Trying to make some good out of a world-wide pandemic, or, What does this have to do with me?

Last year about this time, I was shut down.  I am a federal worker and was subject to the government shutdown that lasted for 35 days.  So as to not go crazy, and having a desire to try to write creatively, I started a blog and joined Medium.  I do a lot of writing for my job and really enjoy it, so I thought that I could do more with it, especially with retirement looming (ok, Boomer…).

I set up the blog and tried to work on all of my writing projects.  I was so filled with ideas, both bad and good, that I had too much to focus on.  I wrote a story about how I was handling the shutdown and made several other posts.  All in all, an adequate start.  Then, the government started back up with a vengeance.  It was easy to listen to the voices of inadequacy (“this is crap and no one will read it…”) and not get much done on writing projects.

I was still interested in writing and blogging, still absorbing everything I could on Medium and other sources.  I made the occasional blog post, and got great help from my kids who did guest posts, sharing their expertise in areas I did not have any experience in. And, hey, I am getting nearer to retirement and will have more time for such things soon (a great excuse…?)

But now, we are in Corona Time…

***and no, the great Mexican beer – Corona Extra –  It has nothing to do with COVID-19.  ***

First, like for the shutdown, I am work-from-home full time.  Great for me; my commute is normally about 90 minutes one way, three to four days a week.  Also, for my position in the government, so far I only brush up against the effort to directly deal with the outbreak.  I attend (via teleconferences) briefings and updates on the outbreak.  I disseminate information to my group, keeping them updated and ready to respond if and when called upon.  

I also try to make sure that my team is squared away and handling everything as best they can.  My agency is doing a good job at providing current information to us and providing the IT infrastructure to handle the huge increase in on-line usage by all the new work-from-homers.  We are coping pretty well.

On the home front, things are ok.  Early in my career, I worked with agents and pathogens of bioterrorism.  Think anthrax, botulinum toxin, ricin, other deadly stuff.  To work with these agents, you have to utilize a Biohazard Safety Laboratory, a BSL suite, and wear full personal protective equipment, PPE, just as is used to tend to people contaminated with COVID-19.  I also taught other lab folks how to work safely in a BSL suite, how to put on and take off PPE, how to disinfect anything and everything, and how to test for all the pathogens.  

Work in a BSL suite

This little bit of knowledge has allowed me to drive my family a little crazy as I provide (inflict on?) them “Standard Operating Procedures,” SOPs, for dealing with the “outside world” in regards to COVID-19.  We have set up SOPs for protecting the home front from potential contamination from the outside world.  We think this is necessary as the others in the house are out in the public at their jobs for eight to twelve hours a shift.

My wife the nurse works at a hospital where they seem to be doing well with providing for the safety of their staff and patients.  She doesn’t work directly with COVID-19 patients – that she knows of.  My daughter the nurse, on the other hand, works directly with COVID patients. (and yes, we worry constantly…). My son, on the front lines due to working in a supermarket, is aware of safety and is doing what he can to minimize his (and thus our) exposure. Let’s see if our SOPs can all hold up as the number of contaminated people rise.

PPE on a hospital COVID ward

So here I am with another chance to focus on writing.  I am to work from home for another four weeks at the minimum.  My family and I are as safe as we can be, given the circumstances in the world as we know it.  I can’t (or shouldn’t) go out and shop or visit people.  I shouldn’t surf the web, it is Corona virus as far as the finger can click.  My time is best spent working on self and relationships.  And how better to do this than to write about anything and everything?  Hmmm, sounds like a blog…

In all of this disease and social upheaval, I feel like I have been given a new lease on life with my writing and blogging.  While I can’t start my retirement and begin traveling, I do have the free time to concentrate on writing.  I can focus on the work (assorted as it may be…) and be ready to go when all of this pandemic stuff is easing.  

My interests continue to be all aspects of creating a good retirement for my wife and I, from Social Security, government retirement, health care, and all things financial.  I also want to write about the traveling we hope to do and our preparations to do so.  I also want to take photographs of landscapes and nature, subjects that I hope will present themselves as we travel.  When all of this passes, to what extent it will, I want to be ready to go.  

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