Article about Seattle's (and everyone's) Coronavirus Affected Sadly Changing Habits (spring break, how much)

[homesinseattle]

Article link here: https://crosscut.com/2020/03/how-cor...borhood-stroll

"Seattle is experiencing a rush of new dance crazes. There’s the dodge-and-dart, the crosswalk boogie, the alleyway do-si-do. Many of us are trying to master these agile moves as we stroll along, and pronto. As the coronavirus multiplies around and among us, ambling in the fresh air is one of the few pastimes sanctioned outside our homes. Battle shopping at local supermarkets? Necessary, but no fun. Defensive waiting in long drugstore lines for a prescription? Please, deliver me from that.

Hallelujah, for strolling! I love being able, even encouraged, to walk daily in the great outdoors, rain or shine, now that most fraternizing has been reduced to Facetime calls. I dwell in a beautiful city and a neighborhood (the U District/Ravenna) with many scenic places to saunter. But in our current state of medical alert my jaunts ain’t what they used to be. Now my routes are planned carefully. Journeys on foot require vigilance, at times complex choreography. Most of all they demand heightened sensory and spatial awareness — dynamics that change the way I perceive others when we’re all out and about, together but separate.

The French (of course) have a great term for someone who wanders at whim: a flaneur, meaning a stroller, a lingerer, a dawdler. No more flaneuring for me these days. No more impulsive window shopping, or dropping by bookstores or the library or Scarecrow Video to browse on a whim. No more spontaneous lunch invitations to meet for a pancake brunch at Portage Bay Café or blueberry waffles at the Sunlight Café.

Now I’m only taking routes with the least amount of foot traffic and the best odds of avoiding, well, anyone up close. A side effect: My no longer carefree walks are fueling a rising level of distrust. I can’t always believe what friends tell me about which parks or paths are uncrowded or even open to the public. Nobody is trying to endanger me, but the situation is (as government officials keep telling us) “fluid.”

[Ruth4Truth]

Interesting. An article in yesterday's paper in Santa Fe, NM, talked about how much everyone's going out into nature outside the cities. No mention of dodging other people heading to city parks. I guess during this winter-to-spring transition time, getting out to hiking trails or regional parks isn't practical, weather-wise?

And closed parks? Why would parks be closed? I guess with some, like Ravenna and Carkeek, that only have one or two trails through a canyon, it's too difficult to dodge other walkers? Interesting logistical issues are emerging...

[flyingsaucermom]

Meh.

I was just thinking earlier this morning that for me these times are largely "business as usual". As an introvert with significant repulsion towards humanity I've been distrusting and social distancing from others since the 90's (!).

And I'm no spendthrift like the author either. I'm not moaning about all the ways I can't spend money right now. Instead I am following CNBC (hourly? Is that too much) and hanging out with the folks in the investment forum and trying not to jump when I hear the word "BLOODBATH".

[Diana Holbrook]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

And closed parks? Why would parks be closed? I guess with some, like Ravenna and Carkeek, that only have one or two trails through a canyon, it's too difficult to dodge other walkers? Interesting logistical issues are emerging...

Maybe it's that if they are open, they require staff to handle supervision and law enforcement, and cleaning and removal of garbage.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by flyingsaucermom

Meh.

I was just thinking earlier this morning that for me these times are largely "business as usual". As an introvert with significant repulsion towards humanity I've been distrusting and social distancing from others since the 90's (!).

And I'm no spendthrift like the author either. I'm not moaning about all the ways I can't spend money right now. Instead I am following CNBC (hourly? Is that too much) and hanging out with the folks in the investment forum and trying not to jump when I hear the word "BLOODBATH".

I'm kind of with FSmom on this; I normally spend a lot of time reading, researching stuff on the internet or emailing friends or chatting on the phone. I still find myself going out to appointments, to pick up food or pharmacy supplies (I guess we're supposed to be stocking up on antihistamines, Tylenol, cough remedies, etc., in case we get the crud?), and such.

The only significant change is not being able to go out for a restaurant meal, or drop into a bookstore, and such. I did go to my local Chinese restaurant last night, to get some dinner to take home, and I've never SEEN them so busy taking phone orders! The phone was constantly ringing (TWO phone lines, actually!), and people were coming in the door and waiting for their pickup, trying to maintain the required distance from each other. One guy brought his adult son, and they were visiting with the owner, not observing the 6-feet rule.

I have no idea what's going on at other restaurant venues, but if they're doing half as well as the Chinese restaurants, they should pull through ok. I guess a lot of people like Chinese! And this was on a random middle-of-the-week evening. For Friday & Saturday nights, they might have to hire extra receptionists, lol.

[homesinseattle]

Imagine the calm conversation between a couple of old time 80 year old Scandinavian-Americans in Ballard delivered in a "still Norwegian after all these years" accent. "Lars, dee guvener Jay Eenslee sed vee gotta stee seex feed apurt fur social deestancing". "I dunno Einar, nut doin eet, dat's mooch cluser dan vee nurmally stand".

[flyingsaucermom]

Originally Posted by homesinseattle

Imagine the calm conversation between a couple of old time 75 year old Scandinavian-Americans in Ballard delivered in a still Norwegian accent. "Lars, Jay Inslee said vee gotta stay seex feed apart fur social deestancing". "I dunno Einar, not doing eet, dat's much closer than vee normally stand.

haha! That was funny, Homes!

[elkotronics]

Imagine the calm conversation between a couple of old time 80 year old Scandinavian-Americans in Ballard delivered in a "still Norwegian after all these years" accent. "Lars, dee guvener Jay Eenslee sed vee gotta stee seex feed apurt fur social deestancing". "I dunno Einar, nut doin eet, dat's mooch cluser dan vee nurmally stand".

Hee-hee, good one, homes!

[Kayela]

And closed parks? Why would parks be closed? I guess with some, like Ravenna and Carkeek, that only have one or two trails through a canyon, it's too difficult to dodge other walkers? Interesting logistical issues are emerging...

The governor finally had to close the parks, school playgrounds, and trails because people were flocking to them and not being very distant. Some spots looked like a FL beach during spring break. If we were more responsible about observing current restrictions while using them, then perhaps such a drastic step might not have been necessary. Too bad really - fresh air is great for mental and physical health. That said, I'm not sure how strictly it's being enforced.

Imagine the calm conversation between a couple of old time 80 year old Scandinavian-Americans in Ballard delivered in a "still Norwegian after all these years" accent. "Lars, dee guvener Jay Eenslee sed vee gotta stee seex feed apurt fur social deestancing". "I dunno Einar, nut doin eet, dat's mooch cluser dan vee nurmally stand".

HaHa!! Awesome Homes!

[flyingsaucermom]

Originally Posted by Kayela

The governor finally had to close the parks, school playgrounds, and trails because people were flocking to them and not being very distant. Some spots looked like a FL beach during spring break. If we were more responsible about observing current restrictions while using them, then perhaps such a drastic step might not have been necessary. Too bad really - fresh air is great for mental and physical health. That said, I'm not sure how strictly it's being enforced.

Not enforced.

I woke up at 6am yesterday and took my son to practice goals on our local fields. Another mom showed up at 7am to make her daughters run.

Later in the day my husband noticed a few families out there, safely, so he took my son for another round of goals in the afternoon.

He said a police car drove by but didn't do anything.

Today the city closed the gates to the park, but people are still using the fields as they have been the last few days (a few families or singles at a time). I let my son go alone this afternoon because it's raining and chilly. Nobody except the die hard athletes go to the fields in this weather.

The playground equipment does have yellow tape. I've seen a few parents with preschoolers approach them, but in every case the kid recognizes it's a no-no and toddles off to somewhere else.

I'm really hoping we can keep the activity at this level. The rainy, chilly weather this weekend should help.