Greetings from Six Feet Away

I’m sorry I haven’t written much. I’ve been in a bit of a fog. Like most of you, I’ve had to adapt to a new world. I’ve been engulfed by news and developments of the coronavirus, and it’s overwhelming and often terrifying. I know many other bloggers have found their new niches writing about Covid-19, but I have gone predominantly inward. There’s nothing wrong with that, I guess, unless you are supposed to be writing, uhh, yeah.

That is not to say I haven’t been busy.

Work. I work full time and that hasn’t slowed down during this crisis. I work in a court, so it’s considered essential. A skeletal group is expected to physically be at the courthouse and they are paid full pay plus comp time (I learned a new term: hazard pay). I determined that all of my work could be done efficiently from home, so that’s where I’ve been this week. I also learned that working from home can actually be a lot of work!!

Dave went to work a few days this week in order to learn how to conduct classes online. Now, we’re hunkered down together, and, what can I say? Defining space between two people 24/7 in only 800 square feet is not an easy task, but we’ll get through this together.

Everything is closed! I’ve never seen New York City like this. Everything. Is. Closed. (The only place I see people is in the parks – -we must all have the same idea).

Financial. I’m very lucky that I am employed full time and receiving a paycheck. I know others are not so lucky. As for my investments, I have not even dared to look at my account. My head is in the sand.

Travel Interrupted. I had a great trip to Miami in January and to Barcelona, Spain in February (when the Coronavirus was mostly an interesting but somewhat distant topic of conversation).

Since then, travel has come undone. Actually, everything got canceled. My calendar went blank. Like many of you, I’ve spent a lot of my time cancelling hotels and flights, and mourning the trips I was supposed to take, the places I was supposed to visit, and the friends I was supposed to see. Maybe I should write blog posts about trips I was supposed to take? First, it would be that great weekend Dave and I were planning in London, traveling on a Delta One flight, staying at the Hyatt Regency Churchill and seeing our good friends Pat and Mike. Then, it would be the quick but important trip this weekend up to Boston to see my father. But his assisted living facility, out of an abundance of caution, has gone on lockdown. (All I can say is thank god for Facetime). Then, the Budapest trip next month – oh man, I was so looking forward to that. It’s now on hold until late June. The list goes on. My nephew’s bar mitzvah in Arizona in May (now postponed to August) and my niece’s college graduation in Vermont (likely to get canceled).

A world without travel. . . I never thought I’d have to say that . . . (photo: pixabay).

I did manage to have one night at a hotel this month. Last weekend (it feels like years ago) I spent a night “social distancing” at the Park Hyatt New York.

I had a free night certificate that was expiring. The hotel is exquisite and the staff exemplary – but my heart wasn’t totally in it. The world has changed, hopefully only temporarily.

We will travel again! I have started planning some new trips beginning with the summer. With the exception of one trip (the Delta/SkyTeam deal), I’m taking advantage of my American Airline elite status by booking everything with miles (which, as an Executive Platinum member I can cancel without penalty). (I’m really, really hoping that Hyatt and American Airlines consider extending status for elite members next year).

Health. I think that this is a time, more than ever, to attend to one’s health and fitness. Staying at home doesn’t mean not showering, not cleaning up and eating only junk food. It’s an opportunity to declutter and find time for yourself. I’m taking vitamins, preparing foods (I’ve dusted off the Instant Pot), and making sure to get out for a four to five mile walk in a local park each day. I also think I could use an online class for stretching and body conditioning – there are so many online to choose from that it’s kind of daunting.

Sometimes I have to make an effort not to stress about the coronavirus pandemic. It’s healthy to not always dwell on it. Turn off the TV. Read a book. Make a call.

Sooooooo….. 

So this is a little slice of my life from six feet away. I will write more. I have tons of trip and hotel reports to catch up on (are people still interested in reading trip and hotel reports during days of isolation and quarantine?)

I also plan on writing about some of the great online tours and movies that are being offered during this difficult times. One of my favorites is the Short Film A Day Keeps The Anxiety Away series from Tribeca Film Festival. I receive an email each day from Tribeca Film with another short film to watch. I highly recommend it. I’m also considering an online language class. And of course, there’s always Netflix.

So, hang in there. Stay healthy. Stay home. Stay in touch.