108: Fear vs. Boredom
I wanted to write this post today in case any of you are feeling a bit off and a bit stressed. Well, you’re not alone. Most of my conversations around the pandemic come down to the relationship between fear and boredom.
Fear. In the middle of the day, do you ever just stop and think about what a crazy turn the world has made? Just a few months ago, life was so normal. Now there’s a global pandemic. We have over half a million deaths. The sheer number is hard to fathom. Thinking about how lethal this disease is triggers some anxiety as I wonder whether I’ll be one of the unlucky 1% that gets taken. This anxiety that sits in the back of my mind changes my daily mood, happiness, sleep and, well, everything. This is a daily mental challenge as I wrestle with my own thoughts.
Boredom. This period also presents a unique social challenge. I have been holed up inside my house for almost four months and this will likely be the new normal for another year. The personal relationships I have with my kids and wife inside my home are great, but they’re also getting tested. It’s not only a lot more time with my wife and kids but it’s also a lot of time with them and nobody else. There’s no third parties to settle disputes or even provide distractions. We’re learning how we live with only ourselves. It’s intimate in a new way. It’s also getting boring. We are stir crazy and want to live life more.
Everybody I speak with has some fear and some boredom. It’s a spectrum. The more fear you have the less likely you are to send kids to summer camps, school and eat at restaurants. The more bored you are, the more likely you’re at beaches, parks and hanging out with friends. We all exist on that spectrum and our risk tolerance determines our new lifestyle.
When I’m feeling scared I think that there’s no way my kids will go to summer camp or school in the fall. Then, on the other hand, as our family continues quarantine I start to think about the other places we could be visiting and relationships I’m missing, such as time with my parents, sister, and grandmother. This fear / boredom spectrum is a tricky one to navigate and I will be thinking about it constantly as this damn pandemic drags on.
Other Stuff
If you click on just one link today, it should be this one about Carl Reiner (director of The Jerk), who passed away yesterday:
Ben Folds wrote a tune about this crazy time (thx Lizzie):
This is a long video but strangely mesmerizing. Do you jump or do you chicken out? (thx Lenny)
Corona
One happy piece of news: A Covid-19 vaccine has been cleared for military use in China after clinical trials proved it was safe.
While the outbreaks in Brazil and the U.S. are we hear about, the per capita death rate has actually been higher in Mexico.
Arizona, announced a record 4,600 new cases yesterday. The Governor ordered a 30-day pause on bars, gyms, movie theaters and water parks.
California had its highest single-day case count yesterday (7,000+). One hot spot has been our neighbor here in Mill Valley, the San Quentin prison. It’s been growing fast in there and now one-third of its 3,700 inmates have been infected.
In Marin, we’re two days of flat or down. Let’s make it a trend
(from LupitaTucker)
That’s all everyone. Have a great Wednesday.