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 Queen of the Realm
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Tue Mar 24, 2020 2:11 pm |
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covid-19
We are all being affected by it.
And although I see you guys discussing it in various threads, I wanted to start a thread dedicated exclusively to the subject.
It is my hope that the whole of the Zantarni community can come together to discuss this situation, share stories, provide suggestions, support, and experiences... or just scream your frustration out!
In this thread, anything goes*. I'm also suspending the posting rules for this thread, so if you want to post 5x in a row, go for it!
... I was going to post discussion questions, but don't think they're really needed.
* within reason
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Queen of the Realm
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Tue Mar 24, 2020 2:12 pm |
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-reserved-
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Queen of the Realm
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Tue Mar 24, 2020 2:12 pm |
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-reserved for helpful links?-
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Queen of the Realm
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Tue Mar 24, 2020 2:12 pm |
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I'll start -
First,
Secondly -now that's out of my system-, we are safe; we are healthy; we are still employed.
The mental, emotional and psychological aspects of this situation has hit me unexpectedly hard - I don't usually react to stress the way I have found myself reacting to this. I am usually the first to see the silver lining in a situation and to persevere through it, helping others do the same. I am coming out of my personal funk, but am still very frustrated at what's going on and how it's being handled.
I'm annoyed at the politicians, and admit that I think the U.S. could have handled this entire thing in ways that didn't involve completely shutting down the entire country for a month+. I hope we come out of this situation better than we went in, but see too much potential for abuse by those making the decisions. That said, I also see a lot of beauty and solidarity - people sharing and creating and making an effort to help each other despite the restrictions that have been imposed upon us (and no, I don't believe we should all be running around willy-nilly; just that things could be handled differently.) And yes, we are just hanging out at home, going out only when necessary...
On a more personal and mundane level, the kids' classes have been moved entirely online. My elder son's graduation ceremony in May has been cancelled. I'm still trying to keep up with both kids' requirements for school, graduation, etc. while dealing with this new version of RL (food, toilet paper, etc.!), and wish I could at least go outside, but haven't been able to do that with all the pollen that's still floating around Florida. So instead, I have been trying to focus on getting DIs ready for you guys, wishing we could pull together some event or activity for you (we can't; sorry!) to provide a level of distraction, and slowly going through the house organizing and decluttering and wondering what to do with all the stuff I want to get rid of!
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 Defender of the Realm
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Tue Mar 24, 2020 3:36 pm |
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I am lucky, so far, my position was deemed essential staff in order to keep our hotel from collapsing upon itself before people would be called back to work. . .our staff was cut in half and originally, with the shut down, we had 30 engineers, they have cut that down to 18.
My company is paying those laid off or furloughed for 2 weeks pay and our insurance benefits are guaranteed through 30 June. . .some of the other casinos are actually paying their employees full pay until they are called back to work and one is paying 80% of pay. Each company has handled it differently.
It is too strange to walk through the casino and see the machines lit up but no one in sight. They have boarded up and locked all entrance doors like they are expecting a hurricane. . .it is so very strange to see in Vegas.
They show pictures of no cars going up and down the Strip, that's not quite true, but the only ones driving the Strip are other "essential staff" going to and from work. I actually saw two people walking on the Strip the other night, one was a security guard outside of restaurant that is closed and the other was a homeless man.
And I know I have said this before, thank God for the medical personnel, first responders, etc., but the unsung heroes and heroines are those people stocking the shelves of the grocery stores, convenience stores, etc. . .they are working tirelessly to keep all of us going. They also are the only ones that are actually hiring right now. . .supermarkets, food delivery and Amazon delivery.
I agree with Blaze, I am not sure it we needed to be locked down so quickly, but what's done is done. What I am more upset about is those lawmakers that are acting like it is business as usual in Washington. . .trying to stuff special projects into the Coronavirus Bill. . .What does the government paying for abortions, funding the Kennedy Center, paying for new voter registration ideas, demanding airlines cut their CO2 emissions by 50%, eliminating $10,000 fo student loan for each loan, demanding $15 minimum wage, etc., have to do with the coronavirus??????
It angers me that these politicians are still trying to take advantage of this crisis to push their own political agendas. . .Sen. Kennedy said it correctly, "Americans Are Thinking This Country Was Founded By Geniuses But Being Run By Idiots".
It seems they do not care about Americans or America!
*sighs* But we have to carry on. . .we are the ones really fighting this horrible virus in the trenches. It is good to see many companies pitching in to produce ventilators, masks and protective clothing and so many breweries and distilleries turning to making hand sanitizer after the hoarders have stripped the shelves everywhere. It lets you know that the American Spirit is still alive.
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Last night I swallowed some Scrabble tiles.
My next trip to the bathroom could spell disaster.
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 Knight of Zantarni
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Tue Mar 24, 2020 10:10 pm |
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Hey guys. I've posted about this in the Hello and how are you today? thread.
The coworker of our coworker's partner has tested positive with the new COVID 19 virus. The coworker's partner has been in for testing, as she is showing symptoms, while we are still waiting for news about whether our coworker will be tested or not. Stay tuned.
According to our boss, the medical centres are only doing testing if you have been in touch with a confirmed case and are showing symptoms.
So far, hubby and I have shown no symptoms but we are monitoring each other. Although, hubby has been complaining that he feels feverish (we checked his temperature yesterday, he doesn't have one) and that he sneezed and has a headache this morning. Not sure what to make of it - he might be overreacting but at this point, it's better to be safe than sorry.
New Zealand is going into total lockdown as of midnight today. When the alert level was raised on Monday, our boss sent all of us home and since he received news about the positive test of the coworker of our coworker's partner, he asked all of the employees to self isolate if possible.
The good news is that the New Zealand government has implemented a financial package to help out businesses all around New Zealand which are now forced to seize trading and have no income. Our company has applied for this assistance and it seems like they are not planning to lay off any staff at the moment. We will keep getting paid for now, with the situation to be reassessed in four weeks' time.
I believe our prime minister has reacted early enough to stop the spread of the virus and flatten the curve in time. She announced the lockdown as soon as the first two cases of possible community transmission have been confirmed. As of yesterday, we have 155 confirmed cases out of which 12 have recovered.
Of course, I believe this is possible only because our country is so tiny and an island at that. My heart goes out to all of you from the States and Europe as well.
The hardest part for me is thinking about my family back in our home country. My parents and my brother and his family are safe for now but my mom has the biggest risk of exposure, since she has to take care of my grandmother who will not leave her house and move in with my parents for the time being.
On a personal note, I am no stranger to situations like this. My home country has been through war, NATO bombing, economic crisis, etc. Even though I'm only 35 and was quite young when all of the above happened, I have built up a considerable amount of resilience to anxiety in stressful situations, such as the current one we all find ourselves in.
My advice to all of you is just to stay calm, do the things that make you happy - read, paint, craft, meditate and listen to music. We will all get through this.
Much love to all of you. 
_________________
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Knight of Zantarni
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Wed Mar 25, 2020 7:19 am |
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An update: the coworker's partner has been confirmed as positive. Coworker is now a probably case, not showing symptoms as of yet.
My hubby and I are okay, no symptoms so far and we have been in self isolation since Monday.
We've been told to contact our local health service and get tested if we start showing symptoms.
I'll update you if there are any developments.
Stay safe everybody and follow the rules. They are there for your own protection and for the protection of those around you.
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Dedicated Citizen
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Wed Mar 25, 2020 6:08 pm |
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This is a great idea!  I know we're all tired of hearing about it, but this thread gives us a chance to vent instead of just being talked at by the TV.
I hope everyone here continues to stay healthy.
I'm just sick of it all. I can't wait for things to go back to normal. At the same time, I'm not worried and I'm still just living my life as close to normal as possible. My mom is kind of freaked out, especially since she has a faulty immune system. My dad is doing ok other than trying to find TP, and knowing that if he does get sick, there's a possibility of it hitting him hard. He just had the flu and almost wound up with pneumonia.
Everyone has to handle this in their own way. I do think it's best not to worry too much. Worry causes stress and that's not good for our immune systems. Also, we'll have enough time to be miserable if we get this. We don't need to be miserable the whole time we're waiting for it to happen. That's easier said than done though.
_________________
Rayven, I look at your avatar and think "Queen Sparklebutt!"-Tam
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Queen of the Realm
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Wed Mar 25, 2020 7:06 pm |
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Lillie, it's good to hear from you. I'm so sorry you're finding yourself in this situation with the virus... but at least you know...? I wish you luck and health. Please keep us informed
Most of us are probably looking forward to things going back to normal, Rayven. It sounds like you're doing a pretty good job of keeping your spirits up. You're a nurse, aren't you? Tough job, right now! I hope you and your parents stay healthy 
I'm still mad as hell that we still don't really have the information we need to make intelligent decisions concerning this entire situation. The cynic in me fears that we never will never go back to normal, thanks to misguided politicians and large corporations that are calling all the shots right now... the optimist in me hopes that our entire paradigm will change for the better, away from big government and big corporations and toward a more genuine community-based society that is healthier and more sustainable for all of us. At the end of the day (or the end of the pandemic... if there is such a thing), we shall see.
I'm finding myself spending too much time on the computer... then trying to balance that by making sure I get at least some basic movement worked in to my day (especially since the pollen is keeping me from going outside).
Anyone want to do mini-workouts with me?
... and yes, please, use the thread. Yell, scream, rant and vent... post your hopes, your suggestions, your information, your resources!! This is not an easy thing for any of us to be going through, but we can be here for each other, and maybe through sharing our experiences, we realize that we are not alone in dealing with the details of this!
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Queen of the Realm
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Wed Mar 25, 2020 7:18 pm |
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*shares a little of what appears to actually be Clearwater Beach with you*
(not this week, obviously, since it's closed... but still, pretty view, isn't it?)
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Dedicated Citizen
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Thu Mar 26, 2020 12:06 am |
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| Blazestorm wrote: |
| Most of us are probably looking forward to things going back to normal, Rayven. It sounds like you're doing a pretty good job of keeping your spirits up. You're a nurse, aren't you? Tough job, right now! I hope you and your parents stay healthy |
I've been through so much that I feel like this is no big deal. This too shall pass. No, I'm not a nurse, but Riley is. I feel sorry for her. Thank you! I hope your family does as well. <3
| Blazestorm wrote: |
| I'm still mad as hell that we still don't really have the information we need to make intelligent decisions concerning this entire situation. The cynic in me fears that we never will never go back to normal, thanks to misguided politicians and large corporations that are calling all the shots right now... the optimist in me hopes that our entire paradigm will change for the better, away from big government and big corporations and toward a more genuine community-based society that is healthier and more sustainable for all of us. At the end of the day (or the end of the pandemic... if there is such a thing), we shall see. |
I think we'll come back better than ever, but probably mostly better for the big corporations. Small businesses will suffer, and poor people probably won't be any better or worse off than they are now; provided they don't lose everything right now. We weren't prepared for this and we should have been. It seems like the experts, government officials, etc. should have been paying more attention to Doomsday movies. And they call preppers crazy. *snickers* They have the right idea even if a few take it too far. We're lucky this is the Coronavirus. If this was Ebola, or something like it, we'd be in serious trouble. It would be worse than the movies because it would be happening in real life.
| Blazestorm wrote: |
| Anyone want to do mini-workouts with me? |
 I'm not sure how that would work online, but I could use some exercise too. 
Beautiful beach!
Oh! I did those word searches. Either they were hard, or I'm out of practice. I felt like they took me forever. I enjoyed them though. Thank you.
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Rayven, I look at your avatar and think "Queen Sparklebutt!"-Tam
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Knight of Zantarni
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Thu Mar 26, 2020 12:22 am |
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Yes, I suppose there is no more uncertainty. If I get it, I know where I got it from. 
We're still doing okay, though. No symptoms. I hope it stays that way.
I've been doing yoga for my back daily but I've been doing that anyway, so that is as much exercise I will potentially do during this period.
However, the garden needs doing, our gardener was due this week but since we're in lockdown, we will have to make due without him. I am also planning to do a thorough cleaning of the house.
Hubby is on grocery duty, since I don't drive. We have just shopped normally (as recommended) and haven't stockpiled anything really. At least not more than usual. We always have about a week's worth of food in fridge and freezer.
I might start experimenting with cooking, though that might not be a good idea, because I wouldn't want to waste anything. We'll see how I go after I've cleaned the house.
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Queen of the Realm
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Thu Mar 26, 2020 8:37 pm |
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Well, "Safer at Home" restrictions have just been put in to effect in my area and the surrounding areas (i.e. Anything that might have been still open is now closed; stay in your houses unless it's buying food or something similar and "life sustaining"; remain 6' away from everyone if you're out...). Are roadblocks and "papers please" next?
I really wish we had reliable, consistent, more-complete data with which to make some of the decisions we're making here... but we don't... because testing is being limited to only those who are very sick, so the data being collected is only getting more skewed...
And what's going on in the world has just really hit my 18yr old son and basically, he's in mourning. I haven't talked to the 17yr old yet today (he's a couple cities away, staying with friends, helping them with their ostrich farm). Amid all this chaos, I'm glad they're old enough to be considered adults but still young enough to still be living at home (instead of just a year or two older and out on their own, with rent to pay, etc.).
THIS ENTIRE SITUATION SUCKS!
Lillie, I'm glad that neither of you are showing symptoms. I sincerely hope that remains the case, or (perhaps even better?), symptoms are mild and you build immunity to this stupid thing. Cooking... yes! Keep it simple (given what I assume are limited supplies there too) but just follow a recipe (and adjust as necessary given the ingredients on hand). You can do it!!
Rayven, workouts... maybe just checking in and issuing friendly challenges/accountability. For example, today I did...6 flights of stairs (a feat in Florida where stairs basically don't exist!)
60 second plank (full plank; on elbows)
15 second side plank (each side - I wimped out today - they have been 30 seconds each side)
25 crunches on the exercise ball
45 second wall squat
~10 lunges each side
... before I got distracted.
I'm just trying to move a little bit and build a habit of doing something every day (something that I've gotten out of doing for whatever reason). I want to start incorporating yoga and/or QiGong (maybe Tai Chi) every day as well.
I know what you mean about being through so much and therefor being pretty well equipped to deal with this too, but I'm really tired of crisis after crisis after crisis!!
I'm glad you did the wordsearches. They struck me as a little on the difficult side too, although that was not my intent in creating them.
If anyone wants to create a wordsearch, send me your list of words and I'll plug it in to the generator to create one, then save, upload, and post the finished graphic(s) for everyone
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Queen of the Realm
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Fri Mar 27, 2020 5:07 pm |
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Q: Why do dragons sleep during the day?
A: So they can fight knights!
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Defender of the Realm
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Fri Mar 27, 2020 5:28 pm |
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I am a little worried that we will get to the "can I see your papers, please". . .that some States may try to close their borders to others, although I agree that anyone from NYC that left for a different State should at least self-quarantine for 14 days. . .Hawaii is already implementing that for ANYONE (even Hawaiians) who are returning to the islands.
This virus has given some governors the ability to become little Hitlers dictating everything from how long you can be outside to how long you should take to shop (we're not quite there yet), but ours is shutting down anything "he" thinks should be shut down, even to the point of denying people the anti-malaria treatment for corona victims. . .that decision should be made by a Doctor, not a tinpot dictator.
With all the other shutdowns, he is still allowing the construction of the new Raider's stadium as well as other construction sites. Seems like money determines what is essential or non-essential.
and yes, IT REALLY DOES SUCK!
It sucks that the people we elected still stuffed the Corona Bill with pork (like 25 million for the Kennedy Center, etc.). . .how about they just pass a bill for those people and companies affected by the virus, to include medical, hospitals and first responders and throw out all the Pork??? I have an idea, how about we throw them all out of office and start over, with term limits and NO PORK EVER!!!
I have managed to secure a case of ramen as well as a case of cup noodles, so I am good for awhile.
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Why were the Middle Ages called the Dark Ages?
Because there were too many knights.
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