See usually respiratory irritation at this time of year is normal for me

[nrgburst]

But now it makes me anxious. We have started week 4 of self quarantine! Just picked up the kids' report cards from school. Eerie AF with everybody in masks and determinedly bright greetings before hustling off and the school reeking of sanitizer. Check out the shoe boxes:

(FYI this is older kiddo's class which has 39 students.)

Since they basically just shut down the schools with zero warning we had to carry all the stuff they left behind weeks ago. There is talk saying that schools will re-open as normal come April, but the more we learn about COVID-19, the more I think that is a terrible idea. Here is an article talking about why Japan hasn't been overwhelmed despite being in the first wave, but I think we are due for a late surge in numbers if everybody gets complacent and goes ohanami as usual, especially because they are just so tired of being cooped up. There are already more people out and about shopping and eating out too. :/

Anyway, after losing more subscribers, I stopped uploading for March Meta Matters. I think I'll do the rest of my meta in a single batch so they only get one more email, and I'll save it for the end. And fic writing is going well! Apparently I'm not the only one to take this quarantine opportunity to revive an abandoned fic, hahaha. 

They're delaying the release of Black Widow, which darn but yeah, makes sense. We are getting a lot more screen time here watching oldies but goodies. I just need comfort movies right now, so I've rewatched not only the Nolanverse Batman trilogy, but also 10 things I hate about you and PS I Still Love You. I've been capping for icons too, so expect some from PS I Still Love You soon. (It's a ME.TA.PHOR!) Plus reading! I think by tomorrow I'll have finished another 6 books in 2 weeks, and one was an old favorite that I re-read. 

Chin up and virtual hugs to those of you stuck at home now! <3 I know this pandemic is affecting people in very different ways and that financially, we are probably better off than most in that my husband still has his job for now. Honestly, I get annoyed at seeing companies demanding financial support when the healthcare sector is being so hard hit and they are still cutting healthcare jobs during a freaking pandemic in my home province to make way for privitization, like WTF Conservatives HOW ARE YOU FOR REAL. UGHGGGGHH SO FRUSTRATING

Comments

[tielan]

Man, do I understand about being anxious with throat and nose issues at this time of year! We're at the other end of the seasons, but with everything getting colder, it's cold-and-flu season anyway...

*sigh*

And watching the politics is nauseating.

[nrgburst]

I mean, I have to admit that some politicians are doing an admirable job, even if I despise their politics. The Orange thing and the leaders in my home province: not so much. Japan also seems to be more concerned about image than public health, and therefore undertesting on purpose. And hearing my husband parrot Right Wing propaganda about how the economy tanking will kill even more people than the virus just... :(

[rhoda_rants]

Add me to that list of people reviving old fics! I'm not stuck at home yet--I took half of last week off in the hope that I'd get approved for WFH, but that didn't happen. Then I was hoping I could use my leave instead to stay home, and we've told that won't be allowed either, and everyone is going to be expected to still show up every day until or unless the City decides to close altogether. Soooooo, that's where I am.

I've been told more than once that I should be grateful I still have a job, but I'm looking *real* hard at my options right now and I suspect I'm not the only one. We are not an "essential" service, they need to just send everyone home.

[nrgburst]

Oh good on you! I have to admit I'm slightly deflated by the lack of response to it, but well. Dead fandom, my fault for not catching the tide while it was in!

You're a librarian, right? One of my friends is a librarian and our public library just laid her off! All the branches have been shut for a couple of weeks now, but it's hard to believe. :(

[wheatear]

Virtual hugs! Also, sorry to read you're losing subscribers after posting meta, that really sucks. :( But glad that fic writing is going well!

[nrgburst]

A couple of them came back once I stopped posting meta. It was disheartening, for sure, but I get it- like if one of my favorite Arya/Gendry authors suddenly started spamming new fics of a totally different canon, I might hit unsubscribe too.