So describe your current COVID life...

Lonely. Miss being with friends. Have isolated since mid February

Why do you ask? Are you composing convention talking points?

Beware of trolls bearing polls (and questionnaires).

career is over completely. desperate to find some new field of work in my fifties

I was a shut in before all of this so not much has changed for me.

I blog, I read, I watch TV, I Zoom with family & friends, I make phone calls, I get phone calls, I go for walks, I cook. That's about it. I clean my house & do laundry. Go to the supermarket twice a month...once every 15 days. Wear mask and even gloves. Socially distance. Make sure I start my car every few days to keep the battery working. Trying to stay healthy. I have "underlying conditions." If I could do one thing better it's exercise. I was so good about exercising back in March, April, May. Now I have to force myself twice a week to go for a walk.

At home - all day, every day. My three options for stepping out of the house are for: groceries/drug store, a walk, or perhaps eating dinner at an outside restaurant. Everything else is pretty much closed.

I'm taking care of my mom and seeing her multiple times a week - as I'm the only person she comes in contact with. I'm her sole human contact. We've taken a few day trips to drive around and get her out of the house - usually weekly.

I've been unemployed since March and frankly, I haven't really even looked for work as I feel like it is pointless. I also don't want to contract it and somehow give it to my elderly mother.

My mind is going to mush. I'm so bored - sleeping more than usual. It think it's depression. I don't see an end in sight.

All so true. All so depressing.

I enjoyed working from home at first. That sense of joy has faded. I miss my co-workers. We've been told not to expect to return to the office this fall. I spend my time gardening, reading, surfing the net, and recently going back to the gym.

So apparently R2 has gone off the deep end since lockdown. Christ... what a reaction.

I was unemployed before the shutdown. Good job, well-paid, but I got laid off in last fall. My unemployment has expired. Looking for a new job while in shutdown or even semi-shutdown is impossible. I don't want to work at a grocery store and expose myself to Covid, but trying to get a job in my "latter years" is next to impossible. For a while there were no professional jobs posted. There are now some opening up, and I have a had a total of one Zoom interview---and I didn't get the job.

I still have a mortgage, car insurance and food to buy. This is horribly scary. No money coming in...and only money going out.

Bored, depressed, and enraged.

I live in California. Things are still not back. My gym opened for a week at the beginning of July and then had to close again per orders from the governor. I had a freelance job at a museum. We opened for a week in July and had to close down again. Come on...a small museum is not a bar or restaurant but for some reason, museums were lumped in with all these entertainment centers. .

I’ve been isolating Sidney early March.

Isolating right now isn’t too difficult. The south his hot and humid, so not going out isn’t a big deal.

I’m decorating, watching Netflix, reading, listening to music, and I occasionally hit up Instagram.

I’m also taking some coding classes, and searching for employment that allows me to telecommute.

I’m more concerned about the lives of those who have underlying conditions, and might get taken out by this virus, than I am for myself right now. I mean, all things considered? I’m good.

But I’m nervous for others and myself as well, because I believe our economy is about to take another huge hit, come fall.

Remember science class? Remember when the teacher paired students into separate groups, and asked them to come up with a solution for some existing or non existent problem, and then a month later, everyone gave their presentations?

That what this feels like. It feels like an actual group of high school juniors could have been in charge of theirs pandemic, and the outcomes would have been far more preferable than where we are now, which is square one, plus injectable steroids.

6 months later, almost NOTHING has changed, other than a steroid shot.

Just think about that for a few seconds.

[Quote] So apparently [R2] has gone off the deep end since lockdown. Christ... what a reaction.

No joke. Whether r2 is being his normal self I have no idea. I've noticed odd behavior among my friends and acquaintances though.

R14 - you are right. I have noticed more co-workers taking time off, sounding sad and my roommate is slowly descending into depression and I don't know how to help her. She has a few drinks at 11 and naps during her lunch hour. Works and then takes a few more drinks. She is putting on weight and not really keeping up with her looks whereas before she was scrupulous and elegant and social.

For me, I just miss the energy at the office and gatherings since I am very social by nature.

My COVID life is fine I guess. I'm just caught in this weird middle place where on one hand I'm thankful I still have a job -- and can pay my rent and my bills -- but on the other I've long been unhappy in that job and would love an escape, but at this point I just don't see one. I had been looking for several months for something new but then the shutdown happened, so all of that came to a halt. And though a few companies have started to post job openings again, the pickings are just very slim right now (not to mention the guilt of potentially taking a job away from someone who doesn't have one at all).

So anyway, that's basically it. By the way, I hate video chatting! Ever since we started working from home, they became a regular part of the job and they drive me up a motherfucking wall. I just want to unplug the webcam and throw it right into the garbage.

Right now, I am inside 24/7, because we are a hotspot and it's literally too hot to enjoy anything outdoors. I'm grateful for grocery delivery because the trips to the store were really stressing me out.

I quit my job last month. Not eligible for unemployment, I will be OK for the short term but then we'll see. I hated the job already and after trying to do it for 2 months at home, I couldn't take any more. The stress was affecting me physically. I want to train for something new, but I haven't figured out what the best move would be. Spending my days doing a lot of cooking, watching YouTube and napping.

Titties out. Pants off. Last month’s underwear. Last year’s hair. And not a shower in weeks. I’m in paradise.

I've been working from home since March 16 and may be home until January 2021. Though there's a chance it could be as early as September. I work for a state court - risk of job loss is very low and all the work can be done from home pretty easily. Go into the office every Friday for a a couple hours to pick up hard copies of certain things, talk to boss briefly, talk to the office secretary and anyone else who might have dropped by.

I live by myself in a small bungalow - good because my own space, but bad because I'm here so much, so it's not always the personal oasis/escape a home should be.

I work out outside and at home - I have weights in my basement. I don't go a ton of places: grocery shopping, every once and a while to a place like Target. I've sat out at a nearly empty beer garden, but don't eat or drink inside restaurants or bars, or even outside if it's busy and people are too close. Mostly get together with a few friends at private residences for social interaction. Play singles tennis. A lot of walks, bike rides, drives.

I'm very lucky and very bored. I have good friends where I live, but my best, dearest friends don't live in the same city. Neither does my family. I haven't been anywhere for four months. My parents sold their house and I can't go and help them. Was thinking about it, but my mother now forbids it. Lol.

Life is "on hold" in so many ways. And it's tough not to have anything to look forward to and not know when anything you want to do can be done again.

Still isolating but being bullied by family members who want me to come see them.

My life is exciting. I’m dating men.

Job gone. Fighting with family. Today I googled how many Xanax I need to take to just go. There isn't any point to continue.

I’m in Brooklyn, where we’re not reopened yet. I work from home and live with my sick mother to help take care of my sicker father. The hardest aspect is feeling like I’m working 100% of the time in some way without any breaks. It doesn’t help that my air conditioner barely works, so my apartment is a hot box. I do go out every day to get groceries, necessities, and/or takeout and wear a mask every time I leave my apartment.

A freelancer who is taking the Acela to New York tomorrow. Nervous but have to take the work. I’ll be masked but hope for the best. Glad to be in the northeast at least.

Otherwise, if not worrying about the future, it’s been okay. Easy to be with my partner of 25 years, which I’m thankful for.

I have been inside a solid three weeks taking care of my partner who has had Covid. The quarantine ends tomorrow so I am hoping to at least get to the swimming pool everyday. I feel like a slug. This is getting to be very tiring.

R25, how’s your partner doing? Better, I hope?

Yeah, this is getting awfully boring for sure. But people still refuse to social distance and wear masks. Walmart is basically the only place where people are now made to wear masks. Other than that, everyone is on their own.

Cases are surging big time in my state. No one really gives a fuck about anyone else, so going out anywhere is a big no-no. I fell asleep earlier today and just woke up. That’s how tedious this is all becoming.

It’s unbelievable to me that had we done this correctly and as an entire country from the beginning, we’d be in an entirely different scenario than we are right now. Multiple states are currently experiencing their New York moment. Just completely avoidable, but these governors refuse to do the right thing in these crazy ass red states!

So yeah, sleeping all afternoon sucks, but it preferable to being dead.

R22, you need to see a therapist and get on meds. Please don’t do anything that cannot be reversed. We’re gonna get through this, eventually.

I think we need to consider that getting "back" to normal may never be possible in a manner of speaking. We need to look at where we are right now and make the most of it and begin to look at our lives differently. I think the reason I fell into a rut after the first two months, is because I kept waiting to "get back to normal." I am finally accepting that this may be as good as it gets right now and for the foreseeable future. So I am starting to think of things I can be doing in my current situation. In a way, this is an opportunity. This is completely unexplored territory. Start improvising! I don't want to be a spectator living my life online, with virtual dinner dates and virtual cocktails. Watching movies or plays streaming on TV or the internet. I get it. Computers are fast becoming an essential lifeline. Kids are going to school, people are earning a living, etc everything is happening online. I just know I want to do something. I'm tired of moping around waiting consciously or unconsciously for this to be over. There's going to be a new normal. I need to figure out what that means specifically for me and how I participate in making it what I want.

Excellent insight, R27.

Thanks for sharing it, and I believe it’s something we will all need to confront and accept sooner or later, as well, because it’s true.

This is the new normal.

It would feel so much safer if others accepted masks and gloves as part of this new normal, too. That’s my big hang up. I just don’t feel safe anywhere I go, because living in a red state where people refuse to acknowledge that there’s a pandemic, immediately puts my life and the lives of others, at risk.

That paradigm of acceptance and denial have real life consequences, and I’m having a different and difficult time, getting to a place where I can feel OK about this new normal, since everyone else behaves as if the new normal doesn’t even exist.

Does that make sense?

I’ve been self-isolating since March as I had Covid in January.

I was hospitalised then and was most recently hospitalised two weeks ago for a week with a pulmonary embolism related to the original infection.

Since the second hospitalisation I’ve been stricter regarding self-isolation as the second wave has hit Australia after we flattened the curve, at time, successfully, in May/June. Masks aren’t mandated where I live yet, but I am masked any time that I leave my house. Which is when I have a medical appointment, if I have to go to the pharmacy or for my daily 5km walk which I do before dawn as there are fewer people around at that time.

Anything else that I need I get through contact-less delivery.

If I got it again it could be fatal given my recent medical history.

It’s easier to shut myself away now as it’s winter - summer was a struggle as I surf and swim in the ocean a lot. I was supposed to be skiing this week but I cancelled as I’m on blood thinners and a blow to the head (e.g. after a stack while skiing or surfing) could be fatal. I’m not much given to self-pity and I do miss the surfing and skiing but it could be worse - I could be face down in an induced coma on a ventilator.

Stay safe! And wear a fucking mask, if not for you, then for other people.

Hug to you, R29.

I wear masks and gloves, ALWAYS, when stepping out for errands.

Keeping busy, as usual. I have lots of interests and hobbies and things to putter around with, along with enough books to fill a thousand lockdowns. I live at the beach. I'm back to walking my dogs on the beach now that it's closed to the covidiots again.

I don't particularly like most people anyway so it's no hardship to avoid them, more of a bonus excuse for avoiding them.

I go to work, grocery store, mall and two months ago a social walking group that I'm part of started meeting again after almost 3 months. We even go hang out and have coffee at a local restaurant afterwards. Almost like old times, except the fucking masks.

In California. Been working from home since early March. Currently "on vacation" for three weeks -As if it's a vacation. Shit. I'm sitting around watching video and hanging around on DL far too much. There was a brief flurry of excitement when the gyms reopened, but they are closed again. I'm reading books. Cooking up a storm. Murdered my housemate. Spending a lot of time with my cat, who is very old and has serious health problems. So far I have binge-watched all of the original Lost In Space, The Time Tunnel, Futurama, Ellery Queen, and the entire Carry On series of films. Currently four years into the British TV series QI. I have learned to make perfect, light, English scones, authentic olio y aglio, eggplant parmesan, and homemade clotted cream. Once a week I go to my favorite restaurant for dinner on their patio. I text friends and family.

Okay - I didn't really watch every Carry On film yet. Just most of them.

r33 Basement under the concrete or buried under a tree in the yard?

In Cali, R34? There are no basements in California and burying his housemate in the yard could cause drainage issues. Just bring the body up into a wooded area in the hills. The coyotes and assorted snackers will do the rest.

Murdered my housemate?? That's ridiculous! Wherever did you get such an idea? He's just away, visiting his girlfriend. In Canada.

Thank you, R35.

I've been hibernating since mid March. At first it was new and fun. Now, it's kind of boring, but safe at least. I've started a trend where I stay up til 2ish at night and try to sleep til noon or one pm. I think it really helps me not to worry as much or impulsively turn on tv for all the repetative bad news. I've become very I think. I've gotten to the point where I may decide to think about going through every corner of the house and toss out/organize/donate. Never thought I'd get to that point though. Eating more. Hoping for better times a year from now.

*very lazy* sorry.

In nyc - my husband is working. I’m not: Freelance: the art side of advertising. It’s beginning to come back but 1. I have to go from studio to studio, sometimes two or three a week & that’s scary for all the obvious reasons 2. So many companies are filing for bankruptcy & many of those are companies I’ve worked for. I won’t work for them- would i even get paid.? - and what about other companies i could work for & then not get paid. I like to work & really miss it. My domestic life is fine but I’m def in wife mode- which makes sense because my husband is being over worked by his boss & then over working his staff in return . (Like he’s on call from dusk to dawn ) it’s also not in my nature to be wife - we’ve been equal in everything. Again: I get it - it makes sense & gives me something to do. We have a weekend home that isn’t really a resting place anymore ( husband works there as well, so much is closed, friends are all social distancing ) i know we are fortunate in most ways but it’s not easy. So the above comments of the new normal is apt. It’s been fascinating & annoying how it’s changed my life & iour life. On a small note: I’m also sick of all forms of entertainment & social media but the DL - but even DL is getting to be a bore. It’s easier for me to come on here then fb , etc where I know the folks that are doing stupid things in the face of a pandemic I have no answers. Thank you for letting me rant./vent

I was at a store in line recently when someone sidled up right next to me in spite of the marks on the floor. I politely asked them to step back and they unleashed a torrent of swearing and complaints. I turned away and they wandered off.

At my bank's ATM there are two stations side by side. People go to each station at the same time even though we're not six feet apart. Today I went to a different branch with three stations. A guy was in the middle and I walked up to one of the others and started my transaction. He asked me to step back and wait my turn. Even though I know he was right about the distancing it made me really mad. I cancelled my transaction and stepped back but was so pissed. I was mad that he took the middle station. If he had gone to the right or left I would have had enough space. I think what really got me though was that a stranger was scolding and lecturing me when I really don't need to be told. I'm very careful, was just doing what people do at my own bank. It's funny because I also asked someone to move and it pissed them off. I think we're all on edge and are tired of being told what to do.

R 40 but you didn’t do the right thing.

At near 80 years old partner and I are retired, so finances are not an issue as long as the stock market holds up.

We spend four hours at the beach each day with friends. We manage to dodge the groups that dont social distance.

No gym. Walk outside in early hours. Push ups, etc done at home.

Sleep way to much when not surfing the net or watching the tube.

R 22 please get help now. I think about suicide a lot but I’m on meds and zoom therapy on once a week.

I live alone. Very depressed. Just thinking how nothing is ever what it seemed. Saw ex BF in Jan, said he still loved me - then .. nothing .. too afraid . I try not to obsess about him.

In Cal — mosquitoes eating me alive, and now it’s hives which I know are from nerves .

Go to sleep 3 ish and sleep til noon or later . This morning I contemplated taking a sleep Med when I awoke at one pm, but that seemed too much like death.

I like sleeping too much when knocked out by pills. Just all alone alone alone isolated . Don’t want to get close with another man /- can’t take the pain

Berlin Germany. I go where I like. Life is normal here.

I've been at home since mid March and working twice as much as normal. Boring or fiddly tasks that used to be solved by picking up the phone or going to the office next door to ask a quick question are now sorted out on email, zoom, Teams, etc. with colleagues who still can't get their mics to work, or have childcare so can only respond every other day, or are just too fed up to reply. My partner is in the same boat and hasn't had a day off for weeks. Everything is taking twice as long so we just work all day at either end of the kitchen table, go for an evening walk, chat to friends on the phone, eat late, then go to bed complaining about indigestion or stiff necks and backs.

Some weeks I eat really well, avoid alcohol, meditate, and do yoga but then lose interest and become a sloth for a few weeks, drink too much and spend too much time on medical sites. Since March I've had leukaemia, MS, a tumour in my spine, a strain of Covid doctors haven't found yet, and both hyper- and hypothyroidism.

On the bright side, I've saved a lot of money but it's going into savings in case one of us becomes unemployed. Since Boris Johnson won in December and what with Brexit, Covid, etc I've never been more keen to move to a farmhouse in mainland Europe.

R45, you described working from home perfectly! It’s just so time- and soul-consuming, plus I’m making less money than I used to because I technically spend less time “on the clock” even though I’m frequently working (reading/responding to work emails, etc) when I’m off the clock.

I'm single and not dating, and not likely to for the foreseeable future. Q is, should I keep trimming my pubes and keeping my hole shaved. I'm not expecting any visitors. What is a respectable bottom to do?

R47 Oh, mercy!

my current covid life is being so so sick I can't stand it. So far it is day 12. I got tested and it was negative but I know it was wrong. I ALWAYS wore a mask so I protected everyone from getting it from me.

R22, How many Xanax are needed?

I recently moved to LA where I know almost no one, and can't meet anyone either. So it's been really tough. The original idea was to take some time off from work and have some fun. Well, I did get to take time off from work, but the fun hasn't happened. So bored. So totally bored. I wish I could meet people here.

Haven't had a cock or hole since January.

R47 just douche, most tops prefer the hair.

I'm in Europe, so we're mostly back to normal, with the exception that everyone has to wear masks in public spaces and most people tend to avoid larger crowds. Work never ended for me, but now it's mandatory to show up again, so I meet my colleagues daily. I only meet a few selected friends in person and always alone (among them my extramarital fuck buddy). It's no problem, however, since I skype with most of my closer friends regularly. Also, as a more introverted person, I don't have a high need for socialization anyway. Finally, I share a big apartment with my husband and our dog, so I feel that I have more than enough social contact in order not to feel in any way deprived.

[Quote] I only meet a few selected friends in person and always alone (among them my extramarital fuck buddy).

Still hooking up?

[quote]Still hooking up?

Yes, we are both careful about COVID-19 in general and we don't sleep around outside our marriages (and with each other of course), so it's a calculated risk. We're also both working in senior-ish administrative functions in two state departments, so we have a pretty clear idea about the current numbers and risks.

Hmm.. Seems abwhorent.

Thanks, I'll take the 'whore' and leave the rest with you prissy bitch!

LOL at the aggressively preponderant superior Euro attitude that they have “moved beyond this.” You’re no better than Florida. Tick tock.

R54, sounds good. Enjoy your life while you can. We're all sitting on a ticking time bomb. It feels like anything can happen now. We're on a fast train to disaster with incompetent, corrupt "leadership" in the US and in so many parts of the world. Bad things in one place can affect good things in others. Stay safe, may the good people live long and prosper, and the evil can go to hell.

I concur r60. It may go down as one of humanity's great calamities and history will remember these venal leaders much like Nero fiddling while Rome burns.

I had initially stopped hooking up, but have since thought, life needs to go on and now back on full speed ahead. Had two hookups this past weekend. Will be looking again Friday night!

Right now, although I am 26 and I am still living with my parents (my mom and my stepdad), I am just trying to stay positive and productive. I know there are those that have it a lot worse than I do right now so I try not to complain as much. I take cold/Scottish showers and try to drink a lot of water to get me through these months. I was working as a teacher aid at a local elementary school from November 2019 to mid-March of this year. Before the teacher aid position, I worked as a busboy and dishwasher at a family-owned restaurant for four years from 2015 to 2019. I was relieved when I got the new job, which meant better pay, having off weekends and holiday breaks, and working more hours even if it meant waking up every weekday morning at 5 AM. Plus, it was about time I got out of that restaurant job anyway. Four months into my new job, the pandemic hit and my work at the school district curtailed. Despite being in quarantine, I was getting paid until the end of June as I was under contract. Now, with the rise in COVID-19 cases and fall approaching, I fear what will happen if and when I return to work. I fear catching the virus but, then again, my parents are still working and they are still here. I haven’t gotten tested for the virus yet and I know I need to at some point. Unfortunately, I haven’t been paid in a month and I am clinging on to the money remaining in my checking account for now until the pandemic subsides and I can return to work again.

Having Aspergers and being without a license, I have barely left the house as it is. I feel like s**t not having my license at 26 when my two younger siblings drive as it is. Having a disability, I feel, has held me down in a lot of ways. I want to eventually move out, get a better job with my own place but right now, with the coronavirus on top of the disability, I feel stuck. Both of my parents work a lot and I don’t have a lot of friends.

To cope, since mid-March, I took a four-week online musical theatre intensive with a Broadway/TV actor. It was a great experience and I am glad I took the course. I’m an aspiring actor but I’ve done only done community theatre, a couple college productions, and some short and student films so far. I even worked as an extra for Guillermo del Toro’s new movie “Nightmare Alley” in Buffalo in late-February. I was there on the film set literally two weeks before everything closed down such as film productions that include, you guessed it, “Nightmare Alley.”

As something to fall back on for now, I got started on a YouTube channel that I had wanted to do for a while before the pandemic even began. Being at home a lot gave me the opportunity to get this channel finally up and running. In addition, I am planning on eventually completing a script for a one-person play that I want to perform someday. Being an aspiring actor from a working-class background, I could use all of the help in the world but know all I have to rely on is myself.

Recently, I’ve watched some good Netflix shows. I am watching some good movies on the Criterion Channel. I am revisiting and working my way through the filmography of one of my favorite movie directors, Ingmar Bergman. In addition, I am learning German through the Babbel app and I am liking it a lot. I’ve always wanted to learn a foreign language (other than Spanish) for so long and with Babbel, it’s quite a bargain. I can’t argue there. I would love to be multilingual plus, I feel, it would boost my marketing appeal and look good on my resume. Other than German, I have always wanted to learn French, Italian, and maybe Russian and Swedish.

Ironically, as much as I feel stuck here in my parents’ house in Upstate/Western New York, I am probably in the best place to be right now with all of the coronavirus spiking, police brutality, and recent rioting. My life could be a William Inge play. Plus, New York State is doing much better off than other states so that helps.

I apologize for this novel-length post. I’m new here so if you got through this entire reply, thanks for reading.

I'm in the Hudson Valley (NY) staying with my partner's niece and her husband. We came up in late May from Brooklyn. I'm still employed (work for one of the big tech companies) and been mad busy. However, we're also taking care of my partner's mom who has Alzheimers. It's been intense.

Both my partner and I got the virus in mid-March and it was absolutely fucking terrifying. Especially for my partner. The worst was when we realized he needed to be hospitalized after days of agonizing symptoms. When I dropped him off at the ER and watched him stagger inside (I was stopped from going in) I almost collapsed, realizing that I might never see him again. Thankfully he pulled through. But that turmoil was absolutely gut-wrenching and beyond exhausting.

Ever since then I've been in a kind of haze - feeling like life is just a series of empty obligations, pointless efforts and demoralizing fakery.

Oh, Covid also left me with a high-pitched ringing in my ears that is slowly driving me mad.

On the flip side, I started working out again hardcore. I'm in a huge house with a pool and work-out room, including a Peloton, so I take full advantage of all that every morning. I've also cut my drinking out almost completely - and we grill veggies, fish, and poultry most every night. I guess you could say the little pleasures have taken on new importance, which is nice I suppose.

I also have much to be thankful for. I'm not alone. Money isn't an issue. And I'm able to focus a bit on rebuilding my strength and endurance. But this all seems like it will never end: the pandemic, the horrors unleashed by a truly vile President and his ass-licking lackeys - including their dry runs at fascism. And the sheer density of truly awful, insane people in this country who have been brainwashed by propaganda and believe the most bizarre and hateful shit.

Maybe something will be built back up from the smashed pieces one day? I don't know. I'm not optimistic.

R64 so glad you both are feeling better. i cant imagine how stressful that must have been.

My husband and I are both working from home for the foreseeable future. I usually wake up by 5:30 or 6, work for a couple hours, take an hour walk outside before it gets too hot out, come back home and work some more, then we rest in the afternoons and evening. I usually work a couple more hours before bed.

Like some others mentioned, trying to save as much money as possible right now in case one or both of us get laid off.

We get grocery delivery and havent really gone anywhere.

It feels boring and depressing but I just try to stay grateful that we are healthy and safe.

R63 i think you are working well within the reality of covid. Write that play- all of it. You get a gold star

Work hasn't changed at all, as I worked from home anyway. The company face-to-face annual meeting, which is usually in January, will probably be cancelled.

Any restaurant orders have been takeout using curbside pickup whenever possible. We do have restaurant seating open now, but I just can't do that yet. Grocery shopping is either online with curbside pickup or going to less busy stores. I haven't gone to any of the big box stores since March. If anything, i'm probably doing more online shopping than before.

Haven't seen my family since March, though we keep in touch through texting. Had to cancel a vacation with my sister that we were planning on taking during July 4 weekend, so that sucked. I do get out for walks with a friend on the weekends, though we do keep the distance.

I moved into a new place earlier this year before Covid hit, so this time has given me the chance to go through stuff and do some downsizing as I've finished the unpacking. I was lucky and did some big donations within days of those places shutting down. Still waiting for electronic recycling places to open back up so I can get that stuff out of my house.

I've always been a bit of an introvert, so staying at home hasn't been an issue. I do miss going to the art fairs, festivals, and such that I usually do during the summers, but they all cancelled for this year. I used to go to estate sales, but I can't do that yet. I'm actually getting the chance to watch the DVDs that I've been buying over the years. I do try to get out to the parks. Keeping distance as much as possible and masking up when people are close.

My roommate (who is an author whose articles still get picked up by good publications because she is both a good writer and amazing with numbers and data) is thinking of starting a v-log on You Tube with her gym friends from Equinox in LA. It will be exactly about how their COVID life is and she wants to expand it to include interviews with Americans from all walks of life and states that are hard hit. They are featuring a "before" and "after" image from the Equinox Pride to show how so many gained weight. It is amazing how many people from across the country have started writing to her about feeling like so many of you.

So edifying and inspiring to hear your stories, R63, R64, R65, R67 & R68. All good wishes and hopeful energy in your direction from a similar soul. Truly. The thoughtless, careless, arrogant, selfish fools like R54 and R62 are the reason those of us with an awareness of the severity of this virus will unfortunately suffer for many months and years to come, as will they. Thankfully, it seems Miss Rona has a master plan bigger than what any of us can conceive and in the end we who are vigilantly safe will prosper. Stay healthy and stay strong.

R69: Fuck you, you miserable ugly ass troll! It's not the civilized world's problem that decades of self-created clusterfucks and one wannabe fascist president have turned the US into a failed state.

Outside your shithole country, people can actually return to some normalcy due to rigorous measures, widespread testing, tracking apps, etc.

Also, outside the US, deniers are a fringe minority, likely because the rest of the world has not fled into their own fact-free, propaganda-fueled fantasy world and actually values the expertise of scientists.

Thank you r65!

[quote] Having Aspergers and being without a license, I have barely left the house as it is. I feel like s**t not having my license at 26 when my two younger siblings drive as it is. Having a disability, I feel, has held me down in a lot of ways. I want to eventually move out, get a better job with my own place but right now, with the coronavirus on top of the disability, I feel stuck. Both of my parents work a lot and I don’t have a lot of friends.

R63, don't be too hard on yourself. Be gentle with yourself. You're doing a really good job under the circumstances. One of my young relatives is autistic. At first, I thought it would be great if he could get a driver's license. Now, I realize not everybody is cut out for driving. It really is a huge multi-tasking activity with a 2,000+ pounds piece of metal. If driving is not your thing, don't push it. Maybe use something else for transportation.

I work from home and we rarely go out unless it is the grocery store or like. We're spending more time in the backyard developing it now that we're stuck at home all the time. We've started a garden which has been relaxing. Otherwise, everything seems so meaningless. I am grateful to still have a job but am beginning to feel anxious as the economic dominoes begin to drop. If Trump wins again, I will lose all hope. He and his ilk would be happy to let us all starve. I don't think I will sleep well if/until Biden is elected and there is some hope that we have an adult righting the ship.

COVID? I got Dengue fever - I live in Key West. It was unbelievably horrible- I have never been so sick. And yes, Dengue fever is for real - there are 12 cases diagnosed right now - its from mosquitoes.

Olympic peninsula in Washington state checking in, mostly staying home with spouse and 3 kitties. The newest kitten requires a behavior therapist as he likes to shit on the carpet against the wall. I go out daily for long walks and grocery shopping. I'm most concerned about what will happen in the fall and winter when flu season intersects with Covid-19. as I may have to consider using Instacart for groceries. All my retirement plans are on hold ( I retired last year). Travel is out of the question, as are trips to the theater and museums. No art classes or other continuing education. All my volunteer work has been halted. Much time is spent streaming old mystery shows such as the original Perry Mason and Midsomer Murders. and lot's of time on DL. The Markle soap opera was keeping me entertained now I'm finding it annoying and depressing. I'm hopeful Joe Biden will be elected just to store a sense of calm after the lunatic currently in office departs without doing more damage.

I have a large music collection and a very good stereo system so I'm enjoying listening to a lot of music which is great. Then watch docs on YouTube. As I've always been a loner(not out of choice, like Trump I'm not a liked guy) life hasn't changed much except I miss going to the gym and I've gotten a large tummy.

I am alone at my 2nd home for a few more months. I've already been here for a few months and enjoying the solitude. I have a small circle of long time friends that are careful and I visit with them regularly. I'm on the beach so these get-togethers are usually at my place since there is more to do here with the ocean in the backyard. I do my own shopping and only when necessary. Everyone here is good about wearing masks in public and taking precautions. I retired a couple of years ago. I am doing painting as fun and relaxation and to make some extra income (my background is in art). I shop mainly online and I'm beginning to prefer that. Personally, I'm relieved to be retired. I am worried about how people will come out of this mess moving forward.. I worry that there is no end in sight with social distancing, quarantines, travel restrictions and everything that goes along with this mess. I'm also worried about the political leader-shit that is our current situation. To return to any scenario of stability the current administration must be purged in the upcoming election. It's now or never, make sure you vote. Make sure you tell your friends and family to vote blue.

Good Lord, r74! Dengue fever is terrible. They call it “breakbone fever” for a reason. I hope you’re better.

I've been thinking. If everyone contributed just five bucks or even ten every week, to a neighborhood fund or a church or some group that's legitimate, to help out people in economic crisis right now, it would be great. We could as for moratoriums on utilities. Mortgage companies could allow people to pay half of their monthly mortgage, then pay off the accumulated debt later. IDK, there are a lot of things that could help of governors had the will.

I live in a very small guest house. One room, a tiny kitchen, a tiny bathroom. I have been wanting to move, but now with the virus, I cannot fucking WAIT to move. Nothing like being cooped up in a place the size of a shoe box for months. I am fortunate that I am able to work from home. The first two months, they cut our hours/pay, but have since reinstated us at full time. I love working from home mainly because working at the office is annoying as fuck with co workers constantly bringing in food or cakes to celebrate someone's birthday...not to mention all the stupid small talk I was forced to make every day. So happy to be working from home.

I've been out to dinner once since March and it was with a friend and we sat outside. It was weird, but fine. I actually liked not having people so close to me in the surrounding areas to overhear my conversations and not having to hear theirs. I've had one friend come sit in my backyard with her dog one evening but we got eaten alive by mosquitoes so now I have bug repellent. I've had a few zoom "gatherings" with friends but I kind of hate the coldness of it. I miss my friends but I mostly miss just being able to go to say, Target and wander aimlessly. I didn't have an exciting life before so this is just a small adjustment for me. I hate wearing a mask, but I wear it everywhere.

My saving grace has been my Occulus Quest which I can escape into and travel the world, virtually or play games/get exercise with it. Also, a friend who lives in another state and I have been playing a video game together almost nightly, so it has been fun. The game is Sea of Thieves where you are a pirate on a ship and you go dig up treasure, fight ghost pirates or other players, and try to become a pirate legend. It took 4 months, but we are legends now! Fun as hell and the game is actually hilarious and hard, but we sometimes meet other players in the game who are awesome. So there's that.

Hang on dear friends...bubonic plague has recently been found about a month ago in parts of the US and Asia. May make COVID look like the good ole days. And masks won't help, or demon sperm or Trump's disinfectant injections.

Bubonic plague never went away, R81. It's serious, and deadly if untreated, but is quite easily treated with antibiotics. And actually masks do minimize transmission, so I guess that's another risk for the idiots who won't wear them.

Don't be an idiot R81. Bubonic Plague is a bacterial disease and can be treated with antibiotics. However, it killed 50 million people in the 14th century before antibiotics existed. How many people have died of COVID-19 so far? I forget.

R70 has anger management issues. There is nothing wrong with what R69 said. Considering the contagious nature of this disease, it is no longer a matter of "choice" in terms of personal behavior because one person's choice can, and often does, hurt or kill others.

I really believe what R69 says and that in history COVID-19 deniers will be remembered as those who continued to behave in a risky and irresponsible way during the AIDS crisis. Since this is airborne, it will hurt people who aren't even aware of the presence of a denier or reckless individual.

Life is not really a lot different for me. I'm not in the US, and the place where I live is relatively covid-free. However, we are warned that in order to keep it that way, we have to be vigilant and work on maintaining a healthy area. There have not been a lot of deaths and pretty much the only ones were in a certain notorious nursing home which ignored the order to house the residents one to a room. Lawsuits are expected.

I work from home anyway, and my partner has a job that was deemed necessary, so he has steady work. Masks must be worn in public buildings. Everybody here seems to be quite sensible about it.

im still fukin and sukin street whores, i aint got nuffin bad yet....and i rim em!!!!

Amazing stories. I like the quotidian details.

I cook. I clean. I exercise. I procrastinate. I have plenty to do workwise. But I'm an independent. There's not a huge change in my lifestyle. What I cannot do is dream, plan, envision the future.