Today was my first day back at work after vacation last week. “Vacation.” Just a pause from work. Today was also my first day of our COVID-19 schedule at work: two days in the office and the rest working at home. So I was in the office today, and will go back on Friday, but the middle days will be work-from-home days. It is a relief to work from home, because getting to and from work, and then being at work is awkward and confusing with having to keep 2 meters from others. But being in the office is nice because I get to chat with real life people for a full conversation – just 2 meters apart, and sometimes with cubicle glass in between, too.

I had some thoughts while trying to navigate this new reality. About walking to and from work:

1. Good idea to leave earlier in the morning as there are far less people to avoid
2. Good to wear hiking boots because a) it was raining this morning, but also b) so I can walk on the grass or in mud to create 2 meters around people.

Am I being too literal with the 2 meters thing? This is outside. Lots of people don’t seem to care– most sidewalks aren’t 6 feet across and we end up 2 or 3 feet apart. Lots of people are balancing on the very edge of the sidewalk to make space, but it’s not enough. They’d actually have to go off the side walk into the grass or on the road to do that. Which is what I do (checking for cars first) when there’s not already someone balancing on the edge of the sidewalk.

Some thoughts about being in the office (where we have it organized so enough people are working from home every day so that the office population is small):

1. When I’m bored, hand sanitizer. When I see someone apply hand sanitizer, I too apply hand sanitizer. When I’m afeared the skin is going to dissolve off the back of my hands: hand sanitizer followed by hand cream.
2. Sometimes I just have to wait for people to move if they’re in the hallway. This also applies to the grocery store. Impatience is usually followed by a nice deep breath and a hippie sort of chill. Because why do have to go to the printer (for example) so quick? I’ll get there. It’s cool.

Socks of the Day