Tag: shelter in place

Work Week #1 – Wrap Up

I haven’t read the news yet today.  Has Massachusetts upgraded from Social Distance to Shelter in Place?  That was the rumor going around yesterday.  I don’t think it makes any real difference as far as how we’ve been riding things out goes.  The only thing they could do to mess us up is restrict traffic over the state line.  That would be a major problem for us.  We live in Massachusetts.  The kids’ dad lives in New Hampshire.  We have to be able to travel back and forth.  I’m not going to worry about that today.

So how did the first week at home go as far as work is concerned?  It went okay.  Our upper management suggested we have regular check ins with our staff, and to have the group as a whole meet as often as possible.  We already do that.  Daily check in meetings for the entire group and weekly one on one check ins have been in place for a couple of years now.  I feel like I am way ahead of that particular curve.  My manager did not have regular check ins with his directs so he set up quick, full group check ins for every other day.

It’s all about trying to make us feel connected.  As it is, there are only two days a week when my entire group is in the same building at the same time.  We all telecommute, some of the guys telecommute twice a week.  We have a guy who works in a different building a couple of days a week.  On Tuesdays I’m the only one in the building.  On Thursdays none of us are in the building.  Despite that, I never got the sense that we were disconnected.  This week?  I felt it a little.  I can’t say exactly why, but maybe it was just something in tone of everyone’s voice during the daily meetings.  Maybe it was just me and I was projecting it onto everyone else.

Productivity didn’t go down as far as I could see.  For me personally, I spent more time with my hands on the code than I have in a while.  I did have one miscommunication with another group’s supervisor, but it was a timing thing and it had nothing to do with everyone being at home.  One quick email resolved it and all was well.  No worries at all.  I did have to shoot down a request from another group.  I brought my manager into the discussion, and he told me later that he fully intended to back me up, but a manager from another group stepped in and beat him to it.  I had all sorts of people agreeing with my downer of a decision.  I felt nice and validated.

That doesn’t mean the whole thing wasn’t super weird though.  Thursday is my usual telecommuting day.  This week literally every day felt like Thursday.  Even as I was signing out for the day on Friday I still couldn’t quite wrap my head around the fact that I wouldn’t be driving to the office the next day.  Today is Saturday and I still woke up at the same time I do on a work day.  That isn’t uncommon, but today when I woke up I had to wrack my brain for a while (0.68 seconds) to figure out what day it was and what I needed to do.

I am worried about my family’s health.  Not just physical but mental too.  I can’t control if any of us catch the bug, and statistically speaking it’s a safe bet that at least three of us will, but I can try and help with how everyone handles this mess.  I need to stay positive in the hopes that I can help to keep everyone else positive.  I can’t lose my temper… ever.  The stress level world wide right now is insanely high and am nervous that my temper’s fuse is now really short.  I cannot cannot cannot lose it.  I have to pay close attention not only to what I say to people, but how I say it.  I can’t snap.  I can’t sound pissy.  I can’t be anything other than cool and supportive.  Everyone is having a hard time with this and I need to be the rock, if I can.  Not The Rock because I don’t like wrestling and I really don’t like his acting, but just a rock.  Dig?

Okay, I am getting silly now.  It’s time to click publish.

  • Stay safe
  • Stay healthy
  • Wash Your Damn Hands
  • Keep your cool
  • Keep your focus at work
  • Don’t let it bring you down, it’s only castles burning.  Just find someone who’s turning, and you will come around. (N. Young, 1971… I think?)

Is Shelter in Place Coming?

Jen heard a rumor that Massachusetts is going to announce a shelter in place.  Unrelated, an email thread is going around work saying that we’re closing our buildings (most of them) at close of business today (that was actually decided a few days ago) but if a shelter in place goes into effect and you haven’t picked something up you’re going to be out of luck.

The kids just left for their dad’s house.  They don’t come back here until Wednesday.

I’ve been reading up on the things California and New York have set up.  The Governor of New York refuses to use the phrase “shelter in place” but California does not and the two plans sound about the same.  Whatever you call it, it sounds like you can still leave your house, there just isn’t anything to do if you do.  Does that make sense?  I have to assume that there will not be any restrictions that stop someone who has a joint custody arrangement with a co-parent from driving to the other parent’s house and picking up the kids and bringing them back to their house.

If that is somehow restricted… you can try to stop me, m’kay?

Happy Spring, at Last

Winter is dead, long live the spring.

And while we’re at it, hows about you go and choke on a big bag of dicks, winter.  You prick.

The forecast for the first day or spring is temps in the mid 60’s and a 74% chance of rain.  Pretty much the text book spring day.

California is telling the entire state to shelter in place (assuming the headline I read this morning is correct, of course).  New York is in a worse state than California and they have said they will not do the same (assuming the stories I read yesterday are correct, of course).  We haven’t heard anything along those lines from Massachusetts and New Hampshire yet.  No one I know is sick… yet.  Statistically speaking it’s just a matter of time.  As of yesterday’s state health department update there are 328 confirmed cases in Massachusetts.  The expectation is that there are probably more like 6,000.  At least that’s what they said yesterday.  The CDC count has the United States over 10,000.  I have to guess the real number is also much higher.

There is nothing we can do about it beyond the meager steps we are taking now.  We’re staying home, we’re avoiding contact as much as we can.  We’re trying to avoid going stir crazy.  Last night Jen and I got in the car and drove around.  We didn’t go anywhere.  We took the highway north a couple of exists and then took the backroads back.  It was nice to get out.

I am feeling disconnected from everyone outside of the house.  I sent some emails and texts and facebook messages yesterday.  I just want to make sure everyone is still out there.  They are.  All is well.

Just hang in there, people, and don’t forget to wash your damn hands.