The New Yorker: Convincing Boomer Parents to take the Coronavirus Seriously
Recently we were all told to limit our travel, limit events, gatherings, practice social distancing. I think this was last week, but we moved so quickly from self-regulation to state government action. From universities being closed for two weeks to online teaching for the rest of the semester. To school closures and telecommuting and cancelling Broadway. From advice to socially distance to no gatherings of 500 people, 250 people, 20 people, depending on where we call home. From suggesting Americans limit their travel to imposed curfews. We’re in takeout and delivery only, and self-quarantine. A week ago, we were on the incline of the rollercoaster; now we’re descending quickly down the other side.
Like a lot of Americans, we’re at home. Although, to be fair, not everyone is heeding the warnings and at home, and we’re thankful for emergency workers, hospital staff, security, government officials, and of course spring breakers in Florida who continue the important cultural roles they play. Millennials like Brady Sluder who said, “If I get corona, I get corona. At the end of the day, I’m not going to let it stop me from partying” (Miller, USA Today). It seems the generation that coined the term “OK, Boomer” has a lot in common with the older generation. Both who aren’t going to be told what to do. One generation perceived not to know any better against a generation who should really know better. Maybe it’s more complicated. It usually is. We tend to despise, or at least be aggressively annoyed, by traits displayed in others that we see in ourselves. Or, it’s actually not that complicated. Maybe the Boomers don’t see themselves as elderly. I understand. As I come closer to 50, I tell myself 50 is the new 30. This is logical because I don’t feel close to 50. People who are 50 are old. And I’m not old. But where COVID-19 is concerned, 65 is, well, 65.
March 7:
When I read her text to A, he said, “Your mother knows she’s elderly.” I don’t think so. No. A looked up the definition, which was rather unspecific: rather old and being past middle age. We questioned Google in a different way: Who is considered elderly? to which the World Health Organization (WHO) said:
“Most developed world countries have accepted the chronological age of 65 years as a definition of ‘elderly’ or older person, but like many westernized concepts, this does not adapt well to the situation in Africa” (“Proposed working definition of an older person…”)
My mother is 68.
She is elderly.
But she is currently on Spring Break, in Hawaii.
There was part of me that didn’t think she would really go. But she said, “Since I can’t predict the future I don’t know. I try to live in the ‘now’ can See 2 sides to everything” (Text, March 12). Hello? Is Brady Sluder there? No, he’s at the beach, well until local officials shut those down.
March 18:
Yep. We’re in a pandemic, Mom.
HuffPost: Housebound Pet Owners Share Hilarious Cat Photos during Coronavirus Pandemic
It’s Thursday, and in Brooklyn we’re on our fourth day at home together. Our fourth day of trying to redirect S to a non-electronic activity - the television, the iPad, the Switch, an iPhone recording of her playing the Switch - while we’re on our computers, working and constantly hitting refresh on CNN, TheHill, HuffPost. Throughout the day the same stories reappear, repackaged, sometimes with more apocalyptic titles. It doesn’t faze us, mostly. Not because we don’t believe the seriousness of the illness. We do, but we’re Gen Xers. The generation who thought we’d already be in Mad Max territory by this time.
S and I scroll through #QuarantineCats and get a good two-minute laugh. S’s favorite:
CNN: CDC Approves Scarves as Masks for Health Care Workers
Really?
Refresh. We learn nothing new that’s helpful. Nothing that doesn’t contradict this is the new normal: the number of people tested grows, so do the number of cases; the number of medical supplies dwindle, so do the number of calls for action. Our questions can’t really be answered, and we know our questions are trivial compared to people who are losing their jobs, losing their clients, losing loved ones. Questions: When will the gym be open? When can S go back to school? When can S go to sewing class? When can we ride the subway and not feel like changing seats? When can we go back to normal?
On A’s Instagram there are pictures of children drawing, and baking, and making sculptures out of toothpicks and fuzzy pompoms. This is not S. S wants to know if after she reads for 40 minutes can she play on the iPad. S wants to know why she has to take a shower; she took one on Friday. Last Friday. To be fair, I can’t remember when I last showered. Not because I’m depressed or sick but being at home has made us sloths.
When my mother told me of her scheduled vacation to Hawaii, I didn’t think it was a good idea to go, neither did her husband.
March 7
I know I replied with “How exciting!”, but I couldn’t really say, “Hope you don’t contract coronavirus and die.” Could I?
YouTube: DIY Crate Storage Ottoman
If I’m not clicking refresh on news sites, I’m looking for a project, which is laughable given I have lessons to plan, assignments to grade, a book to revise, a house to clean. But I scour for organization ideas, creative headboards for S’s daybed, floor pillows, a wall tapestry. And the crate ottoman would look really cool in S’s room. I looked at crate sizes, and Wednesday night, it appeared Home Depot was shipping. But I couldn’t reconcile what the crates looked like even though there were measurements. I kept asking A which came first the height or the length. I even got out the tape measure. But nothing looked like Lise Luxury’s crates. And she gave the measurements. It wasn’t her. It was definitely me.
CNN: Gun Sales Surge as Pandemic Spreads
A says maybe we should get a handgun.
We’re not getting a gun.
Although late on Tuesday afternoon there was a thud and breaking glass. I looked outside of our bathroom window to the basement level courtyard (which sounds pretty and usable - it’s not) that floods when it rains because of the clogged drain, to see a man jump from the top step of a ladder over the fence and razorwire into the empty lot next to us. A neighbor two floors up and on the opposite side of the building recorded the theft of light fixtures.
The Hill: Police Nationwide ask Criminals to Halt Activity during Coronavirus Outbreak
S guesses, “People are still doing theft” and “Crime won’t stop even if you ask them politely.”
I guess it’s the same with traveling and eating in restaurants and seeing Broadway shows. We don’t like being told what to do, whether we’re old or young, or the Gen Xers in between.
A says, “You know we’re only on day four, right?”
Yep. I was hoping day 4 was the new day 14. Two weeks, right? That’s what they said.