Federalist: Living alone and working alone are rare privileges. Combined, they are difficult. Combined in a studio apartment? Even worse.
You don’t want to know how many microwave grilled cheeses I’ve eaten in the last year. (Less than 50, more than 48.) Living alone and working alone are rare privileges. Combined, they are difficult. Combined in a studio apartment? That’s how you end up microwaving your grilled cheeses.
As the need to quarantine spreads across our continent, thanks to the Wuhan virus, many of you may find yourselves in my well-worn slippers. Introverts will rejoice. Extroverts will fret. Neither will ultimately be satisfied. That’s often the case when healthy balance is out of reach. Not all hope is lost.
Feel free to revel in your freedom at first. Wear pajamas until you head to bed again. Blast music. Sleep in right until the clock starts. Beware, however, that your structureless bliss may not last into April. Isolation is good for no one.
As a veteran of this tricky arrangement, I can confirm the helpfulness of the usual work-from-home advice: MORE
Wow. Millennials are gonna’ get a medal or something once this is all over.
Nothing says “quarantine” like a sailboat.
Here’s another something that will help. Cover several square feet of a convenient wall with stick-on cork tiles, and get a few sets of darts. Tack up pictures of annoying cow-orkers, an old detested boss, difficult clients, etc. and have at them in a cathartic dart-throwing spree once or twice a day.
This also works well for political weasels and popular culture icons.
I live alone and lost my grip
on many things including reality
along time ago.I think I will vote
for Joe Biden. HaHaHa !!!
Who’s alone? I hang out all day in a chat room with a bunch of great people on one side of my screen, while getting ‘er done on the other side. Plus going outside and doing a few exercises. Not quite the same but it ain’t all bad.
I’m very fortunate I guess that most times I prefer to be alone. In a way I’m similar to Dick Proenneke for those whom are familiar with him. (For those who are unaware of him I strongly suggest you search his name and seek the Alone in the Wilderness documentary, don’t think there would be anyone disappointed and it would tie up your mind and spare time) It’s not that I dislike being around others but rather that I prefer to pick the who and when.
Uncle Al, get a cat. Moving targets a bigger challenge and the sound lets you know when you’ve scored.🙀
Neither Out Far Nor In Deep
The people along the sand
All turn and look one way.
They turn their back on the land.
They look at the sea all day.
As long as it takes to pass
A ship keeps raising its hull;
The wetter ground like glass
Reflects a standing gull
The land may vary more;
But wherever the truth may be-
The water comes ashore,
And the people look at the sea.
They cannot look out far.
They cannot look in deep.
But when was that ever a bar
To any watch they keep?
-Robert Frost
Just so everyone know, I’m kidding about the cats. They don’t always make noise!😁
I would look forward to spending time by my self stuffing illegal AR mags full of 300 Blackout. I’ve collected a lot of them/
Back in 2002-2004, I worked at home. I had my own house, but my sister lived with me in her first level “apartment” (converted the family room and the 2nd bathroom into her apt). She had access to the kitchen upstairs, so it wasn’t like living alone.
I was working for my pastor getting a start up company working. I worked from 8am to 7pm when my sister came home. She would always ask me if I had eaten, and I’d think a bit and usually said, “About 10am”. She would make a light dinner and call me when it was ready. I came out to eat and then right back to work until 10pm.
Did that for 2 years. We did have weekly staff meetings (5 of us). I didn’t get paid much and the work was difficult (I set up and ran the website, plus helped the software designer with his user interface).
That was the hardest 2 years of my life. And the best, most rewarding. Our startup company ended the way most do. Couldn’t get enough customers to keep the company going.
We were setting up websites for missionaries. At that time, we just couldn’t talk them into accepting payment over the internet or posting their newsletters online. If we could have held on for another 5 years, I think that enough people would demand their missionaries to accept the changes.
I coulda been a millionaire! Or at least a thousandaire! hehe
But I don’t regret it.
@Claudia – hardest job of my life was also the best. Similarly a small company trying to go big, innovating, selling, doing all the jobs. Hundred-hour weeks for a couple of months before we realized it was killing us and backed down to a more reasonable 70-80. The owner is still a good friend (who would fit right in on this site). Looks like 20+ years of hard work may pay off for him this year, we shall see.
@Different Tim – Although not as a dart target (LOL), having a cat around is a good idea for those living/working alone. After that cathartic dart session, having a cat jump up in your lap for a nice, soothing brushing can be very pleasantly relaxing. I’ve found brushing our cat has the effect of stimulating the subconscious production or problem solutions.
A microwaved grilled cheese? Life will be tough if that is on your menu.
WTF? You mean people don’t have cows birthing calves, cattle to feed, and irrigaition pipe to repair? What the Hell do you people do with all your time?
I pretty much work by myself since I spend most of my work days driving and making deliveries. I prefer it that way, it saves me from a lot of drama around the warehouse when I’m loading my truck and getting ready to be on the road again.
Uncle Al, I’ve got three of them. Maybe. the only thing that keeps me sane.(?) But I am pretty good at darts.😉
I’m laughing at all these millennials who celebrate being introverts. I see introvert memes on Instagram and FB-self care, ah solitude, drinking green tea alone on a dock, celebrating just being alone. They are now freaking out about…being alone, not dining out with friends, travel plans cancelled. Which one is it, OK Millennial?
I work from home and life hasn’t changed much but it just feels weird that the whole country is too, in like, a week.
I have lived and worked alone for the past 12 years. What ever I do or spend, wherever I go never is voted on. That is what I place above all else in importance.
I have lived and worked alone for the past 12 years. To do, spend, go as I please is well worth any perceived downside to this arraingement of my life.
This disease that has upended so many lives has had little effect on me. Maybe a few people will learn to be less dependent on others after this passes.
Microwaved grilled cheese… I’ve done that before when I’m in a hurry.
I put the bread in the toaster first, then put on the cheese and give it 15 seconds or so in the microwave. Not bad, but not as good as the buttered, pan toasted version!
I left the phone phactory in 2015. Did a few part time gigs just to be “out there”. Decided the part time jobs were messing with my garage work and quit all that a year ago. I might go out shopping about once a month. Might go to my favorite restaurant occasionally (did tonight). Otherwise I have a few friends who bring beer and come over to commiserate. So yeah! I suppose that I self quarantine and have well before this “pandemic”……. Oh oh wait! There was an east coast iotwr gathering that I attended…. Still nned to go back and re-read Tangor’s(sp) synopsis of that fun event! Good times here and I enjoy you every day. Thank you BFH and all.
well, if you live alone … you surely won’t ‘lose your grip’
… knowaddimean Vern?
Illustr8r — LOL!! Now, if cel phones were banned then they’d experience a REAL crisis!! Yowza!
I worked for about 15 years from my home office and I was always at my most productive. Fewer people to listen to. Although I did miss sharing others’ wins and celebrations in their work.
I don’t live alone — I live with my wife and son, but I have gone a many a fortnight without ever going past my top gate.
I used to live in Waldorf, MD, and was a known automobile mechanic (I worked on my own vehicles in my garage and driveway), and was asked 5 days a week to look at some neighbor’s auto. Then I became known outside of the ‘hood and it became a daily occurrence to look at some shitbox, get codes, give pointers, and fix other people’s shit. I never charged money for any of it. Probably my downfall.
They used to crowd around me. It was horrible.
The last straw was when some greaseball climbed under my truck with me to maunder on and on about why I should change his brakes.
Now I have two gates and don’t tell a soul I can fix shit.
Darren came down once to give me some misdirected mail and saw my engine crane.
“You got an engine crane!?”
“I don’t know what that is. It was here when I moved in.”
“You are full of shit, but I understand….”
Go to Home Depot or Lowes.
I bought three gallons of ceiling white and six pieces of 1/2″ sheetrock today.
Do a project you have been meaning to do. This is a way of stimulating the economy.
When they close down either that is the canary in the coal mine moment.
The liquor stores are still open. Just sayin.
I like being alone.
Nobody knows what an asshole I am any better than me.
put new strings on most of the instruments and have been cutting next season’s firewood. As they say around here- ‘winter is coming’ lol