And then it happened.

It felt like a Saturday morning, but it was a weekday. Probably closer to noon. I passed through the first big intersection. The traffic was all wrong. Nothing I could put my finger on. Just the wrong cars, in the wrong place, at the wrong time. The air seemed cleaner some how, like it does after a spring rain, It had been raining, but that wasn't it. Maybe it was the quietness, the stillness, or just that eerie feeling when you know something was about to happen but the anticipation is much worse than the end effect  could be. Or could it?


And then it happened: Pandemic. The world shut down.

March started like any other March. I tend to ignore the media most of the time. I despise the over-glorification of the mundane,  the political rhetoric, the hatred. I haven't seen real journalism in years. It doesn't exist anymore. With that said, it was impossible not to hear about a new virus erupting in China. The city of Wuhan being shut down. A city of 11 million people completely shut down and cut off from the world... to contain a virus. While shocking to hear this, after passing through Wuhan Tianhe International Airport just one year earlier...twice, I completely understand how seriously they take these outbreaks. Novela Corona Virus was already on my radar by this time, but the closure of Wuhan was the first time that I took note of it.

  I was at a corporate training event on March 11th when the news announced the cancellation of the remainder of the NBA season. My flight down to Southern California the day before was only about 55% full due to concerns over the new virus. Things were already beginning to unravel globally. We had seen some business events cancel a week earlier locally. More followed suite. Then the NBA canceled. It escalated from there...quickly. Travel bans began to be implemented and more sports organizations followed the NBA by canceling the remainder of their seasons respectively.

The boys made it through the week to Friday the 13th, without their school shutting down, although we had anticipated it. It was the start of spring break. The next day, the school district announced that class was suspended through April 3rd.

  March 16th, the city of San Francisco issued a stay-at-home order essentially shutting the city down. That was followed by a six county (Bay Area) Shelter-in-place order. Sonoma County followed suite the next day, inadvertently extending the school shut down until April 7th. A week later, the school district extended the order through May 1st. The week after that, the rest of the school year was canceled and learning would move to an online format.

Melanie was laid off of both her jobs and became a home-school teacher overnight. Apollo and Orion had a hard time understanding why their friends could no longer come over for a play date. For the most part, Melanie and the boy's  have not been out of our neighborhood in nearly four weeks now. We are all still adjusting.

You find out quickly in these crisis, all the things in life that we take for granted. The everyday things, first world conveniences really, even the ability to go where you want, when you want, with whom you want. But its the social isolation that gets to most of us. The communal things that we all do together if even to be surrounded by strangers or acquaintances: the gym, church, movies, events. Its the interaction with others, that primal need to interact, I think we miss the most. And then we are suddenly thrust into a position to be surrounded 24/7 by the people that we love AND fight with the most. Its a cruel paradox.

 Fortunately, beyond the love I have for my family, I actually really like them all as well. Don't get me wrong , its not all sunshine and daisies around here. We make each other crazy at times, need a break from each other at other times, but for how isolated we have been from outside contact, interactions, and daily life, we are managing to get along quite well.

Am I scared of catching this virus? I guess I am, but maybe in a way that differs from most. My lungs have some issues that put me at a higher risk for it becoming life threatening. That doesn't scare me. What scares me is this; I am not done raising my boys. I would not want them to have to go through losing a parent and then coping with the massive changes that would inevitably follow.  I worry about the impending economic struggles that will follow this pandemic more than fighting the virus. All we can do is be safe and diligent and live day to day.

 COVID-19 has really changed the world more in a few short months than I ever thought was possible.

On a positive note, there have been many benefits to the shelter-in-place/stay-at-home orders. Families are being forced to spend time together, learning to get along with one another, preparing meals together, eating together, interacting as teacher and students.
The air has not been this clean in years. Not just here, but many places around the world. Oil is at its lowest usage in decades. The planet is probably breathing a sigh of relief.

 I have been able to get in some extra rides in between rainy days and work duties. The skies have been amazing to say the least. But it was unsettling the first ride after the initial shelter-in-place order was issued. Everything did seem off... because it was. As I passed through areas that I used to frequent, it was like reminiscing as you walked an abandoned town that you once lived in: "There is the club I used to work out at. That used to be a movie theater where I would to take my family. This is the school that my kids went to." All sit abandoned, their parking lots empty. Even the wildlife seems a bit confused by the lack of people and traffic.

Then, the town falls behind me, as I peddle on. The road stretches out before me, the clouds add depth and contrast to a deep blue sky. I inhale my medicine, feel the wind on my face, and distance myself socially from my family...for a little while.