Version 2.014

Today was my shopping day, which happens once every three weeks. Since I am in the market for some sheer cotton curtains, I stopped by Pottery Barn, which is in the same shopping center as Target, so might as well go in there, too. When I go shopping, I wear a mask and a hat. Sometimes I even wear sunglasses and when I look at myself in the mirror, I am reminded of the T.V. series "The Invisible Man." But no one laughs at my insanity.

Since Pottery Barn was about to close, there was hardly any shoppers. All the employees had face masks on, there were wipes to disinfect the shopping carts, and the bathroom was cleaned after every customer use. At Target, things were a lot more relaxed. Mask use was not enforced and many people were in the middle of the aisle chatting, as if we were in a relaxed environment.

Since I was in the neighborhood, I decided to do my groceries at The Fresh Market. At the door there was a sign saying that we were required to wear a mask and it was enforced. I don't know if it was because of our circumstances or maybe it was the music that was sad--they always play classical music or jazz, but one could feel a certain heaviness in the air. Nonetheless, it is my favorite grocery store and I enjoyed my visit.

During my ride, I listened to BBC World Service, which spent most of the time talking about things related to Covid-19. The hottest topic today is how the pandemic is going in Brazil, especially S. Paulo. Hospitals are at 90% capacity and things are not looking too promising. I feel for my colleagues, but we are all working from home until the end of May or even after.