes a lockdown to make me sick enough of the house to go out and do yard work myself.

Small Florida beach town. No one in site. Just me in my Balenciaga clutching a bottle of Dom.

I went out yesterday and cranked up the lawn tractor and cut the grass. It was 87° and it was good to get out and get some sun on my face. I went to the pharmacy last week and purchased vitamin C & D & have started taking them daily as I figured a lack of sun was probably causing a vitamin D deficiency and contributing to my worrying.

R12 Bless you. You are the real America.

I feel bad for r5. I’d actually like to send you $20 so you can buy supplies.

What kind of shitty system are we running in this country that would give someone who lives on $800/mo only $16.00/mo in food stamps? That fat fucker Sonny Perdue should be hauled out onto the street and beaten black and blue.

[quote] I think a lot of people have gone to stay with family elsewhere just because it feels safer to them

I skyped a friend yesterday who lives with her son and her elderly mother.

She bought eupplies for them for FOUR WEEKS, and none of them are leaving the house.

She is going to work remotely from home, and has decided that her mother and son cannot leave the house. I was flabbergasted.

The only time they will leave, is for a drive in her car, and they must all wear gloves to go outside, and then sanitize before going back in the house.

She is a hospital executive, and is taking this VERY seriously.

It isn't reality, OP. Grab a few razors, rub 'em across your wrists, deeply, hard. It'll all be over.

Lots of Christmas babies this year, I reckon.

[Quote]It's been deathly quiet since then, I think a lot of people have gone to stay with family elsewhere just because it feels safer to them.

Which is silly given the more people in a house, the more dangerous it is.

From a safety standpoint you are much better off by yourself.

Palm Springs here, We were locked down a while back. The day before the lock down, I went to Ralph's, the larger one and bought 200 bucks of basics. I had no food in the house t all. I do not plan ahead or cook a lot. Today was my first foray into a Ralph's closer to me, next to the Gay Ace Hardware. What a difference a little over a week makes. I hesitantly brought my mask, this would be the first time I would wear one in public.

As I pulled in, people getting out of their cars all had masks, and some gloves also, and all the Ralph's employees had masks. So I put mine on before I entered. Barely any bread, no milk, no eggs, no soup, no pasta, nothing in paper products. I got my limit of two loaves of bread, coffee creamer, toothpaste, some prepackaged cheese was there and some prepackaged ham which I bought some. There was barely any left. The store was very busy and had an anxious vibe, like those movies where people are shopping before a nuclear attack.

I took my stuff out to my car, the sun was shining under a brilliant perfect sky with palm trees as a foreground to beautiful mountains with snow. It was a very odd combination, as people quickly were loading their cars, or adjusting their face masks.

New England/ oceanfront town (until I lose my income soon!) A few people out doing the beach walk this AM, everyone looking down and treating each other like we have the plague. It was extremely uncomfortable. I take a 2.5 hr walk up and down the coast. I started at 6:15 AM and realized I better start in the dark to avoid everyone. It gives me a complex that these formerly smiling faces are all cunty and withdrawn hoping they don't catch the virus from me! And many more people out walking during the week because they aren't working. Everyone is scared of each other. And today was windy as fuck and my nose was running, so I am sure that I was Enemy #1. Sniff Sniff!

I'm alone at home drinking corona. How long does it take before I'm allowed to make a new thread? I signed up to do it and now apparently I have to first prove I'm not a troll by replying to some. Doing my best not to sound trollish here.

What thread did you want to start r31?

Well [R32] I've noticed that this is the place people come to dish dirt on porn stars, and I have some firsthand dirt to dish I guess...

So... can anyone tell me how long does it take?

If you'd like me to start a thread for you until you can do it for yourself just give me the title you'd like it to have and consider it done. The wait time is not long. As I remember it was a few days of visiting and replying to threads.

Okay thank you. In case it's controversial maybe I should wait though. I don't want you to get deleted because of me.

Jess, I started drinking a corona because of you.. lol.

[R37] Beer will kill the infection I promise...

And if I can before I go I plan to spill some tea too.

R26 as if overpopulation isn't part of the problem

[quote] And if I can before I go I plan to spill some tea too.

I misread this.

I thought you said if you can before you go you’re going to spill a little. As in

“Pour a little out for my homies” before you die.

Wow.

Because of r5, this is one of the few times I really wish DL had a private mail or DM option. I would love to help him/her out as much as I could. I’m sure others would as well and then he wouldn’t have to live worse than the Darfur Orphan. Especially with his attitude, which I wouldn’t have in his circumstances.

I’m not rich but I sure as hell would have him living not quite like the Cuntess, but closer then he is now.

There's an r/datalounge on Reddit; Reddit allows members to contact each other.

I'm in a "shelter in place area", and figured it would be okay to go out to the local nature trails and walk around without getting too close to anyone.

Well, the nature trails were fucking PACKED, mostly with big family groups and packs of college-age friends. And these are places where I can usually hike for hours and see three or four people tops! Goddamn plague-spreading newbies are ruining it for the real hikers.

If you're from a small town, this is what it's basically like every day.

If you live in one rather.

I live in a log house in the woods. Plenty of space. There is a big Middle School down the road. Not that I want education disrupted, but I enjoy not having the traffic near me. The frantic shopping at the supermarket is what is disturbing. I can deal with the closed restaurants, but miss driving into town for coffee, breakfast, reading the newspaper, and chatting with acquaintances. My partner is a self-employed craftsman, has social anxiety anyway, and works from home.

R5, start a gofund me and then give us the link.

pity us here in these red(neck) states, because everyone is carrying on like normal and this is just a hoax.

meaning, it will spread farther and faster before anyone here takes the slightest precautions.

R47, R42, R41 and others, thank you for your kindness and willingness to help, but I won't make arrangements to accept donations. I'll be OK. I will.

I've gotten really good at fasting. The longest I've gone was a couple of months ago, when my heating bills were high, I did a 75-hour fast, then had a meal at my cousin's house, then fasted 45 hours more.

My cousin and his wife had no idea I had no money or food. They are millionaires and would give me cash or food or anything I asked, if I asked. But I won't.

I'm really quite proud of myself that I've learned to fast so effectively. Usually it's only 24 to 48 hours two or three times a month.

The trouble with fasting is that after going without food, when you do get money or food, it's hard to eat responsibly. Like one time the food bank gave me a half-gallon of ice cream and I went home and ate 3/4 of it, but then a couple of hours later, finished it off. Ditto when they give me things I would never voluntarily eat, like Fruity Pebbles cereal. I ate the whole box dry, because I didn't have milk, and I wanted to throw it away, but knew I would regret it later if I did. When I was working and had money, I never ate those things at all, or if I did, it was ice cream maybe twice a year. But when you're starving, you have to eat whatever you can.

Anyway, those of you who are offering to give me money, you're very kind, and I appreciate your generosity, but save it for yourselves and your loved ones. Things are likely to get worse before they get better.

(Also, if anyone posts a gofundme link or a reddit post or anything like that asking for money, it's not me. Don't send them anything.)

R49 I could honestly spare a bit if you need something. I can’t imaging having to rely on a few dollars in food stamps. It’s not fair or necessary.

I'm going to give myself a home haircut today. I am not skilled in this but I have a set of electric clippers and blades and watched some videos on youtube.

I'll probably end up looking like a retard from a mental institution but our barber shops are all closed

The good thing about hair is that it will grow back. I'm sure you will look fine, after the bandages come off. It's spring, a great season for hats.

My brother has taken me to a few doctor's appointments lately, and to have my taxes done, but that's it. When I mentioned I could use some groceries, he lectured me about 'self-quarantine', even though I only wanted him to wait in the car while I went into the store. So, yesterday, I drove myself for the first time in weeks (I had surgery a couple of weeks ago), and managed to stock up on some non-perishables. My refrigerator has stopped working, and now is not a good time to shop for a new one, so I'm trying to get into a Victorian state of mind. I'm actually very lucky and grateful. I'm more concerned for one of my older cousins who i usually visit. I managed to stock up on cat food for the feral cats, which is what was really worrying me.

I'm ready to get it and join the leper colony at this point.

There's just a creepy vibe in the world right now.

I don't think we'll ever get back to "normal."

The world has been through worse than this r55.

Hey, Nacny Pulowski, where my free money at? Tell Brneir Sindres its are money and we need it now.

I need to fuck. I feel like a lion on the Serengeti looking for a gazelle with a limp. d

*limps in front of r58*

R58 Please watch the crude language. During these uncertain times, with so many innocent, cherubic and adorable little young'uns at home looking at video screens with impressionable eyes, it is our duty to contribute to the home schooling. Remember, it takes a village. Let's keep things Disney friendly DL!

Oh fuck that shit R60. I sure as fuck hope you're fucking kidding.

I think R60 is Parker from BELOW DECK: SAILING YACHT.

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

Are people "social distancing" from Datalounge, too?

I love how quiet and slow everything is. I don't like the reason but this alone time agrees with me. I can work in the garden and my chatterbox neighbors leave me alone.

R53 sounds like a real cunt. Hopefully this virus takes care of you.