Day 3

Today, the reality of this new world set in. The kids will not return to the school building to complete the eleven weeks left of this school year. Their school district is gearing up for an online-distance learning plan. I have no idea when my husband and I will return to work. We sit side-by-side in our home office working throughout the day. The cats and the dog sleep at our feet and the kids entertain themselves with movies and YouTube videos. I wonder when the insanity of cabin-fever and sheer boredom will set in.

Last week, my employer implemented a mandatory work from home policy. We are not to return to the office until further notice. I’m fortunate this is an option and I can continue working. The same occurred to my husband. Last week, my two teenagers were on spring break. This week they did not return to school and in keeping with social distancing and the six-foot rule, we’ve limited all their social activities. My fifteen-year-old told us he ‘actually’ hates us because we will not allow him to go to friends or have friends over. My thirteen-year-old is anxious to begin online learning. I never thought I would be homeschooling my kids. Sort of.

Each generation has a defining moment, a significant event that changes the charted course of its cohorts’ lives and futures forever. As many schools close for the remainder of the year and COVID-19 runs ram shod across the US, it is this. This is the defining moment of their lives. The case count ticks up while global stock markets plunge and severe weather events ravage parts of the country. Countries shutter their borders and across the globe governments instill travel bans. The news reads like a bizarre post-apocalyptic novel. But this is reality.

This is The Shuttering of 2020.

I’m a procrastinator. Avoiding anything necessary, uncomfortable, or meaningful is my natural propensity.  With years of practice, I’m pretty good at procrastinating.

My most recent stop at procrastination station includes a new writing project.  The outline complete, a few paragraphs are written and characters developed, it has the workings of a strong skeleton with a solid project timeline. All I need to do is sit down and write.

Alternatively, here are ways I procrastinate and you can too.

1.       Clean house.  I can’t function if my house is a mess (it isn’t) and a clean house helps me focus (so I tell myself). 

2.       Facebook.  This is avoidance ad-infinitum.  

3.       Update website.  A necessary activity, but there is a sharp learning curve which makes it time-consuming.  If you’re looking for a way to avoid anything in life, try building a website.  It’s sure to be a time vampire. 

4.       Snack.  It’s difficult to do anything meaningful on an empty stomach. This might be less procrastination and more self-care and what better way to avoid doing anything than by snacking.

5.       Pinterest.  Ha!  Another complete and total time-waster.  I love the virtual magazine of everything that remotely interests me at all.  Art. Tattoo designs. More art.  The moon.  So random.  Ways to redecorate my house.  It’s another rabbit-hole of time-wasting.

6.       Stare at a blank computer screen.  And open a web browser to Facebook, Pinterest and check email.  But not put any shitty words down for a rough draft. 

7.       Read the news.  News is depressing. So why not read the news before doing something creative? 

8.       Check my 401k balance.  Another depression-inducing activity.

9.       Snack again.  After all the depressing procrastination, I need comfort food.  What’s your go-to snack?

10.   Take a nap.  The couch beckons.  Fully belly and malcontent need rest.  Soft pillows, a warm blanket, and an afternoon to recharge.

11.   Play with the animals.  They need attention and love and affection too.

12.   Think of new projects to start.  Anything but the one I set out to complete.

13.   More Facebook and Pinterest.  I may have a problem.  I may need an intervention.  I remove the apps from my phone and take a deep breath.

14.   Pretend to get organized.  An organized house is an organized mind and an organized life that leads to organized thoughts and organized work.

Well, I’ve doubly procrastinated and hoped for progress and now it’s time to focus. Cheers to the next project.