I read this A Gentleman in Moscow just before the COVID-19 pandemic began. It is a great book by the way. A Count is sentenced to house arrest by the Bolsheviks. His home is the Metropol hotel, a luxury hotel across the street from the Kremlin.
He has lived there in a beautiful suite and since he is a man of wealth he has never had to work a day in his life. He is physically removed from the suite and moved to an attic room along with furniture and his few treasures. If he leaves the hotel he will be arrested and sent to prison.
Initially I thought that he was lucky not to be sent to a Bolshevik prison. Surely it would be hell for a man like him. But as I read the book, I realized being locked up anywhere no matter the surroundings is a prison of sorts. He faced many challenges and needed to re-engineer his way of life. He survived, sometimes in his head just barely but the human spirit is amazing. He made adjustments in his thinking and moved on.
Living during a Pandemic certainly has presented all of us with challenges. The State I live in is virtually shut down. I have no complaints with the Governor making that call. It's a good call. It is a smart call. Everyday the number of confirmed cases has increased. They say we are in the peak weeks now. I hope they are correct.
My company has provided me with a letter stating I am essential personnel. So when I go to my office and If I were to be stopped I would need to present the letter so that I am not fined $5,000. I feel like I did when my husband was stationed in Germany in the 80's and we were told to carry our passport with us at all times even though we technically lived in a suburb of Germany on the economy not on the base. When we went to the commissary our car was inspected for bombs. If we went to East Berlin(Yes there was still East Berlin) we needed papers. This way of life was so different from the life of coming and going I experienced living in New York. That was nothing compared to living now.
When I am in my office I wear protective gear. Social distancing is definitely the way to go but it is still very hard working with an end user and trying to teach them how to use software or a device from six feet away. I can only imagine the difficulties of treating patients. When I am not working in a facility, I work in a data center. It is fairly large so to get moving I walk the building several times a day. Believe me I am not complaining, I am adjusting just like the Count did. But the "New Normal" sure is different.
The rest of my time is spent working at home. Just like the Count we do not leave the house. I live in a really great house but when you are there, knowing you can't go anywhere it is a little mind blowing. This has been going on since March, not that long really. While I feel extremely confined, i am also very fortunate. Even though my hours have been reduced, I am still working. So far we are COVID free. Two very big things to be thankful for and there is light at the end of the tunnel. I have to believe this will not be forever.
Please share any of your thoughts and if you have read the book, Let me know.
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