Synaptic Snaps, Crackles & Pops

Home is where the Web is

September 12 Prompt: What part of your life has been disrupted the most by the stay at home orders? What have you done to adapt to spending more time at home?


I suppose the lessening of opportunities for travel has been the biggest change. I've taken a few trips, but had plans for longer ones that never came to fruition. The manner in which I travel has changed, as well. I used to just call my buddies at Enterprise and arrange for a little car that gets great gas mileage, toss in a small bag with a change of clothes and some snacks, and head out. Since the pandemic started, I've expanded my gear to include enough cleaning supplies to outfit a good-sized janitor's closet: a box of nitrile gloves, a canister of disinfectant wipes, a packet of disposable masks. I also take along a sleeping bag and a mat to lay it on, just in case my overnight location looks sketchier than I'd like. Now, maybe you're thinking, "But, you're still traveling, right?" This is true, but it's nowhere near as often as it could have been, nor to nearly as many places as I would have liked. Trying to coordinate and keep track of the various restrictions in the neighboring states is more trouble than I'm prepared to deal with.

So, I believe the additional time at home is part of the reason I'm involved in more groups and activities than I think would otherwise be the case. It sounds like I'd be gone a lot, but that's not entirely accurate. The other part of that equation is that I've found that "Free Wi-Fi!" doesn't always translate to internet access; strange, but true. I could always skip entering a contest whose deadline fell within the parameters of my trip, but I'm reluctant to trust in internet access when I have "responsibilities" on site (keeping up with this blog, for instance).