Isolation 2020

[Boyd]

Where does your daughter live Boyd? Mine lives in Astoria

Mine too, but not in that kind of upscale building, LOL. My daughter is a bit older, but also moved to NYC right after college. It's funny in my family... my grandmother lived on a farm in Southern Illinois and my mother just couldn't wait to move to the big city of St. Louis. I was just the opposite and have lived (mostly) in the country. Then my daughter did the same flip-flop back to the city.

 

[Broke Jeep Joe]

Mine too, but not in that kind of upscale building, LOL. My daughter is a bit older, but also moved to NYC right after college. It's funny in my family... my grandmother lived on a farm in Southern Illinois and my mother just couldn't wait to move to the big city of St. Louis. I was just the opposite and have lived (mostly) in the country. Then my daughter did the same flip-flop back to the city.

Kinda the same here, may family is from Mcveytown PA which is a whole lot of nowhere! My parents moved to the big city of Burlington NJ LOL! I lived quite a few places in congested Jersey. I moved to Waterford Twp as soon as I came to my senses, still would like to live further away from people though!

 

[Boyd]

I doubt it, 911 didn’t change the population and this probably won’t change it either. Some will leave, but others will take their places.

True. But "exodus" was a poor choice of words on my part, I don't expect the City to empty out. If 100,000 people (just for the sake of argument) moved away, that would only be a rounding error on the NYC population. But it would be quite an impact if they all moved to the Pines. And Philadelphia is even closer to the Pines.

I don't think 911 is a good analog to this crisis however. It was horrible, and left terrible scars, but it was all over in a day and did not cause a third (?) of the US population to be locked down at home for weeks. We're being conditioned to distrust and avoid each other. Seems likely to cause some kind of lasting changes.

 

[46er]

I doubt it, 911 didn’t change the population and this probably won’t change it either. Some will leave, but others will take their places.

9/11 was an entirely different situation. It occurred in two places where no one lived. The pandemic is occurring where folks live, to next door neighbor's. There was a defense for 9/11, there is none for the pandemic. 9/11 brought people together, the pandemic is pushing them apart. There was no panic with 9/11, can't even find tp with the pandemic.

 

[Boyd]

Most of you will remember the fall of the Soviet Union, and one story that really captured our imagination was the shortages in the stores. We constantly heard about how they couldn't even get toilet paper. I wonder if that memory has something to do with the TP shortage now?

 

[bobpbx]

I just got back from Home Depot. It was unnerving. They are only letting 50 people in at a time. So, I dutifully stepped into the back of the line outside. Along comes a woman and her husband, within about 3 feet of my back talking loudly "what's that you say Doris, only 50 at a time? Walmart was not like that, they're letting in 200 at a time"! I stepped away from her a bit, and she move up like she wanted to take my place. Jeez. Then, one guy sidles up next to me in the store and starts ranting about a woman politician. I laughed at him and moved away, and he follows me for 5 aisles! He's saying "don't you want to know the truth?". I told him to back off and nearly told an employee to kick him out. All in all, I felt vulnerable, even though the employees were great, and washing down the screens after each purchase.

 

[lj762]

Regarding Home Depot, have you tried order online from home for pickup in store? My store has lockers in the entry area where you can pick up items - if they are small enough to fit. I've done this for items they have to ship to the store. If the item is in the store, then they should be ready for same-day pickup. It doesn't completely eliminate the risk - they might make you go to the customer service desk instead of lockers, and at the locker you might have to tap a code on the screen and "sign". But you avoid walking around the store, and passing people in the store, and paying in the store.

 

[bobpbx]

Regarding Home Depot, have you tried order online from home for pickup in store? My store has lockers in the entry area where you can pick up items - if they are small enough to fit. I've done this for items they have to ship to the store. If the item is in the store, then they should be ready for same-day pickup. It doesn't completely eliminate the risk - they might make you go to the customer service desk instead of lockers, and at the locker you might have to tap a code on the screen and "sign". But you avoid walking around the store, and passing people in the store, and paying in the store.

That's the problem, I needed a rake and and mixed paint. I had the color chip with me.

 

[Teegate]

I see many toll roads are eliminating cash and I suspect when this is all over we may see the use of cash eliminated in many area's. I don't have it but I guess Apple Pay and other services like that is the way to go. No need to touch anything but your phone.

 

[46er]

I wonder if that memory has something to do with the TP shortage now?

Perhaps, I am a bit more skepticle. Folks nowadaze are just worried about their own a$$.

 

[Boyd]

I don't have it but I guess Apple Pay and other services like that is the way to go. No need to touch anything but your phone.

The name for that is "contactless payment" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contactless_payment

There has been a movement towards eliminating cash on the toll roads for quite awhile. I think they did it around NYC awhile ago, and you just get a bill in the mail if you don't have EZPass. Have had EZPass myself since around 2006 (?), when I was commuting to Philadelphia every day.

I have Apple Pay, but there really don't seem to be many places here that accept it. Wawa has it, and one of the big drug stores. But Home Depot, Lowes and Shoprite don't seem to.

Bob - that sounds like insanity at Home Depot. Be careful!!! Can't you put your real estate plans on hold for a little while?

 

[bobpbx]

Bob - that sounds like insanity at Home Depot. Be careful!!! Can't you put your real estate plans on hold for a little while?

Well, I may have to. We'll see.

 

[Teegate]

I have Apple Pay, but there really don't seem to be many places here that accept it. Wawa has it, and one of the big drug stores. But Home Depot, Lowes and Shoprite don't seem to.

That may start to change after this is all over.

 

[Boyd]

Perhaps. In some other countries, you can use it up to a certain limit even if the store isn't enrolled in Apple Pay, and they have just increased the limit due to the crisis.

Contactless payment limit boosted in response to coronavirus - 9to5Mac

The UK and other European countries are boosting the contactless payment limit, to allow more purchases to be made without the need to physically touch ...

9to5mac.com

 

[c1nj]

I think I may have to go out today. Our last trip was March 14th. I know I could last a few more weeks but my millennial daughter keeps whining about avocados.

I have been really getting creative though and have been baking my own bread.

So far the oldest pantry item I have utilized had a best by date in 2017!

 

[RednekF350]

Stopped for milk this morning at a Heritage. I was noticing that there was no one in the store these past few early mornings so it looked like a safe place to stop.
Opened the door with one finger, opened the cold case with one finger and carried the milk to the register and out the door with one finger.

Went outside and cut off my finger. Safe !

 

[manumuskin]

Do away with cash? and the number of his name was six hundred three score and six

 

[c1nj]

Just came home from BJs. It wasn't anymore crowded than normal. Most items were available. I bought two weeks worth of groceries. I was on the extreme edge of stocking up but I didn't cross into hording. It is amazing how much food college students eat. My wife and I
aren't going to complain about the room and board portion of the tuition bill's anymore.

 

[Boyd]

Opened the door with one finger, opened the cold case with one finger and carried the milk to the register and out the door with one finger.

That's a good strategy.... for your next 9 trips at least.

 

[Toothy Critter]

Stopped for milk this morning at a Heritage. I was noticing that there was no one in the store these past few early mornings so it looked like a safe place to stop.
Opened the door with one finger, opened the cold case with one finger and carried the milk to the register and out the door with one finger.

Went outside and cut off my finger. Safe !

Then what did you do with your finger? Did you give it to someone?