Rice and beans, day 73: what I miss

I heard a podcaster (Gretchen Rubin, I think) suggest making a list of things you miss in the quarantine, so here goes.


  • Public transportation
    Some buses are still running, but I think we're still supposed to be saving them for essential trips. Since I can accomplish all my essential activities within walking distance of my apartment, I haven't been on a bus since February 27. I miss being able to jump on a bus and visit another part of San Francisco, and I miss being able to walk until my energy is drained, and then take a bus home. 
  • Movie theaters
    Yes, we can watch movies at home, but I miss being part of a crowd that's reacting to the same story unfolding.
  • Sipping a cappuccino in a real cup while reading and people watching in a cafe
    SF has so many great cafes and coffee shops. Or should I say, had?
  • Libraries
    I am grateful for my library's ebook lending program, which is keeping me nicely stocked in reading material, but there are some books I want to read that my library only has in physical book form (book two of Robertson Davies's Deptford trilogy, I'm looking at you). And, I find physically browsing through the shelves to be far more satisfying than browsing ebooks.
  • Little Free Libraries
    These were great both for passing books on (shelf space is limited in our apartment) and for picking up new reads. Honestly, I'm not sure what the current thinking is about the risks of transmitting the virus on books. This might be a case where I am being more strict than I have to be.
  • Going to a store and taking my time making my selections
    In an attempt to avoid buyer's remorse, I tend to mull over purchasing options. Now that every minute I'm inside a store feels both risky and selfish (because someone else might be waiting to get in), I have to select products more quickly, which I find stressful.
  • Being able to pick up an item, read the label, and then put it back
    Once I touch it, I feel I have contaminated it and have to buy it. Which is tricky when the price stickers (on the bottles of wine, for example) are not visible.
  • Communal meals
    Coffee hour at church. The pizza dinner at game night. Treats brought into work. Sharing a meal is a deeply meaningful ritual for humans. There's a reason why the most sacred ritual in Christianity is the sharing of bread and wine. 
  • Hugs
    In the pre-COVID-19 world, hugs were standard greetings at both work and church. Humans need touch, and even though I am lucky to share a home with two people, so I'm not devoid of touch, I miss that level of contact. Maybe in phase 7 of the reopening?
  • Conveyor-belt sushi, and buffets
    Even when restaurants open, it's hard to imagine feeling comfortable pulling a plate off the conveyor belt, or frequently a brunch buffet. 
  • Being able to bring my reusable bags and my rolling cart to the store. 
    Not only do I feel guilty about the plastic bags I'm bringing home and tossing, I can buy fewer things per shopping trip if I am limited to what I can carry with my two hands. Sometimes I make Youngest Kid wait outside the store with the rolling cart, so I only have to be able to stagger out of the store, but it still limits how much I can buy.
  • Museums
    We've been pretty good about taking advantage of the cultural options here in SF, but there are still a number of museums we haven't been to, or that we've been to for special exhibits but haven't yet seen the regular collection, or that have a collection extensive enough to warrant two visits. 
  • Petting dogs. Especially puppies and Golden Retrievers. 
    We love dogs, but don't currently have one, and we enjoy petting other people's puppies when we get the chance. Before the pandemic, we were not above lurking around the edges of the dog park to increase our petting opportunities. Between needing to stay six feet away from the owners and concerns that the virus might live on the fur long enough to transmit it to the next petter, we've been abstaining.
  • Collaborating in person
    Yes, virtual meetings are a marvel. Yes, even when I'm in the office, I spend most of my day on WebEx. But I had finally gotten to the point where the designers in the office with me were working on the same projects as me, and I was looking forward to fewer virtual meetings, and more in-person ones. 
  • In-person church
    I feel very blessed that my congregation has held streaming church services every Sunday of the quarantine, and it works relatively well. But I do look forward to being surrounded by my fellow attendees and hearing the choir processing in.
  • Travel
    From spring break in Oaxaca to Vermont for a week in the summer to a trip with my sister-in-law to an undetermined location this fall to quick trips to Oregon and Utah to visit relatives, I had a lot of travel planned this year. I'm trying not to think about the holidays.
What are you missing?

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