NEW POEMS ADDED BELOW -- AFTER DAY 81 (JUNE 2, 2020)
Captain's log, stardate 031320 -- the date on which we began life in quarantine in the year 2020 due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. The so-called president of the Collected States of America did nothing to prepare or protect our country from the coronavirus There was no national response beyond denial, delay, deceit and dysfunction. As a result, we sheltered in place, & this page documents our notes of "life in quarantine" that we began posting on Day 30.
Day 30: I cleaned my vacuum cleaner. NOTE: I did not say, "I cleaned WITH my vacuum cleaner. I said, "I cleaned my vacuum cleaner."
Day 31: I alphabetized the cleaning products & sprays under our kitchen sink.
Day 32; I cleaned the inner tub of our washing machine.
Day 33: I ironed -- my socks. All of my socks.
Day 34: I broke my bathroom scale. With an axe. It bore more whacks than Lizzy Borden's father.
Day 35: I started to alphabetize all of the items in my refrigerator, but I wasn't sure if the Mt. Olive Bread & Butter Pickles should go under M, B, or P -- so I stopped. I ate a family size bag of double-stuf Oreos instead.
Day 36: The volleyball I ordered from Amazon-dot-com has finally arrived. Now at least I have someone to talk to.
Day 37: Ivnaka Trump would be proud of me. I just finished reading the Sumerian mythological account of "Lugalbanda in the Mountain Cave," and I've learned to play the Hornucopian dronepipe. Now I'm thinking of learning to play Mayan temple trumpets.
Day 38: Not only was the grocery store out of toilet paper, it was also out of heavy cream and fresh basil. What the hell is going on?
Day 39: I "attended" a meeting on Zoom. People say, "The camera adds ten pounds." In my case, the camera added ten years.
Day 40: I am way beyond that "what day is it" phase. I'm in the "what meal is this" phase.
Day 41: Big day today: I'm going to punch new holes in all of my belts (but not because they're too loose).
Day 42: I moved our spray bottle of Formula 409 Glass & Multi-Surface Cleaner out from under the kitchen sink and stored it in the bathroom's medicine cabinet where it belongs.
Day 43: You remember that quip from Lady Grantham, the Dowager Countess of Downton Abbey, "What's a 'weekend'?" Yeah. That.
Day 44: Big day today. We're going to inventory our condiments before some online shopping. O frabjous day.
Day 45: Like most in quarantine, I sit a lot -- so I'm determined to get more steps in. Today I hope to get to at least 200.
Day 46: I'm going to dust my ties today.
Day 31: I alphabetized the cleaning products & sprays under our kitchen sink.
Day 32; I cleaned the inner tub of our washing machine.
Day 33: I ironed -- my socks. All of my socks.
Day 34: I broke my bathroom scale. With an axe. It bore more whacks than Lizzy Borden's father.
Day 35: I started to alphabetize all of the items in my refrigerator, but I wasn't sure if the Mt. Olive Bread & Butter Pickles should go under M, B, or P -- so I stopped. I ate a family size bag of double-stuf Oreos instead.
Day 36: The volleyball I ordered from Amazon-dot-com has finally arrived. Now at least I have someone to talk to.
Day 37: Ivnaka Trump would be proud of me. I just finished reading the Sumerian mythological account of "Lugalbanda in the Mountain Cave," and I've learned to play the Hornucopian dronepipe. Now I'm thinking of learning to play Mayan temple trumpets.
Day 38: Not only was the grocery store out of toilet paper, it was also out of heavy cream and fresh basil. What the hell is going on?
Day 39: I "attended" a meeting on Zoom. People say, "The camera adds ten pounds." In my case, the camera added ten years.
Day 40: I am way beyond that "what day is it" phase. I'm in the "what meal is this" phase.
Day 41: Big day today: I'm going to punch new holes in all of my belts (but not because they're too loose).
Day 42: I moved our spray bottle of Formula 409 Glass & Multi-Surface Cleaner out from under the kitchen sink and stored it in the bathroom's medicine cabinet where it belongs.
Day 43: You remember that quip from Lady Grantham, the Dowager Countess of Downton Abbey, "What's a 'weekend'?" Yeah. That.
Day 44: Big day today. We're going to inventory our condiments before some online shopping. O frabjous day.
Day 45: Like most in quarantine, I sit a lot -- so I'm determined to get more steps in. Today I hope to get to at least 200.
Day 46: I'm going to dust my ties today.
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Day 47: I'm thinking of reorganizing our refrigerator shelves -- tallest items in the back, shortest up front. Imma go rock on the back porch to think about that. Yeah. Imma go rock. And think.
Day 48: I've changed the names of the days of the week: Someday, Mundayne (or Zoomday?), Chooseday (or Snoozeday?), Whensday (or Whatsday?), Blursday, Fraudday, and Sadderday. Day 49: It was a gray morning, the sort of gray you'd see in the roots of a dame who'd finally given up the battle to go with color for a more youthful look and just go gray, but you wouldn't notice the gray because everything in this day was gray -- like the color of a television turned to an off-air channel. It was 8:26 a.m., and the morning held the promise that nothing would happen. All day. Nothing would happen at all. It was the first of May, but at best, felt like Maybe. Day 50: It's sunny today, so imma sit in the yard. I'm told a yellow rump warbler's been heard in our vicinity, so imma sit on my jell-o rump in search of a yellow rump. |
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Below left and right: We now pause from our daily entries to bring you some quarantine poetry by Emmett Lee Dickinson (which, of course, inspired third cousin Emily to pen some of her own poetry):
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By Emmett Lee Dickinson:
I’ve nothing else – to do, You know – So I keep doing This – Just as the Day keeps taking Hours From all the things I miss – Maybe, I shouldn’t mind it – That I can’t freely roam – Tho – really, it just puzzles me To sit and stay Home – |
By Emily Dickinson:
I've nothing else – to bring, You know – So I keep bringing These -- Just as the Night keeps fetching Stars To our familiar eyes – Maybe, we shouldn't mind them – Unless they didn't come – Then – maybe, it would puzzle us To find our way Home – |
More poetry about life in quarantine is HERE. And now -- back to our daily entries.
Day 51: Another day of binge watching -- the refrigerator!
Day 52: I'm experiencing symptoms of pain, numbness, and tingling in my backside. I believe I'm suffering from Couchal Tater Syndrome.
Day 53: Happy Cinco de Mayo in the year Stinko de Veinte. At least I can look forward to margaritas this evening. On the rocks with salt. (Hmmm...I think I just found the title for my autobiography.) May the Fifth (of tequila) be with you!
Day 54: Day-O, day-O, Daylight come and me havta stay home. Day, me say day, me say day, me say day, me day day, me say day-O, daylight come and me havta stay home! (Me believe I've gone bananas! Daylight come and me havta stay home!)
Day 51: Another day of binge watching -- the refrigerator!
Day 52: I'm experiencing symptoms of pain, numbness, and tingling in my backside. I believe I'm suffering from Couchal Tater Syndrome.
Day 53: Happy Cinco de Mayo in the year Stinko de Veinte. At least I can look forward to margaritas this evening. On the rocks with salt. (Hmmm...I think I just found the title for my autobiography.) May the Fifth (of tequila) be with you!
Day 54: Day-O, day-O, Daylight come and me havta stay home. Day, me say day, me say day, me say day, me day day, me say day-O, daylight come and me havta stay home! (Me believe I've gone bananas! Daylight come and me havta stay home!)
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Day 55: I had all the ingredients to make hand sanitizer so I thought I'd give it a try. It ended up as a margarita -- on the rocks with salt, of course.
Day 56: Big day today -- we're flipping the couch cushions! We're gonna gussy the place up! Day 57: I'm getting worried. We're down to two-hundred-twenty-six rolls of toilet paper left. Day 58: I'm gonna sit and doom scroll for a while -- and then I'm gonna sit and doom scroll a bit more. In between I'll snack and nap. And doom scroll. Day 59: Today is National Eat What You Want Day. TBH: I think that's been the theme for all of 2020 and life in quarantine. An added note: If you crush Oreo cookies, place them on Reese's Puffs cereal, and serve them with whipped cream instead of milk, it's really quite tasty! |
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Day 60: Guys, do you know what I just realized?!? Now that we're all living in quarantine, we have time to lather, rinse, AND REPEAT!!!
Day 61: Did you know that you can watch the wind just by looking at trees? The things you learn in quarantine!
Day 62: Day 62 is shaping up to be a lot like Day 61 which was just like Day 60 and Day 59 and Day 58, Day 57, Day 56, etc. I call this phenomenon "Day-jà vu.
Day 63: I've been told that today is Friday. Interestingly, life in quarantine has made "TGIF" obsolete. It is as archaic as "dagnabbit," "kerfuffle," and "on fleek." Happy Friday, everyone.
Day 64: Dictionary.com has removed its definition for "Slugabed" and replaced it with my name and picture.
Day 65: We didn't make our bed today, and I don't care. Society in our house during quarantine is beginning to break down. It's like Lord of the Flies in here.
More poetry about life in quarantine:
Day 61: Did you know that you can watch the wind just by looking at trees? The things you learn in quarantine!
Day 62: Day 62 is shaping up to be a lot like Day 61 which was just like Day 60 and Day 59 and Day 58, Day 57, Day 56, etc. I call this phenomenon "Day-jà vu.
Day 63: I've been told that today is Friday. Interestingly, life in quarantine has made "TGIF" obsolete. It is as archaic as "dagnabbit," "kerfuffle," and "on fleek." Happy Friday, everyone.
Day 64: Dictionary.com has removed its definition for "Slugabed" and replaced it with my name and picture.
Day 65: We didn't make our bed today, and I don't care. Society in our house during quarantine is beginning to break down. It's like Lord of the Flies in here.
More poetry about life in quarantine:
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By Emmett Lee Dickinson:
Quarantine – is composed of Nows – There is no different time – Expressed in Infiniteness – And Habitude at Home – From this – experienced Here – Remove the Dates – to These – Let Months dissolve in further Months – And Years – exhale in Years – Without Delay – or Pause – Or Celebrated Days – No different Our Lives will be From Mannequin Displays – |
By Emily Dickinson:
Forever – is composed of Nows – ‘Tis not a different time – Except for Infiniteness – And Latitude of Home – From this – experienced Here – Remove the Dates – to These – Let Months dissolve in further Months – And Years – exhale in Years – Without Debate – or Pause – Or Celebrated Days – No different Our Years would be From Anno Dominies – |
Day 66: I came up with an inspirational thought to help get us through this time of quarantine: "Today is just another day of the rest of your life."
Day 67: You know that old TV commercial where the old lady screams, "Help me! I fell down, and I can't get up." Substitute "sat" for "fell."
Day 68: Speaking of TV commercials (see above, Day 67), we are seeing a LOT more ads for divorce lawyers, bankruptcy lawyers, and funeral parlors. Evidently, some businesses are booming during this pandemic.
Day 69: I tell ya what -- if I had an m&m for every m&m I've eaten in quarantine, I'd have a hell of a lot of m&ms.
Day 70: The a.m. and p.m. hours when I'm awake seem to be shifting. I think imma start putting evite reminders in my Google calendar each day to prompt me to go to bed -- or at least to get me to start thinking about going to bed.
Day 67: You know that old TV commercial where the old lady screams, "Help me! I fell down, and I can't get up." Substitute "sat" for "fell."
Day 68: Speaking of TV commercials (see above, Day 67), we are seeing a LOT more ads for divorce lawyers, bankruptcy lawyers, and funeral parlors. Evidently, some businesses are booming during this pandemic.
Day 69: I tell ya what -- if I had an m&m for every m&m I've eaten in quarantine, I'd have a hell of a lot of m&ms.
Day 70: The a.m. and p.m. hours when I'm awake seem to be shifting. I think imma start putting evite reminders in my Google calendar each day to prompt me to go to bed -- or at least to get me to start thinking about going to bed.
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Day 71: When the clock radio went off this morning at 6:00 a.m., it was playing "I Got You Babe" by Sonny & Cher. Oddly enough, I think that's what it was playing yesterday too -- and the day before that.
Day 72: I think the man in the apartment across the courtyard killed his wife! I've seen it through that window. I've seen bickering and family quarrels and mysterious trips at night, knives and saws and ropes, and now since last evening, not a sign of the wife. How do you explain that? Day 73: Stuck at home, running out of things to do, bored -- so I painted our garage doors. The paint job looks sooo good I actually considered cutting off my left ear. Day 74: We've had no sun for the past ten-plus days, and there's little to no sun in the forecast for the upcoming ten-plus days -- just the gray, gloomy days of a dismal, dysTrumpian swamp. Day 75: I took my life into my own hands yesterday and ventured out into the real world for a quick errand. I used the Starbucks app to "order ahead" an iced black coffee and a treat, and the cost was $6.66. Is karma trying to tell me something? |
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Day 76: I saw this on Instagram: "It's okay to be afraid and nervous. It only means you're leaving your comfort zone & that is a good thing." Leaving my comfort zone? Have you seen the news? I'm entering the carnage zone of a dysTrumpian landscape!
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Day 77: I woke up, and the first tweet I see is one from @ItsJeffTiedrich: "the fuck did I just wake up to." I scan the headlines and think to myself, "the fuck did I just wake up to." Just yesterday, my pandemic journal entry ended with, "I'm entering the carnage zone of a dysTrumpian landscape."
Welcome to the Divided Swamp of America where the Swamp King is ready and willing to gun down Americans. |
Day 78: I'm tired today -- I stayed up much too late last night watching coverage of the various protests and riots across the country. I couldn't take my eyes off it. There was even a crowd outside the White House chanting, "I can't breathe." The night before, of course, Trump tweeted that he'd gun down Americans. He is dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and we can't let that happen.
We can't stand back and watch this happen to our great country. A total lack of leadership. Either the very weak so-called president, Donald Trump, gets his act together and brings the country together, or we'll continue to protest -- and VOTE -- to get the job done.
Concerning the protestors, the impeached President should give a little, and put out the fire. These are very good people, but they are angry. They want justice. See them, talk to them, make a deal!
Day 79: Just another day in quarantine. I did some cleaning, some sitting, some reading, some napping, some sitting outdoors for some bird watching, some gardening, some shopping (online), some cooking, some eating, some watching TV (watching a lot of news), some texting, some calling & face-timing, some listening to podcasts, some walking, some watching of Netflix. Oh, and I donated some money to NationalBailout.org
Day 80: We've planned an afternoon excursion -- we're going to go to Sheetz to fill our car with gas for the month! Fun!
Day 81: We might have lost track of the days, but somehow we sure as hell know when it's cocktail hour. Cheers, everyone! : )
Below left and right: We now pause from our daily entries to bring you more quarantine poetry by Emmett Lee Dickinson (which, of course, inspired third cousin Emily to pen some of her own poetry). Emmett Lee Dickinson's poem "The going from a world we knew" focuses on the abundance of found-time for reading more books as we shelter in place:
We can't stand back and watch this happen to our great country. A total lack of leadership. Either the very weak so-called president, Donald Trump, gets his act together and brings the country together, or we'll continue to protest -- and VOTE -- to get the job done.
Concerning the protestors, the impeached President should give a little, and put out the fire. These are very good people, but they are angry. They want justice. See them, talk to them, make a deal!
Day 79: Just another day in quarantine. I did some cleaning, some sitting, some reading, some napping, some sitting outdoors for some bird watching, some gardening, some shopping (online), some cooking, some eating, some watching TV (watching a lot of news), some texting, some calling & face-timing, some listening to podcasts, some walking, some watching of Netflix. Oh, and I donated some money to NationalBailout.org
Day 80: We've planned an afternoon excursion -- we're going to go to Sheetz to fill our car with gas for the month! Fun!
Day 81: We might have lost track of the days, but somehow we sure as hell know when it's cocktail hour. Cheers, everyone! : )
Below left and right: We now pause from our daily entries to bring you more quarantine poetry by Emmett Lee Dickinson (which, of course, inspired third cousin Emily to pen some of her own poetry). Emmett Lee Dickinson's poem "The going from a world we knew" focuses on the abundance of found-time for reading more books as we shelter in place:
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By Emmett Lee Dickinson:
The going from a world we knew To one where we sit still And live our lives vicariously In stories with a thrill Beyond the thrill a glossary With everything unknown, But will that somehow compensate For sitting all alone? |
By Emily Dickinson:
The going from a world we know To one a wonder still Is like the child's adversity Whose vista is a hill, Behind the hill is sorcery And everything unknown, But will the secret compensate For climbing it alone? |
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Day 82: Lots of folks are saying that quarantine feels like we’re living in paintings by Edward Hopper (left). UPDATE: We’ve transitioned from the Hopper phase of quarantine to the Fernando Botero phase. (right). |
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Day 83: Saw this today: "A reminder that when Shakespeare was quarantined because of the plague, he wrote 'King Lear.'" I watched re-runs of "Green Acres."
Day 84: I keep thinking how we could've had a much better federal response to this pandemic and that we could all be out and about -- and that we could've had a taco truck on every corner.
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Day 85: I just realized that today is the longest day of the year. Yesterday was the longest day before that, and tomorrow will be the longest day after this. Each day in quarantine is longer than the next.
The. Longest. Day. Every. Damn. Day. Day 86: I am on Day 5 of the @InterlochenArts Classical Music Challenge (on Twitter, @The_Dickinson): A song that you would love to play, but haven't yet. Have you ever seen the movie "Educating Rita"? There's a scene where Julie Walters knocks on a door to inquire about a flat to rent. The woman who owns the home opens the door with music blaring, and she states, "Wouldn't you just DIE without Mahler" (the scene is HERE). Mahler's 4th Symphony is playing. I've never heard it -- so today I'm finally going to listen to it. Oh -- then we're heading downtown to participate in a peaceful march, "Justice for the Fallen," in support of the removal of Confederate monuments around town. Pictured at the right: The Interlochen Arts 30 Day Classical Music Challenge (click the image to enlarge). |
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Day 87: We ended up having to leave our humble abode to make a road trip to Chicago.
Driving through West Virginia I realized that things could be worse than life in quarantine. I could live in West Virginia. Day 88: We're traveling through Indiana today so we have to be extra careful -- we're trying to stay safe in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic while in the land of Windmill Cancer! |
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Day 89: Quarantine life in response to the Trump Virus has had its share of problems -- like when you can't dine inside a restaurant. Fortunately, there are solutions.
Below: Eating (and enjoying!) take-out Skyline Chili in the car outside Cincinnati.
Below: Eating (and enjoying!) take-out Skyline Chili in the car outside Cincinnati.
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Day 90: We're now back home after our quick road trip to Chicago. Here are a few observations about traveling during the pandemic:
* We stopped at a gas station and a rest stop in West Virginia, and we stopped for a break and a meal in Huntington. Very few people were wearing masks -- probably lower than 20%.
* In every business in every state we traveled (Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois), we saw employees wearing masks -- almost 100% -- and every business had some sort of plan in place to handle the number of people allowed inside and how to control the flow of customers through the store.
* Conditions in Indiana were similar to those in West Virginia -- 100% of the businesses had a plan on how to handle customers -- and close to 100% of their employees were wearing masks. There was a much, much lower percentage of the general public taking precautions.
* No one bothered us or harassed us about wearing masks or for observing social distancing.
* Most people did adhere to and follow businesses' pandemic procedures/protocols. One who stood out who did not follow procedure: A woman pulled up at a Starbucks outside Cincinnati. The store had a sign on the door that said, "Only 4 people allowed inside at one time," and they had markings on the sidewalk for socially distancing outside as you waited to enter. This woman -- without a mask, of course -- ignored the small line of people waiting outside, and she ignored the sign on the door and just walked into the store. I have a feeling her name is "Karen."
* Almost everyone in Chicago was seen wearing masks -- close to 100%.
* Everyone -- even those w/out masks -- respected socially distancing, even in convenience stores with narrow aisles.
* Few restaurants and/or rest stops seemed to have a plan on how to handle public restrooms -- aside from signs encouraging physical distancing and hand washing.
* Strategies for using elevators? You just have to wear a mask and hope for the best -- or look for the steps. : )
* We stopped at a gas station and a rest stop in West Virginia, and we stopped for a break and a meal in Huntington. Very few people were wearing masks -- probably lower than 20%.
* In every business in every state we traveled (Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois), we saw employees wearing masks -- almost 100% -- and every business had some sort of plan in place to handle the number of people allowed inside and how to control the flow of customers through the store.
* Conditions in Indiana were similar to those in West Virginia -- 100% of the businesses had a plan on how to handle customers -- and close to 100% of their employees were wearing masks. There was a much, much lower percentage of the general public taking precautions.
* No one bothered us or harassed us about wearing masks or for observing social distancing.
* Most people did adhere to and follow businesses' pandemic procedures/protocols. One who stood out who did not follow procedure: A woman pulled up at a Starbucks outside Cincinnati. The store had a sign on the door that said, "Only 4 people allowed inside at one time," and they had markings on the sidewalk for socially distancing outside as you waited to enter. This woman -- without a mask, of course -- ignored the small line of people waiting outside, and she ignored the sign on the door and just walked into the store. I have a feeling her name is "Karen."
* Almost everyone in Chicago was seen wearing masks -- close to 100%.
* Everyone -- even those w/out masks -- respected socially distancing, even in convenience stores with narrow aisles.
* Few restaurants and/or rest stops seemed to have a plan on how to handle public restrooms -- aside from signs encouraging physical distancing and hand washing.
* Strategies for using elevators? You just have to wear a mask and hope for the best -- or look for the steps. : )
NOTE: OUR STATE'S "STAY AT HOME" ORDER EXPIRED YESTERDAY, JUNE 10, SO OUR FINAL POST IN THIS QUARANTINE JOURNAL WAS DAY 90 ABOVE. FOR NOW, WE WILL (SLOWLY) EMERGE FROM OUR BUNKER, BLINK IN THE SUNLIGHT -- AND THEN ONCE MORE UNTO THE BREACH, DEAR FRIENDS. ONCE MORE.
And perhaps from time to time we'll add a post or a poem related to life after quarantine. : )
And perhaps from time to time we'll add a post or a poem related to life after quarantine. : )
