Things I’m Looking Forward To Once I’m Allowed Outside Again
Hello everyone! Today, I’m missing the normalcy of Before Coronavirus Time. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not the best at keeping up with plans (aka I am very flaky…Sorry, friends and family…!), but having the option to go ahead and go see people and do things is very nice, and it’s not an option I have right now! I know everyone is in the same boat right now.
One of my coping mechanisms in life is to make lists. I’ve been making lots of lists while under semi-quarantine (I call it semi because I’ve been working still, thanks to the nature of my job). Hopefully this list will give you ideas for things to look forward to once we’re all able to enjoy life outside the house again!
Hanging with the Homies
I absolutely love my friends. I am also the worst when it comes to keeping plans! Every single one of my friends can probably tell you a story about when I cancelled, or was late, or forgot about plans…I am That Friend, unfortunately. I’d like to think that’s the only annoying thing I do when it comes to my friends, but I’m sure they can prove me wrong there!
One of the things I miss the most is seeing my friends. We all try to hang out once or twice in a month, but because of the Virus, we’ve not been able to get together. There’s something about sitting around a living room with all your friends, drinking wine and goofing around, that I miss so much. I’m hoping that when we’re able to see each other again, we’ll be able to settle back into that vibe as if time had not passed.
For now, within all my friend groups, we’ve been trying to organize playing games together online and group calling each other. Some of my friends and I played Crazy 8 over iMessage a few weeks ago, and another group of friends accidentally video called the group chat and we ended up having a good little time talking to each other and using the goofy filters Facebook Messenger has. I’m thankful I live in this time where we can use technology to connect, even if we’re apart!
Hiking, Surprisingly.
If you know me in real life, you know that I hate exerting energy. I don’t like working out, I hate stairs, and I generally am happy if I get to sit on the couch all day. I’m lazy!
This makes the craving to go hiking so much weirder for me.
Hocking Hills was shut down for the foreseeable future last week. It makes sense because as the weather gets nicer, people are going to want to go hiking and explore the forests and such. Hocking Hills’s trails are really narrow, so it’s hard to stay the required six feet apart. Still, when I saw the news, I got kind of sad.
The last time I was up in Hocking Hills, I was with two of my best friends, hiking and goofing around in the forest. It was such a fun time even though I was absolutely dead by the end of the hike. I’m always down to explore the outdoors, even if I dislike the idea of putting in work to do so.
I’m hoping that once we’re allowed to go to Hocking Hills again (and any of the hiking trails, honestly), my friends and I will make the drive to go up there and explore again. I miss being outside in the forest like that, and I hope that next time I get to go hiking, I’ll remember this feeling and not hate the exhaustion I’ll feel afterwards.
Family Time
Matt and I were planning on going to Indiana this spring to visit my mom and my mom’s side of the family. The risks of travel are too great right now, however, and since most of my mom’s current household is immunocompromised, we’re putting off our visit until later in the year.
I’m really bummed out about it because I don’t see my mom a lot, seeing as she lives three hours away and I don’t have a license to make the drive. I see my aunt and my Nana even less. The three of them all live around Indiana, and while three hours isn’t that far, it’s far enough for me to not be able to see them as much as I would like to.
My dad and sister live on the other side of Columbus, but with the Stay-At-Home order, we’re not allowed to visit each other as well. I won’t risk getting my dad sick, so I’ve been over to his place way less than normal. I did go over once before the order was established, but I didn’t go inside and we stood far from each other. Not being able to hug and kiss my dad goodbye was harder than I expected it to be, but I’d rather be able to give him all the hugs and kisses later than not be able to do it period.
I haven’t heard from my sister in a while, but I know she’s still doin’ her thing in her apartment because she’s active on social media. I visited her new apartment right before we even knew about the Virus, and at the time I was excited that she was finally able to live on her own. She’s always talked about having her own space!
Now that she’s been laid off and stuck at home on her own, however, I worry about how she’s doing. I think it’s the big sister in me that forces me to worry, because I know she’s probably doing just fine. She’s been able to focus on her art, which is something she’s been trying to balance with her day job. I’m pretty sure she’s been getting commissions as well, which is very cool. Not to mention, my dad gifted her one of his cats, so it’s not like she’s completely alone through all of this. She’s an introvert, so I’m sure she’s doing better than I would if I were by myself for a month.
After the Virus has run its course and things go back to a sense of normalcy, I’m gonna grab Matt and we’re gonna do a Family Tour; we’ve been talking about how much we miss his family too. We rarely see them, and they all live in and around Columbus, so we really have been slacking in the “Visiting Golubich Fam” department.
I want to spend time with my parents, and his parents, and all of our nephews (and our niece of course) and his sisters too! I never thought I’d be able to say I miss my in-laws, but I do! Hopefully everyone is ready for us to come see them because I am way more than ready to spend time with the whole Richmond-Leeth-Golubich fam.
Dinner and a Show
Honestly, I’m not the biggest fan of going to see lots of movies. My ADHD really does a number on me if I’m stuck watching something I’m not 100% invested in. I really, REALLY have to want to see the movie if I want to enjoy myself, much to the dismay of Matt, who loves watching movies. I’m unfortunately the same way with television shows, which has made this quarantine business weird (I’ve actually been watching Netflix and Hulu consistently for the first time in years).
Alternatively, I love going out to eat. When I was growing up, my parents cooked a lot. When we got to go out to eat it was either because my dad worked late and he didn’t want to cook, or we begged and begged my mom until she caved and took us to wherever we wanted to go. Now that I’m an adult, I struggle with the want to order out all the time. I love cooking, but I also love the convenience of food just being ready when I want it. It’s a daily struggle.
Most restaurants are closed because of the Virus. Fast food and other places that allow carryout are still open, but we’ve actually made a point to cook so that we don’t lose our financial safety net to Postmates. I even have tried to not eat at work because I know we have food at home!
Date Night has also been kind of hard to keep up during this time, since Matt and I like to go out and enjoy each other’s company over drinks and/or dinner. We’re both lucky that we’re able to keep working, but that means that when we’re able to hang out, one of us is tired and it becomes more about not falling asleep than being together.
What I want more than anything is to be able to take Matt out on a proper date. I have a feeling he also wants to be able to do that for me, too. We weren’t able to have his Birthday Dinner where he wanted to, so once we’re allowed to go out to eat again, we’re going to wherever he wants to eat and we’re seeing whatever movie he wants to go see. Dinner and a movie is almost overused for Date Nights, but it’s a tried and true classic. Matt and I like it, so that’s what I want to do!
I’m genuinely looking forward to when we’re able to go to a sit-down restaurant again. I’m also looking forward to seeing movies in theaters again. There’s something that hits different when you’re watching a movie on the big screen that you just can’t replicate at home. Being able to go do those things was something I never thought I wouldn’t be able to do!
I’m hoping that we’re reaching the peak of the Coronavirus soon so that we can all go out and enjoy the spring. I know that in Columbus, festivals and events in June are starting to be cancelled or postponed and it devastates me to think that my summer will be spent inside like this. I’m also very worried that my birthday will be spent inside! August feels like it’s far away, but it IS only four months out. Not being able to celebrate my friends and families birthdays coming up soon really bums me out as well.
My personal, unscientific prediction/opinion is that we’ll be through the worst of it within the next two or so weeks, and we’ll be able to move about freely come end of May, mid June. Of course, I have no idea. I’m not a professional by any means! I’m purely going off of what I’ve been seeing during DeWine’s conferences, as well as the findings of scientists around the world. Even then, everything changes so fast so none of what I’ve been keeping up with could still be valid by the time you’re reading this.
I know y’all have heard all of this a million times, but the only way we’ll be able to enjoy spring and summer fully is if we act selflessly instead of selfishly. Stay in your house! And if you have to leave, please be careful. Respect the essential employees who have to work through all of this as well. I’ve had a few rude customers despite the Virus, and it really puts their mood into perspective for me. How are people still mean when we’re all in this together?
Next week, I’ll try to write about something other than the Coronavirus! I know I’m sick of hearing about it (although I keep my ears open because it’s important). I can imagine you all are sick of hearing about it as well. Obviously, it’s been on everyone’s minds like crazy! My challenge for myself is to write about something else next week. Let’s see if I’ll be able to make it happen!
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