029D5: A Very Localized Lockdown

Veggie Pasta Bowls

Metro Manila Community Quarantine - Day 456

So our building has remained pretty strict about visitors as part of an effort to minimize everyone's risks to contracting COVID-19, so we're technically not allowed to have guests despite things like gyms and whatnot re-opening even with the "additional restrictions" of the ongoing GCQ in Metro Manila. I respect the value of being cautious, but at the same time, it's just...one more thing adding to our stress.

And it's not like we were throwing regular parties or anything like that. But I would appreciate the option to have one or two friends over periodically in order to play board games in person, hang out, and be sociable again. We had a few such encounters last year and we limited them to like once a month just to leave time between possible exposure events in order to make sure we didn't actually get or transmit COVID-19 to one another. That option has been removed since we went back to ECQ earlier this year and here we are.

I chanced upon a digital memo on the big screen in the lobby that reinforced that guests and visitors still aren't allowed, but a guard did once mention that it might still be okay to have massage therapists visit since that's somehow different? And the memo also made mention that people could still view units with respect to those looking to rent or purchase, so we're still allowing outsiders in the building. I don't really get it.

Tobie and I have been SUPER cautious - probably more cautious than most. But I think we deserve the limited release that comes with having select guests over from time to time just to break the monotony of our quarantine routine. But who knows, really. We have to respect the building administration's decision for now. 

Or maybe we should set up online hangouts again. We haven't really had them in a while and we could probably benefit from some more casual socializing. As much as we have regular online RPG sessions, those are still very focused social encounters with a particular objective. Maybe a more open-ended call might be good. But then again, these can also become quite awkward very quickly, and thus we often resort to running online games like Jackbox party games to help occupy the more awkward pauses.

I don't have a clear solution at this point. I just feel frustrated and I'd rather that we have the option to hang out with closer friends in the relative safety of our own home versus arranging for meet-ups at more dangerous public spaces. 

I miss people. 

Comments

  1. Missing the online hangouts as well!

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    Replies
    1. Timing is a big challenge still! But yeah, maybe we should figure out a time.

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