Social Life In The Time of Coronavirus

We're all finding new ways of staying in touch these days.  Social distancing requires us to keep six feet (an arbitrary distance) from each other.  Well, where there's a will there's a way.  Zoom, which is a network meeting app, to the rescue.  My lunch bunch group, which usually goes to interesting restaurants around San Diego, settled for a virtual lunch this month.

We decided to all sign on to our Zoom meeting at noon, lunch in hand, and sit and eat and talk for 40 minutes.  We weren't sure how it would go, but after a little trouble with some of us getting audio or video, we could finally see and hear each other.  We chatted about the last few weeks, and how were getting along.  It was so much fun we plan to do it again next week.  It's something to look forward to, and it reemphasizes the fact that getting together with friends for lunch is mostly about the friends.  The food is secondary.  My chicken salad sandwich and sweet potato were good, but not as great as seeing good friends that I haven't been with for a while.

Another activity that everyone seems to be involved in is walking, walking, walking.  I live in a isolated community, and I notice that everyone I see while out walking is much friendlier than ever before.  People I don't even know are waving and stopping to talk.  A walk that used to take 30 minutes will now take up to an hour, with all the stop and chats.  Of course we keep our distance while talking.  I see people out in groups of two, riding bikes around Ocean Hills.  Keeping social and physical at the same time.  Yesterday I played 9 holes of golf by myself.  Not terribly social, but good exercise. 

My Newcomers group is having our next book club on a Zoom meeting, and our next general meeting too.  Also, our congressman Mike Levin, is having a town hall this week on Zoom to talk about the coronavirus.

So, there's no reason to be a recluse during this time of social isolation.  With the age of Facetime and Zoom, there's no reason to be alone.  I've got lots of interesting meetings to attend this week.  Also, many museums now have virtural tours which you can take to keep you busy.  I'm a bridge player, and tomorrow Ron and I are going to play a three hour game at the club we visit in Phoenix, Bridge on Shea.  Through the magic of the internet, we are transported to the club and get to play all afternoon.  I can't wait to try it out.

Keep yourself socially active.  It's not what we're used to, but a new way of connecting.  We've got a way to go before this pandemic is over, so get involved and have some fun.  It may be a while.