Mental outlet (Co-Vid 19 edition) in Stuff

So, where I’m at. I don’t even really know where to start.

These are ‘unprecedented’ (word of the year folks!) times for sure. And it amazes me how vastly different it seems to be for so many of us. But as this is my diary, this is my story.

A while ago, the Australian government announced a stimulus package to help the economy through this pandemic. There’s almost been a daily update on what the latest is. Tasmania was the first state to close it’s borders (clever, being an island state) and gradually the rest of the state’s followed suit. Last I heard, the Victoria/NSW border was the only one still open but I’m unsure if that’s changed yet. Anyway, there’s been a lot of confusing information being thrown around, so much so that a flight of doctors from Chile landed in Sydney in the last 24 hours and decided it was okay to catch domestic flights home from there, despite the strict rules in place to quarantine in hotels for 2 weeks. The rules are that international flights can’t even go home! When police went back to check on the doctors at 7:30am, some had already caught very early morning flights back. I can only hope those from my state have since been further quarantined, given our border has been closed. But I won’t even mention the ship that docked in Sydney where the passengers were just able to roam free LOL. Christ almighty. I never really saw the appeal of cruise ships, but after hearing about all the gastro outbreaks and now THIS, I’m actually terrified to ever go on one.
Anyway, so this first stimulus package was directed at people on welfare. They all get $750 to spend on stimulating the economy.
Of course, my cynical ass went straight to thinking that money they will get will go straight to the black market and to cigarettes and alcohol. And of course, booze shops are considered an ‘essential’ service in Australia (because we’re a nation of pissheads) so of course that made sense ^rolls eyes^ (I wish there was an easier way to put emoji’s into entries when typing on a laptop here.)
So yay for welfare peeps, they get free moolah.

Then the second stimulus package was announced, which extended the government handouts to people more likely not to spend it on shit (cynical, I know, sue me) like Newstart and people who have found themselves out of work. Cue the massive lines of people lining up at Centrelink and people completely disregarding social-distancing rules put into place, all because the website crashed (surprise surprise) and nobody could get through on the phone lines. But of course, people were still told by the authorities “ring us, don’t come in” ^rolls eyes^

Cue the third stimulus package! The big one. Everyone who has lost their job will be paid through their employers/ex-employers $1500 a fortnight for six months, to help keep the business’ in hibernation, but still able to pay their employees. It applies to all business’ that have lost over 30% of revenue, or if it’s a $1Billion business, over 50%. It means that over 6 million Australians will be eligible for this payment - full-time, part-time and casual workers who have been on the employer’s books for 12 months or more.

Unfortunately, I’m not eligible for all three stimulus packages, as I still have a job, and the business I work for sure as hell has not lost revenue due to this global pandemic. Infact, people are accusing us of price-gouging, when in fact the truth is there just weren’t any specials last week (well, actually there were only three lol - camembert cheese) because we can’t keep stock on the shelves as it is, let alone if we put specials on anything. I have noticed however, that a lot of specials are returning to normal this coming week, so hopefully people will calm the fuck down. Limits are still in place on pretty much all items, except for tinned fish, most perishable items (except eggs and white milk) and a few other things. There are signs all around the store, which people still ignore.
We still don’t have hand sanitiser. I’ve seen it come in only the once but that was a miracle and of course it was gone in no time and we’re back to having empty shelves. Toilet paper is still the same. We get 5 pallots in at a time sometimes and it’s all gone in no time. I even stashed some over the weekend and a little old lady’s eyes lit up when I told her I had some for her. I think I will continue to do that because it sure as fuck beats being abused for not having any on show. I had to fucking HIDE it behind my back when I was bringing it out to the store to give to her, and then tell her to hide it under her other groceries. What a joke.
Plexi-glass screens have been installed on all the main registers and every second express register is out of order so that people have to stand apart. Marking on the floor encourage distancing between other shoppers. Announcements over the store radio remind people.

But I tell you what, after the seniors hour is over at 8am, and the door opens for everyone else, there is a stampede to aisle 5 (where the limited amount of toilet paper we get in lives). I’m sure I’ve whinged about this before, but social-distancing is a complete joke then. I made the mistake of being IN aisle 5 when 8am hit one day last week and I was sure I was a goner. It was nice knowing you all!
In amazing news, I somehow only did my usual roster last week! I started a bit earlier one day but that was it. Much different to the previous two 40+ hr weeks. I think I needed the break. I’d rather be at work as less as possible.

Anyway, I’ve calmed down a bit. I was a bit of a mess in the previous entry. I still think our government is so stupid leaving certain businesses still trading. I hear construction every morning when I wake up. Apparently that’s ‘essential’. A lot of people just don’t give a shit, and that worries me. I’m not going to ignore this whole thing, given the latest situation in Italy, Spain and the USA (namely NYC). It’s fucking scary. And our federal government has been very slow to action, confusing with the mixed messages and very too-little-too-late with the third stimulus package. Over 2 million Australians have already been fired or let-go from their jobs and now they have to contact their EX-employers to get their hands on the third stimulus package? Geeez.

Initially I was excited that I might be eligible for it also, but upon further investigation, I’ve realised that I still have to work for the next 6 months, and get paid LESS than everyone who is out of a job will be getting with the stimulus package. There’s so way with all this panic-buying that my workplace has been down 30%. In fact, it’s up 40%.
It’s a little bit depressing. Whilst I understand and am happy this will help out so many people, it just felt unfair to me. I was definitely having the Debbie-Downer’s last night, that’s for sure. I went for an alone-walk late last night to have a think about it, and I thought to myself, “I can’t be the only one feeling like this - there must be hundred’s of thousands!” I then started thinking of ways I can maybe get fired at work LOL. Hell, getting paid MORE to not go to work, potentially get infected by any of my customers on any given day, and getting to watch movies on a six month isolation-“vacation”? Sure! Sounds perfect to an introvert like me!
And then I felt bad for being selfish. I still have a job. I’m considered ‘essential’, and the most important thing - it gives me something to do. On my days off, I’m sitting around the house all day. I mean, I usually do that anyway, so this isn’t much different haha.

I gave Vish a call last night to have a bitch about it. It turns out he and his boyfriend were in the middle of a debate about it too when I called, so I was put on speaker. It was nice to vent to someone. Vish is in the same boat too and feels it is incredible unfair. I was asking him if I should punch an angry customer in the face and if that would be enough to get me fired, only to be reminded by James that I wouldn’t be eligible for that payment anyway haha.
We talked about Drag Race and a bunch of other things. I can’t even go visit them now because of the new ‘2-person’ rule.
I hope to God that my housemate doesn’t have any more guys over here, or I will not be happy. I let the one yesterday slide beause that was before the stricter laws came in.

Police were called to 900 house parties this past weekend in Queensland, according to the media. Nine fucking hundred. One of them was in my building. I had to close my window they were being so loud with all the swearing and such. Normally this building is pretty good, but they were going well past curfew. I hope someone other than me complained to the management. I’m one of those people now. Trying to follow the rules, being as serious about this current situation as I can. Only going to work and coming straight home. I was stunned at how many business’ were still operating in the mall last week when I went to pick up my new exercise ball (since I can’t go to the gym anymore). Even my friend Rhys was in his sunglass store. I didn’t realize that was ‘essential’. I guess it could be medical?
But the construction is annoying me. With this new stimulus package, I hope a lot of business owners can fucking relax and keep staff on. I haven’t had to go through that part of stress like a lot of other people have. I just have other stress, like feeling like it’s only a matter of time until either I, or one of my workmates, gets CoVid-19.

I’ve been binge watching too much TV in my hermit-ness. I was a crying mess after the latest episode of “Zoey’s extraordinary Playlist” LOL. And today I started binge-watching a gay Thai series on Netflix called ‘SOTUS’ and I’ve been in tears watching that also. And it is such a romantic show too. I’m thinking like, “Who AM I? Maybe I DO have a romantic bone in my body after all?” I am a mess hahaha. And then I started thinking about Kellen haha. Not that I can see him, nor him me. Only people who live alone can have one visitor nowadays. Lucky ducks.

I have a shitty workout set-up in my room, and I have to draw my blinds each time I want to use it because my neighbours directly across can see everything, even though it’s partically hidden by my bed which I moved against the window to make room. I try to do something each day on it so as not to go mentally crazy and to try and not get too fat during this crisis. It’s scary when the fridge is always within reach these days. I have an exercise mat, a resistance band (which I love because it’s so versatile), light dumbbells, push-up bars, an exercise ball and an ab-wheel. I’m hopeless at the ab-wheel though. I have to put my thongs on to use the exercise ball though because my feet just slip if I don’t. I have a shocking core. I do like that I can work out in just my underwear now though, so that is a bonus of this whole thing.
I’m getting very sick of people posting their workout videos on Instagram though - ERGH. We get it gays, you’re working out at home! I so won’t be doing that. I’m too self-conscious, and if it annoys me, it’ll annoy other people I feel. I don’t even like posting anything of me lately. I barely even write in here, but where else am I doing to get my mental outlet if I don’t?
I was hoping our landlord would message and say that we could have a rent reduction, but that’s wishful thinking haha.

I think that’s all I wanted to say for now. I’d say to keep safe but I think that’s common sense now. And if you’re not taking this pandemic seriously, then that’s up to you I suppose. This whole thing could have been a giant conspiracy theory, and boy oh boy have there been a lot of those thrown around. The last I heard is that the USA is suing China for $20 Trillion?

Also, I am thanking gay Jebus that Pornhub has made premium FREE during this crisis. Oh my stars, what a nice gesture to provide to the general public stuck at home all day. I’ve been taking advantage of it for sure and am amazed their servers haven’t crashed yet.

Anyway, cya next time when I need some more mental outletting.

Last updated March 31, 2020