March 20, 2020 (Toilet Paper Inventory: holding at 12 rolls)

I’m going to level with you, dear readers. Last night things in the containment zone took a dark turn. At least in this house they did. There was a harbinger of negative emotions lurking behind my bottle of hand sanitizer. I could feel it standing behind me as I looked at social media posts of selfish imbeciles flocking to beaches and reveling in large crowds during their spring break trips. It was whispering judgments in my ear about people who felt entitled to endanger themselves and others so they could get drunk on piña coladas with their friends. It told me their parents were irresponsible enablers for letting them travel, some of them even footing the bill for these reckless adventures.

As the rage started to build inside of me, the sensible part of my brain said, “Stop!” Understanding that I can’t manage the world and that blame is not useful, I calmed myself down and came up with some tips for myself. I’d like to share them with you here.

Controlling Myself

Since I can’t control the world, nor would I want to (too lazy), I will focus on what I can control. I can respect social distancing (and I do). I can be vigilant about washing my hands (my ragged cuticles can vouch for me). I can be conscious of my own actions and my interactions with those around me. The bright side is: I don’t have to have any interaction with anyone if I don’t feel like it!

Limiting Social Media

First, a semi-shameless plug: I know many of you are reading this through Twitter and Facebook, but you can subscribe to the blog by going to https://snorkfest.com. New posts will be delivered directly to your email. Thereby, avoiding social media to be notified of updates.

Back to limiting social media: Nothing can twist my mood faster than looking at Facebook. There is an incredible amount of bad advice, misinformation, conspiracy theories, and myths circulating. People are fighting over politics. People are fighting over hoarding. People are fighting over fighting. I don’t need that right now. However, there are also some wonderful things to be discovered. I will focus on those. Here are two that I found on social media today:

If you click here, you’ll be directed to a chart of 50 birds species. Then click on any bird to hear its song.

Communing with Nature

I can take solitary walks, or invite friends to walk with me. If you’re hunkering down where you can’t really avail yourself of nature, take heart. I have something for you!

Enjoying Music

Music really does soothe the savage breast. If I’m feeling hyper, Vivaldi is my go to. It’s lighter than air and delights me.

When I’m feeling like a lump, I’ve Got The Power by SNAP! gets my ass moving every time.

And speaking of moving…

Expending That Pent-up Energy

One valuable lesson I’ve learned from my dog, Fluffy, is that if you don’t expend enough energy during the day, you will find yourself with a serious case of the zoomies at the end of the day. When Fluffy gets the zoomies, she starts running around the house like a lunatic. Round and round, from the kitchen to the dining room to the living room to the front hall, through the mud room, then back to the kitchen. She’ll repeat the circuit until she exhausts herself.

I don’t know about you, but running through the house like a nut job is not my idea of a good time. So that’s when those long walks come in handy. If you live in an area where you can’t go outside, now would be a good time to dust off that Jane Fonda workout video, or have a private dance party of one in your bedroom. The point is to get up and move. You’ll sleep better, I promise.

Counting My Blessings

Gratitude is always good for keeping things in perspective. My family is ok. Spring is here. I have total agency over my agenda (no obligations of any kind). The environment is getting a break with fewer cars on the road and less planes in the air. My neighborhood is quiet; no leaf blowers! I can read that book I haven’t been able to get to. I can still laugh and sing and write.

We’re all in this together. So, please share your tips for staying sane and centered in the comments. We can all learn from each other.

Until next time, be well, stay safe, wash your hands, stop touching your face and find a way to laugh everyday!

For today, this is yours truly signing off from the containment zone.