Pandemic Atlanta Lockdown - Week 19

Allatoona Lake

Summer is here - but we had to be extra careful to avoid human contacts due to the pandemic. Atlanta is not close to any beach. But at least some lakes are relatively proximate. The most remarkable one is Lake Lanier. We visited the Flowery Branch / Old federal day-use beach, which had a sandy beach by the warm lake's shore during the weekend. The previous weekend, we also paid a visit to the Red Top Mountain State Park and Allatoona Lake. On the way back, a quick visit to the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield. Although I like to roam around cities, I had to change my travel habits to avoid human contact this year.

This week was less productive. There were some blocking issues at work that I was trying to figure out. Besides, the pandemic, travel restrictions, and on-going lock-down with no end in sight indeed take a heavy toll on happiness, although I try my best to focus on work and remain somewhat positive. However, it is mostly an up-and-down pendulum.

Most positive messages that are shared in social media and elsewhere for COVID19 aim at those who live in their home country with their family, as in, "Although you are forced to stay home, you are with your family. Don't worry, you are at least safe in your country." But many of us have been involuntarily separated by the travel restrictions and the deadly pandemic. Besides, as most nations tighten their immigration, it is not very clear about the future in our host countries. One thing for sure is, COVID19 has crippled globalization and normalcy bias for the foreseeable future. It will leave a permanent scar on humanity, as I see it.

Since the grand "D" වලි of #SriLanka comes to a gradual peaceful end, I have decided to record my #lockdown songs in this thread. 🤣

Starting with a very popular classic teledrama song #女儿情 from #China (1986).

鸳鸯双栖蝶双飞
满园春色惹人醉。 。 。https://t.co/6Hw4mRjs7F

— Pradeeban (@pradeeban) July 24, 2020

Twitter is the only social medium that I use actively. I use it to communicate with my fellow humans. Although I also have a LinkedIn, I use it more like a CV, rather than a social medium. I don't use other social media. This made my Twitter use to increase, as it also has now become my major communication medium with fellow humans.

These days I frequently listened to some great Guzheng covers, as I stay home. They are nice to hear. No idea how time passes. But it goes on. We are in the midsummer, and that is good. All my hope is, this pandemic does not ruin our 2021. Hope for the best, but be prepared for the worst (?). I see these weekly posts as a tracker on time and a record for my future reference on how I felt during the deadly pandemic. Beyond that, I do not really see anything interesting out of it, at least from how I see this currently. These posts also mark the end of the week, together with the weekly virtual coffee hours that we have every Friday 3 - 4:30 p.m via Zoom.