The Braley Blog

“Pete’s Daily Connection”

Maybe It’s Not So Bad

America is about to enter another week of social distancing and quarantining because of Covid 19. It’s been an incredible time with so many things postponed and, for the most part, I think people are changing and adapting.

Jimmy Fallon is taping a “Tonight Show” from his house starring his daughters as his wife runs the camera for YouTube. Comedian Jeff Dunham recently put out a video with his “puppets” responding.

I went for a walk today and noticed more people out walking or bicycling as a family than I normally do. It could be that it was just a nice day but I think they were getting out of the house and enjoying family time.

Katherine Bindley wrote a piece in the Wall Street Journal how more of us are actually calling each other instead of texting.

She writes: “At some point over the past decade or so, the phone call became the redheaded stepchild of communication. It’s been dubbed inefficient, interruptive, and even rude. But now, in the era of social distancing, people are using the phone again to call friends and relatives. What’s more, the people they’re calling are actually picking up.

Verizon says it has seen an average of 800 million wireless calls daily on recent weekdays, nearly twice the volume of Mother’s Day.

And we’re not just calling people more often, we’re talking on the phone for longer: AT&T says that wireless voice minutes on Monday were up 39% from the average Monday, and Wi-Fi calling minutes were 78% higher.”

We have people helping to make hospital masks, teachers going the extra mile and calling their students or hosting online get-togethers.

There is no church but my minister puts out a daily email blast that either features a prayer or some songs or just church news. I find myself looking forward to it.

There have been some nice changes that I hope we continue whenever we get back to “normal.” I fear that we will see some changes when it comes to business. I pray they all come back but I fear some small businesses will not be able to survive. I also fear that once corporations take stock of how they can get along with a smaller staff they may keep it that way. I wouldn’t put it past them.

I know it can be frustrating not being able to do the things you want to do or need to do. I’m still here in Virginia Beach and with shifts changing my daughter and son-in-law really only need me once or twice a week to play Grampnanny for my grandson. That’s why I’m here but I fear if I go home to Massachusetts I won’t be here when they need me or there could be travel restrictions by then and I wouldn’t be able to get back.

So for now I guess you should just enjoy those walks and maybe Family Game Night. I am enjoying the posts by some singers who can’t get out and perform so they’re offering free live feeds. You gotta admit, some of the memes have been hilarious.

Go ahead, use that phone or meet the neighbors. Take advantage of what’s been put in front of you.

One response to “Maybe It’s Not So Bad”

  1. Peg Britton Avatar
    Peg Britton

    That video was a riot! Thanks for the much needed laugh :>) And yes, I have always liked phone calls much better than a text or email…nice to hear a voice !

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