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covid days : 23 April + weird reading

5:12a:
It’s too early in the day to read about quantum computing and edge computing storage but here I am blowing my mind to slush before the workday has started. Interesting reads though.

8:01a:
I forgot to mention that I got the DSWD relief package yesterday. The barangay tanod didn’t come back so I went to the barangay office and got it from there. We’re essentially ready for the 2-day total lock down in Sampaloc. Well, maybe we have to throw the trash at the barangay bin before the lock down starts.

1:41p:
It is early afternoon already but we have not opened the DSWD relief box yet. Maybe in a little while.

Well, we opened the relief box. There’s about 2kg of rice sealed in a plastic bag, and six canned meat — meat loaf (3), luncheon meat (2), and corned pork. I am not familiar with the brands so I don’t know how they taste like.

There are two large repair trucks in front of the house and it looks like they’re set to repair the electric main lines of the neighborhood which means the electricity might get cut some time in the afternoon or evening.

4:48p:
The repair trucks were here to just trim the trees whose branches were touching the electricity wires. They do that regularly in our area but this is the first time in a while that I have seen them doing it again.

There’s a flurry of activity as the day closes. There are a lot more motorcycles on the streets most of whom are either picking up or making deliveries. Tonight at 8:00pm starts the hard lock down of the district of Sampaloc. I wonder how will that be. I am in no way nervous or anxious. Just curious. I am near the edge of the district so I expect I’ll still be hearing vehicular noise the hard lock down.

8:11p
A thought just occurred to me that a hard lock down doesn’t equate to a holiday. Even if my district is on hard lock down and since I’m working from home I still have work tomorrow.

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covid days : 21 April : A Tuesday

7:03a:
I decided to exercise first and then have a mug of coffee. My sleeping hours have been longer these past few weeks maybe because of the quiet and the cleaner air.

I read that the lock down in Sampaloc is going to be for 48 hours. Two days. That is not actually long. I don’t know what that will accomplish.

I had a quick chat with an office friend. I wanted to see and check if they’re okay. We should check on our friends because they are … friends.

I remember reading that we have 17 testing centers but for our population. If we’re going to do mass testing there must be more testing centers and more labs to process those tests.

2:53p:
I am seriously thinking of getting pandesal.

4:24p:
I did get pandesal. And canned tuna. And cup noodles. So yeah, meryenda/dinner was good. But every time someone goes out, every time we go back, the shoes or slippers has to be disinfected and the clothes get shed and put in the laundry and the person immediately takes a bath. I’m not entirely sure that what we’re doing is correct but I sure makes us feel cleaner.

5:48p:
It is almost 6pm and the barangay kagawad has not come back with Mayor Isko’s relief goods. Maybe tomorrow?

It’s going to be dark soon and the quiet follows shortly after. I look forward to that part of the day when the blanket of hush falls on the neighborhood.

7:19p:
And the streets start to quiet down. There’s just this dog barking in the distance. It feels surreal though because it only gets this quiet in the province.

So guess it’s time to pack up the day.

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covid days : 20 April + education

It has been about five weeks since the quarantine. There is still work but working from home, although surprisingly exhausting, still gives one a little extra amount of time for other indoor activities. I wanted to keep my head on right and decided to learn something or maybe two. So I’ve decided to fire up DuoLingo again and restart my Japanese language education.

7:11a:
I just read that the mayor of Manila will lock down the whole Sampaloc area where we are. Shet. That is a pretty big space. Reports say, as of this writing, 7:06am, we have the largest confirmed infections in the City of Manila at 98 and a suspected 158 more. They have not set when the lock down will be. We have to change some patters and plans because the nearest market is outside of Sampaloc.

Ang dami pa ring makukulit sa Maynila.

9:09a:
Robin just came in from a supply run. Vegetables, shrimp, pork, garlic, onions, and some veggies. He’s optimistic that it’s going to last for two weeks. My estimates go only up to one week but let’s see.

I also read from one of my reliable Viber groups about a plan on a country-wide lock down but that’s only a planned lock down if things get worse. I truly hope not. Handling this Sampaloc lock down is difficult enough to take in.

10:38a:
Watching the a webinar about the R&D Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic. The speakers are from international bio-pharmacy firms. The vaccines are being developed and some even started clinical trials. They did estimate that the availability of the vaccine will be by the second half of 2021. It seems to be a bit long for me but I have read that normally it takes about 10 to 12 years from research to availability. So I am somewhat relieved to see that the vaccine to covid-19 has been extremely accelerated.

Plans for the immediate future (up to the end 2021) must be made. That is up to two years. I still have to wrap that around my head before I can make any solid plans.

11:26a:
I have to stand up and walk around and move every once in a while to avoid from stiffing up my muscles. I should set an alarm for that. I also have consciously lessened my caffeine consumption and increased water intake. I am not sure if that last sentence is good for my soul.

3:02p:
It is almost 38℃ inside the house. I expect it to go down in about an hour and I’ve been sleepy. I do note that I wet the handkerchief on my thrice and it dried on top of my head three times.

around 4:30p:
There was this kagawad calling on residents to come and pick up what the Mayor was giving out to residents in the next street. Just bring the quarantine pass. I go to to the next street and I was told the group giving away stuff was in my street. I go back to my street and the group says my quarantine number is listed but will receive our share in the next batch within the day so we wait.

8:03p:
Evening curfew has started. We waited and they didn’t come back. There is this feeling of frustration. Maybe tomorrow.

Exercises tonight were light. My left thigh still hurts but it is a lot better now. I somehow have to let it rest by not doing the full set.