Things I’ve learned during this time of semi-isolation and social distancing:

  1. Even though I’m not as busy with work related tasks, I still seem to be very busy and haven’t accomplished everything on my “honey do list.”
  2. Friends still die during this “stay-at-home” period, not from the coronavirus, and then you can’t attend their funeral because the attendance is limited to only a few close family members.
  3. People who are not very tech savvy have been forced to watch church online, and meet with friends or workmates through online meeting platforms.
  4. All of us have become more familiar with online meetings than we ever wanted to be.
  5. Friends have surgery and then you can’t visit them in the hospital, because of the coronavirus precautions.
  6. My back eventually tells me when I’ve done too much yard work.
  7. While my wife was out of work, and we both had more time to eat breakfast at home, we ate less cereal, and went through a whole lot more eggs and bacon.
  8. Although our income has been down, so have our expenses, as we just haven’t been able to go anywhere or do anything.
  9. This would have been a great time to travel, since we didn’t have to work, and the gas prices have been so low, but we were told it’s not safe to travel.
  10. Watching church online is not at all like being there in person.
  11. Many churches who have never “broadcast” their services, had to learn real quick how to live stream on Facebook or YouTube, and that’s a good thing.
  12. The title “Chef Jeff” has become quite appropriate, as I have prepared on average, 18 out of 21 meals per week.
  13. Walking around my neighborhood isn’t so bad.
  14. I call friends and family a lot more often…. than they call me.
  15. No matter how many shows and movies we watch on our DVR, it’s still 90% full.
  16. Although restaurants have re-opened, eating out requires some planning and patience. Not all restaurants offer dine-in yet, and those that do, have limited seating and limited menus.
  17. Burping while wearing a face mask is truly an unpleasant experience.
  18. The lack of sports is not something we can all get used to, nor do I want to.
  19. We don’t typically eat out very often, but we sure did miss the experience of enjoying a nice meal at a restaurant.
  20. The Korean Baseball Organization is kind of fun to watch.
  21. I don’t really need a ball washer or water cooler on every hole of a golf course, but an open restroom and a score card would have been nice.
  22. Before this shutdown, I would drive on the Broken Arrow Expressway an average of eight times each week, but went six weeks without even looking at an on ramp.
  23. My business-related miles on my car for the month of April was 0.
  24. Some things will never be the same again. Some of that’s good, but I can’t say that about everything.
  25. This isn’t new, but no matter how bad we thought we had it during this time, there were other people who had it worse.