I’m writing this from the dining room table of a beautiful bungalow in San Diego. We are currently dog/house sitting for a wonderful couple that is vacationing in Central America for two weeks. Our plan for our time back in the United States was to use Trusted Housesitters to get some free lodging and help care for animals and homes for people who want to travel. We are soaking in the time while we can, because we aren’t really sure what’s next.
COVID-19 is currently the top headline and conversation topic everywhere you look – and for good reason. It’s leaving a lot of uncertainty in the minds of people all over the world.
Our plan is to take things one day at a time, help others in anyway we can and practice social distancing.
The first two are a pretty obvious. Just be kind, don’t panic, help anyone more vulnerable than you and be aware of all the people this impacts. But, social distancing is a term that I hadn’t heard before this week. It’s something we are all familiar with, but it’s usually by choice when you just need a break.
Here is a list of things we plan to do in the next week to remain socially distant and stay entertained.
Dog walks in Balboa Park early in the AM
Catch up on more writing on this website – we have lots of photos to share from national parks and US cities we’ve visited
Yoga videos on YouTube
Finish McMillions on HBO and probably watch a lot more Veep
Bake something good and then maybe share with the neighbors here we don’t know
Sending thank you letters to the health care professionals in my life
Update resumes and LinkedIn info. At the same time, try not to think about an economic recession that will make job hunting a lot more difficult.
Read even more than usual because the library always has more books. You can find our favorite books lately by clicking on this link.
Cook lunches and dinners with all the fresh produce at the grocery store and farmer’s market. No one seems to be purchasing that – just TP and canned food.
Visit some small businesses during the morning or weekdays when there are less people. Plus, we are going to order in from some small restaurants in the area.
Write out some letters/post cards to friends and family
Do some art projects (translation: Justin will do some art and I will find a coloring book)
Figure out if there’s anything else we can do to help vulnerable people in this current health crisis
Most importantly, we will stay informed. There is a fine line between educating myself and getting overwhelmed by the news, so I plan to dance on that line as best I can for the near future.
A Few Sources We Recommend
If you are looking for more reliable information on this virus, America Dissected is a great pod. The host is wonderful and he will be releasing two new episodes each week. Check it out here. While you’re at it, check out season one for some fascinating info about public health (non virus related).
Here is a full rundown on the dos and don’ts of social distancing that was helpful from The Atlantic.
And as always, check the CDC website and the WHO website for up to date information.
Here are a couple things on Instagram lately that I found extremely helpful or uplifting because social media isn’t always bad.
This chart is the easiest way to understand the importance of containing this virus. We all have to do our part to help flatten the curve.
And finally, I saw this on Twitter yesterday. A beautiful story of people helping people, because we won’t get through this without kindness.
Stay safe out there friends. Share in the comments below if you have any suggestions on ways to stay entertained at home or if you have other ideas on how people can help. And please, for the love of god, wash your damn hands.
