Anyone feel like this is not really happening?

I go out in my garden, and then life is normal. I am afraid to go to the grocery store. Seeing empty shelves just freaks me out. I went to Costco today, and people looked frantic. I wanted some cookies and meat, and, while I got some meat, it was slim pickings. I just hope that the people that are "stocking up" will use all that they have before they go back out into the store.

I’m kind of feeling overwhelmed with all the plans I had made that are cancelled. A trip to DC, Disney on Ice, field trips, book clubs, piano lessons, parkour, ninja warrior, drum lessons, art class, museums, a NASCAR race, a NASCSR fan event, Ballet tickets, play tickets, lecture tickets, DH’s work. I love making plans. Now it’s just all gone.

I know it’s for a good reason. I am 100% behind the flatten the curve movement and I’m committed to staying home. But I’m allowed to feel sad about it, too.

Totally! And I've asked both daughters and hubby and they all feel this way too. Like we're living in a futuristic dystopian novel. I know it's real, but man is it hard to believe that!

This. I hadn’t gone out in a week. I wanted to check if there were clorox wipes and thought TJ would be a good option to restock some of my frozen items. I almost got an anxiety attack. Shelves are empty. The cashier at target let me buy just one box of tissues. No tp, no napkins, no canned soups or broths. Beans and rice at this point are wishful thinking. Most of the meat/chicken shelves at TJs were empty.

Being at home working all this week was ok. Felt kinda normal. Kids at home. Maybe like snowmageddon.

Empty shelves sent me into a tailspin. Why did i not stock up on all these missing things???

Then again, I hate hoarding.

I just hope everyone stays healthy. Don’t really want to see Italy/China like images here, but I know it’s coming

I keep thinking this is literally how it feels in the days before a predicted major hurricane. The forecast is there, but the weather outside is beautiful so it’s hard to focus on preparations (the calm before the storm), people are debating the strength or even potential landfall, and you have to discern for yourself what’s going to happen for hype to prediction to hyperbole. Then you hunker down and wait and stress and wait some more...and then maybe it’s fine or maybe it’s catastrophic or maybe it’s medium problematic expensive and headache level.
Corona Virus is a slow speed, global, natural disaster.

I’m feeling a little discouraged as well. Not sure that is the right word but the best I can come up with.

I went to target and Sam’s club and the stores felt eerie with the empty shelves (although I was able to get most of what I needed—I didn’t need many of the high need items). Then dh started talking about the baseball season and I feel like they are moving too fast to cancel or make plans for things that are so far in the future. The kids are upset and youngest DS has been very clingy tonight. He said that all of his classmates are worried but he isn’t...

I think part of it is that it feels surreal, and part of it is feeling like this is all just a shitshow. How will we know if what we are doing is working if people aren’t getting tested? We don’t even have a handle on how many people truly have it now. I think the low numbers being reported is leading to more apathy (if that is the right word). At least it is for me to an extent. What is the criteria for things resuming?

My boss also sent an email last night saying that they are trying to think of plans in the case that our services need to be suspended. Of course we wouldn’t get paid, so that is another stressor.

Yeah, it seems pretty unreal. Never dreamed it would get to where it currently is. Makes me wonder when things will get better.
Since my husband has a flexible work schedule, we are going down to Central Coast and renting a house on the beach. I think it’s the one safe place to travel to and not have to worry too much.

Yeah all of this feels so weird.

Santa Cruz closed all schools.

It definitely feels weird to me--i've been at a scrapbooking retreat since Wednesday afternoon...feels like forever ago because of how much has changed in just 2 days. I hear about the empty shelves, but assume they can't be here in Iowa, but people arriving after me have said it's happening. I never want to leave this retreat because it's so much fun & I get so much done, but this year I really don't want to leave this "happy scrappy" bubble we have here.

I’m sorry your sad. This sucks, and I’d be bummed about missing out on all that too.

Maybe you can do a virtual book club? My friends and are are doing one for this period. Our friend went to the library today and picked up a virtual book club kit. She got all of us the books today, and then we’ll discuss via phone or messenger.

This

I go around in shock that so many people are ok with what is happening. I feel like it’s the twilight zone.

ETA: only seven days ago I had plans to visit a friend which needed to be postponed a week. It is like the world has changed in that week. We now need to postpone our get together indefinitely, I will miss two theater performances and two trips and I don’t know when I’ll see several family members again because they have serious health issues and I don’t want to infect them. It’s bizarre.

I’ve been thinking this also. I’m older yet the youngest in my extended family, and lots of us have various health issues including a few with cancer.

Or the 1981 novel The Eyes of Darkness by Dean Koontz where he writes about a virus called Wuhan 400 crossing the globe in about 2020!