Tag Archives: isolation

A Virtual Musical Night (or Trying To Replicate My Routine)

Posted on April 2, 2020 | Comments Off on A Virtual Musical Night (or Trying To Replicate My Routine)

With everything except for essential businesses closed in Los Angeles, anything that I had on my calendar has been canceled. This includes going to the shows that I have tickets for. Obviously, this isn’t the most important thing and I know that having places closed is necessary. But even though I know those things, it is still disappointing when things I have been looking forward to aren’t happening anymore.

This past Sunday, we were supposed to see “Spongebob The Musical”. Originally, when things started we were told that the show we were going to was canceled but we could move to another night. Then, all dates for the show were canceled. So there was no chance to reschedule. Since then, the entire tour was canceled so there wasn’t going to be a way to see it at a different venue in the future. I was sad because I was really looking forward to seeing this show. Dani was sad because we both knew it would be a fun night out, even if she didn’t know if she was going to like the show or not.

Somehow, I remembered that there was something about the musical being filmed and being on tv recently. I have no clue why I remembered that, but I’m so glad I did. I did a little research online and found how we could register to watch it! So Dani and I decided that we would each order in some food to our own places and we’d watch the musical online at the same time. And we could text our commentary to each other while we were watching.

We had a few technical difficulties when trying to start it, but we figured out a way to make it work and we were watching the musical very close to the time that the show would have started if we were seeing it at the Dolby.

And I’m so glad that we did this! The show was so cute and fun to watch, and it has some really snarky moments! There were also a few things about the story that felt a little too close to home with some people seeing a problem and others thinking they can ignore it and it will go away. But overall, it was a positive and silly show. It was exactly what we needed to watch. And Dani agreed with me that it was a really great show!

After we finished watching it, we decided to video chat. We could have just talked on the phone or texted, but anything that feels more like a real conversation is good right now. And we had a nice long chat about the show and lots of other random things. I didn’t realize how much I needed to talk to a friend like that until we had our talk. I’m still struggling with feeling isolated, but having someone else who understands helps me feel a little less alone. And having a communal experience with someone else, like watching a show online together, is one of the best things I can do right now. It’s not as good as the real thing, but it’s close.

We are hoping that things will be back to normal by the time our next show is supposed to happen, but we also know that it might not be that way. As of right now, the other shows we are scheduled to see have not been filmed so we might not be able to do this again. We were so lucky that this one was so we could at least experience it a bit. And if other shows get canceled, maybe we will luck out again and will find a way to see it together virtually.

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Default ThumbnailKicking Off A Musical Season (or Seeing A Cartoon Brought To Life) Default ThumbnailA Night Of Magic (or Not Quite A Musical) Default ThumbnailA Weird Night In Hollywood (or Another Musical In Our Season) Default ThumbnailLast Musical Of The Season (or A Classic Pantages Night Out) Default ThumbnailBig Musical Instead of Big Game (or Another Sunday Night Out) Default ThumbnailAnother Musical Season (or Enjoying A Repeat Musical)

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An Isolation Monthly Challenge (or Just Trying To Keep Things Going)

Posted on April 1, 2020 | Comments Off on An Isolation Monthly Challenge (or Just Trying To Keep Things Going)

When I set up my monthly challenge for March, I had no clue what the month would end up being like. I really had all the best intentions to work on my budgeting and to get back on track with where my money was going every month. I know that this is something I need to do and that’s why I created the challenge. And for the first week or so, I was doing ok with trying to figure out a good plan for myself with what I wanted to do.

But then everything went crazy. I’ll do another post another time about my mental health right now because it’s been a lot. I’ve written a few things about it, but I feel like how I feel is swinging back and forth a lot. And part of the struggle with mental health has meant that I have neglected to do some things that I wanted to do. And budgeting did slip off my radar.

I have tried to catch up this month with getting back on track and I know I am making some good strides toward it, but there is a lot that I wanted to get done this past month that I didn’t even get close to doing. I wanted to do the online classes with how to use the software the best way possible and I never did that. I occasionally had to look up how to do something so I did learn a bit, but nothing like what I wanted to do. I still feel like there is so much I need to learn in order to feel comfortable with budgeting things the way I was able to do it before.

But I had to be gentle with myself because I know that I had the best intentions going into the month and I didn’t have any control over things going crazy. I know that maybe some people would have been fine and able to continue working on the goals that they had set up for the month. And maybe under other circumstances, I would have been able to do so. But that’s not how things worked out this time for me and I am ok with that. We are all dealing with something that we have never experienced before and we don’t know how we will react or deal.

And being in an unknown situation is what made me think of my monthly challenge for this month. I know that there is a chance that I will settle into how things are right now, but there’s a good possibility that I will be struggling the same way that I am now. Things keep changing so there is no way for me to feel settled or like I can be comfortable with how things are. I cannot control the world around me, I can only control my reaction to it.

And that’s what my challenge is for April. I want to stay more in control of how I’m dealing with everything. And the main part of that for me is trying to maintain a somewhat normal schedule. I do still have 4 days a week that I have to get up at my usual time to do work, but I have 3 days a week that I can sleep as late as I want. I did take advantage of that last week, and it’s thrown off my sleep schedule. Things aren’t my normal schedule and I can’t always do everything when I’m used to doing them, but I can create a new schedule for myself that is as close to normal as possible.

And along with that schedule, I can get better about regular meals. I have been cooking more, but I haven’t been great about eating as often or when I should. Having dinner at 9pm isn’t good for me, but it’s happened more than once. I usually don’t eat breakfast, but I have been doing that lately and I think it is out of boredom. I need to plan meals the best that I can and work on scheduling when I am going to cook and when I am going to eat.

The only thing I have been ok at trying to maintain is having a few fun things in my life. They are limited to things I can do on my computer or phone, so that is a bit of a struggle for me mentally. But it does help when I have something to look forward to in the afternoon or evening. I’ve mainly been doing movies with friends, but I should try to find other things that I can do virtually with friends. This will be over one day, but it might not be soon. I need to get to work on adjusting my life so I will thrive during this time. Surviving isn’t enough for me right now. I need to find ways to continue pushing forward and working on myself. And I think figuring out a plan for this time is the best way I can do that right now.

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Default ThumbnailTaking A Month To Reset (or This Doesn’t Really Feel Like A Monthly Challenge) Default ThumbnailAnother Monthly Challenge Down (or The Prosperous Heart) Default ThumbnailThinking Of Changing Up My Monthly Challenge (or I Guess This Would Be A First) Default ThumbnailStill Trying To Get Back To Normal (or Isolation Monthly Challenges Really Are Not Easy) Default ThumbnailAnother Monthly Challenge (or What To Do When You Are Crazy Busy) Default ThumbnailNot Perfect This Month (or Challenged With The Monthly Challenge)

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The Weirdness Of Being Sick Right Now (or Isolating Even More)

Posted on March 31, 2020 | Comments Off on The Weirdness Of Being Sick Right Now (or Isolating Even More)

Last week, I started to feel like I was coming down with something. I wasn’t sure what it was, but it was just like when I normally can feel a bad cold coming on. I wasn’t having symptoms of COVID-19, so I wasn’t worried about that. I really just figured that I was coming down with a bug. And it is the time of year for that to happen.

And over the weekend, I did end up getting sick. My symptoms continue to be almost the opposite of what COVID-19 is (wet cough vs dry, no fever vs fever), so I still don’t believe that I caught that. Plus, if I did, I am having an extremely mild case since this really feels just like a cold. So I’m not too worried about myself right now. I usually get colds this time of year and it doesn’t surprise me that I would catch on right now.

But being sick right now isn’t like when I am sick any other time. I know that by now if I do have a cold that I am no longer contagious. I can pinpoint the day I would have caught this bug because I am not leaving my house much. So it’s easy for me to figure out when I was contagious and when I’m done. But going out when I am coughing and sneezing is not smart right now. Even though I feel certain that it’s not COVID-19, others might think that it is and would be scared that I would get them sick. So I don’t want to cause anyone else to be in fear if I was out in public.

But also, I have to be more cautious with my own health right now. I’m fighting some bug right now and my immune system is working hard at doing that. So if I was going out to get supplies, I am even more at risk for catching anything. And I’m not just worried about COVID-19. I would hate to get the flu right now (even though I got a flu shot) because I know how packed hospitals are. I don’t want to do anything that might require me to see a doctor. I need to keep myself as healthy as possible, not just for myself but for others. So even though I have been practicing isolation for a few weeks now, I’m stepping it up a bit for the next few weeks.

I am going to stay inside my house unless it is absolutely necessary. And to me right now, going out to get supplies is not necessary. I’m ok for most things, and I can get stuff delivered to me if I need it. I am trying to not use the delivery options too much because I know the delivery drivers are overextended and putting themselves at risk too. But it is an option for me so I’m using it and trying to make sure I don’t do it that often. I also have some friends who live in my neighborhood who have offered to get groceries for me. I’m trying to not do that because I know how stressful going to the store can be. But it’s good to know that I have more options than just delivery.

I’m treating this bug as if I had COVID-19. I’m avoiding all contact with others as much as I can for the next 2 weeks. I am already starting to feel better now, so I don’t think I’ll be sick for that much longer. This cold wasn’t that bad, but it was enough to give me a bit of a scare and made me re-evaluate what steps I have been taking and what steps I need to take now. And in 2 weeks, I’ll try to continue to do as much isolation as possible since that is what we have to do even when we are healthy.

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Default ThumbnailMy Cold Caught Up With Me (or I Guess I Was Due To Get Sick) Default ThumbnailA Low Key Post (or I Guess Things Come In Threes) Default ThumbnailBeing Sick (or Feeling Off) Default ThumbnailA Quick Post (or I Really Hope I’m Not Getting Sick) Default ThumbnailYup, I’m Sick (or Trying To Take Care Of Me) Default ThumbnailBeing Hard On Myself (or Pushing Myself To Not Be Sick)

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A Full Week Of OTF At Home (or Getting A Little Bit Of My Normal Routine In)

Posted on March 30, 2020 | Comments Off on A Full Week Of OTF At Home (or Getting A Little Bit Of My Normal Routine In)

Even though I’m isolating at home, I’m not slacking off with my workouts. I know I’m not doing as much or as tough of workouts at home, but I am still maintaining my normal schedule with doing Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday workouts. And I am so grateful that Orangetheory is posting workouts every day on their YouTube channel so I can follow a workout plan. I know it’s not everything that I do when I am in the studio for the workout, but it’s still motivating me.

While I’m doing these OTF At Home workouts, I probably won’t be doing my usual recap posts on here. There’s not as much to share about what I am doing in my workouts because things are a bit more repetitive. I’m not able to do as much with challenging myself in my workouts. I am limited in what weights I can lift or what exercises I can do. I am finding ways to get cardio in with the cardio blocks they have in the videos online (I usually do those blocks twice since it’s the main cardio that I’m doing). But there are no rowing or biking challenges that I am able to do or have big breakthroughs with.

But I have been improving my home gym setup. It’s still limited because I don’t have unlimited money to spend on things and so many pieces of workout equipment are sold out everywhere. I would have loved to have gotten a set of dumbbells, but I couldn’t find any. But I think I did get a good variety now in my house so I can do some more weighted exercises.

I still have the water bottles I used before as light weights (but they are still a little too light). I have added a 12-pound medicine ball, which is heavier than I usually use at OTF, but I wanted a heavy one since I was going to use it for things I usually use dumbbells with. I also got a 20-pound weight bar (the tall thing next to my fan). That was the closest thing I could get to dumbbells, and this will be able to be used for a lot of arm exercises. It’s not easy to see in the photo, but next to the medicine ball I have some mini-bands. I figured that even if we didn’t have mini-band work in the workout videos, I could do some on my own. Plus, I could use them for upper body work. And in front of my new exercise equipment, I have some foam floor tiles because doing this work on a hard floor is uncomfortable. On top of those tiles is some shelf liner that helps the foam not slide on my floor when I’m using them.

Considering that I only had to figure out what to get about a week ago, I’m pretty happy with the things I got. They are good weights for me and will allow me to do quite a bit of variety in the workouts. It’s not a perfect home gym, but it’s significantly better than what I could do without them.

Things arrived throughout this past week so I haven’t used everything for all the workouts. The weight bar arrived late on Saturday, so that hasn’t been used at all. I used the medicine ball all week. And I was surprised to see that in the Friday video they did have mini-bands being used! Mine had arrived the day before, so I was able to use them for that workout and that made me really happy. It took me a few tries to figure out what mini-bands I should use for each exercise since these were a bit different from the ones at OTF. But I was able to do it and I definitely felt it in my workout.

Having the mini-bands when they used them in the Friday workout was fun, but I think my favorite workout of the week was on Saturday. I had 2 fun things happen with that workout. First, that workout was my 50th workout of 2020! I know that this isn’t how I expected to add to my workout count for the year, but they do count. And I’m on track to get to my goal as long as I continue doing this.

But the best part of my Saturday workout was the workout video featured one of my coaches! The videos have been done by the corporate team and its staff. That makes the videos look very similar to how they look when we are looking at the screens in class to see the exercises after the coach does the demo. And I don’t mind not knowing who the coaches are in the videos, but when they featured some of the coaches from around the country in the Saturday video, it was so awesome! Getting to see my usual Monday coach, Brendon, was such a nice surprise!

I’ve been taking Brendon’s class since I started at OTF, and it’s weird not to be in his class on Mondays. But I did get to be virtually coached by him a bit and that really made my day. I don’t know how often they will be featuring coaches around the country, but I’m excited to see if there will be another video in the future with another one of my coaches!

I’ve got another week of workouts at home coming up. Originally, the plan for isolation was only through this month. But last week, it got extended to mid-April. I expect it to be extended at least another time or two. I don’t think we will be back to normal for a while. And I have to keep up my workouts at home for so many reasons. It gives me a sense of routine, it helps my mental health, and I need it for my fitness. I’ll be doing these at-home workouts as long as I need to. And hopefully, I’ll figure out new tricks and tips to maximize what I can do and I can still have some workout wins.

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Default ThumbnailThis Does Feel Like A Normal Routine (or Another Full Workout Week) Default ThumbnailWhy Can’t I Just Have A Normal Week? (or Another Bad Week Of Workouts) Default ThumbnailMissing My Normal Workouts More Than Ever (or I Needed Someone To Push Me This Week) Default ThumbnailAnother Normal Workout Week (or Getting Back To Everything Feeling Routine) Default ThumbnailTrying To Have A Normal Workout Week (or I Need OTF For My Mental Health) Default ThumbnailBack To My Normal Routine (or Working Through My Workouts)

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Just Taking Things One Day At A Time (or Handling What Is Right Now)

Posted on March 26, 2020 | Comments Off on Just Taking Things One Day At A Time (or Handling What Is Right Now)

It seems like every single day things are changing with what is happening in the world. One moment we can go out and about as long as we are staying away from others and then the next we are told to stay home unless you have to leave for an essential reason. One moment everything seemed normal and that the world issues were far away from us and the next they overtook the country. One moment I was planning some really fun things with friends and the next everything is canceled.

I’ve been trying to not think what might happen next because it’s just too much. Even a week ago things were so different compared to how they are now. I can’t imagine what next week might be. And if I think about what else could come, it really overwhelms me. All I can do is focus on what is happening today and what I know is going on and hold on to that.

I have been lucky with my mental health for the most part. I have a few mental health issues, but they are mild and manageable. But now, I can feel things getting harder for me. I know it’s not just me and friends of mine who have never had mental health issues are struggling too. This isn’t something anyone has experienced before and there are no guidelines about how to handle it. We are all figuring this out together and somehow that does help me a bit. I’m not alone in my struggles and I have been reaching out to people to help me get through it.

I’m pretty isolated at home. I don’t have a roommate or pet in my house. I am not dating anyone that I would consider living with temporarily while in isolation. I’m by myself and all my interactions are virtual except when I go to the grocery store once a week or the few moments I see my neighbors when taking my trash out. I’m working on scheduling virtual events as often as possible so I don’t have too many days in a row where I don’t have anything other than work and sitting alone at home.

And because I’m home all the time now, it’s easy for me to get sucked into social media or watching the news and I know that isn’t helping me. I’m trying to limit my time looking at social media to specific blocks during the day. And I’m not watching a lot of news on tv because it’s just one scary story after another. I’m mainly using social media for news because it’s not as much at one time and it is broken up by the random other posts that people are putting up there.

This is all still a very new thing for everyone and we are all trying to figure out how to handle it. There is no right or wrong way to manage your time as long as you are doing things that you have to do (work if you work from home and take care of yourself like you normally do). Some people might need to be avoiding all social media and news and others might need to devour everything they can. Whatever we need to do to get through this time, it’s ok. All we can do is do what we need to do right now and hopefully, we can adjust as things change.

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Default ThumbnailStill Taking Action When Overwhelmed (or We Cannot Stop) Default ThumbnailWorld Mental Health Day (or Seeing So Many People Be So Open) Default ThumbnailHope And Health (or I Don’t Have The Motivation To Do A Bigger Challenge) Default ThumbnailFinding More Ways To Help Via Social Media (or Continuing To Share Good Things) Default ThumbnailStaying Isolated (or Doing My Part) Default ThumbnailTaking A Break To Be Sick (or Hitting A Road Bump)

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Forced To Do Some Cooking (or Making The Best Of Things)

Posted on March 25, 2020 | Comments Off on Forced To Do Some Cooking (or Making The Best Of Things)

There have been a lot of photos shared since the pandemic started. People in hospitals hoping to survive. People wearing masks and gloves in public. Places that are usually packed with people being empty because people are isolating themselves. But I think the photos I see most often are related to grocery stores and getting supplies. I see so many photos of people hoarding supplies and having full carts or empty shelves in grocery stores. I do understand how panic buying happens because I’ve had those same thoughts, but I don’t get it to the degree that some people are taking it to. To me, panic buying is getting an extra thing of soap and toilet paper when you are buying some, not buying enough to last you a year.

Because of people panic buying, the idea of going to the grocery store has become very stressful for me. I am trying to limit my shopping to once a week to limit my potential exposure to someone who might be sick or an asymptomatic carrier. But at the same time, I don’t know what I’ll find at the store when I get there. If there’s something I need, I know I could still go out and try to get it another time, but there is no guarantee I’ll find it. And again, every time I go to the store I am potentially exposing myself to the virus. So I’ve just been working on doing my shopping once a week and figuring it out from there.

Honestly, if I could just get microwave meals for most of my meals, I would be doing that. But frozen food is a bit limited at the stores right now (hopefully they will be restocked soon). Some fresh things aren’t as easy to find either, but there are some things I can get. I do have to cook for at least some of my meals. And as much as I would love to meal plan and cook based on that, I have to work around the idea that I don’t necessarily know what I will be able to get when I do go to the store. So my cooking has needed to be a bit creative and I’m not used to that.

I’m not a big cook and I have said for a long time that I need to be better about cooking more at home. It’s very easy normally to get prepared or frozen meals (or to order in) and I am a fan of the convenience. I’m not going to deny that some of that comes from being lazy. But it’s a habit that I’m not proud of and I have known for a long time that I need to do better. And I guess being forced into change was the thing that I needed.

I’m not necessarily cooking the way that I have always wanted to. The things I’m making are pretty random or boring. For example, I cooked some peppers and onions and put it over rice with some beans. It was nothing fancy, but it was food and I made it. And I am making enough so I do have some leftovers so I don’t have to cook every night. I would love to find ways to be a bit more creative as I’m forced to cook, but I can’t depend on getting all the correct ingredients for something. I guess I could make a list and see what I can get each week, but a lot of things are perishable so that doesn’t really make sense. So I’m really stuck with this mismatch cooking and figuring out what to eat.

The only things that I am trying to collect things and hopefully I’ll get everything soon are for baking things. I’m not a big baker, but there are a few things that I know are not as easy to find in grocery stores right now that I would like to try baking. I don’t have everything I need, but the baking supplies are dry goods so I don’t have to worry about them spoiling.

Maybe this method will work and I’ll like doing it. I might figure out some new favorites. Or maybe people will stop hoarding soon and the grocery stores will look normal again. I’m mentally preparing that it won’t be normal for a little while and that I’ll need to do my shopping once a week. And fortunately, the grocery store near my house seems to be pretty calm and decently stocked. They limit how many people can be in there at one time so nobody is rushing around trying to get everything they need. People aren’t leaving the store with carts full of food (or multiple carts). They really are only getting what they need and that helps everyone have a chance to get the food they need.

I still have been having panic attacks the past 2 weeks before going to the grocery store because I have no clue what it will look like when I get inside. But the most that I go in and see that it’s not too horrible, the easier it will be. And hopefully, my grocery shopping will get easier as I find a routine with cooking a few things that I feel confident that I can get the ingredients for each week. This isn’t really the way I imagined myself working on cooking more, but it is the way it is and I’m going to try to take advantage of the moment.

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Default ThumbnailLack Of Planning (or No Home Cooking This Week) Default ThumbnailStill Cooking (or It’s Almost A Habit) Default ThumbnailHome Cooking (or Getting Used To Making What I Eat) Default ThumbnailFirst Time Bulk Cooking (or Making My Kitchen Smell Yummy!) Default ThumbnailCooking At Hipcooks (or Remembering Cooking Doesn’t Have To Be Hard) Default ThumbnailStill Having Some Cooking Fails (or Trying But Not Being Perfect)

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People Need To Just Stay Home (or This Isn’t Something To Ignore)

Posted on March 24, 2020 | Comments Off on People Need To Just Stay Home (or This Isn’t Something To Ignore)

I understand that not all cities and states have the same restrictions that we have in California, but everyone in the country has been told to stay physically away from other people. Sometimes it’s called social distancing and sometimes it’s called physical distancing. Either way, the idea is that you shouldn’t be within 6 feet of someone who isn’t in your household. And there are a lot of places shutting down so that they can help people stay apart. I don’t know of any movie theaters that are open anywhere in the country. A lot of restaurants are closed for dine-in eating. And in LA, nothing is open unless it’s an essential place such as a bank or grocery store.

Personally, I’m not really leaving my house at all. Last week, I went to the grocery store on Sunday and I went to a doctor’s appointment on Monday. That’s it. I did walk to the end of my driveway to take my trash out and do laundry. But besides that, I stayed in my house and didn’t consider leaving. So many of my friends are doing the same and I thought that most people would be doing so as well. This is why I was so mad when I found out that people were crowding beaches and parks this past weekend.

I don’t know if people thought it didn’t matter because they were outside or they didn’t believe they needed to stay away from others. I really don’t get it. We have been told to stay at home unless you have to leave. This is not time to go to the beach and hang out. If you need to get some fresh air, going for a walk is fine. And yes, they said that hiking was fine as long as you weren’t near other people. But people should have seen how crowded the parks were and not go hiking there. Because of how many people were out in public over the weekend, things got a bit stricter here and public spaces are being closed for now.

If closing more things is what it takes for people to stay home, then I’m happy about that. This is only going to get better if people stay home. We need to isolate because if you are out in public you might be around someone who is sick. And even if you don’t get sick, you can still be contagious and pass it on to someone else the next time you are out. Or you can pass it on to someone in your home.

For a while, they were saying the people most at sick for seriously getting sick or dying were older or had some pre-existing condition. I’m sure we all know someone who fits the older category. Either your parents or grandparents if not friends. As far as the other high-risk category, some people have no clue if they have a pre-existing condition that will be an issue. You don’t always discover it until it becomes an issue. And there are some confusing things about what conditions make you at higher risk. I’ve heard that having any auto-immune conditions can make you high risk (not just being treated which I know can make you immunocompromised). I have 2 diagnosed aut0-immune conditions and 1 that hasn’t been officially diagnosed. So I might be high-risk. I might now. But I know plenty of people who are.

And now, they are saying that younger people are the ones getting sick and needing medical intervention. And if more people are hospitalized because they are sick, hospitals will run out of bed and ventilators. And doctors will be forced to choose who they treat and who they only give comfort care to so they aren’t in pain. If a doctor has to choose, they will choose the person that has the best chance of recovery. And yes, that does typically mean younger and healthier people so young people might still think they are fine. But imagine if your parent or grandparent is left without treatment because another young person was more likely to survive. Would you be ok with it because they were young and assumed they wouldn’t get sick? No event, trip, dinner out, hangout, or anything is worth sacrificing a life. We all have to isolate to protect everyone else.

We have no clue how long it will take for this to be over. Hopefully, a cure and vaccine are discovered soon, but there will still be a while before they are available to everyone. For now, the only thing we can do is stay at home. That’s not asking a lot of people. You are being told to hang out at home, not go out and do anything crazy. And the sooner people start doing that the sooner this will be done. Maybe we will have to do this for 2 or 3 months. Maybe more. But that time will end and then we can get back to our normal lives. It will be worth it. Sacrificing a little time for the rest of your life seems like a very good deal to me.

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Default ThumbnailWeird Feelings About Reopening Things (or I Might Just Keep Staying Home) Default ThumbnailStaying Isolated (or Doing My Part) Default ThumbnailAn At-Home Labor Day (or The Unofficial End To A Weird Summer) Default ThumbnailWhat Will Happen In A Week (or Why I’m Excited And Scared To Go Home) Default ThumbnailAt Home Hair (or I Haven’t Done This Since I Was A Teenager) Default ThumbnailPeople Don’t Get It (or My Comment On The Dear Fat People Video)

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Working Out At Home (or Trying To Figure Out What To Do)

Posted on March 23, 2020 | Comments Off on Working Out At Home (or Trying To Figure Out What To Do)

A week ago, I posted about how my workouts are so helpful to my mental health. That statement is so true. When I wrote that post, things were changing hour by hour and knowing I had my workouts helped me feel better. It was a sense of control in an out of control world. But I also knew as I wrote that post that there was a chance that gyms would need to close down to help control the spread of Coronavirus. I was hoping that it wouldn’t happen, but I knew it could. And that’s exactly what ended up happening.

Over the weekend, they announced that gyms and fitness centers needed to close in Los Angeles. So before my Monday workout, I started to get emails announcing that the classes I had booked were canceled. I knew this was coming, but it still was sad when I saw all the emails in my inbox.

I wasn’t sure what I would do, but I knew that I wasn’t going to stop working out. I wanted to keep my normal workout schedule as much as possible so I had to figure out what to do on Monday. I downloaded a few fitness apps for my iPad and ended up doing a 15-minute cardio one I found that didn’t require any equipment (I’m regretting getting rid of my workout bike now because I could really use it!).

As more and more cities and states were requiring gyms to close temporarily, Orangetheory knew they had to do something to help members and everyone stay active while we were isolating at home. So they created Orangetheory at Home and started to post daily workout videos! They aren’t exactly the same as a class, but there is a coach showing you what to do and the screen looks just like what it looks like in class when you are in the workout block. There is a warm-up, some strength work, a cardio block, and a cool down. And it requires no real equipment but instead gives suggestions for things you can use around the house instead.

I set my iPad up on my little ottoman for each of the workouts that I did this past week and looked at the videos a bit before doing the workout to see what I would need to use for weights. When I took this photo, the workout needed medium weights for hands so I used water bottles and a heavier weight for squats so I used my toolbox.

I tried to make it seem as much like class as possible. I wore my heart rate monitor to track my workout and used my gloves because they protected my hands when I had plank work on the floor. I have a yoga mat I can use on the ground, but it’s not that thick so it didn’t do too much to help pad the ground. So I tried to not do things on my knees or modify them to be something else.

And the workouts weren’t easy. Even though there isn’t a coach pushing me, I was able to push myself a bit. I know I’m not working as hard as I would in class for a few reasons, but it’s as close as I think I can get for now. I am getting my heart rate up and I’m definitely sweating. I need to add some more cardio besides what is in the workout, but I am easing into the idea of working out at home.

And even though the Orangetheory at Home workouts don’t require any equipment, I realized that I do need to add some equipment to my little home gym collection. I don’t have any heavy weights in my house or things to help me add resistance to a strength exercise. And I really needed a way to protect my body from my floor because it’s going to start hurting me more. So I did some online shopping with guidance from my dad and ordered a few things online that should be delivered in the next few weeks. It’s not easy to find workout equipment right now (everyone has the same idea as I do), but I found a weighted bar (instead of dumbbells), a medicine ball, some mini-bands, and foam floor pads. So I will be able to make things a bit more like Orangetheory in my house and I can also add some extra exercises to the routine if I want to.

Things are still changing quickly and constantly. I have no clue how long it will be before Orangetheory can open again or things will start to get closer to what they were like before. For California, we have a stay at home order for about a month. I doubt they will announce that they are going to end it early. If anything, I think it will be longer than a month. My belief is that it will be at least 2 months, but I know some people are saying even longer. I can’t let myself think about it too much because it causes me a lot of anxiety, so I have been planning things as if it will be like this for 2 months. That’s why I wanted the workout equipment. If this was shorter, I might not be as worried about losing everything I have gained in my workouts. But I need to be able to replicate my workouts as much as possible and not lose too much momentum. I’m sure that when I’m back in the studio one day, I will realize I have lost some strength and endurance. But I am trying to limit that.

For now, all I can do is try my best. I am going to still do 4 workouts a week (and yes, I am counting these toward my workout goal for 2020). I am going to do the Orangetheory at Home workouts and I will try to find other things to add to it to do as much as I can. I also have more time when I can work out so I might add something lighter on what is usually a rest day. I’m not sure about that and I don’t want to overdo it or push myself too much. I just know that I have something that helps me feel a bit more normal and I continue to be so grateful for Orangetheory, even if it’s not the way I’m used to getting my classes in.

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Craving Social Interaction (or Staying Away And Staying Online)

Posted on March 20, 2020 | Comments Off on Craving Social Interaction (or Staying Away And Staying Online)

Even though I’m not someone who goes out every single day or spends a ton of time surrounded by others, I’m already feeling extra isolated and lonely right now. The few regular things that I do that are social (such as my workouts) are gone from my schedule. And the events that were coming up that I was excited about were canceled. My calendar is empty with the exception of work right now. And even though I can chat with my co-workers while I work, it’s still a solo thing.

I know that being isolated is the best thing for my health and the health of others. I might be at a slightly higher risk of getting sick, but I’m still low risk. But I have many people in my life who are very high risk and it’s not worth it for me to potentially pass something to them. So I’m staying away from people and I know it is for the best. I have no clue how long we will have to do this, but I don’t see it ending in the next week or two like some others were thinking. I hope it’s not more than a few months, but I know I have to work on not feeling more isolated already. It hasn’t even been a full week and I’m already feeling it and notice changes in my mental health.

But on Wednesday, I did get a nice dose of some socializing. In the morning, one of my friends came over because she needed to borrow an iPhone cable. It turned out I had the wrong cable, but it did allow us time to talk. She stayed in her car and I was by my front door, so we were easily more than 6 feet apart (what the current recommendation is for keeping distance from others). We were talking about a few random things and it was probably under 10 minutes, but it was the most in-person socializing I had gotten this week. It really did improve my mood and outlook and I’m so grateful I got that little boost.

And that evening, I had my first movie night in with friends. I think I’ll be doing a lot of these, but we used an extension for our web browsers so we were all watching the same thing at the same time and we had a text chat on the side so we could talk to each other. This was with one of the dating Facebook groups I’m in and we decided to watch “Always Be My Maybe” because we wanted something light and upbeat.

Even though we weren’t seeing each other or talking out loud, having something where we were seeing the same thing at the same time and could talk about it really did help make it seem like we weren’t apart. Texting randomly is good, but having some sort of community event was so much better. We have already planned to do more of these and I am planning movie nights in with several other groups I’m a part of.

And I’m also working on scheduling virtual happy hours with friends over Skype. The good thing is that it’s not as hard to schedule now as it usually is since nobody really has anything planned. The only thing we have to work around is any other virtual hangouts that people have with other friends. And it seems like everyone is doing these types of things now, so at least it seems like a normal suggestion.

Because there are so many people doing virtual events, there is a chance that my calendar can be more full than it was before. And I think I will need that because nothing replaces in-person time with a friend. But that’s not an option right now and we have to accept that. We need to find ways to not feel alone and being together online (or in-person but far enough apart) is all that we can do right now. At least I know that I’m not the only person who feels this way and that there are so many people who understand how I feel and we can help each other try to feel a bit better about this temporary situation we are all in.

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Staying Isolated (or Doing My Part)

Posted on March 18, 2020 | Comments Off on Staying Isolated (or Doing My Part)

I assume everyone knows what’s happening in the world right now. For a while, coronavirus seemed like something so far away and not something we had to worry about. I don’t know if I was naive thinking that or hopeful. But for a while, I thought that it wouldn’t be something we would have to deal with. With other viruses similar to it, I don’t remember it being something Americans were this worried about. It could be because we have social media and instant news, or it could be because this is so much worse.

Right now, Los Angeles has shut down a lot. Essential things like pharmacies and grocery stores are open (and I’ve seen some other retail shops open that didn’t seem essential), but for the most part, things are closed and we are told to stay home. Not being around others is the best, and right now only, way to stop the spread. If I got sick, I would probably be fine. I know it’s not a guarantee, but I’m not as high risk as others. But there are people in my life that would be higher risk and I wouldn’t forgive myself if I passed it on to one of them and they got really sick or died. So staying away is necessary.

Almost all of my friends are working from home now. I’m lucky that I already work from home so that doesn’t feel different. But I feel so much more isolated than I ever have. Orangetheory is closed and that is such a huge part of my life for both my mental health and for my social life. I’m still texting and messaging with my friends, but it’s not the same. There are no places to go out and see people, nor can we really be around each other. This is for 2 weeks right now, but I have a feeling it will last longer. I hope that it doesn’t, but it seems like 2 weeks won’t be long enough to make sure that we stop the spread.

I’m doing ok. I was able to get to the grocery store and they had a lot of things still on the shelves. I got food and supplies to last me at least 2 weeks, but I am planning on trying to do weekly shopping so I can keep at least a week or 2 of food in my house in case I do get sick and have to stay home. With the exception of being alone and not seeing my friends, I have everything I need right now. Mentally, I’m not doing as great, but I’m not doing horribly either. I’m just very anxious and everything seems so overwhelming. I think this is because there are so many things changing at a rapid pace and there is no sign of that changing. I think about going to my sister-in-law’s baby shower about a week and a half ago. The world seemed so different then. I never would have imagined it to be like this now. And if then I couldn’t imagine this, what could life be like in another week and a half? I try not to think about that and just focus on what I can control, but I can’t help going through a lot of what-ifs.

I also wonder what to do with my blog. I would love to be able to blog every day, but I also don’t know what to write about. I will be writing about what I’m doing to manage things and how I’m trying to find ways to have some normalcy in my life, but if this isolation lasts over a month I might not have much to write. I guess if it comes to that, I will figure out a new blogging schedule and hopefully, you will all understand.

Please, stay home to help keep everyone safe and healthy. Even if you would be fine if you got sick, you don’t want to pass it on to someone who wouldn’t be ok. Putting your life on hold isn’t fun, but it’s necessary. And the sooner everyone can do that, the slower this will spread and the more likely it will be that our hospitals can take care of everyone who needs it. We will be ok. We will get through this. It might not seem like that right now, but soon enough we will be looking back at this time and a blip in our lives.

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