Self – Isolate ~ Things To Do

Maybe the first inclination while staying home is to disinfect and wash everything in sight. I always feel like cleaning with hot soapy water and a splash of bleach when there are infections near by. But after the zest for cleaning wears off – then what? We live in a fast-paced world, especially young families. When suddenly there is nothing to do and nowhere to go – it is a shock to the system. What? Nowhere to go?

Through anecdotal observations I have concluded that too much TV makes people grumpy, especially kids, and popsicles will make kids start bouncing off the walls. Seriously, ice cream is nowhere near as bad as popsicles are. There is a range of badness in junk food. The trick is to figure out how to get the best of the worst food – when it comes to temptation and treats.

So with the goal of avoiding too much TV and artificially coloured junk food – the sky is the limit on what you can do at home. Everything from macro photography to drawing and painting, including computer art, to photo editing and cooking. It’s not so bad to be stuck at home if you have relaxing creative projects to work on.

Working from home is something we all do, whether we view it as such or not. It’s not just the cooking and cleaning, but many of us work online, or have jobs that make it feasible to work from home. Maybe some of the viral trends will include more opportunities to work from home since it decreases the commute and carbon footprint as well.

I did read a news article warning us that staying home meant an increased use of energy. Although there was no empirical data to support the claim, it is unlikely that people who stay home would use more energy since they are not driving (big one), and are not shopping and socializing as much, parking, getting in and out of vehicles, and sitting in heated offices all day, with all the infrastructure around them.

A house or apartment has to be kept at a certain temperature in cold weather, even if no one is home. Plus the fridge, stove, bathroom, garbage pick-up, water, etc. are already in place. The only daily increase in energy would be if the heat was turned up. Even if people cook more, it just means they eat out less, not that the consumption changes.

Music is another pastime that can be very rewarding – especially if it involves learning, playing, or practicing an instrument. Music and meditation will boost both the mood and the immune system.

The funny thing about being at home is that it makes it homier. Just our presence in our home warms it up. It’s the little things that count, whether it is fresh sheets or home made soup. Movie nights with popcorn, or sitting by the fire crocheting a blanket, brings us closer to our own nesting nature. Human nature can be self-reassuring. We can readily go back to our roots.

We live in a time where having a home and place to self-isolate is something to be grateful for. The idea of being quarantined in a tiny cabin in the central aisle of a cruise ship is a big deterrent to taking a cheap cruise for a winter holiday. Best to get a balcony suite and try not to fall off it. Being quarantined on a cruise ship is kind of like the thought of being stuck in an elevator, except it goes on and on and on.

Other than to try to keep yourself healthy and care for your immune system, it is worthwhile knowing that antibiotics are not effective when it comes to treating viruses. The old fashioned advice to drink clear fluids, eat whole foods, and get plenty of rest, is probably still the best advice.

There are articles about the need for more ventilators, but the average person is not likely to need a ventilator, at least let’s be optimistic and hope not! It is a late stage, life saving measure. Even if they buy more ventilators for every hospital – they still need staff who are trained to operate them.

For the most part, ventilators are limited to ICU, OR, and people with spinal cord trauma. Patients on ventilators require 1:1 nursing care. They would need more respiratory therapists and ICU trained nurses. So let’s hope they don’t buy them without having anyone to operate them. They would sit in a storage room until the warranty wears off. No point in stockpiling ventilators.

Stockpiling is an interesting human reaction to perceived crisis. It shows how responsive we are to the media. First it was masks, then hand sanitizer, followed by canned goods, and then a frenzy of stock piling toilet paper. Costco was sold out. No more snacks there either. Aw what a bummer.

Apparently the underlying psychology surrounding the mass buying of toilet paper is about fear. The fear of loss of control – even though the virus is respiratory in nature, people tend to find tangible ways to help themselves feel in control. I guess that sort of makes sense – even though it is not that logical, and creates a huge glitch when it comes to the previously predictable supply and demand.

The fact that the coronavirus started spreading at a time when there has been civil unrest and large rallies all over the world, with masses of emotionally charged people – it is probably time to simmer down and take stock. We all have a right to peaceful protest, but there is a great deal of risk when it comes to riots and violence. Plus there are boundaries to be kept -and it seems to be a real pain to keep those boundaries. I have always found it stressful to be in large crowds – therefore I don’t see the attraction.

No one knows what the future holds. Just a few short months ago no one had ever heard of this virus. We were all in a tizzy about the house being on fire. It better not be – we have to stay home and chill out. Suddenly we went from doomsday environmental prophesy to a global pandemic. From carbon emissions to viral emissions – we are forced to smarten up.

Throughout history there have been hundreds of apocalyptic visions, rants, fears, and situations where people thought it was the end. But here we are. If we did not read the papers, we would not even know we are in a crisis.

The biggest difference between this one and the Spanish flu in 1918 is that the people who described the Spanish flu explained how it directly affected their own lives, families and communities. There were so many funeral processions, they kept their blinds closed.

In Europe during the plague, they forced people who they thought were infected into underground cities. In Edinburgh Scotland, they have access points with signs like “Mary’s Close”. They are little doors in alleyways that take you to those interconnected mazes, in dank underground locations. Apparently no one ever came out alive.

We are very fortunate to be able to stay above ground and keep our blinds open. As far as the true extent of what is going on – we will have to keep our minds open too! Whatever you do – don’t sneeze in a pubic place.

Copyright Valerie J. Hayes and Quiet West Vintage (2020). Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author/owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Valerie J. Hayes and Quiet West Vintage with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.