Commentary: Looking Out Through The Thick Of It

We continue to live in our new normal.

Being (self) quarantined and practicing social distancing has caused some form of cabin fever amid the quest for answers from the powers to be. While our first responders and healthcare workers are doing their best with limited resources to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, we are doing what we can to maintain our health and dignity during these times.

For a number of us, reality absolutely sucks right now. We do the best we can by making sure our school-age kids are utilizing distance learning. We try our best to do our work from home, ensuring we are connected and keeping ourselves busy. We are also faced with uncertainty with businesses closing in the face of loss of customers and revenue due to this pandemic, along with glimmers of hope from governments helping to keep us afloat.

As I mentioned in previous articles, the automotive industry is answering the call to supply our first responders and healthcare workers with key supplies to help fight this virus. Automotive retail also has stepped up in being creative towards ensuring its customers that they can purchase or lease vehicles from the comfort of their own homes, as well as making sure their vehicles are serviced while they sit mostly idle.

We are doing our best to adhere to the orders to stay home, stay healthy, and staying sane. Social media is a link. So is the web. The latter has seen some incredible traffic jumps across the board. Victory & Reseda’s own traffic included.

We are connecting with others through these times. Our smartphone is not just for texting and using a messenger chat service. Or, using Zoom. They all help to keep us connected. So does a phone call. Obviously, the old AT&T slogan of reaching out and touching someone might not apply in this care.

With every event scheduled being cancelled or postponed lately because of this virus, what are we doing to maintain some equilibrium in our lives?

Beyond what this site had reported, we can always do a few things to keep us engaged while sequestered at home. Games, video chats, doing something creative, learning new recipes, and so forth – these are the things people have been doing so far.

What have I been doing?

Last week, I was creating new content for V&R. All of which pertains to the site’s ninth anniversary, including the origin story and a series of vehicle content from before this became V&R. That took a lot of brain power and broken memories to recollect. The penalty of aging, I suppose.

Everything else came to a halt. And, folks, that does not sit well with me.

A few days ago, things picked up slightly. I had a conversation with the managing editor of one of my locally-based outlets the other day about my relationship with the publication and my scheduled slot in a June issue of the magazine. Things are certainly looking better with this publication.

However, there is a lot of things to manage during this period of self-quarantine and social distancing. Like you, I have my ups and downs. I have my anxieties about making sure my environment is clean from any potential viral threats. Social media is also a source of anxiety, as well as distant hope. You could easily say that I should ignore social media at all costs. However, I work in it. It is the mouth I have to feed.

What is keeping me on the upside of things are the conversations I had with you – in particular, family and friends. Hearing your voice, reading your words, seeing what you’re doing online – they keep me on the right path. And, I thank you for that.

Temperatures are warming up here in the Twin Cities. There will be opportunities to let off some steam – to take walks and feel the fresh air outside my home. I do yearn for the days to get back behind the wheel to test drive some automobiles for this work. But, there are more important things we need to take care of and people we should support through these times.

To the healthcare professionals and support staff who are on the front lines, you are in our thoughts constantly. You have a tougher job with this virus compounding care for all of your patients. I hope you do get what you need to stay safe and deliver the care that will help us all through this pandemic.

To our first responders, grocery store employees and management, pharmacy staff, restaurant workers, delivery drivers, and those of you working in the automotive industry right now – you are also in our thoughts. With you out there taking care of business, we can rest assured we can move forward when this is over.

We need to move forward, even when we’re staying in place.

Photo by Randy Stern