Lockdown Check-in and Roll Call!

[DrKev]

How ya doing everyone?

What are you up to? How are you handling things?

I've been checking in a few times day keeping up with my moderatingly duties but I havn't been posting much.

With an almost-four-year-old at home, I'm on kiddo duty most of the day, and cooking. Wife is working or resting (due to intermittent chronic illness). It does feel a lot like "Groundhog Day" sometimes (What?! Another meal?! We just ate! Can we just have one big meal once a day?) but I'm really lucky I have a 20th floor balcony with a view of much of Paris.

Not much guitar playing for me, unless I'm giving a lesson (Zoom is great because of the audio quality, if you get the settings right) but I have promised one of my students I would try to learn "Cliffs of Dover" with them (YIKES!), and Hendrix's orginal recording of "All along the Watchtower" with another. Yes, quite the challenge!

While I think we're now at the stage that everybody knows somebody who has lost someone to the virus, my family are OK.

My love and best wishes to you all, I hope you and your and happy and healthy and safe.

 

[Bill S]

I’m very new here so you won’t know me, but I am very well thanks for asking. So fortunate to lockdowned with the person I love in a beautiful part of the world. Healthy and still able to work, a home studio, a few lovely guitars and outside space to enjoy the sun. Here in Spain we are jealous of those of you who are able to walk, run or cycle for your daily exercise, but I have nothing to complain about.

Best wishes to all.

 

[Tollywood]

Greetings from Rhode Island! We got two inches of snow yesterday, which is unusual this time of year. It will be 60 today so it will melt.

I’m happy that you are doing well, Dr. Kev. My family and I are doing well, too. My wife and I are both temporarily laid off, but we usually work opposite shifts so it’s been nice to have extra time together.

I’ve been keeping busy working on our 160 year old house. I gutted the mudroom and put new electric, insulation, Sheetrock and I’m about to lay slate floors to blend into the slate in the kitchen. There used to be a built in cupboard in the mudroom so I saved the wooden countertop from it, and I’m using old house wood that I saved and those tops to make a five foot rustic bench to put in the mudroom.

Since my band is on a break, I’ve been playing more bass than guitar lately. I really miss weekly practice with the band. One of the bars we were scheduled to play in contacted us to say that they are canceling all live music for the rest of the year. So, that’s not good.

I hope everyone on the forum is doing well. Just try to make the best of your situation and stay positive. Now is the perfect time to play your instrument. Start a new practice routine. Challenge yourself to learn some new songs. Above all else: have fun!

Good luck, my friends.

 

[mikeller]

Greetings to all

Central Ohio here. My family and I are doing well so far. I have been fortunate enough to continue working and even more fortunate to be able to do it remotely. Have completely avoided going on - been ordered food and household supplies for home delivery. Have had one of my favorite treats pizza delivered twice on a contactless delivery. Gigs are on hold until ? I miss my little grandson terribly - did venture out to see him do an Easter Egg hunt last week observing safe distance measures however.

Hope you are keeping well and safe.

Best to you all and everyone at EBMM !!

 

[beej]

Hey everyone (from Toronto)!

Also feeling cooped-up, but fortunate to be in the position we're in. My wife and I are both slammed with work (from home), and doing that while managing a 6 and 9 year old is certainly challenging. Doing our best to keep the same routine every day (wake up, exercise, shower, kids schoolwork, etc.), so we don't go nuts.

Working on a few music projects and a new pedalboard to keep me sane. I miss gigging. Need distraction more than ever.

Best to everyone and your families. Stay safe.

 

[NorM]

Here in Southern AZ. Work said "if you can work form home then you have to work from home." Doing that with a 7 year old in the house is hard. Like Beej said, having the time structure is just absolutely freakin' necessary. That goes for everybody. I was able to make my work computer unavailable for the weekend. good thing.
This is a neighborhood where we can get out some. 10 o'clock at night walks break structure but they are necessary distractions.
The music project is mostly centered around monitoring piano lessons and un amped picking during movie time.

 

[NorM]

Thank you DrKev for a cool thread.

 

[GWDavis28]

Hey everyone, live from Mass. I like others am lucky enough to be able to work from home. Work has been constant which is good, my wife works at a local hospital, so she's working as well. Unfortunately, due to a medical condition, I've been staying with my brother (wow going on a month now). In case my wife gets it or tests positive. I miss being home and seeing my wife and youngest daughter (she's 18, so isn't around much unfortunately). My oldest is finishing her clinicals as a lab tech way, way, way up in Northern Maine, we worry about here, with classes at the hospital and working as a Phlebotomist on the weekend.

Fortunate that all are healthy and haven't known anyone as of yet who has contracted it. Trying to find time to attempt to play, but working long hours to be schedules takes it's toll, though I do have the Albert Lee HH Black Sugar with me .

Hope everyone, stays safe and healthy.

P.S. You right NorM, thanx DrKev.

Glenn |B)

 

[fsmith]

Great thread Dr. Kev, busy here outside of Baltimore. Been working from home going on 6 weeks now. I use a standup workstation at the office and after the first week home had to go downtown and bring it home, my back was killing me, ordered an anti-fatigue amp and all is good now. I took over the upstairs living room and made it into my office/music room/workout space. I have the Sonos speaker for music. In between meetings I can even jam a little.

Slowly settling into this work from home gig, it sounds like the University might require us to stay home until July or August. Biggest adjustment is losing the gym at work, I have some kettlebells and weighted vest so it's been body weight workouts and frequent walks.

Missing the grandkids big time, only get to do drive-by food drop offs. Hang in there everyone...

fred

 

[dibart77]

DrKev, thanks for starting this thread. It's a good idea for us all to check in.

As most of you know, I am in NY and I can tell you it's a ****show here. NY has the distinction of far and away the highest number of cases of any state in the US -- almost 250k cases.

My wife has recovered from COVID-19. This is day 30 for her, and interestingly she JUST got called by NYS to get tested on Wed, even though she reported being sick 4 weeks ago. Results came back on Friday officially positive. My 12yo daughter and I never caught it or showed symptoms, and my college daughter has been home now 3 weeks (Univ of Georgia shut down campus for rest of school year -- all online) and has no symptoms. We're just on lockdown. We're just keeping out heads down and staying home as much as possible.

Thankfully, I'm able to WFH really effectively for my day job, and avoiding the 1.5 hour commute each way has been lovely. Actually playing catch with my daughter and taking walks with my wife! A few co-workers have had COVID and recovered, which is not surprising since many of my team live in NYC (Manhattan and Brooklyn).

Not sure about my guitar haul this year -- I think I'll probably come in with less guitars than past years. Only 2 so far this year and we're already almost 1/3 through the year. But, honestly, who cares as long as me and my family and friends make it through this pandemic. And all of you...

Be safe and stay healthy, everyone!

​

 

[Jamie M]

Hi everyone
I am in the English Countryside, working 2 days a week on my own and spending the rest of the week with My Wife, 3 year old and my Dog. Fortunately we have a big garden and lovely views and the weather has been lovely here for this time of year so i am thankful for what i have. I know 2 people who have died from Covid-19. Its soul destroying for their families so please all of you stay safe.

 

[DrKev]

Doesn't matter how new you are to the forum, or if you've been here since the start of time, it's great to hear from you all. Keep it coming!

 

[fbecir]

Hello guys

I live in the suburb of Paris in a nice house with a garden and a veranda. The weather is beautiful and I work from home. Not so bad ... I do not miss my 2 hours per day of public transportation

My wife is a teacher (for 9 years old kids), she has to do all her lectures "online". Fortunately, we have a lot of computers ...

I live near an agricultural area, thus I can run everyday.
In fact, I have more time now than in my "normal" life. I spend quite some time playing guitar and I am improving
Every day, I learn one or two solos with this Youtube channel : StephLeGratteux
- YouTube

My aim is to learn all the Adrian Smith's solos :How to play Adrian Smith's solos - YouTube

Yes, I'm 17 years old again

Take care

 

[LesPaul]

Still safe and healthy here in Rochester, NY. Both my wife and I are fortunate enough to be able to work from home. My guitar cave is now doubling as my office. We leave the house on average of once a week to get food. Going a little stir crazy, but we haven't killed each other yet.

Jon

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

 

[elvisdog]

Eating like a king, drinking like a fish, playing a lot of guitar in Montana. I was on a roll before the plague hit, playing in several different ensembles, some electric some acoustic -- now nothing, of course, though we have some gigs on the books for summer. Fingers crossed. People have been very cooperative and positive here & we haven't taken a bad hit so far. Lots of safe stuff to do here in the mountains -- hiking, mountain biking, flyfishing -- and I've beed doing something every day, just to try & stay sane. Be safe!

 

[edhalen]

Thanks Dr K for an outstanding thread. Much needed. Checking in from out in the boonies in IL southwest of Chicago. I've been working from home for the past 5 years or so which means business as usual for me. Very thankful for that. My wife is a special Ed teacher and as such has been teaching remotely as best she can for the past month or so. Just got word last week that schools closed for the rest of the year. Our college-age daughter and her USMC husband have been in San Diego since last June and are doing well. Our son is in school at UNC Wilmington and he and his gf are doing fine as well.

We're able to get out and walk every day and enjoy our back yard and patio, etc. now that the weather has finally warmed up. I do miss the freedom of dinners out and other spur of the moment stuff we're not able to enjoy. Other than that as empty nesters we don't get out much anyway. I've been playing my MM's as much as I can amongst the household chores which never end no matter what . Fortunately, nobody I know has contacted the C19 so that's good. Stay safe everyone.

 

[xjbebop]

Mrs. Bebop and I doing well, just living the dream....

Our best wishes go out to the EBMM family (that includes all the good people on this forum..), and your friends & family as well. Looking forward to recovery and hopefully, an improved version of 'normalcy' on the other side of this craziness....
Take care, stay healthy, and be good to one another...

 

[Pops]

A big howdy from Scotland.Hi folks.As one of the older generation and in the "At risk " category due to several health issues I am in still in lockdown and have been for 6 weeks.The way the Government are talking I may be in lockdown for months yet.Luckily we have a garden and plenty to keep us occupied and my guitar playing and songwriting skills have come on leaps and bounds since learning that 4th chord to go with the other three.Family and neighbours are keeping us supplied with essentials.Be safe.

 

[bbjonz]

We are in Tucson, which ain't a bad place to be quarantined. Weather has been outstanding but we are looking at 90+ degrees later in the week. Spring is over!

Both wife and I are working from home, though she went into the office today for a meeting. (Why not Zoom?). Kids long out of the house so the only other family member we have to accommodate is the dog. Which is kinda like having a kid.

Doing some sort of exercise every day and trying to get some playing in when possible.

Hope everyone is safe and well.

 

[Fro]

We’re social distancing at work but I’m still going in every day. The girls are doing online classes but being in grade school there’s not much they can do.