Waiting for the Inevitable: The Coronavirus Crisis (So Far) in Central Jersey

Here's some quick notes on my experiences (or lack thereof) of the coronavirus in central New Jersey. I hope I'll be able to look back at this post in a year or so, with some measured nostalgia. I also hope I'll be vaccinated against this thing by then. 

But I'm aware that this may be a journal of the beginning of the end, to be discovered long after humanity has perished, by whatever creature survives and evolves enough intelligence to read this third rate blog (my bet is on the raccoons).

Here we go . . .

First of all, I was on top of this shit. In late January I wrote this piece:

The Straight Dope on Fake-Handwashing: You Can't Fake-out a Coronavirus

I hope my friends have changed their tune.

My school, East Brunswick High School, has been closed since last Thursday. We all thought there was a case in town, but this turned out not to be the story.

My had a crazy day of school on Friday-- a half day where they had to give all the elementary students Chromebooks and prepare them for on-line school. My kids are off as well. We'll see how it goes with everyone in the house-- Alex, Ian and I nearly got into a full out brawl because the two of them were bickering about various flavors of ramen. 

I start virtual teaching tomorrow. We'll see if our learning platform has enough bandwidth.

I tried to go to Costco on Thursday, but I got inside and the lines were enormous. I ran away. Too many people. They did give me a tiny Clorox wipe when I entered, which I found very silly.

Planet Fitness was fairly empty. I'm not sure if I'll keep going to the gym, but it is important to stay strong, buff, and healthy (both to fight the virus and looters).

Friday morning, I went to the big ShopRite in Edison. It was 7 AM and raining. When I got to the store, it wasn't crowded. They were out of all cuts of chicken and beef. No ground meat either (except the lowest grade beef). Plenty of bacon and organic chicken sausages. I stocked up on the latter. No toilet paper or black beans. The store got more and more crowded as I shopped. I may have sent some panicky texts to my wife.

Everyone is sad and angry about the Rutgers basketball team. They were playing great, certain to make the tournament, and had potential to beat anyone. They haven't been in since 1991. Awful luck for those guys.

My kids and I have been playing epic amounts of tennis, to prepare for the season that might not happen. The rest of the team has been getting together as well. Yesterday, Ian played twice. Alex pulled a bicep serving, and might be out for a couple of days.

After morning tennis, we went to Shanghai Dumpling-- a small, bustling place where there is always a line. The place was busy, but no line for Saturday at lunch. Unprecedented. We sat right down (and got up-sold some shrimp dumplings by a guy who barely spoke English . . . kudos to him).

I went over to Paul's place Thursday night, we had people on our back deck Friday night, and we sat outside at a friend's house last night. People seem to be getting together in groups of six, and not hugging or shaking hands. The people we were with last night are expecting things to get pretty bad. If I continue drinking every night, my liver might fail before my lungs. 

The doomsday scenarios described by our friends last night almost convinced Catherine not to go to Zumba, but not quite. She got up this morning and went. She's also been going to kick-boxing and she just got her hair done. You've got to look cute for the apocalypse. 

My kids have been out and about (Alex has been on Rutgers campus building rockets with his club for the past few nights, despite the campus being closed) and there's been plenty of kids in our house and basement over the last few days.

So my feeling is that our family is not going to be able to avoid it. I may have already had it a few weeks ago-- I was sick with a weird respiratory thing that was not flu. I think at this point, we're prolonging the inevitable (which is a good thing . .  maybe they will have some anti-viral meds soon). But we are two teachers and we have two athletic, social teenage boys living in the house, so this thing is probably going to find a way in. 

On a lighter note: our dog Lola is tired and happy that everyone is home:)