(no subject)

[twistedchick]

This is your check-in post for today. The poll will be open from midnight Universal or Zulu Time (8pm Eastern Time on Friday to midnight (8pm Saturday Eastern Time).

Poll #23805 Daily poll

This poll is closed.
Open to: Access List, detailed results viewable to: Access List, participants: 75

How are you doing?

I am OK
65 (86.7%)

I am not OK but I don't need help right now
9 (12.0%)

I could use some help
1 (1.3%)

How many other humans live with you?

I am living single
32 (43.8%)

One other person
23 (31.5%)

More than one other person
18 (24.7%)

Please, talk about how things are going for you in the comments, ask for advice or help if you need it, or just discuss whatever you feel like.

Comments

[kathmandu]

I went to the supermarket today. Mask-wearing has gone up from about 10-15% two weeks ago, to about 50% now, and people are getting better at leaving space between shoppers. So that's good.

[feng_shui_house]

I've started making face masks to a different design- this one can use 2 different fabrics, and I just realized my collection of proofing swatches (over 10 years worth) can be made into face masks- save time because they're already cut.

I don't think the recipients will mind if they have dogs or cats or horses on their masks. Not sure about my poison dart frog swatches...mmm... maybe I'll keep those two for myself. :^)

[dewline]

Managed to stay home all day today. Didn't go outside.

[we_are_spc]

.... XCloser to okay than usual.

-Room mates share Starbucks sandwitches
-in-head schedual keeping (Seriously need to keep writing this shit down)

Still jealous of roomies going out to get shit. Still a bit worn out. ... and it's hitting me how vulnerable my dad really is, and I wonder if I'll be seeing him again...because he's in FL, and I'm not. :(

I hate boredom, I want my clients back. :'(

[smilingslightly]

Landlord thought over my points about why losing connectivity during a pandemic is not a small thing and found them uncompelling. He texted back today that he's unwilling to give the sole ISP in town any more money. Not sure exactly when they'll be turning it off. Could be tonight. Or...?

On the plus side, the library has posted that their parking lot will have daytime WiFi coverage now so at least I have a solid destination when I head into town. Not sure if it will be stable / secure enough for telehealth but will find out, I suppose.

My mental health has not historically weathered disconnection well so that also will be an adventure.

[sylvanwitch]

That's monumentally shitty of your landlord, seriously. Internet is a requirement of human life now. Connectivity is practically a *right*. (It should be, anyway.)

Can you use a hotspot? I mean, if you had one, could you use it?

[dewline]

Your landlord's being a jerk. Sadly, you already know this first-hand.

[smilingslightly]

I'm not... exactly sure what a hotspot means in this context?

A friend gave me her old Samsung phone [Android 8.1] at the end of last year, and while it wasn't compatible with my carrier's SIM card, it's an awesome little portable computer that I can take with me to use the publicly accessible WiFi. But. I think you are asking something else? :)

I have an Acer netbook of undetermined age, as well, running Mint Linux er 16 but it doesn't do well unplugged so not good parking lot material.

[smilingslightly]

Yeahh. Not sure why he has to do this now. Thanks :)

[dragoness_e]

I just received notice in email that my order of Manic Panic has shipped. Looking forward to anime hair colors, because I'm working at home and I can look however I want. I hope it gets here before I have to do the next code delivery run into work: I'm curious as to how the skeleton shift in operations will react to my new hair color. I need to make myself a mask before then, though. Already made one for my spouse for when he does the grocery shopping.

(Firefox, why are you insisting on British spellings? Is your localization foobar?)

In other news, during a "virtual appointment", one of my doctors mentioned that one of my allergy meds has a side effect of depression, lack of energy, blah, blah, blah, and have I noticed any symptoms like that? Uh, lady, that's been my whole life lately--I assumed it was just another bout of depression. We agreed that maybe I shouldn't take that medication. Since discontinuing it, my mood has been noticeable better, and I have far more energy to do things.

Lesson learned: if you are already prone to depression, avoid medications with side effects of "more depression".

[smilingslightly]

I'm glad y'all figured that side-effect situation out!

I'm trying to decide between dying and shaving right now and while the latter would certainly be less hassle I think some brilliant color every time I pass by a mirror might be just the thing. I have a few half-full pots of Manic Panic on hand I'll have to look through. What colors did you go with?

[sylvanwitch]

So, I am not a tech person but any means, but my school provided students who had iPads (which we provide) with "hotspots" if they didn't have home internet access. It's a device that acts as a mobile internet signal, or mobile wifi, that you can use anywhere.

Here's an example (though I do not know if this is a good product): https://www.amazon.com/ZTE-Velocity-Mobile-Hotspot-Unlocked/dp/B00O84PEWS?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_7

I know they work with phones and tablets, but I believe they also work with netbooks, etc. I am unclear on maintenance, like if it's something you have to purchase a plan for.

If you want to do some investigating to figure out what would work with your tech, I'd be happy to PayPal you what you need to purchase one, no strings and no expectations. I just think it's really important for us as fellow human beings to take care of each other, and I know how vital connectivity has been for me during all of this, and I'm as low-tech as they come without being an actual dinosaur.

It's totally up to you, but I'd be happy to help you if I can. You can drop me a message here on DW if you'd like. If not, that's totally cool too.

[mific]

What a bastard. I do hope you can get an OK wifi connection on your outings.

[fred_mouse]

I spent yesterday alternating sleeping and huddling in bed pretending that nothing needed doing (although I did actually do a couple of small things) because everything was too hard. Today, I'm feeling okay. Having four days with no work commitments is going to make a huge difference right now, I think. Normally, as a non-Christian, I resent* the way we have four days off for a Christian celebration, but this year it is really really useful.

* this is short hand for "our country prioritises the celebrations of one religious group by giving holidays, but doesn't do anything similar for any of the others, and I have issues with this". I don't so much object to Easter as a religious celebration as the way it gets forced upon us (particularly when the kids were little, and there was easter this and easter than, until I damn near wanted to scream. See also christmas)

[fred_mouse]

that is useful of your doc to have worked that out. Are you willing to share which allergy med that is (as someone who is taking a lot of allergy meds, and has a history of depression, and is living in 2020, this is particularly relevant to me)

[jb_slasher]

Still woke up a few times during the night but fell promptly back asleep, yay!

Last night was movie night which was again nice.

I also did some of the dishes.

Also called Mom since it was her birthday.

[feng_shui_house]

Depending where you are, cutting off utilities, including the internet I believe, during the pandemic, might be ILLEGAL.

I would strongly suggest you try to find out if this is the case. I doubt your landlord would like to be in trouble with the law.

And even if it's NOT illegal, perhaps you could contact the ISP directly and find out what options, if any, there are.

[dragoness_e]

I'm going to try one of the deep plum colors, I forget the name.

[dragoness_e]

Montelukast, brand name: Singulair

[smilingslightly]

That is beyond generous of you ♥ From a quick look at things this would involve having a phone contract (outside of Lifeline) and a data plan, so probably wouldn't work under the circumstances, or possibly at all in the boonies where I have to go to the main road to get a signal, but I will ask around a bit — to be better informed if nought else!

In any case, thank you so much for making the offer. It sounds like a cool program your school has!

[smilingslightly]

Thank you ♥ The commiseration helps :)

[smilingslightly]

These are good suggestions, thank you, and I don't mean to be defeatist in my response.

The good thing about having a unique and 'informal' rental situation is having a place to live where they're difficult to come by. The less good thing is not having much legal recourse, at least not much that doesn't start with first losing that living space. A home with power and water with space for a garden and my chickens is invaluable at any time to a person in my situation and, frankly, the landlord knows it.

Regarding the ISP, I don't have any of the account information, other than the address, of course, but I've read through their C19 and low-income plans, among the stingier out there, I'm afraid, and none apply. A friend volunteered to make a customer service call on my behalf but we haven't been able to get anywhere as regards the current account without having the details in hand.

[feng_shui_house]

*Huggles* I was afraid you'd tried all the options, but hoped you'd overlooked one.

If you have laying hens, I wonder if the eggs are now valuable enough to barter with the landlord for internet?

Obviously appealing to landlord's humanity hasn't helped, but self-interest might.

Yes, that's far fetched. I wish I could think of something actually helpful.

[smilingslightly]

Aww, thank you ♥

[sylvanwitch]

You're so welcome at any time, so if it turns out this is something that's doable, let me know. I'm one of the lucky ones--I'm teaching on an eLearning platform from home now, and my husband is an "essential worker" at a grocery store, so while I spend a LOT of time worrying for his health, we are in no financial difficulties, unlike so many, many people. I just want to do what I can, you know?

My school was definitely prescient (unintentionally) in going one-to-one some years ago, so we've been in a good position to switch from traditional classroom to online learning. That makes it sound like it was easy--it was not--but we were in a position to be able to provide students without internet access the access they'd need to keep learning. I fully recognize how blessed we are as a school community because there are schools right here in our area that are not able to help their students in the same way we have.

[fred_mouse]

Well bugger. That would indeed be one of the ones I'm on. And can't afford to go off, because it was what stabilised my asthma. Thanks for getting back to me.

[dragoness_e]

I'd say talk to your allergy doctor about that. They may have an alternative, given that can be a severe side-effect.

[fred_mouse]

(moan, groan, whinge). I've a GP, not an allergy specialist, but yes, will mention it (I'm already medicated for GAD, using a drug typically used for depression, so I might be getting some interesting masking).