Pandemic perspectives: the good and not-so-good
As someone considered at higher risk for contracting the coronavirus, I have not left my Las Vegas apartment since April 15, except for three medical appointments. Despite the long lockdown, I have yet to develop cabin fever.
The pandemic forced me into “retirement” after 11 years of teaching adult education classes at a local community college. I had toyed with the idea of retiring for the past couple of years but could not afford to do so. I still cannot, but these months at home have spoiled me.
Unlike many frustrated Nevadans, I relish the freedom to sleep late, avoid Vegas drivers, and choose how I spend my day.
That said, for me, some aspects of the lockdown are good, while others, not-so-good.
Good
1. Having the entire day to work on my book, book proposal, blog, and podcast is a dream come true.
2. Enjoying time alone to exercise, meditate or pray, read, or contemplate the direction of my life is a luxury.
3. Streaming movies, documentaries, and TV series for hours on end is done without guilt. Recently, I watched—almost nonstop--five seasons of the highly rated 2002-2008 series, “The Wire.”
4. Re-arranging clothes, shoes, books, files, boxes, school materials, and textbooks in my very small closet at least once a month is a plus.
5. Listening to Trevor Noah’s timely, incisive, and relevant commentary on The Daily Social Distancing Show is refreshing. His coverage of the pandemic is more informative (and funnier) than that of CNN, MSNBC, or any of the major networks. For straight up laughs, I indulge with Bill Maher’s “New Rules” segment on YouTube. No need to watch a whole show now.
Not-So-Good
1. Shopping on Instacart can be expensive; service fees, delivery fees, and a (pre-determined)15 % tip quickly raise a $45 order to $60. Likewise, when your shopper cannot find a product, he or she might substitute a more expensive item or one that you do not want. For example, on one order, I wanted fresh mushrooms, instead, I got a 32-ounce can of mushrooms in water, which I probably will never use. A $5.69 jar of Best Foods vegan mayo (already, too expensive!) was replaced with a $8.99 substitute that I hate.
2. Waiting for Netflix to upgrade its content is fruitless. The lineup is largely old movies or TV series, or not-so-original movies and series.
3. Working on Zoom, Google Hangouts, Webex and other apps for distance learning has proved difficult. For example, students complained that Webex would not accept the ID number (that it had generated) necessary to join the session; for others, it prompted them to log in. Likewise, students could not view documents that I “shared.” With Google Hangout, despite several attempts, I was unable to add new students to my class roster.
4. Receiving a one-time $1200 stimulus check did little to stimulate my finances. It was not sufficient to cover rent ($1441), a car payment ($275.19), car insurance ($200.16), food, gas, or other expenses. On the other hand, under the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, Congress authorized $700 billion to bail out big banks. Congress and the president seem to find money for increased military spending, subsidies for farmers, or The Wall while ordinary Americans—who have lost jobs—are left to figure out how they will keep a roof over their heads, stave off creditors, and feed their families.
5. Watching obnoxious opponents to face masks yell at or spit at store employees is infuriating. We abide by countless policies, laws, and regulations imposed by organizations, businesses, and governments, so stop with the rhetoric about “citizen’s rights,” “personal freedom,” “fascism,” or “constitutional infringement.”
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