That quarantine meme - quaranmeme?
Apr. 20th, 2020 04:51 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
grammarwomanIt is Monday, and it is a very Mondayish Monday, so...snark warning? Lots of f-bombs? Turns out I'm a little on edge.
1. Are you an Essential Worker?
Nope. Except at home, because I'm the only one working (earning a paycheck) and working (cooking, cleaning, keeping the household going...)
As a work-at-home employee for the past couple of years, I got to have a few days of smugness when the rest of my coworkers had to transition to working from home, and suddenly everything that was an ongoing issue for me became an actual problem to be solved. Gosh!
2. How many drinks have you had since the quarantine started?
I had a *sad trombone* moment on Easter, when I dragged out an ancient bottle of Rose' to have with our dinner, and it was...not good. Like, I've had better tasting vinegar. So I may try to drink _more_ than my usual of a couple of glasses a week, just to not let any more wine go to waste.
3. If you have kids... Are they driving you nuts?
Yes. Yes, OMFG yes. He was on spring break over a month ago when the shelter at home missive came down, then another week while the school scrambled to get something set up for online. I don't know if he's even caught up from all the missing homework from before spring break, let alone keeping up with the daily assignments from his teachers. He's treating this all as an extended vacation and staying up until whenever and getting up when I nag at him. It's so much fucking fun, let me tell you.
The dog, however, is being her fabulous doggy self and keeping me smiling in down moments, so there's that.
4. What new hobby have you taken up during this?
HAH. I can't even get back into old hobbies, like vidding or writing. Pokemon Go is losing its luster - turns out that introverted me actually liked meeting up with people for raids! I've made 3 masks on my sewing machine (and hope to do more), and mended a lot of crap that was waiting for me to get out the sewing machine, so there's that. I've barely branched out in cooking, because the other two palates in the household have a long list of nopes.
5. How many grocery runs have you done?
Honestly, I'm on the same schedule of about once a week, with an extra visit for the Easter dinner. I'm masked up when I go, and maintaining as much distance as I can.
6. What are you spending your stimulus check on?
I just checked my bank account yesterday to see that we got the full amount, and had a whole day to dream about maybe getting takeout a little more often and banking the rest. Then today the CEO announced paycuts across the board, so...yeah. Also the husband's phone battery blew up today. And we still have to get our sump output diverted. Adulting is the Best!
7. Do you have any special occasions that you will miss during this quarantine?
Well, let's see. My birthday, Easter, my brother's birthday (would have been his 51st), all in the space of 2 weeks, making it the first time since I was born that I haven't seen my folks in that span. Also, my 20th wedding anniversary is at the end of April. We had originally kicked around plans about going back to Ireland to retrace our honeymoon steps (punted due to Brexit worries and being fiscally responsible around husband's unemployment) and/or having a reception here in town and inviting a ton of friends. Good thing I procrastinated on that one! It's looking like fancy takeout for us, woo.
8. Are you keeping your housework done?
Nope. Not even. It's really hard to muster up the drive to clean anything when you're the only one who cares. The kitchen is the only space that is regularly maintained, and that's primarily so I have room and resources to cook.
9. What movie have you watched during this quarantine?
Somewhere between being foresightful and lucky, I checked out 3 movies from the library. Of those, I've only watched "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them", which was thoroughly meh. (When your whole fucking plot resolves around your inability to tie your suitcase shut, that is beyond narratively aggravating.) But I did ahem "Birds of Prey" and thoroughly enjoy it, as well as the latest Miss Fisher's movie (less enjoyment, more "the who with the what now?").
10. What are you streaming with?
Netflix is getting more of a workout from me. The kid is practically living on Youtube. I got in on CBS All Access' free deal, then discovered that I could only stream it on my computer, even though my TV has a bunch of apps on it and my cable provider covers other ones. So I ahemed "ST: Picard" and am actually watching that with the husband for the first time in forever.
11. 9 months from now is there any chance of you having a baby?
Short answer: no. But it's fucking funny/bitter that you ask!
12. What's your go-to quarantine meal?
Same as all the meals before it. Whatever the fuck I feel like making or reheating.
13. Is this whole situation making you paranoid?
Making? No. Trying really hard to swamp me in "Oh God Oh God we're totally screwed" feelings on a daily basis? Yup.
14. Has your internet gone out on you during this time?
Once during a meeting with my manager; that was awesome. But blessedly stable for the rest of the time.
15. What month do you predict this all ends?
Ends? Are you kidding? This situation is not going to end as much as morph into something different, but hopefully not worse.
16. First thing you’re gonna do when you get off quarantine?
Go back to regular gaming nights on Saturdays and Tuesdays.
17. Where do you wish you were right now?
In the alternate timeline that branched off in 2016 where a narcissistic predator didn't get elected.
18. What free-from-quarantine activity are you missing the most?
Gaming with friends, in nice small groups around someone else's table, surrounded by someone else's walls, in someone else's house.
19. Have you run out of toilet paper and hand sanitizer?
TP is fine, though it's on the list for the next store run. Sanitizer was never really our thing, but we have plenty of soap.
20. Do you have enough food to last a month?
For what I'd eat? Sure! For what everyone else would eat? Nope.
I wish I could concentrate on all the blessings we have: money's fine, everyone's healthy, we have plenty of space to not be on top of each other, and the whole "shelter in place" thing really didn't impact our lives all that much. Hell, even my habits (both good and bad) are being rewarded, since my sewing hoard is coming in handy for making masks, my proclivity to hermit up in my house for entertainment was great training, and our disinclination to travel much meant we didn't have to cancel any expensive plans. But the ongoing battle to not completely lose my damned mind at the other occupants of this house for their failure to contribute is eating most of my spoons.
1. Are you an Essential Worker?
Nope. Except at home, because I'm the only one working (earning a paycheck) and working (cooking, cleaning, keeping the household going...)
As a work-at-home employee for the past couple of years, I got to have a few days of smugness when the rest of my coworkers had to transition to working from home, and suddenly everything that was an ongoing issue for me became an actual problem to be solved. Gosh!
2. How many drinks have you had since the quarantine started?
I had a *sad trombone* moment on Easter, when I dragged out an ancient bottle of Rose' to have with our dinner, and it was...not good. Like, I've had better tasting vinegar. So I may try to drink _more_ than my usual of a couple of glasses a week, just to not let any more wine go to waste.
3. If you have kids... Are they driving you nuts?
Yes. Yes, OMFG yes. He was on spring break over a month ago when the shelter at home missive came down, then another week while the school scrambled to get something set up for online. I don't know if he's even caught up from all the missing homework from before spring break, let alone keeping up with the daily assignments from his teachers. He's treating this all as an extended vacation and staying up until whenever and getting up when I nag at him. It's so much fucking fun, let me tell you.
The dog, however, is being her fabulous doggy self and keeping me smiling in down moments, so there's that.
4. What new hobby have you taken up during this?
HAH. I can't even get back into old hobbies, like vidding or writing. Pokemon Go is losing its luster - turns out that introverted me actually liked meeting up with people for raids! I've made 3 masks on my sewing machine (and hope to do more), and mended a lot of crap that was waiting for me to get out the sewing machine, so there's that. I've barely branched out in cooking, because the other two palates in the household have a long list of nopes.
5. How many grocery runs have you done?
Honestly, I'm on the same schedule of about once a week, with an extra visit for the Easter dinner. I'm masked up when I go, and maintaining as much distance as I can.
6. What are you spending your stimulus check on?
I just checked my bank account yesterday to see that we got the full amount, and had a whole day to dream about maybe getting takeout a little more often and banking the rest. Then today the CEO announced paycuts across the board, so...yeah. Also the husband's phone battery blew up today. And we still have to get our sump output diverted. Adulting is the Best!
7. Do you have any special occasions that you will miss during this quarantine?
Well, let's see. My birthday, Easter, my brother's birthday (would have been his 51st), all in the space of 2 weeks, making it the first time since I was born that I haven't seen my folks in that span. Also, my 20th wedding anniversary is at the end of April. We had originally kicked around plans about going back to Ireland to retrace our honeymoon steps (punted due to Brexit worries and being fiscally responsible around husband's unemployment) and/or having a reception here in town and inviting a ton of friends. Good thing I procrastinated on that one! It's looking like fancy takeout for us, woo.
8. Are you keeping your housework done?
Nope. Not even. It's really hard to muster up the drive to clean anything when you're the only one who cares. The kitchen is the only space that is regularly maintained, and that's primarily so I have room and resources to cook.
9. What movie have you watched during this quarantine?
Somewhere between being foresightful and lucky, I checked out 3 movies from the library. Of those, I've only watched "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them", which was thoroughly meh. (When your whole fucking plot resolves around your inability to tie your suitcase shut, that is beyond narratively aggravating.) But I did ahem "Birds of Prey" and thoroughly enjoy it, as well as the latest Miss Fisher's movie (less enjoyment, more "the who with the what now?").
10. What are you streaming with?
Netflix is getting more of a workout from me. The kid is practically living on Youtube. I got in on CBS All Access' free deal, then discovered that I could only stream it on my computer, even though my TV has a bunch of apps on it and my cable provider covers other ones. So I ahemed "ST: Picard" and am actually watching that with the husband for the first time in forever.
11. 9 months from now is there any chance of you having a baby?
Short answer: no. But it's fucking funny/bitter that you ask!
12. What's your go-to quarantine meal?
Same as all the meals before it. Whatever the fuck I feel like making or reheating.
13. Is this whole situation making you paranoid?
Making? No. Trying really hard to swamp me in "Oh God Oh God we're totally screwed" feelings on a daily basis? Yup.
14. Has your internet gone out on you during this time?
Once during a meeting with my manager; that was awesome. But blessedly stable for the rest of the time.
15. What month do you predict this all ends?
Ends? Are you kidding? This situation is not going to end as much as morph into something different, but hopefully not worse.
16. First thing you’re gonna do when you get off quarantine?
Go back to regular gaming nights on Saturdays and Tuesdays.
17. Where do you wish you were right now?
In the alternate timeline that branched off in 2016 where a narcissistic predator didn't get elected.
18. What free-from-quarantine activity are you missing the most?
Gaming with friends, in nice small groups around someone else's table, surrounded by someone else's walls, in someone else's house.
19. Have you run out of toilet paper and hand sanitizer?
TP is fine, though it's on the list for the next store run. Sanitizer was never really our thing, but we have plenty of soap.
20. Do you have enough food to last a month?
For what I'd eat? Sure! For what everyone else would eat? Nope.
I wish I could concentrate on all the blessings we have: money's fine, everyone's healthy, we have plenty of space to not be on top of each other, and the whole "shelter in place" thing really didn't impact our lives all that much. Hell, even my habits (both good and bad) are being rewarded, since my sewing hoard is coming in handy for making masks, my proclivity to hermit up in my house for entertainment was great training, and our disinclination to travel much meant we didn't have to cancel any expensive plans. But the ongoing battle to not completely lose my damned mind at the other occupants of this house for their failure to contribute is eating most of my spoons.
