My Quarantine Diaries

Binge reading my favorite author's books

My days during the quarantine period have been very productive.

We never say we are bored staying in the house since there are lots of things to be done in the first place. It’s like every single day, we need to accomplish goals and I found myself planning what to do for the next day. Set aside tiktok and netflix for a while, here are the things that kept me busy:

1.       Household Chores

·         Having a two-story house isn’t easy to clean. With seven spacious bedrooms (dusting and rearranging furnitures and organizing stuffs) it’s impossible to finish all of it in one day. Also, it is not nature of our parents to just sit on the couch the whole day since they are always up to something, most of it cleaning. So as their children, we take initiatives to help. I need extra hand to get it done so I always ask my siblings to help me with the activities. These take the whole morning until lunchtime comes.

·         We take turns in washing the dishes as well. One has to sweep and mop the floor and another has to wipe the dishes before we watch TV.

·         As for the laundry, I and my sister do it every other day.

2.       Reading books

·         Being a bookworm, I made sure I allocate time for reading. I do this in the afternoon. I challenged myself to read as many books as I can. I’m more focused on books bought from Big Bad Wolf since I was impulsive in buying it last year. I just thought that this is the right time to make use of them. As of this writing, I am starting to read Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

Made finishing touches of my song compositions 

3.       Awakening my musical interests

·         I started tuning my guitar and doing song covers once again as my stress reliever. There’s always music whenever we wash our clothes too to take away boredom.

·         I completed my unfinished song compositions

·         I saw improvements in finding my vocal range. I want to be an opera singer!

4.       Rosary

·         Improving our spiritual life is essential. With the cases of COVID-19 rising, we seek intervention of our heavenly father with intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary to help us win this battle. We do this in the evening, when we’re done washing the dishes. I thank God that the whole family is participative where aside from reciting the rosary, we also offer our heartfelt petitions for humanity and for the whole world.

5.       Relax

·         Every once in a while we tend to rest and relax. Since I’m out of work, an eight hours of sleep is what I really deserve. With so much hatred and negativities in social media, I tend to cut down my internet usage and instead, I spend time with my family by watching movies or sharing jokes with them.  

·         Of course, I use Tiktok once in a while. I also watch Youtube and Netflix videos if I have enough mobile data. Of course, I’m reviving my blog site as well by writing drafts.

At the end of the day, I realized that things are worth it. Maybe this outbreak is an avenue to keep families closer together but again, I hope this pandemic will end soon and everything will be back to normal. After all, I still hope we can go to malls and enjoy outdoor activities before I fly to the US. I hope your quarantine days are as enjoyable as mine. Keep safe and stay indoors!

My random thoughts about COVID 19

In this vulnerable time where we face this catastrophe against COVID-19, we, as frontliners in this scenario are asking for your full cooperation in this matter. We can’t completely control this without doing your part. You should be part of the solution, not a burden.

It’s risky in our lives. While you were asked to stay at home, we healthcare workers are still reporting to duty, exposing ourselves, and testing the samples of what might be positive to the virus. It is our oath to use our profession to serve the humanity. We work in silence even though it goes unnoticed; no matter how infectious or deadly it may be.

Test kits may be limited but the government is exerting their efforts to order PCR-based and FDA-approved kits from other countries to facilitate nationwide testing.

Honestly, it’s new to my ears hearing these words such as self-isolation, extreme enhanced community quarantine, and social distancing, but it’s strictly imposed now and thus it should be practiced in our community to mitigate this disease.

I consider panic buying of surgical masks and hoarding of alcohols greed. Carts full to the the brim with hand sanitizers, soaps seem to be insensitive. Some don’t have consideration that others need it too.

Fake news is circulating everywhere so we should do fact check to credible sources such as DOH, WHO or CDC.

Elderly and immunocompromised persons are usually affected so it’s our priority to protect them.

Death tolls have increased worldwide resulting to lockdown of airports to help prevent spreading the virus. Thermal guns and scanners are so useful these days for checkpoint.

Sad to say, it has not only affected the health of others but the livelihood of Filipinos because most businesses are closed. Some do skeletal staffing which is hard for those people who are breadwinners.

I appreciate the country’s efforts in putting the people’s welfare by suspending classes and work and National Telecommunications Commission sending constant texts reminding proper hand hygiene and cough etiquette.

I just saw Bayanihan in this country, working hand in hand to reach out for those affected. I truly appreciate those companies who recognize our efforts by giving food packs to frontline health workers.

Churches are closed. It saddens me that masses are temporarily suspended on Sundays but in the midst of this pandemic, let’s pray that there would be fast discovery to cure.

Now isn’t the time to blame the government or worst, oust the president. Although, we are a nation with different perspectives, now is the time to show unity and solidarity. It is so dismal to see people rallying for delayed relief goods and aid. 

Stay at home and practice social distancing. Keep updated to the news and be informed to updates.

As a medical technologist, it’s an honor to serve. This is my profession. I’m no longer calling for hazard pay but donations such as the PPEs are appreciated to get through every single day. I believe we could put an end to this sooner. We fight for you, so please fight for us by preventing the spread of infection.