Hey everyone…

It’s been a tough week. The virus is spreading throughout my state of Illinois and now Governor J.B Pritzker has issued a “Stay at home” order. This whole thing has been quite a roller coaster ride for all of us with no end in sight. I have seen a lot of people trying to quarantine themselves and stay home regardless of their commitments and their careers and plans. I know it hasn’t been easy for any of you and I am dealing with it the best way I can. But I was hoping that the stress of all of this wouldn’t stop me from being able to do the one thing that I love most in the world. Writing…

Unlike a lot of other people who have either lost their jobs or were forced to be at home temporarily, my job is on the Essential list so I have to work. Although it’s great that I get to continue my job, it still leaves me vulnerable to catching this virus. My faith makes me unafraid but there is so much news coverage about this that it’s on my mind constantly. It’s all anyone is talking about now and for good reason. Writing helps to take my mind off of it for a little while but if I can’t even do that…

I am in the middle of writing chapter 8 and I’m stuck. The book was flowing well until the threat of this virus came close to home. Having trouble buying groceries and toilet paper of all things, just because some people out here are so greedy and scared that they don’t care about the needs of others. All they care about is themselves and their own families. Well, the whole damn world is suffering right now. And we have to stick together in times of a crisis. We have to stick together when there is no crisis. But a lot of people seem to have a problem doing that.

I guess I should’ve known that I would get blocked sooner or later during this thing. I was just hoping it would be later.

It’s very hard to stay calm during an outbreak and for those of us who suffer from depression and anxiety, it’s going to be even harder. Every single day there seems to be more bad news about the virus, more deaths, more people infected, healthcare workers unable to handle the heavy load, supply shortages, food shortages, business closings, and school closings. Isolation and frustration because we all know the President and everyone in government is not being straight with us about any of it. All we know is that…we’re all fucked.

Unless there is a light at the end of the tunnel and a vaccine or a cure is coming. I’m going to be perfectly honest. I suspect a whole lot of people will die of the Coronavirus before a vaccine is available to the public. If that doesn’t scare any of us, it should. Because it’s playing Russian Roulette with all of us. We just don’t know who it will strike next. But we have to take this thing seriously, we have to take all of the necessary precautions like they’re telling us to do. Or this will never go away. 

I will keep trying to get my mojo back to write but it won’t be easy. Everyone who has to spend a lot of time at home should find as many ways to keep as busy as possible. It will help to keep those negative thoughts out of our heads while trying to keep up with the latest updates. And if there was any time to get closer to our families…this is the time. Don’t get lost in electronic devices, talk to the people you love the most. It really will make a difference in the long run because let’s face it, we cannot go through this alone.

Stay strong and stay healthy…