Amy Lu's View

Let me start with acknowledging that I am extremely lucky, and that I’m grateful for so many things.

Now…commence the whining!

I’ve made it through my first work week of “quarantine.”

Whew.

I’ve tried not to blog too much about COVID-19 or my experiences as our world grapples with it. Just like when it comes to political affairs, I know I don’t have much that is helpful or insightful to add, and I don’t want to be insensitive or hurtful or offensive, at least not unintentionally.

But I can’t completely ignore it either, especially as I’m trying to blog every day for 50 days. I’m definitely going to run out of topics if I don’t let COVID-19 into my blog.

Here are some highly personal and inconsequential reflections as I chillax (whatever that means between bouts of pandemic panic) after my first week of working completely at home and not venturing out. (I’ve only been to the gym once–rushed there on Monday night before they shut down–and Target once).

I’m so lucky that I have a job and that I can work completely and productively from home. I’m lucky that I was already working from home fairly often, so am basically used to it and have all the IT I need. I’m lucky that my colleagues and people I supervise are also used to working from home.

Still, working at home entirely with no forrays into a physical workspace is really strange. I’ve lost all sense of time. I eat WAY too many chips. StanLee B frequently loses his mind because more people are out walking and walking their dogs. Thank heavens he was still able to do his day at puppy daycare so the cats I had one day of calm.

This week at work has been pretty intense and I’m rather frazzled. I love my job and am so impressed by my colleagues and love that I am doing important work, but this is a lot to process. Our situation at work has been changing constantly this week. I need to be as patient and open and calm as I can.

In fact work has been so busy, that I haven’t really kept up with the news this week. Needless to say, I was unpleasantly surprised today to hear and read just how scary the COVID-19 news is. Yes, I knew it was serious, but DAMN.

I’m not a fan of social isolation, but, at least for now, I’m suffering as much–if not more–from cabin fever. Quarantine-light would be easier if the weather was more cooperative, and/or I could successfully run. Yes, I’m still dealing with ongoing nerve and/or muscle issues in my thigh, so I’ve had to content myself with a short limpy run/walk every day in mostly crappy weather. (Yes, I do realize I used 3 “/’s” in one short paragraph. Love/hate?)

I really, really, really miss being able to go to the gym and use an elliptical. My daily cardio workouts now consist of the aforementioned limpy run/walk supplemented by slow rides on our stationary bike and a lot of walking in place while swinging my arms wildly in our little kitchen.

I didn’t know how to illustrate this post, so I just included a totally staged WFH selfie, carefully showing off my HCL mug (another mug selfie!) And you can see some of my grey roots. Not that I can’t dye my own hair–I always do, so this is not a result of salons closing. But dyeing my hair is a huge pain in the ass so why would I when Chad, StanLee and the cats don’t care about the state of my hair and they’re the only fellow beings I see? And I don’t think my roots are showing up in virtual meetings…yet. And if they do, maybe it makes me look like I really AM working hard.

*I’ve never read, or intend to read “Love in the Time of Cholera,” and I totally judge you for drinking a Corona.