024BA: Ups and Downs and Frustrations

Eaglemoss Star Trek Discovery Starships Landing Pod

Metro Manila Community Quarantine - Day 174

Stumbled across a weird article share on Facebook about Funko closing down, but thankfully it turned out to be a Rickroll. But for a moment it felt totally believable, which is a sad reflection of the times we live in. We're on the brink of our sixth full month in lockdown with the best things we can celebrate to some degree are the gyms re-opening and restaurants operating at no more than 30% of their maximum capacity. 

One of the worst aspects of this extended quarantine is the lack of so many channels for stress relief and entertainment. I'm not demanding that things like movie theaters should immediately re-open - the pandemic remains to be a clear and present danger. But we need to recognize the longer-term effects of this situation and what that does to our mental states to be denied the social energy that comes from interacting with friends for this long and not have fun things to do outside our homes. And not everything can translate well to an online experience. Live stage shows don't necessarily make for great live video material. Tabletop games don't feel quite the same as online digital experiences. The list goes on and on and on.

Work helps make the week go by a little faster, but the nights seem to stretch a little longer. Today I got upset to see new YouTube content trying to explain the ending of the movie Tenet when we have no legal option to watching it just yet. It was yet another reminder of how other parts of the world are moving on and our government continues to use this pandemic as a great reason to assert almost Martial Law level controls on the population. So delightful.

Stay sane, people. Our digital communication channels will never replace the power of actual in-person interpersonal interactions, but we just have to make the most of what we have access to for now. We have to survive this pandemic with the support of friends and family the best we can. We have to help one another get past the crazier moments. We need to outlast this administration.

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