Shelter in Place: Week 2

COVID19: Kansas City

Friday 3/20/20

Day 5 of quarantine

This is the first day where my panic has spiked a little bit. Both Carp’s mom and my mom are in the healthcare profession, and they are both worried.

After a full week of working from home, families are now considering connecting via the online conferencing platform Zoom as well as offices. Both Carp and our family scheduled them for the weekend to get everyone together.

Washington state has issued a shelter in place for all residents.

Saturday 3/21/20

Day 6 quarantine

Got takeout from a local KCK restaurant with my parents without getting too close to one another. Accomplished our first family Google Hangouts sessions with all six of us online. Then scolded for saying I was going over to my friends house later this evening. We are not under a shelter in place order yet, so I am not going to jump to limit myself when guidelines have not been set yet. Illinois has gone into shelter in place, where my brother and his partner live.

Later…I got to visit my old library, and took a picture of the signs in it’s window. Driving down the avenue where my library is, I saw many of our regulars out on the street, walking. The library is a second home for many, and for some, it is home. My heart went out. What are those without homes feeling right now? And how strange society is discouraged from being physically present with one another during the horrible time.

On a separate note, I had a great time at my new friend’s house! I think they are going to be a really good new friend, and I’m super happy about it! But also we might not get to hang out for awhile with the global pandemic on… After I got home I checked the news to see that the mayor of Kansas City has issued a “shelter in place” order starting on Tuesday. The shelter in place is set for 30 days, and during those 30 days we are not to leave the house except for essential things, such as food and health related services. All jobs apart from these areas will be suspended or carried out from home and socializing is off limits. How do they enforce that? Or is it just all honor system/ social accountability?

Sunday 3/22/20

Day 7 quarantine

The mayor of Kansas City explained that shelter in place will be enforced with citations/ fines. He intends this not to be punitive, and hopes that most people will “self police”. I cancel a hangout with a friend for the first time due to COVID.

Rainy day, everyone is anxious. Went and picked up dinner at my parents, and picked up a coffee at the filling station (perhaps my last coffee made by a stranger for a while). Tried to go to a book store, but it was only doing “curbside pickup.” They said if I called their phone, they would find the book for me and bring it out front. They were all wearing gloves. They will have to officially close with the rest of the city tomorrow.

Monday 3/23/20

Day 8 quarantine

Shit got real, and I felt the need to crack open a beer at lunchtime for the first time since all of this happened. My higher paying job has created a strange payment system, which will be paying based on what we made prior to me starting my job there. My hours have currently been cut in half, and I am not pleased at all. Finally feeling the way the service workers have been feeling for weeks now. It sucks hard. I am ready to work, and ready to work a lot! Why would we not pay based on the work we’re doing? Have to let it go.

On a related note, I was planning to cut one of my credit cards that I never use anymore. But now I’m thinking maybe I should keep all the credit I have if money is soon to not really exist.

I watch a webinar on “second career librarianship.” I realize I have a background in crisis management (domestic violence shelters/ refugee resettlement/ mental health) and I’m here for working during the pandemic. I have skills to use.

**Later at night, I find out that I will still be paid regular hours weekly at my job. My boss has advocated for me, and we got it figured out.

Talking with Carp later tonight about fears during this time. My major fear is food supply/ medical prescriptions supply. The US gets so much food/ resources from other countries. With borders closing to international travel, could we also see a closure on trade country to country in the future? Either mandated trade closure by countries, or just the inability to trade cross country by social infrastructure falling apart. It would majorly change what I find at my local grocery store, and US grocery stores would have to depend more heavily on US grown produce/ food. Also processed food would probably stop being able to be made, because it takes products from multiple countries/ areas. Are we heading for a locally grow, whole food future? If so, I should really stock up on macaroni and cheese.

Real talk tonight, we discussed what we needed to improve upon during the world crisis. I said I needed to improve upon empathy.

Tuesday 3/24/20

Day 1 Shelter in Place

Low key day, much better day than yesterday because now I know I will get paid. Read all day, and then first day going to grocery store just for social purposes. No one wanted to talk to one another, and people were keeping true to the 6 feet apart rule. The grocery store had signs all over saying they were out of cart wipes/ hand sanitizer. I bought a ‘rona plant, to be with us through the next 30 days of quarantine.

Carp steps outside and listens to conversations happening at the complex next door. He realizes he draws energy from other people. I realize that I draw energy being alone. And we are both challenging our upbringings by idealizing what we seek- rural for Carp, urban for me.

Wednesday 3/25/20

Day 2 Shelter in Place

Tried to buy refill of hand soap for our bathroom… $45 on amazon when it’s usually $7.

Ben got home, we realized we needed to get out of the house. We drank instant coffee, and non-alcoholic beer and headed out.

This evening we walked 5 miles round trip downtown to get Neapolitan pizza (where we stood outside for take out and they wiped our pens down after we signed our check), and met up with Diana outside on her porch. The sun is finally out, after a week and a half of rain. It feels amazing.

Men are shaving their beards for sanitary purposes, and Carp thought about joining the train tonight. He didn’t.

Thursday 3/26/20

Day 3 Shelter in Place

Finally have a work from home schedule with my jobs. 12–5 I’ll be at the laptop, reading book reviews and answering library chat questions from students.

65,000 people have filed for unemployment in Missouri and Kansas due to COVID. Over 1,000 people have died due to it.

Signed up to be on call for a local hotline for seniors and other at risk organizations during this time through a local activist organization.

Strange that humanity has never been asked, especially the West, to do “nothing” and just stay home to during crises. We are used to active work, not passive work for change.

US passes China for having the most COVID cases in the world, and our president says it’s fine and wants to have everyone in church by Easter.

Met Diana and her boyfriend outside on their patio for a beer. Felt bad about breaking the shelter in place rule, but we were outside and it was nice.

Friday 3/27/20

Day 4 Shelter in Place

Finally ending the soft lines, and starting hard lined social distancing. No hanging out with anyone for the next 20+ days. That’s including family, friends, neighbors and anything else. Went for a walk with my friend Anna outside with appropriate distance to kick it off.

There are only 400 test kits left in the state of Kansas according to one of my friends who is a doctor.

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