Covid
I seemed to have skipped (er… I had drafts I wasn't satisfied with) the closure of 2019 and January - March of 2020.
Now we are all stuck inside (to some degree based on ‘Essential’-Ness) Trying to figure out this alternative lifestyle we were thrust into.
À lot of people are still acting like nothing is wrong, going about the day seemingly unaware that hundreds of thousands of human lives have been lost to a pandemic that is still going on.
How unhygienic people were before and are after knowing is alarming and honestly disgusts me. There un hygienic ways can affect others much like being exposed then being around compromised persons can affect the compromised.
I am sad I just cannot see zero-wasting working in a time like this when grocery stores (for hygienic purposes) will not take refillable vessels or bags for your goods.
À friend mentioned I can always go back after this calms down and after I apologized for such a first world problem (because it IS) he said: it's a good first world problem to have.”
I am glad the homie who now lives on the west coast understands how it can feel for someone who was trying hard to not be wasteful and avoid more plastic/packaging in their life to not be able to do that right now.
I understand and am not mad at the extra steps grocery stores have taken (and by that I mostly mean Whole Foods). Whole Foods makes announcements on the PA system to remind you of social distancing and to keep 6ft apart whenever possible. There were dots on the floor saying “practice social distancing” for the checkout queue. The cashiers had a wide plexiglass shield to protect themselves and the customer. Some people talk hard and you get spit in your eye. Been there. It's pretty horrifying when there ISN'T a pandemic.
I lost track of days and time.
Thinking it's Wednesday when it's actually Friday. Things of that nature.
Also, I discovered Animal Crossing so that is part of the reason. The grind is real.
I have been more in touch with friends and some bonds I dare say may have even depended. Us discovering sides of each other they weren't sure we're there or povs we never knew we shared. Text and DMS utilized to keep connected but also gives a safe space to explore each other's minds a little further than if out and about.
Sometimes it's just oil on the surface when you are outside. Then you can get beneath that and sink a little further.
It's been nice.
I still have yet to do some financial.check ups and filing of things like unemployment (covid related) since I am trying to minimize exposure for the sake of my parents (in their 70s) with one much more compromised than the other.
Dad is on a LOT of meds and uses an aspirator of sorts.
When I come home I usually go straight to my room.
If I want to eat I tend to wait for them to be done before going to the dining room.
I never wear clothing twice.
Everything goes in the laundry pile if I wore it outside/at work/to the grocery store/doing errands.
Even if I was only out for 30 minutes.
I try to shower as soon as I get home or before bed if I am lazy, but sometimes I don't do that.
If I sneeze on bed clothing it goes straight to the laundry.
If I have a headache I just go straight to my room and pretty much stay there and never go out unless I know my parents are done with the kitchen/dining area.
I have sensitivities to weather changes, seasonal allergies, and am allergic to most things in texas. A lot of times I also have headaches due to rain coming (Atmospheric pressure), not enough water, not enough food (unintentional intermittent fasting), or too much time around electronics (Yea, it's an odd one). So most of the time I can't pinpoint the headache. And with the pandemic I have no idea if it is supposed to mean something more. So I would rather be ridiculously safe than sorry.
My main income source is essential ut there is a lot of exposure to people. If I worked at a grocery store (I REALLY wanted to work at Whole Foods even if it's temporary) that would be the same problem.
So I am looking into other things that might be home based.
There are no guarantees
But we are all adjusting, coping, growing, and overcoming.
I am just sharing my experience.
I know we are all affected differently. We all have different challenges, not just monetary ones, either.
Be safe out there.
Blog will keep going.
Just figuring out how to adjust a zero-ish waste life when sanitation and hygiene are more important than ever.
Be safe out there, friends.
Please cover those coughs and sneezes
And
Wash. those. hands.
Two song suggestions:
So fresh, So Clean by Outlast
I believe the chorus should suffice the 20 seconds
(that was inspired by #Npr’s #WaitWaitDontTellMe)
Baby Shark
I heard getting to Daddy Shark should be 20 seconds
I have a lot of interests
but to make sure I don’t get off track
this page will be about the zero waste journey
PPS I still buy things
I just try to refuse more, reduce, and buy less often.
When I make a purchase I reframe it, let the items hang out in the ‘cart’ for a while, and think about its possible after life (can it bio degrade, can we re/up cycle or sell it?)
I was definitely a huge consumer.
I am trying to change.
One day at a time.
Hang out for some fun stories, ey!