[BLOG]: Physical Distancing Tips from the Public Mobile Team

[Tiana_V]

Hey Community, 

I hope you’re all doing well and staying healthy! To say that the last few weeks have been a bit of an adjustment for Canadians would definitely be an understatement - we’ve all had to make some changes to our daily routines in light of physical distancing efforts. It’s important that we all do our part to flatten the curve of COVID-19 by staying home as much as we can. This means that many of us are staying indoors a lot more than usual and I can imagine that many of you, like myself, are getting a little bit stir-crazy. With that, we wanted to share some of the ways that the Public Mobile team has been occupying themselves while physical distancing. 

I’ll start us off! 

Tiana (Community Lead): I’ve started doing workouts and yoga in my backyard when it’s sunny. It provides a nice break to my day and helps me get off my couch, but it's also a great way to be outside but avoid coming into contact with too many people on the street or at a park. I typically just search up yoga videos on YouTube and follow along as best I can. 

Julia (Customer Base Management): My favourite activity at home lately has been finding a fun recipe online to try out. Sometimes it’s an elaborate dinner or a sweet classic like chocolate chip banana bread. I make do with the ingredients I already have or put things on the list for my next grocery run. Great sites for food inspo are bonappetit.com, foodandwine.com, and of course, Google!

Alan (Self-serve Strategy): With the weather warming up in Ontario, I have been getting back into running recently which has helped take my mind off of things! Exercise helps make the mind and body healthier which is absolutely essential. My long term goal is to conquer a 10K. When I’m not moving around, I’ve been loving Ozark and Community on Netflix.

Sarah (Manager, Support & Innovation): I have taken this time to try to learn some new skills! With the help of YouTube, I’ve really enjoyed learning how to do calligraphy (shout out to @thehappyevercrafter), paint my own cards, juggle and cut my own hair (!!). I am not good at any of them yet but it’s fun to be a student again. If anyone has any resources that may help me on my journey, please let me know! 🙂 

Some other activities the team is getting up to include: 

• Virtual book club
• Organizing photos and scrapbooking
• Binging netflix
• Going on walks and rediscovering the neighbourhood

If you’re getting restless at home, maybe try out a few of these activities and let us know how they go! The PM team is also looking for ideas on what to do at home, so reply below what you’ve been up to while physical distancing. Do you have any tips on how to stay social and connected with others? 

Stay safe and please remember to stay home as much as you can. 

- Tiana + The Public Mobile Team

[mpcdesign]

@popping snow? Seriously? I can't wait to rub that in with a friend who moved from Vancouver to Calgary. Granted, he now owns a house, and I still in a condo. 🤔

[popping]

It started this morning as wet snow. Snow is on my yard and driveway now.  4" to 8" snow by tomorrow night.  Spring snow is common in Calgary.  We do not plant anything outside until May long weekend which is over a month away.

This isn't our first St. Patrick's Day snowstorm: March 17, 1998 Snowmageddon

https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/this-isnt-our-first-st-patricks-day-snowstorm-march-17-199...

[mpcdesign]

@Naepalm, you have nine kids. 9? neuf? Wowza!

How'd di you guys do it? Okay, I know how'd you did it, but how do you manage with 9 kids. I only have 2 kids, and my last kid, who is 3 years takes 2 hours to eat any meal, and she drives me batty sometimes. 9 kids, would push me over the edge! So, any tips?

[Naepalm]

I am a pastor and have been working from home during this time. Now I have 9 kids so its not super-efficient. But it has been good. My kids are homeschooled so nothing new for them and now they are doing much more for school than anyone else I know right now. The only difficulty for us is going to the grocery store. Since we have a large family the limit of 1 or 2 items per shopper just doesn't cut it for our family, So w are now ordering direct from wholesale food suppliers like a restaurant would LOL Its actually much cheaper so kinda a win. and don't have to go to the grocery store, 

Stay safe and thanks for bringing this up. 

[Naepalm]

My father in law lives in northern Quebec and they still have snow. We also got snow last night and we are in southwestern Ontario. nothing to get worried about but still snow. 

[computergeek541]

---

@mpcdesign wrote:

Snow? Where in Canada is there snow?

Luckily for us, it's beautiful weather on the West Coast and it feels like 20 degrees but it says 15 degrees. No snow, and I am thankful for that! 

---

Snow isn't unusual for much of Canada in April. What surprised me from earlier was that it was still accumulated on the ground. I believe it was last night that there was some snown in parts of Toronto, but it quickly melted.

[mpcdesign]

Snow? Where in Canada is there snow?

Luckily for us, it's beautiful weather on the West Coast and it feels like 20 degrees but it says 15 degrees. No snow, and I am thankful for that! 

[mpcdesign]

During the day, I look after mt two little kids, and do things such as reading, math (yuck...where are you @darlicious or @ShawnC13 , you two love math), arts and crafts. 

The best part I like is the nap time around 2-4pm, because when they go down, I will sometimes go down for the count! 

I normally burn the midnight learning new things online or work on my YouTube channel. But, now that I am getting bored with that, and unsure of the situation, I may be applying for work at night to help those who are killing themselves as essential services. I did apply at a homeless shelter, just waiting on that! I guess one needs to adapt to any situation. 

Stay safe and stay home when you can!

[Korth]

Hasn't really been much of an "adjustment" or "challenge" to me.

I'm an industrious reclusive misanthrope who was "social distancing" long, long before it became the cool thing to do.

[darlicious]

http://www.scribbz.art/

@Tiana_V   I mentioned I was enjoying being creative on my friends app as he developes it. Hes now added some new features that allows you to be socially creative but socially distant at the same time. Chatbrooms, multidraw for drawing  games with your friends....i can't wait to check it out and see how it all works! Who is up for a game of pictionary?

[fdrcamb519]

I used to wish the weekend would last forever, now i cant wait until its over.........times changed.........stay safe everyone

[PhoenixRayne23]

Hello all!

One thing we have really been enjoying during the quarantine is painting. This weekend we are going to mix up some washable paint and decorate the windows.

We have seen a few encouraging messages around the neighborhood and the kids are excited to help spread some good spirit during "the big yucky". 

Stay safe everyone!

[Naepalm]

We dont have any snow, thank the Lord!

[Naepalm]

Im in ontario been building a back yard garden with garden beds. This may also help with my families food supply over the next little while. 

Great post!

[Naepalm]

Thank you so much for keeping us up to date on all the things that are going on! 

[zblackma]

Thankyou been doing a lot of reading.

[darlicious]

Every night after 7:30 or so my roommate and I hang out (about 6 feet apart)  waiting for a fly by.... an evening murder mystery as to when and from which direction they will appear as they head east to roost for the night....

[popping]

---

@computergeek541 wrote:

---

@popping wrote:

For last couple weeks, we still get snow once every 2 - 3 day.  Shoveling snow outside is my only outdoor exercise.  I am riding on my stationary bike when I watch news on TV.

You still have snow?

---

Yes.  Tuesday evening, it started snowing.  By the time I went out to take the garbage bin to curb side,  there was 2 inches of snow on my driveway..  Snow on driveway are gone now.  Forecast for Sunday is 50% chance of snow.  My backyard still have snow.  I cannot do any cleaning, power raking and fertilizing yet.

[darlicious]

@Tiana_Vand the rest of the mobile team.......

     Ironically (my word of the week) I've been mostly housebound since December while waiting for my now postponed surgery (I guess march 17th wasnt that lucky after all!) So I've been used to it a little more than most but I have kept myself busy with a few activities and the occasional bike ride.

     I've shared some of it already in the lounge but I love my friends drawing app hes been beta testing. Its interactive so you can be challenged to draw something with the "word of the day" or add to someone else artwork in the gallery....or just Scribbles away to your hearts content.....

That's not the only thing I've had my "eye" on....but more about that later......

[computergeek541]

---

@popping wrote:

For last couple weeks, we still get snow once every 2 - 3 day.  Shoveling snow outside is my only outdoor exercise.  I am riding on my stationary bike when I watch news on TV.

You still have snow?

[computergeek541]

I've been watching a lot of tv, staring at the worldometers.info totals (unfortunately, who hasn't?), and spending some time on the Community.

Admittedly, I'd like to spend more time outside since the whether is getting nicer.  I'll still go out for a 30 minute walk each day, although there's nowhere really to do go even if i wanted to. Even a little as two weeks ago, if someone stayed 6ft away when walking, that person would get stares. That's now become the norm and no one thinks anything of it and I think that people have learned not to take it personally. It's become a little bit awkward when there's a bit of hesitation when you go through the momentary hesistation about how far to moved over and who should trample on someone's front lawn or walk on the street (if it's safe to do so at that moment). It almost feels strange planning a short walking route in my neighborhood to a path that included grassy boulevards in front of the houses to try to minimize places where you're "trapped" beside someone such as over or under a bridge on a major street where there's really nowhere else to go (without getting hit by a car). 

As for grocery requirements, curbside pickup and delivery options are great, but be sure to plan ahead as the wait time can be a week or two for those options. If you can't wait for an online grocery order timeslot, I would suggest the lower volume grocery store such as Rabba Fine Foods, Valumart, or your local family-run produce store.  They might charge a little more, but paying a few dollars more for your bag of groceries may be worth it if you're able to go somewhere with only 2 or 3 other customers at the same time.

[popping]

For last couple weeks, we still get snow once every 2 - 3 day.  Shoveling snow outside is my only outdoor exercise.  I am riding on my stationary bike when I watch news on TV.

I wear cloth mask when I go out for grocery.  I am an eyeglasses wearer which gives me eye protection against COVID-19.  But wearing mask will fog up my glasses.  I adjust the top string tighter to get a tight fit to my on my face.  I tested it while I am riding on my stationary bike for 30 minutes without fogging up my glasses.

[Lar]

@Tiana_V   Since I now have more time I've added online yoga to my HIIT (high intensity interval training) and weight program.  Next I'll try meditation which might be the tough one for me to just sit still.  Stay safe everyone.   Cheers

[Triguy]

I have been riding on Zwift and running in my neighborhood.  Watching Netflix and YouTube.  Latest series I have been watching the Americans and Westworld.

[will13am]

I want my life back ASAP.  In the meantime, lots of couch potato activities is taking up the day.  Ozark is on the radar.  Gotta binge watch billions first.  For those familiar with this TV series, who is your favorite good guy/bad guy?  

[gblackma]

Thanks for your suggestions on handling the boredom and staying fit. May I suggest if you have library cards to take advantage of their online resources. Stay safe.

[Staliger]

@Tiana_V Thank you for such amazing tips how to spend time during this period. Stay safe everyone!😊

[BearFBI]

@Tiana_V i am glad to see that PM is practicing safe Social distancing during these times. Thanks for the Tips 🙂 As for myself i have been watching quite a bit of movies lately and keeping up with the PM forums. I also try to exercise daily and go for walks to keep healthy, and i video call my family to check up on everyone. I can finally do things that i haven't had time to get to before. Keep up the Social distancing everyone and we will get through this TOGETHER.

Stay safe Everyone 🙂