Enhanced but modified

Oil Painting had a “Summer Mix” event recently. Such events used to excite me. But now that I have to limit my screen time to two hours daily, they’ve become a dilemma.
 
Oil Painting, a video game, has been one of my stay-home strategies, and its events are kind of a promo that offers several pictures to “paint” within about six days. Talk of pressure.
 
And there’s my blood pressure rising as I “painted” last weekend. Whew. I should delete this game already. But with Covid-19 continuing to bring sad news, I need more stay-home strategies to keep me home and help stop the spread of Covid-19. That’s my ambag.
 
Try listing down the names of people you know who died because of Covid. If that won’t convince you that Covid is real, I don’t know what will.
 
Add to that the names of relatives and friends who are currently confined in hospitals or staying in isolation facilities or on home quarantine because of Covid, and those who are now Covid survivors.
 
Covid is real. I don’t know why there are still people who insist that it’s fake.
 
The Pinoy government’s official data is merely the tip of the iceberg since there’s no mass testing in Pinas. Whether it’s only one case, or the 173 new daily cases for June 6, 2021—Cagayan de Oro’s highest daily tally as of this writing—each represents a person who has a family, relatives, friends, colleagues. He’s not merely a case number.
 
The pandemic has taught us to grieve alone. We can’t hug a friend or relative who lost a loved one.
 
The pandemic has also taught us to care by staying home, we can’t even hug friends and relatives who are sick, whether it’s Covid or not. And we wonder if it’s safe to send them anything—what if our gifts have fomites that could worsen their condition. And that’s another lesson the pandemic has taught us—disinfect galore, which can be more stressful than prepping before leaving the house.
 
Remember when that prepping meant taking a shower, blow-drying the hair, putting on makeup, getting dressed, spraying perfume on pulse points, and choosing accessories, a bag, and a pair of shoes or sandals to complete the look?
 
Now, you could skip the shower, blow-drying hair, makeup, and perfume. Simply put on whatever clothes, tie the hair and secure it further with a headband, put on face mask, eyeglasses, and face shield, don’t forget bag and footwear, and you’re good to go. It doesn’t matter—no one would recognize you anyway.
 
But on Monday, while at SM CDO Downtown Premier for my first dose of Sinovac, I did recognize some friends despite the face masks and face shields! That was such a pleasant Realization 101 for me. Bibo ang chika with friends, especially for me and my sis—it was our first time to leave the house since March 14, 2020! June 14, 2021 minus March 14, 2020—that’s exactly one year and three months of staying home. Does that make us eligible to apply as monks at any monastery?
 
So, what’s the diff between March 2020 and June 2021? As for the city, nothing much. The change has been in families, relatives, friends, with the pandemic revealing the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
 
Amidst all the preparations for a possible Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) for CDO, I had to insert my vaccine sked into what could be the city’s last working day because of its Charter Day on June 15. Had to make sure all amortizations, taxes, and bills for this month were paid. But with banks closing at 1 pm, “How can I go on / How can I move on / How can I, how can I / Without you.”
 
Well, good news—or is it? There’s no lockdown for CDO. The Modified ECQ status has been extended up to June 30. Business as usual.