Coronavirus

MetalGuy71 wrote:

I'm trying to maintain a positive outlook on this whole thing, which isn't always easy. But reading things like dolphins showing up in the canals of Venice for the first time in over 30 years and air pollution being down is reassuring. Folks slowing down and spending time together. People being nice.

Mother Nature hit the reboot button on planet earth and yea, it's gonna delete some old rubbish that's been bogging us down, but it's also gonna give us a fresh start and a chance to do things better.

And just think of all the bad-ass music that's gonna come out when all this is over. Musicians with nothing else to do but sit at home in their studios crafting the best-est riffs and perfecting lyrics for the next album. Artists creating. Not rushing the process. Taking time to make it look the best it can possibly be without all the distractions of life.

It's not going to be pretty or easy, but I'm confident we'll come through this stronger, better, wiser than before. Well, Maybe not Uncle Saxon. There's no helping that guy.

Yeah, for those who survive, I really hope they see the silver lining and realize it's a wake up call/ second chance to make their lives and those of others better. I hope it (the zeitgeist of patience and helping) lasts and has a ripple effect that creates a change for good.

MetalGuy71 wrote:

It's not going to be pretty or easy, but I'm confident we'll come through this stronger, better, wiser than before.

There are some cool things coming out of this. My country has been horribly divided and had a seriously nasty streak running through it since 2008. Brexit mayhem. austerity, victim culture have set us against each other for years. Today for the first time in years I am proud of my nation. The Prime Minister sent out an urgent appeal yesterday for volunteers to help the NHS and social services cope with things like getting food and medicine to those in total isolation, phoning the sick and just helping these services to not implode under the strain of this. He said that they needed 250000 people to sign up. Within 24 hours he had 505000 volunteers signed up ready to serve

The people I work with are scared but they also know that if we don't do what we need to then people are going to suffer.

Plus the fact that air pollution is waay down world wide

Also I think some people for the first time in their lives are discovering what it's like to not have enough so I hope that we will have more empathy for others when it's finally over.

the sentinel wrote:

MetalGuy71 wrote:

I'm trying to maintain a positive outlook on this whole thing, which isn't always easy. But reading things like dolphins showing up in the canals of Venice for the first time in over 30 years and air pollution being down is reassuring. Folks slowing down and spending time together. People being nice.

Mother Nature hit the reboot button on planet earth and yea, it's gonna delete some old rubbish that's been bogging us down, but it's also gonna give us a fresh start and a chance to do things better.

And just think of all the bad-ass music that's gonna come out when all this is over. Musicians with nothing else to do but sit at home in their studios crafting the best-est riffs and perfecting lyrics for the next album. Artists creating. Not rushing the process. Taking time to make it look the best it can possibly be without all the distractions of life.

It's not going to be pretty or easy, but I'm confident we'll come through this stronger, better, wiser than before. Well, Maybe not Uncle Saxon. There's no helping that guy.

Yeah, for those who survive, I really hope they see the silver lining and realize it's a wake up call/ second chance to make their lives and those of others better. I hope it (the zeitgeist of patience and helping) lasts and has a ripple effect that creates a change for good.

Are we sure this is the REAL MetalGuy????

That post doesn't sound like the cynical attitude we all know and love.


But seriously man, good post; I needed that.  Even though I'm not really "suffering" (hell, "social distancing" is the way I choose to lead my life all the time) the fact that the everyday, mundane stuff we all have to do has become a pain in the ass and the random stupid crap that suddenly becomes missing at stores every week has really been getting me down lately.  I needed to read a positive post like yours and I'm really glad you're back.

This is morphing into a good thread!

Keep your heads up, everyone! I'm seeing the same thing where I live. People volunteering and caring that you'd never imagine doing so.

I do believe we'll come out of this with a different outlook...there's just something about a shared trauma that brings people together. It will never be perfect, but it will be better.

It’s easy to be snarky and dickish when things are going well. I’m just trying to do my part in keeping spirits up. I was already at a low point, but now that the playing field has been leveled for all of us, it’s time to start looking up. At least till I can sell off enough toilet paper and hand sanitizer to pay off my mortgage.

It's really him!

At least we finally had a sunny, almost Spring-like day here today.  For the last week we've had everything from snow, heavy rain, just plain overcast and temps 20-30 degrees below normal.  That wasn't helping anyone's mood around here including mine.

So, I just got a text from our Branch Manager (my boss) telling me I don't have to come in tomorrow. She is giving me a paid day to spend with my family; and if I need a "mental health" day to just call her and tell her and I can stay home and use some PTO (of which I still have a shit ton) oe just take the day as unpaid out. What a difference working for a place that actually cares about me. This is so different from the world of retail, where you are made to feel like a disposable dish rag. Just look at Amazon and Bezos- the richest guy in the world is asking the public to pay for his employees sick pay if they have to miss work if they contract a deadly virus during a global pandemic. But all the sheeple ( read soccer moms) will still buy from Amazon b/c it's perceived to be cheaper than getting in their suv and actually going to a store.

That's great sentinel and good on your company. 

I'm sort of in the same boat in that my 25th anniversary with my company is Friday which means my vacation time rolls over; starting next week I'll have 42 days of vacation time so if worse comes to worst I'll just take several weeks off and hope this crap blows over by then.

the sentinel wrote:

So, I just got a text from our Branch Manager (my boss) telling me I don't have to come in tomorrow. She is giving me a paid day to spend with my family; and if I need a "mental health" day to just call her and tell her and I can stay home and use some PTO (of which I still have a shit ton) oe just take the day as unpaid out. What a difference working for a place that actually cares about me. This is so different from the world of retail, where you are made to feel like a disposable dish rag. Just look at Amazon and Bezos- the richest guy in the world is asking the public to pay for his employees sick pay if they have to miss work if they contract a deadly virus during a global pandemic. But all the sheeple ( read soccer moms) will still buy from Amazon b/c it's perceived to be cheaper than getting in their suv and actually going to a store.

Wasn't Bezos the guy that made a great big virtue signalling deal of the money he gives to homeless charities? (tax deductible I'm sure)

Now his own workers (the ones who help him make all of that lovely moolah) are in trouble, his wallet snaps shut. I haven't bought anything from Amazon for years and he has done nothing in this to change that.

Wrecked Neck wrote:

Wife got her results back tonight, and they were negative thankfully. Figured they would be, but it's good to know for sure.

Good deal man! Glad to hear it.

Wrecked Neck wrote:

Wife got her results back tonight, and they were negative thankfully. Figured they would be, but it's good to know for sure.

Good to hear!

I resumed going back to the office, but only for a couple of hours, twice a week on average.

I was able to convince my wife that working remotely from home is not enough, and that I regularly need to dig through my physical files and papers.

You can't imagine how nice it is to drive your car alone, in empty streets, playing your metal loud. Oh, thank you Covid-19 for such blessing.

I am taking all precautions at work and there is no risk at all to be honest, since the firm is practically empty, with the exception of a couple of IT support guys whose offices are on a different floor.

But going into these dark offices felt so sad. I miss my colleagues. Never thought i would be saying this!

Thanks guys, I really appreciate it! It's a load off for sure, because I'm not sure I could deal with the guilt I'd feel if I killed her. She doesn't work, and has basically self quarantined herself from everything. I'm the only one that she comes in contact with, so I was worried I brought it home from work and gave it to her. I wish I had the money to stay off work until this crap is over, but I don't. She's a high risk with asthma and diabetes, so if she gets it, it's most likely a death sentence.

Lari, i was just reading that Helsinki is now on lockdown and isolated from the remaining parts of Finland. I hope all is well at your end man.

This was shocking. Couple days ago my apartment complex sent out an email to all residents letting us know that they put a donation box in the mail room. For those of you that have seen Fear, The Walking Dead, it's the same principle as the boxes the survivors leave on the side of the roads.

"Take what you need, leave what you don't."

I read that email thinking that all I'd find is an empty box. But tonight when I got the mail, I looked and was very impressed. There was at least twenty cans of assorted soups and foods. Some baby wipes. Some box foods. In fact, I think there was more food there than the grocery stores. I think tomorrow I'll go leave a deposit.

Just wanted to share, thought it was cool.

Wrecked Neck wrote:

This was shocking. Couple days ago my apartment complex sent out an email to all residents letting us know that they put a donation box in the mail room. For those of you that have seen Fear, The Walking Dead, it's the same principle as the boxes the survivors leave on the side of the roads.

"Take what you need, leave what you don't."

I read that email thinking that all I'd find is an empty box. But tonight when I got the mail, I looked and was very impressed. There was at least twenty cans of assorted soups and foods. Some baby wipes. Some box foods. In fact, I think there was more food there than the grocery stores. I think tomorrow I'll go leave a deposit.

Just wanted to share, thought it was cool.

That's really cool. Solidarity during harsh times.

Gilbert wrote:

Wrecked Neck wrote:

This was shocking. Couple days ago my apartment complex sent out an email to all residents letting us know that they put a donation box in the mail room. For those of you that have seen Fear, The Walking Dead, it's the same principle as the boxes the survivors leave on the side of the roads.

"Take what you need, leave what you don't."

I read that email thinking that all I'd find is an empty box. But tonight when I got the mail, I looked and was very impressed. There was at least twenty cans of assorted soups and foods. Some baby wipes. Some box foods. In fact, I think there was more food there than the grocery stores. I think tomorrow I'll go leave a deposit.

Just wanted to share, thought it was cool.

That's really cool. Solidarity during harsh times.

Yeah, that's good to hear.

Went to a couple of grocery stores today and came back feeling a LOT better about the state of things here.  I went a little out of my way to get 80 more pounds of cat litter I ordered online but since one of our local grocery chains was in the same shopping plaza I decide to cruise on over there and see what they had.  Lo and behold I scored another 70 pounds of cat litter, 8 rolls of TP, some fresh, extra-lean hamburger and 2 gallons of the almond milk I use.  On the way back I stopped in at the other local grocery chain here and was able to pick up 4 more rolls of TP, three more 10lb bags of cat litter and fresh onions.  Oh, and a 1.75 ltr bottle of vodka - I keep waiting for the day when booze disappears from the shelves.

The real good news for me was that both places had A TON of various cuts of chicken (which I usually don't use since I use frozen pre-cooked breasts) and one store (the one with the four roll limit) had plenty on hand.  Since all those things have been totally wiped out for the last 2 weeks it seems that the limits the stores have put in place regarding how many of those item you can buy has allowed the stores to replenish their stock.

We keep hearing how this isn't a supply issue, it's a demand issue. And based on what I saw today I'd say that's true.

I also noticed more groceries available now than a week ago. Partly because of signs that limit quantities people can get. It really does help fight the hoarding!

Same here, I got everything I needed and even TP was plentiful. Social distancing was mostly good but inside the supermarkets were not great. What I found was that the shops with little or no rules were the best and people were sensible, ASDA (which is Walmart) was by far the worst as they have a ridiculous 1 way system that nobody understood at all.

I came back feeling quite optimistic, but then saw today's numbers.

The markets here (Rhode Island, USA) are pretty well stocked as the limit of 2 per shopper has helped a lot. They are allowing take out for restaurants, and even allowing alcohol take out. I imagine it was done to stop price gouging of booze and having people at each other's throats at the local packey place.

It's kind of pathetic that stores have to implement limits to keep people from hoarding but it seems to be working.

Agreed and agreed, my good man.

Toho, how many freakin cats do you own man???? Why do you need that much? Are they running out? Guess I should get some this weekend, but I think I'll chance it and just get the normal 40 pound box I usually get.