Here are more random thoughts as we face the “new normal” of constant hand-washing, no face touching, and lots and lots of anxiety.
- Barbershops and hair salons were some of the first businesses to be shut down. So, I figure by the end of April, we’re all going to start looking like something out of the 1970s; that is, really shaggy. Well, not all of us. For those of you who mocked my Flow-bee, who’s laughing now?
- With so many people out of work or working from home during this coronavirus emergency, sales of the following items have plummeted: deodorant and pants. After all, with an online video conference, they can’t smell you or see you from the waist down. But sales of other items have sky-rocketed: slippers and vodka. (A meme I saw online explained, “Working at home means staying just sober enough to respond to emails.”)
- Now that we’re all in the habit of washing our hands every 10 minutes and not touching our faces, maybe something good will come out of this pandemic. Hopefully, we are developing much better personal hygiene habits, and next winter the number of people who get common colds and the regular flu will decrease. On the other hand, how many of you are like me, and unconsciously rub your nose and then shriek, “Oh no! What did I just do?!” and then run down to the basement and dunk your head in a bucket of Clorox?
- Some people are calling this situation World War III. But at least with World War II back in the 1940s, people actually could DO something, such as join the Marines, or work in a factory assembling tanks, or organize scrap metal drives (like Jimmy Stewart did in “It’s a Wonderful Life”). For this new war, the only things we can DO are wash our hands a lot, don’t touch our faces, and anxiously sit around the house waiting to get sick. If we’re going to be at war, I prefer a non-microscopic-sized enemy.
- A lot of people are glued to TV news, watching every hysterical doom-and-gloom report about the pandemic. I suggest taking a break from the constant stress-mongering on TV, at least for one day each week. First, read the Republican-American newspaper in the morning for a good summary. Then listen to WJMJ radio for a while. And then, for the rest of the day, turn off the news. Instead, watch a movie, preferably a black-and-white one starring Jimmy Stewart. Then read a book for a while and take a nap. Then go for a walk. In other words, just tune out the news for one day. It will do wonders for your mental health.
- An even better idea is to start a journal. Grab a notebook or sit down at your computer and put your thoughts and fears into words. Call it “The Corona Chronicles” or “The Dystopian Diaries.” Address your journal to your kids or grandkids 30 years from now. Write down your fears and anxieties. Describe the situation in detail. Explain what you miss most about being stuck at home all day. Talk about the people you long to see (and be honest and mention the ones you’re kind of glad you CAN’T see right now). Describe what you will do and who you will hug first when the “all clear” is finally sounded. This writing exercise will engage your brain much better than staring at the TV for hours on end, plus reduce your stress and anxiety. Who knows? It might turn out that you’re a pretty good writer. But please don’t apply for the Friday morning humor column slot — that’s mine.
God bless, and please be safe.
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