If they are using the same list as Somerville, "essential" covers an awful lot of areas, for what that's worth.

I get to sleep on the lumpy couch and wake up at 4:30am in a rage about Matilda's school assignments.

Oh that sounds fun. Hang in there! (Do you know anyone who can lend you an air mattress?)

Have completed my pre-dawn raid on my cubicle. Spoils include a keyboard, mouse, steno pad, and 3-month calendar, a couple of pens, and my poor bedraggled plants. Zero humans encountered.

I was really glad we had some notice at my office, and they explicitly said the Friday was for getting ready for WFH. Of course, I still didn't get a monitor, but I have one now!

Just found out via FB that I now know 4 likely positive people. The 3 other than JZ are in NYC and cannot get tested because they are having mild symptoms and not elderly, otherwise compromised, or public facing essential workers.

Meanwhile, for those who want to see the blossoms but prefer not to go there, the Park Service has the live bloom cam.

Oh wow!

I've been coming in to the office - the only person here since I can't get internet access at home - and I am serving a purpose. People were supposed to forward their office phones to their cell phones but, of course, some forgot and one person had not completed the process. Meanwhile, I take in the mail and I've learned to process checks (which is all done electronically), so we're staying solvent. I'm also handling calls from people who don't know which individual they need to deal with - those I have email the responsible person. I'm going to the grocery store once a week for what's left on the shelves; Saturday I stopped by the grocery store and scored a pack of toilet paper (just one for me) and told my neighbors where they could get some. Otherwise, I'm not getting close to much of anyone ... which isn't actually all that different from my usual life.

Wisconsin is getting the stay home order on Tuesday.

I've been coming in to the office - the only person here since I can't get internet access at home - and I am serving a purpose.

That's great that you can do all those things! I believe we still have some people going in for things like checks, and an IT guy was definitely there on Friday, since he put the spare monitor in my office within like 5 minutes of my asking about it. But it's few enough that they are still distancing. I just hope they can all drive or walk to the office. (And they are giving free parking in the building to essential people! My job is good.)

So Dallas County, where the main office is, just got a shelter-in-place order. We're actually exempt - our software servers non-bank financial companies - but they're still putting all two of us here in SA on WFH. The setup seems to be working so far, but I think I'm going to go raid the office for a few things.

The TX governor is resisting making it statewide yet, but there are people advocating for it already. This is going to be weird for me, since most of what got me out of the apartment was work and shopping.

Health-ma to JZ, school-ma to Matilda, economics-ma to ND and his people. May we all come through this OK.

Most of my time the past week or so has been setting up people to WFH. One office of 4 people called to say that 3 of them could WFH, but one had no internet or personal computer. Umm, then she can work alone in the office! Call me lazy, but I don't want to set up a user for WFH who is so not into tech that they don't even have internet.

My time to set up people for WFH has varied from the moments it takes me to email them my written instructions for them to do it themselves, to hours of torture walking them through what a browser is and going from there.

DH has strep throat again. I'm overworked and grumpy.

I've seen the information about making masks; seemingly, Christian Soriano is mobilizing his people, working from home, to make masks. And, in Spain, one man didn't have a mask so he used what he had (video of him being stopped by police). Would have made an interesting mug shot if they'd arrested him ....

I should add that although I am overworked and grumpy I am grateful that I am in a business that won't be hurt by this crisis. Providing service to medical offices isn't going to be shut down.

I'm really worried about the number of small businesses being crushed by this, and the massive unemployment in the near future.

And I don't have to worry as much about health risks because we could get tested if we needed, and we have insurance and doctors. This is way too rare in our country.

Also, I have Buffistas to help keep me sane.

Truly I am blessed.