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How is the coronavirus pandemic affecting your life right now? Tell us about your experiences, feelings, and thoughts.
I have uploaded artwork I have been creating in the last few years. I find creative outlets very good for my spirit. I create the artwork with a program on my iPad. I call the method digital abstract expressionism. The title of this work is Supernaturally Improbable. The pandemic reminds us that life is unpredictable and random. The serendipity of life encourages me to believe in luck. My father always said you can be one in million lucky and one in a million unlucky. I believe you can create your own luck by reaching out and trying to seize opportunities. I learned about the pandemic journal from a news article and now I enjoy registering my thoughts and experiences as part of a ritual. I have made it through the pandemic by doing daily exercises as part of an aging program. I still feel young in some ways and lucky that I avoided the coronavirus. I received both Pfizer vaccines. In terms of luck, I have won $100 everyday in the last three days. I hope its a harbinger to winning a major prize. I was able to take advantage of the beautiful weather in East Hampton, New York and get fresh air and take a walk. It opens up the mind and heart. Rituals like keeping a digital diary, buying lotto tickets, reading The New York Times, Washington Post and Boston Globe and writing many letters to the editor keeps me moving. A night of watching MSNBC, Netflix, HBO Max, Showtime, Comedy Central and Network Evening News feeds the brain food I need.
March 13, 2021
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How is the coronavirus pandemic affecting your life right now? Tell us about your experiences, feelings, and thoughts.
Everything is scary when you have COVID risk factors and are vulnerable. This week I decided not to go in-person to my annual physical, but to rather do that by video chat. It actually worked out well. But then the gas company knocked on my door unannounced and an unmasked technician wanted access to my house – my sanctuary – my safe place. I did not let him in. Then – my service light came on in my car – another sanctuary and safe place. I needed service and there was no alternative to that. So… I braced myself, used sheets to cover my front seats, and packed up my cleaning supplies. I stayed outside in the hot sun as my car was serviced, but even though I was in the far corner of a parking lot, it was hard to avoid unmasked people who had no regard for my safety. It was almost like they came near me for no reason and on purpose. It was enraging – but there was nothing I could do but to try to move farther away from them. When my car was done, I pulled out the cleaning supplies and cleaned off all the interior surfaces, aired out the car, and removed the sheets before driving home with the windows open. I feel like I did everything I could possibly have done – but it was unnerving and very stressful. It was a greater level of risk than I am used to so that was hard. I was exhausted when I got home – but changed my clothes and showered before I did anything else. Now that our disease numbers are good for the time being, I feel that I should take care of things to avoid problems when things get bad again. But in order to do that I have to leave my comfort zone… and that is really hard to do.
July 29, 2020