[MsPerfectionist]

Viruses are a pain in the ass Do you work in healthcare?

Some days I find it difficult to see a "back to normal" in a near future. I don't want to be in alert mode every time I go somewhere. Not to mention I like travelling.

Ohh yeah the Amber Alert, all phones beeping and also alert on tv. I thought what happened. That bastard! I wish they caught him alive and then he can take responsibilities and all the consequences of his actions. It's sad, the kids died. What a tragedy.

[sunnykerr]

I don't work anywhere near healthcare. I come from a family of nurses and teachers and that taught me early on to stay away from those two fields. But I have a few not-serious-but-chronic health conditions that saw me spent a good chunk of my childhood in hospital. So it's a world I'm comfortable with and, because I'm surrounded by people who have been in that profession (pretty much all retired now), I know some stuff.

It's imperfect knowledge at best, really. But it's in my genes. Everyone on my father's side of the family thinks they're an expert on whatever topic you put before them.

I have travel dreams and one of them was always to go on a cruise if for no other reason than to see if I like it. So I do hope things do go back to normal at some point. I just think we may be delaying that normal by rushing back into things and creating new cases. They're saying now that the under-40s are the biggest group for new infections. That's scary!

I'm of two minds about what happened to that coward who killed his kids before taking his own life. The rational part of my brain would have prefered he was caught alive and seen justice. And I also firmly believe that death is the easy way out for a lot of people, especially cowards who start by killing their own innocent children. But, at the same time, I also don't believe we would have ever known what could possess him to do such a thing. So if he wanted to take the easy way out... I'm just glad it's over.

[MsPerfectionist]

ohhh i see. it surrounds you.

yeah i think we rushed it. things reopening gave the message to some people that we're fine when we're not. reopening was all about the economy (which i understand) but public health wise, 2nd wave was doomed to happen.

yep it was an easy way out. that is very common in family tragedy like these.

[sunnykerr]

I just wish there had been a longer period between the first and second wave. Like I said, to me, it really didn't feel like there was any break, really. Mind you, that's possibly because the one person I see semi-regularly is my cousin who takes me to my appointments and errands and whatever stuff that requires a car. And she's her mother's caregiver. And her mother is still going through cancer treatments.

So we're all on super-maxi best behaviour in all things.

I think that, possibly, part of the problem is that our economy hasn't adapted, not that it had much time to do that. And not that all jobs can be done from home. But we should be more resourceful where it is possible.

And it seriously shouldn't have taken this long for a government to realize that the health-care industry is in trouble. I could have told you that 20 years ago.

[MsPerfectionist]

your cousin is amazing.

adaptation will take time...the other day i was thinking hmm even when i find a job, if it's work from home, it'd be weird to not meet colleagues in person. there won't be an office life. it'd different if i worked with them already and then went remote work.

the health care problems have been there for so long. it just really blew in our face just now and made everyone see it for what it is. i luckily has only been hospitalized once but it wasn't a great experience.

[sunnykerr]

My cousin is totally amazing.

I've discovered just how much of an introvert I am in this crisis. It's been ridiculously easy for me to adapt to not seeing my colleagues or only seeing them in our weekly online meetings. I find it easier to concentrate when I'm not surrounded by people.

I realize I'm incredibly lucky in that regard. Of course, as soon as things go back to normal... whatever form that takes... I'll be worse off. That's certainly been on my mind.

We'll see how things develop. Right now, a return to normality still seems a long way off.

[MsPerfectionist]

yeah everyone is different. I've always been an introvert. I mean with colleagues, we don't always have things in common, seeing them at work is probably enough. Concentration...it's so hard for me these days. Living with my mom again has its pros and cons. I can't write with her around all the time.

Normal seems so long ago. Uncertainty is all I see for the time being.

[sunnykerr]

I never used to think of myself as an introvert. I talk to strangers easily. I don't mind public speaking (I don't love it either, but it's not a phobia of mine). I talk a lot, period. I'm not entirely sure when I started realizing I might be more of an introvert than I thought. But now I'm convinced.

The absence of people is way too peaceful for it to be otherwise.

I think the new normal's a long way off as well. My brother's employer has just let everyone know that there's a good chance people will be working from home at least until 2021. The head office of his company is in the United States, so there's a chance the other international offices will adjust to the local reality, but that gives you an idea.

And my own employers haven't said anything, but we're still in of one those office towers downtown. I have a feeling that, as long as Covid is around, we'll be working from home as well.

[MsPerfectionist]

The lockdown did one good thing at least . on serious note, it is by being in different situations that we learn more about ourselves. the pandemic really gave us a lot of challenges.

Yeah working from home is adaptation. it changes the workplace and the team work. The fact that is was so sudden made it harder to adjust. I can also imagine that some companies will cut on their expenses in office rent as employees are working remotely. When I was working in telemarketing, the company was doing exactly that and encouraged everyone to work from home last year.

[sunnykerr]

I did have some inkling before. I just thought I was more situationally introverted than not. But, yeah, the pandemic cleared that up for me.

I don't know if it's just me, but I feel like it's the bosses who are having a harder time adjusting to everyone working from home. Which is ironic considering they all could (and did, on occasion) work from home before. But, because of one reason or another, they've laid off some people (some permanently, some till things pick up again... whatever that means) and they expect the rest of us to both pick up the slack and do things that literally can't be done because of pandemic-related closures outside our offices.

[MsPerfectionist]

It's a spectrum like any other personality traits. Good that the pandemic cleared that up for you. I never had a doubt I'm an introvert. Younger I thought there was something wrong about me. I was trying to be more like others (extraverts). Now not anymore because I'm not them, they are not me.

It's sad. It doesn't sound like a "happy" environment to work in at the moment.

[sunnykerr]

It isn't. Unfortunately, this is hardly the time to go looking for a job... as you more than likely know.

Although, I know I'm not alone in feeling like that about where I work. So I suppose there is some relief in that. It's not just me.

Anyway, how are you? How is it like downtown these days?

[MsPerfectionist]

I feel like every day is the same. Downtown is full of people dinning out. They make Ste-Catherine (the downtown section) pedestrian only on weekends to help with social distancing. I mean it does help but still too many people out and about. All I do is avoiding people when I walk outside because most people don't care about distancing.

Good news today, I'll have an interview on Monday. Now I have to think about interview questions. hmm what would be a good way to explain why did u go back to a previous job? The real reason was I was miserable and preferred going back to my old job even if it paid less.

[sunnykerr]

I don't understand people. Now's so not the time to be dining out. Order in, if you must, but why take the chance?

And I suppose it depends on why you left the job you went back to in the first place, doesn't it? Otherwise, I'd suggest to say that you felt like a change and received a tempting offer, which made you go for it. But in the end it turned out to be something different than you'd be told it would be, so you went back to where you felt you could be of some use... or something like that.

I mean, what company's gonna say it's bad to want to evolve over time? That's usually what they pretend they want you to do. (Sorry, I've been told I've grown cynical. )

In what field is that interview?

[MsPerfectionist]

I know I'd rather not take any chances dining in. People seem to care less and also careless all together.

I was working non-profit social services for many years. I left to work for the government, still social oriented position. The pay was so much better (30% more!!) but I was miserable there. Real reason I left was I have concluded for myself that as a professional I don't have to endure a crazy workload that was organized badly with no sign of improvement any time soon. I can do the job but I was crying myself to work daily, that's how bad it was. So I went back to my old job for less money but happier. Later, I moved to Ireland. I returned home for good some months ago.

Now, the interview is also governmental but a different ministry. I can't just say it was madness at the other place . I've been thinking about an answer that I'm comfortable with and it isn't a lie without telling the whole truth. Something like: "At the time I was working there, they were going through changes and the complexity of the job made it impossible for me to focus on my personal projects."