COVID-19 - On the Ground

[DCHawk1]

Be well, Vega.

[Deleted User 307]

You as well DC.

[TDub]

Hears to a swift and full recovery vega. Hope you got what you need and youre ok. As DC said, be well.

[Deleted User 141]

I've been in the restaurant industry for most of my life. Recently, I've been out of any kind of restaurant and been doing delivery through a myriad of 3rd party delivery services. Door Dash, GrubHub, Postmates, another local one here. I'm signed up for Amazon Flex to deliver packages, Uber/Lyft. I'm a gig worker.

Uber/Lyft---lots and lots of reasons they are in immediate trouble. First and easiest to see is that Airport rides are by far the most lucrative, and those are going to mostly dry up. Then, the bars and restaurants are closed, so people don't need rides home or where ever b/c they aren't intoxicated. It's a mess. But, in addition to no income, there is no insurance/paid sick/leave time/anything, as every single driver is an Independent Contractor. So, no safety net if there ends up being one for many there, in a traditional sense. And, I'm curious, if any net does extend here, how is income determined? If by tax returns, lol. The only reason, and I mean ONLY reason that this type of work is sustainable is bc of all the tax write offs to keep the rates way lower than they need to be to be profitable for both company and driver. I've laughed at post after post about 'surge' rates (which are ridiculous, yes), and experienced first hand how shitty a good percentage of every type of traveler is when using these services.

Amazon Flex-- I don't know, I've never delivered for them, but it's in my back pocket if I need it. I do know, that there are usually between 15-20 "offers" available for me to select when I look at app (about once a week up to now). Right now, there have been 0-3 the 4-8 times a day I look. So, more and more people displaced already from work looking here to earn income. Again, this is part of these jobs all being independent contractor positions. It's a free for all which generally works, but for people such as myself (and countless others), it's been a steady, fairly predictable income.

Food Deliveries--- this is pandora's box and where I'm most conflicted. It's also what I do the most, so I see the most.
Just yesterday I saw:
1. A line out the door at the weed shop about 30 deep. I laughed. The heart wants what the heart wants.
2. A group of 15-20 co-eds playing beer pong in a close group. They were outside, as it was 65 degrees, but still not the type of activity being recommended at the present time.
3. Restaurants have a "timer" in many cases, or a time listed by the app that says when the food will be done. I generally "multi-app", so I'm picking up your food with others anyway when I can (I don't drive from one side of town to the other, but I definitely create many straight lines with the offers sent to me to maximize earnings, and it's how I do well doing this.) I should assume food is ready when stated, but even yesterday, many places it was not. Better than before, for many reasons, but right now, it absolutely needs to be ready when stated. I want to get in, get out. Have as little contact as possible. That sucks, but that's the reality.
4. There is a no-contact delivery option. PICK THIS IF YOU CHOOSE TO GET FOOD DELIVERED. It reduces contact, which reduces interactions, which reduces spread (potentially), which would reduce needs in other areas. This is common sense to me, but more people still chose in person delivery. Oh, update your apps if this option does not show up. It'll be in the update. I believe all deliveries should be no contact at this point. It just makes business sense. I realize businesses worry about their appearance, or letting the customer have their say in the experience (one of emails I got from businesses stated: 'we are still going to let you have the customer experience you choose'. No. Create a customer experience creates the best environment for the most people. Meeting face to face is not essential ever in this, but right now especially. So what if the 'experience' is lessened. Cook your own food.
Again, I believe all deliveries should be 'no-contact' right now. Just select this. And thanks for supporting restaurants still. Yesterday was pretty busy. And people were generous. But, I want your tips in app. Money is dirty. Really dirty.

There is more, a lot more, I could type, but this is already a lot longer than most will probably read, so I'm ending this here. I might keep a list of things I see today and report again this evening. Although, I might not working too long, as we are expecting a blizzard along the front range starting pretty soon here.

Everyone else that has posted their stories and how they are being impacted, good luck, I get it.

[Deleted User 141]

Vega, saw your post after I typed my stuff. Good luck man, keep us updated as you feel the need/want.

[CrimsonNBlue]

Yep. Its a little comedy relief in a dark time. Haha.

I would think the one goddamn thing we could all agree on is that we don't want to overload the health care system.

Requiring a doctor's note goes against what literally everyone is recommending and just plain common sense.

[Deleted User 307]

Vega, saw your post after I typed my stuff. Good luck man, keep us updated as you feel the need/want.

Thanks all. Also, no need to clog up the thread with well wishes on my behalf. I was just giving my experiences.

I feel like I got through the worst, peaking at Monday. Now it's mostly discomfort. I was never worried, and didn't want to leave the house on chance I am contagious. Especially since things are strained at hospitals in New York right now. My coworker has three sisters, all nurses, all at different NYC hospitals. I haven't checked in this week, but last week, the hospitals were slammed. I can't imagine this week.

[defixione]

There is plenty of parking on Mass St. right now, maybe 25% of the spaces are taken and the lots on Vermont and New Hampshire are pretty much empty. Outside of the older couples doing their daily walks with their dog, an occasional jogger, or homeless youth, Mass St. is dead.

I usually have three or four construction jobs going but at my age (18 months from retirement) and the time we've spent working on our recent purchase of 'retirement' property in Colorado, I'm fortunate that I only have one major job and it's in the trim out stage right now. That means I can go to the job site twice a day, stay 6' away from my carpenters and wash my hands before getting back in my truck. My wife has been the Visual Merchandiser for Weaver's for the last 27 years and she works her own schedule, after the store closes. This was a level of relief for us, prior to the virus being confirmed in Lawrence, but now that we know it's here and Weaver's refuses to close their doors, we've become more anxious.

My son is finishing his Junior year at KCAI and they just shut down the entire campus for the rest of the semester and will proceed with online classes (how does that work at an art school?). He stays in property we own just east of the Nelson Gallery but he's decided to stay with us through the height of the virus outbreak.

We're all cozy and warm and 'safe', but anxious as hell. I think this is the most surreal moment in my life and feel like a character in a never ending horror movie.

Everyone stay well, and as a plumber friend told me this morning, "everytime you wash your hands, you keep a gun holstered."

[shindig]

This whole thing is surreal. I mean you have to get out to buy groceries (or have it delivered I guess). But, like Monday I went to Brookside Barkey to get dog food and it was very low on pet food. I ended up spending over $200 just to make sure I had a enough food for my boxer for the next month. Now I'm thinking maybe I should have bought more.

[jfish26]

I just ventured out because Mrs. Fish needed a prescription filled. The store was stupid, people were stupid. At one point, I left my cart (with the prescription clearly in the basket, alone) at the end of an aisle, and when I came back after grabbing something, it was gone.

The managers were no help. I eventually found it near the back of the store (at the meat counter), abandoned. What dipshit doesn't have the common courtesy to at least tell the meat counter there's an orphaned prescription?

Then I went to the liquor store and it was organized and efficient.

[jhawks99]

Hope you and your wife are well soon, Vega.

[NewtonHawk11]

Hope for the best for you and the Mrs., Vega.

Crazy about the store Fish. I’m about to venture out for a bit here soon to run an errand or 2 and hopefully things are going alright.

[Deleted User 307]

Then I went to the liquor store and it was organized and efficient.

Our liquor stores are delivery only right now. I had to literally put an order in from the place 50 feet away from me. Wife wanted a few cheaper bottles so we don't have to dig too much into the good stuff. Guy was stressed as fuck trying to fulfill orders. It was Tuesday at like 2 pm. I felt for the guy (long time worker, super nice).

[jfish26]

Then I went to the liquor store and it was organized and efficient.

Our liquor stores are delivery only right now. I had to literally put an order in from the place 50 feet away from me. Wife wanted a few cheaper bottles so we don't have to dig too much into the good stuff. Guy was stressed as fuck trying to fulfill orders. It was Tuesday at like 2 pm. I felt for the guy (long time worker, super nice).

Do you use lastbottlewines.com? That's where we get all our wine, except where we need something hyper-specific on short notice. If you haven't used it, we both get credit if you sign up with a link I send you.

[Deleted User 307]

I'll take a look if you want to send a referral link. I've gotten decently into wine over the last 6-7 years, and usually go up to Napa once a year to load up, then buying bottles here and there whenever I visit a new area. Cellaring (in wine fridges) about 160 bottles right now in my closet, which of course is super practical for a NYC apartment.

But of course, in these strange times, I have enough wine to last into October if things really go tits up.

[jfish26]

I'll take a look if you want to send a referral link. I've gotten decently into wine over the last 6-7 years, and usually go up to Napa once a year to load up, then buying bottles here and there whenever I visit a new area. Cellaring (in wine fridges) about 160 bottles right now in my closet, which of course is super practical for a NYC apartment.

But of course, in these strange times, I have enough wine to last into October if things really go tits up.

Disregard my PM. Here: https://www.lastbottlewines.com/invite/ ... 99117.html

[Deleted User 307]

Second confirmed case in my building, but I don't know if they are with my company. It was on a floor I don't think we occupy.

[zsn]

Stay safe, Vega! Next time you venture out west do consider Paso Robles area for wines. From me Napa and Paso are both about similar in terms of driving time but the latter is lot less snooty, significantly less expensive and great quality wines. Of course, Paso tends to have more Rhone-style wines but we like it, a lot.

Our company was one of the first to mandate remote work - ending week 2 now. Bay Area has a shelter-in-place order and just about everything is closed. We do see a lot of people strolling our street in the middle of the day. Reports on NextDoor range from Store-ma-geddon to very orderly. I suppose it depends on which store and time of day.

From a work perspective it's really not that different for me, as we are a virtual biopharma company and we really don't need to be in an office (for the most part). All our meetings now have a "recommended" video component, so we still get to see each other.

Since we are in a highly regulated environment we have a lot of documents to be signed/approved. We are in the process of doing everything online but still many systems have not yet been validated - this is the only reason to having to go in. But we are making do with printing-signing-scanning. Other than that the only difference is that people don't walk into my office anymore to bother me - now they call or text, to bother me

TDub's post tempted me to post something about how the overall economy is suffering because we are mostly tethered to employer-based health insurance, but I will refrain (visualize the scene from Dr. Strangelove where Peter Sellers is struggling to keep his hands from doing the Heil-salute)

[Deleted User 307]

Stay safe, Vega! Next time you venture out west do consider Paso Robles area for wines. From me Napa and Paso are both about similar in terms of driving time but the latter is lot less snooty, significantly less expensive and great quality wines. Of course, Paso tends to have more Rhone-style wines but we like it, a lot.

I use Napa as more of the generic term, and not Napa proper. I usually do a day, if that, in the Napa Valley, then spend my time in surrounding regions. Russian River Valley is for sure my fave, but I like to venture out wherever I can fit in. Generally, I like super small places, and don't do the Disneyland joints that plague 29.

I actually went to Livermore my last go around, and found some gems there, since I flew into San Jose, and didn't land until about 1. I don't think I've been to Paso Robles, but my brother in law lives north of LA, and he goes there. I'll have to check it out next time I'm visiting. Thanks for that, and any other recs you have.

[Deleted User 89]

Confirmed cases in my county. 4 of the dirt guys we are using just returned from a trip to vegas via Seattle. We got the word from the powers that be that we are not shutting down until required to by the government and any absences will be considered unexcused without a doctor's note. Vacation time has been suspended without a minimum 1 month lead time and approval. We were told if we take time off now dont expect to have a job when it’s over.

cuz ‘murica

so much compassion