Blog Note

I'm critically behind on comment moderation again—more than 80 waiting (it happens periodically)—so I'm going to be working on that this morning. Considering that I'm at home with "nothing to do," yesterday was an extremely full day, and today looks like more of the same. There's lots to do when there's nothing to do!

Might I suggest not immersing too much in the news? Be realistic, know what's actually happening, yes, but try not to obsessively read article after article after article. Give yourself respites from the radio and the television and social media. Yes, there are good reasons for hand-wringing and anxiety, but let's keep our spirits up. Prepare, but do it calmly. Don't neglect courtesy now that it's really needed. Find compassion in your heart for those who are behaving badly—they will always be out there. Concentrate on gratitude for the things you have to be thankful for; don't focus too much on how things might have been different "if only"; remember that most people who contract this illness will recover from it; think of the ways in which this experience might be a useful wake-up call and help bind us together once it's over; and pray for the other people in your life who are at risk. Let your thoughts be full of concern and appreciation and love for them. Gratitude and thoughts of others are a powerful salve in times of dread and worry.

Check back for new comments as the day wears on! I do have new posts underway too (when is that ever not true?) but the next one might not go up until this evening or tomorrow. I will find my balance again soon, never fear.

"Flatten the curve,"

Mike

Original contents copyright 2020 by Michael C. Johnston

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Comments

[Ray Hunter]

"Just In Time" wisdom. This is the "essential value" of the well-spoken citizen, especially in these times . Thanks, Mike.

[Timothy Auger]

Work or even meaningless faffing around expands to fill the time available. I have just spent four hours not really cleaning the kitchen.

We have months more of this.

[Richard Ripley]

Thanks Mike and good advice all around. Be safe!

[Zack Schindler]

If you go in a store to buy something please say something nice to the staff. Maybe "thank you for being here" or "I am glad that you are here". These are scary times and if you say something nice people really appreciate it.

We are all in this together.

[Peter Croft]

Nicely written, Mike.

I've always lived alone so my current state of voluntary self-isolation doesn't feel all that different. I do feel the need for human conversation at times (distinct from electronic talking), but the phone works. I will miss my regular breakfasts at the cafe with my photo-dawg mates. We are all in our 70s and very vulnerable so it's no meet-ups for the foreseeable future. That's depressing.

But bored? You can't be serious, as John McEnroe would say. Now is the time to do all those things you never got around to; from the simple (change the failed hard disk in the USB3 drive enclosure and start that major backup of your images) to the slightly more difficult (make that web site you always meant to, upload your best images to the picture library, make a photo book), to the not so easy (write your memoirs or autobiography - leave your legacy). I can think of a hundred things to do. Bored? Not me.

[John Ironside]

It's writing and kind thoughts like this post that bring me back to TOP, even when photography is not uppermost in my mind. Thank you, Mike.

[John Robison]

Good time to catch up on a few ‘build it yourself’ photo related projects. Took a drive downtown yesterday and the walkway along the waterfront was deserted. So it’s easy to avoid other walkers. Nice time for some pinhole photography.