I had mentioned in my previous two blogs that I was in quarantine. That's right, your boy had the rona or the vid or COVID or whatever the people are calling it these days. I just called it COVID.

I am lucky enough to be vaccinated and boosted. That means my symptoms were very mild. I never lost the sense of taste or smell. I never had a fever. I was never overly tired. I never had a cough. I did have a very runny nose. It felt like a waterfall at times. It was definitely the stuffiness I have been in some time. For three days it was like a facet. But I woke up yesterday and felt fine. I finished my quarantine this afternoon and made my way back up to the living room of my home. I cleaned up where I was living for the past five days, cleaned myself up and gave my wife and kids some big time hugs. I really, truly missed them most of all.

That is what I want to talk about today. As stated, my bought with what I assume was omicron was extremely mild. A runny nose, as previously stated, was all that really happened. It felt like a bad cold. But, again, that is because I have been doing what scientists and doctors have said to do, and I got my shots, and will get any other shots they deem necessary. I have never stopped wearing a mask in public settings and I sure as hell won't stop now. What was hardest for me was the quarantine. I love to be around my family. I see my dad at least once a week for coffee, that had to be pushed. I spend pretty much all of my free time with my kids doing activities or coaching them in random sports. That was all pushed. I love to snuggle in bed with my wife, I love giving her a morning and good night kiss and I love our afternoon coffee dates and lunches when she works from home. That was all pushed as well. I am also not good when on my own for a long period of time. I can survive. I am a capable adult who can take care of himself. But the loneliness gets to you. I would eat all my meals by myself. If I needed to come upstairs to get clothes or some Nuun to drink, I would have to announce my presence, put on a mask and tell my kids I could not hug them. That made me cry the first few nights in the basement alone. The kids get it at least. They are both in school full time, so they know of people that have tested positive or had to quarantine due to being a close contact. But that doesn't make it hurt any less. I also felt really bad for my wife. She already works a full time job, and then some. So add on the fact that I could not do what my job is, being the home and caretaker, and she had a very rough five days. The kids glomb onto her when I'm not sick. So add on the fact that I couldn't do anything and the glombing, it was taking it from a 10 to an 11 or 12 for her. I can tell she is exhausted. She also had to do all the cooking and cleaning. I felt like a real waste of space. I know I have been overcompensating since I came upstairs today, but I feel like I need to make up for lost time. I also did not like playing video games or running in place or riding on the recumbent bike or just watching movies all day. Again, it made me feel like I was wasting time. I am not a video game guy, so that died out pretty quick. Running in place is maybe the most boring thing in the world as far as exercise goes. And then there is the recumbent bike. That may be as boring as running in place. And there are only so many movies I can watch or tv shows I can watch before I just get bored.

I'd say the only good thing that came out of quarantine, besides my family not getting COVID, was that I re-found my love for reading. I read one and a half full books in the past five plus days, which is a lot for me. But the loneliness was brutal. I do not like to just sit there, especially at night time, with no one to talk to about my day. I was able to facetime and text people, but that is not enough for me personally. I like to see people. I love to hug my family and talk to them face to face. I was not very happy while in quarantine. I know it was the right thing to do, but that does not mean that I have to say it was great.

I have mentioned a few times how I am going into this year being hopeful. That has not gone away. That is still my resolution. But with Michigan getting beat in their bowl game, then all this Jim Harbaugh news, then some of my family members getting COVID, and then myself getting COVID, it has been a rough start to 2022. I'm not giving up on my hopeful resolution, but these first almost two weeks have been a rough start. Hopefully better days are ahead. And please continue to wear your mask people. It is not that hard and it is the best way to mitigate the spread of this horrible virus. I haven't stopped wearing mine, and now, not that I wasn't before, I will be even more vigilant about wearing mine.

That is the tale of my first battle with COVID. I'm sure it will not be the last, but I am still hopeful we have a way to stop this thing from spreading further. That's my hope anyway. Stay safe out there.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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