These Stressed Times are Stressing People and How They are Acting

I've always felt the apocalypse or armageddon was 'a' possibility even if remote. Now it's a realistic possibility. I've never seen conditions so ripe for full fledged revolution. The protests of the 60s, the possibility of nuclear obliteration and/or the duck n cover 50s. Now it's distinct possibility. I thought things were getting dicey with many of these anti police protest like in Ferguson but these times have a completely different social and political feel. Not just here. As a matter of fact just like the two other world wars this one will start in Europe as well and as usual the US will lag in entry. In this case the war will come across the ocean since it's ideological as much as it is physical.
 

I was in Sprouts market this morning. People were being polite and friendly from a distance, but you could truly feel the stress. Usually I enjoy going to Sprouts, but not today. Today it was like "OK, I am in here to do a job as quickly as possible and get out of here and not get a fatal virus." There was a bit of grimness about it all. And of course there was the annoyance of finding that some things I needed were completely out of stock.

I am much more stressed about all this than I was last week, and I could feel that the checkout people were, too. I don't blame them; they are dealing with who knows how many people every day who may or may not have the virus.
 
I've always felt the apocalypse or armageddon was 'a' possibility even if remote. Now it's a realistic possibility. I've never seen conditions so ripe for full fledged revolution. The protests of the 60s, the possibility of nuclear obliteration and/or the duck n cover 50s. Now it's distinct possibility. I thought things were getting dicey with many of these anti police protest like in Ferguson but these times have a completely different social and political feel. Not just here. As a matter of fact just like the two other world wars this one will start in Europe as well and as usual the US will lag in entry. In this case the war will come across the ocean since it's ideological as much as it is physical.
Well, a full fledged revolution seems unlikely to me with people standing 6 feet or more apart...just sayin'
 

I was in Sprouts market this morning. People were being polite and friendly from a distance, but you could truly feel the stress. Usually I enjoy going to Sprouts, but not today. Today it was like "OK, I am in here to do a job as quickly as possible and get out of here and not get a fatal virus." There was a bit of grimness about it all. And of course there was the annoyance of finding that some things I needed were completely out of stock.

I am much more stressed about all this than I was last week, and I could feel that the checkout people were, too. I don't blame them; they are dealing with who knows how many people every day who may or may not have the virus.
What I can't figure out is why are there always so much "fresh" produce on the shelves and the frozen veggies are always decimated?!

"We get used to hanging if we hang long enough", mom used to say. It'll be ok. Just wait long enough.
 
I went to the supermarket to pick up a few things for my elderly friends. I got irritated when there was a line of 15 people. I could understand if there were many people inside, but the market had very few shoppers in it & they were letting in only 5 people at a time.
I went to the exit door to sneak in but there was a guard who told me to go to the entrance.

I did notice many people speeding & driving recklessly.
When I get in a lineup. (I'm impatient as well). I size up the people in it and try to guess which ones will be slow and which ones will be fast. Then I time the amount of time it will take and compare to the results. It's crazy but something to do. Hint. The fast ones have all their stuff ready before they get to a teller.
 
Just read some of the posts on this forum about the virus, and it's pure fear. The virus is a huge boogy man floating over everything. Turn on the TV, it's non stop coverage of the virus. The world is coming to an end. But it's NOT. There is a tomorrow. We will survive. While I'm not the first to say this, but "All we have to fear is fear, itself". We will get through this episode. And, we won't have to sacrifice any virgins to an angry god. The sun will come up, tomorrow. We will live through this, and it my fervent hope that toilet paper will again return to store aisles.:)
 
Just read some of the posts on this forum about the virus, and it's pure fear. The virus is a huge boogy man floating over everything. Turn on the TV, it's non stop coverage of the virus. The world is coming to an end. But it's NOT. There is a tomorrow. We will survive. While I'm not the first to say this, but "All we have to fear is fear, itself". We will get through this episode. And, we won't have to sacrifice any virgins to an angry god. The sun will come up, tomorrow. We will live through this, and it my fervent hope that toilet paper will again return to store aisles.:)
Here, here, I second that motion. Of course I'm not living with a pack of relatives and a few screaming kiddos!
 
Getting close to other people is not something we're usually concerned about. Having to remember to keep your distance is stressful. I heard someone coughing this morning and immediately thought 'he's got it', then I realised it was probably a smokers cough; but it shows how on-edge we all are.
 
I went to Walmart today, the place was neat as a pin, folks were very smiley and the majority of stuff was in stock, (paper goods still scarce) but you won’t see this good stuff in the media as that does not sell air time. I am very careful about how much I view online or on TV as so much has been Uber sensationalized.
 
Getting close to other people is not something we're usually concerned about. Having to remember to keep your distance is stressful. I heard someone coughing this morning and immediately thought 'he's got it', then I realised it was probably a smokers cough; but it shows how on-edge we all are.
I get nervous if I cough, have a sniffle or sneeze. At first I thought uh-oh this is it. Not out of fear but how I would be treated. Many stores have low humidity and with long time sinus conditions dry environments can irritate them. Or I get into a dirty environment the same thing. Many parts of the country will now have pollen etc. And sometimes when I'm on an exercise walk, bike etc outside my sinuses can act up. Again are people looking at me in fear?
 
I did my usual 30-minute walk at a nearby lake & park. Several families were there - no distance or isolation. Several couples were walking hand-in-hand. I like seeing the squirrels & geese at that park. One squirrel stood on my shoe & took a piece of my fruit bar out of my hand.
I needed to do some shopping. Two markets had lines, I went to a small market nearby that only had 4 people waiting. A sign read: "We have gloves, alcohol & masks."
Then, as I walked in, an employee handed me gloves. I said, "No, thanks." She said, "You have to use them." That was the first time I ever heard that. I said, "OK," but I couldn't open them because they were like those plastic produce bags, so I tossed them in the cart. I noticed several shoppers also tossed their gloves in their carts.
Then, when I got to the cashier, there was a table in front of the counter, to prevent people from getting too close to the cashier. The table was only 1.5 feet deep. I doubt it protected anyone, but it did make it awkward to hand money to the cashier or use the credit card machine.

I'm waiting for temperature checks before entering a building. (Don't they already do that when you get on or off a plane?)

Then required blood tests & X-Rays to shop.

Colonoscopies?
 
Most people around here have been very civil. I think we're all trying hard to get through this with some dignity. But the tension is palpable. Our big grocery store, the HEB, is doing great stuff. Shields between customer and cashier, free delivery for seniors (but a $10 tip for the driver), metering people into the store at peak times. But of course, there are also idiots out there.
 
I think people have changed long before any virus came along. I have noticed over the years that many people no longer use manners, etiquette or have social skills. It has been and is a changing society.

When I worked for United, I met another pilot who was from Egypt and came to this country five years previously. I accidentally bumped into him and I said, “Excuse me.” Wanting to be friendly and to some degree professional and respectful, I asked him, ‘How do you say excuse me in Arabic?” After thinking for a minute, he said he didn’t know. That kind of surprised me. I asked him if they didn’t say that to one another. He said, ‘No!”

I could go on and on about how much people have changed over the years, but I think everyone or most everyone else has also noticed the many changes.
 
I did my usual 30-minute walk at a nearby lake & park. Several families were there - no distance or isolation. Several couples were walking hand-in-hand. I like seeing the squirrels & geese at that park. One squirrel stood on my shoe & took a piece of my fruit bar out of my hand.
I needed to do some shopping. Two markets had lines, I went to a small market nearby that only had 4 people waiting. A sign read: "We have gloves, alcohol & masks."
Then, as I walked in, an employee handed me gloves. I said, "No, thanks." She said, "You have to use them." That was the first time I ever heard that. I said, "OK," but I couldn't open them because they were like those plastic produce bags, so I tossed them in the cart. I noticed several shoppers also tossed their gloves in their carts.
Then, when I got to the cashier, there was a table in front of the counter, to prevent people from getting too close to the cashier. The table was only 1.5 feet deep. I doubt it protected anyone, but it did make it awkward to hand money to the cashier or use the credit card machine.

I'm waiting for temperature checks before entering a building. (Don't they already do that when you get on or off a plane?)

Then required blood tests & X-Rays to shop.

Colonoscopies?

I believe that I read temperature checks are being required only on certain international flights. (So far.)
 
They shouldn't be since they are considered non essential businesses....in N.J. anyway.
For some folks...out west here, they might be considered "essential"...lol. Helps them enjoy or blow off steam.
We target practice out back, off our deck. So do our neighbors on the next acreages. Can usually tell what they are firing by the
caliber of ammo. LOL.

So many wildflowers growing all over now. Its Bluebonnet time in Texas. Life goes on - think if you understand nature, you walk close with your creator.
 
That's great Ruthanne! We ordered some things online from Sam's Club yesterday for pick up. We were hoping they had curbside service so we wouldn't have to go into the store. But we do have to go in near the exit where they have a pick up desk to claim the order, then I think if we want they'll come out and put it in the car.

Not sure about this service, I only saw my Kroger supermarket had parking spots to pick up orders, and they brought them out to customers. My husband made the order and didn't add my name as an optional pickup person, so he'll have to go in and take care of it. Guess it's better than walking through the store to pick the items out.

We just had a no contact delivery from Wing-Stop. We've been thinking that we want to order food from local businesses while it's still possible, leaving the food we have at home for a later date.
We finally figured out how to order panda on line, my husband was in orange chicken withdrawal. Some days are just good.
 
When we came out of Walmart yesterday, there was a man and woman parked next to us, and they were having a real serious shouting match. Even with their windows rolled up, we could hear them arguing loudly. We quickly put our stuff in the car, and got away from them.

As this illness drags on, I suspect the divorce rates will begin to climb.
Homeless shelters are getting packed due to extra domestic violence that’s happening. It’s all so very sad. The poor younger children who don’t understand any of this. 🙁
 
COMMON SENSE: The truth be known I have not seem any more stress than normal around here. However, common sense says that if you "cage" people long enough in their own homes some of them are going to explode. You can't expect people to spend weeks sitting at home watching the boob tube 12 hours/day. There will be a lot more stories about family violence (sex, child or wife abuse). People want to be out. With no libraries, restaurants, card games, casinos, movie theatres, what are people to do? Stress will mound. Then with millions of people with no jobs things will get worse & worse. I saw a photo of people lined up in California to buy guns & I thought that this is sure crazy. Now, a week later I'm not that sure anymore. Perhaps they know something that we don't know. Perhaps they suspect that the future isn't going to be all roses & sunshine.
I fear you are right, but I hope I am wrong.
 
I agree with this, I've said it from the beginning. People are being made not only to live with someone 24/7 when they're used to just seeing each other for an hour or so at the begininng and end of the day and those times are taken up with chores, or getting ready for work.. . Further to that the children are at home all day in many places too.. so with their frustrations, and the parents also spending 24/7 with kids who are bored and listless..and who want to go out , and to make matters a 100 times worse, there's people who have no , or very little income coming in... so all that combined it's bound to strike a tinder box in some households ...even households who don't have kids, most younger couples are just not used to spending so much time just with one person, no escape to the pub, or a girls night out or even around to a friends house.. or a date night ...
If only the kids were listless, bored kids are like bored puppies-really dangerous 😂
 


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