Everyone is suffering from the virus in one way or another: either you are sick, or you are quarantined and going crazy. This advice is for the latter.
If you are holed up in your house, make the best of it. Let your imagination run wild. Finish those projects that you never had time to complete. Here is a list of things you can do without placing yourself in risk, either from the virus or the wife.
- Update your contact numbers and on your phone. You’ll be amazed on just how many unknown people, companies and other contacts snuck onto your list.
- Put some music on and try on those clothes in your closet.
- Ambitious? Paint those rooms you’ve been putting off.
- Don’t feel like painting, wash walls.
- Clean the light switch plates. Get those pesky fingerprints off of them.
- Make an impression; shine shoes like you did when you were younger.
- Open that t-shirt drawer and try on old clothes. You’ll find a lot of rags to use when you wash walls.
- Go through your toolbox and get rid of the tools you don’t need.
- Pour yourself a cold drink, sit down and finally sort out that junk drawer.
- Touch up scratched wood surfaces with stain markers.
- Pour a glass of wine, sit down and delete old files on computer, documents, photos, etc. My wife is sorting old photos and I am scanning them into files on the computer. Scanner cost me 100 dollars. Well worth it.
- Sort music CDs and videos. Donate the ones you never listen to or watch to the nearest retirement center.
- Turn the TV off and pick up a book.
- Update recipes, toss the lousy ones and highlight those you enjoy.
- Wash curtains and blinds. Wave to your neighbors.
- Dump those expired prescriptions in your medicine chest.
- Wash the winter grime off your windows.
- Fertilize or seed your grass early. It takes 10 minutes to eventually have a beautiful lawn.
- Yuck! Sort the screws, nuts, and bolts in your collection. Thin out the herd. Throw the losers away. This should take about a twelve pack to accomplish.
- Sort through old books and magazines. Again, donate those you lost interest in.
- Toss out the wood and lumber you don’t plan on using within one year.
- Get the ladder out and clean those hard to reach fans and lights.
- Repair or replace the caulk around your tub, shower, and sinks. This is a pain in the ass, but it looks sooo nice when it’s finished. Almost like new!
- Review your will and related documents for updating.
- Clean out and resort your paper documents. Throw out those mortgages from thirty years ago.
- Straighten and re-hang those crooked pictures and plaques.
- Order out every second or third night to keep your local restaurants and food stands in business.
- Restrict your television time and pull out a deck of cards or some stupid board game you used to play.
- Write letters and texts to your politicians and newspapers. Blast the crap out of them.
- Reconnect with old friends; give them a call.
- Wash and wax your own car. You probably depend too much on the car wash down the street.
Make the best out of this quarantine and enjoy your time with family and friends. Family time is impossible to get back. God is the only one that knows when yours is up.
To all my brothers and sisters in blue, lock and load and protect each other. And as always, stay safe.
– Larry Casey
View Larry Casey’s website at www.StoriesofaChicagoPoliceOfficer.com and review his book by the same name.
