 | As of today, almost everybody knows or have heard about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic. Besides being an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, it is included among the worst pandemic events of human history. The spreading speed has been exponentially fast, not to mention its frequent rate of mutations. But I’m not going to write about the virus perse, but about what I have been doing during those famous lockdown periods. |
I think this it is the first time in my adult and professional life that I spent so much time in front a TV. Between Netflix ® and Disney+ ®, I have seen so many movies and series (La Casa de Papel, The Blacklist, Stranger Things, Who Killed Sara, Rust Valley Restorers, The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and Obi-Wan Kenobi, among many others). I think there are hundreds of hours. Yes, you read correctly: HUNDREDS. Covid-19 made me do that. However, watching TV was not the only thing I do during these pandemic times.
I am having some fun (sometimes got frustrated too) working with my cars, doing some “old-school” mechanics. This is something I really enjoy, and had not had the opportunity to do so in many years. This is not only entertaining, but it helped me to learn much more about automobile mechanics and which specialized tools to buy to do the job, “almost as a professional”. It also gave me the opportunity to help family members with some of their car problems, preventing a lot of money expenses. Covid-19 made me do that.
I also had the opportunity to enroll in a Technical College to learn and practice welding. Since I was a little one, that was something that I wanted to learn. Now, I really enjoy burning electrodes and building things. Covid-19 made me do that.
In addition, the hybrid working mode, on-site & remote (telepresence) allowed me to stay more time at home. It also reduced risks associated with long distances traveling from home to my workplace (traffic jams, stress, money, tolls, accidents, gas, and car insurance, among others). It also gave me the opportunity to spend more time with my immediate family. Covid-19 made me do that.
And it is not only about me. I have seen innovative ways to stay in “contact” with people around you. Just recently, my daughter and her friends play dolls by FaceTime, each in her own home. I never thought about that one! My wife has taken various crafts workshops during this year. That is something she really likes but had not the time to do before the Pandemic. All in all, talking about the Coronavirus should not only be in the negative side, even though I know many families, including mine, had experienced really hard times and terrible losses.
The pandemic hasn’t ended yet, and it doesn’t look like it is going to end soon. However, as human beings, we have demonstrated once again to be resilient enough to overcome this worldwide outbreak. We have discovered new heroes, although they have always been there: physicians, nurses and other health professionals working like never before, even by risking their own lives trying to save us all. Researchers and Governments from different countries and health organizations, tirelessly working together to find a cure and treatments, while overcoming different ways of thinking or solving problems and political views, are also people to admire and acknowledge. Covid-19 did that.
Definitely, this pandemic has been hard and difficult for almost everyone. That is the reason why I invite you to share what did the Coronavirus make you do so far, and to motivate others to do the same. It could be therapeutic and helpful for you and many others.
Stay healthy! One last thing that the Coronavirus made us do is to maintain social distance and to follow safety precautions.
Author: Dr. Gilberto Crespo
IS/IT Researcher & SME
I am having some fun (sometimes got frustrated too) working with my cars, doing some “old-school” mechanics. This is something I really enjoy, and had not had the opportunity to do so in many years. This is not only entertaining, but it helped me to learn much more about automobile mechanics and which specialized tools to buy to do the job, “almost as a professional”. It also gave me the opportunity to help family members with some of their car problems, preventing a lot of money expenses. Covid-19 made me do that.
I also had the opportunity to enroll in a Technical College to learn and practice welding. Since I was a little one, that was something that I wanted to learn. Now, I really enjoy burning electrodes and building things. Covid-19 made me do that.
In addition, the hybrid working mode, on-site & remote (telepresence) allowed me to stay more time at home. It also reduced risks associated with long distances traveling from home to my workplace (traffic jams, stress, money, tolls, accidents, gas, and car insurance, among others). It also gave me the opportunity to spend more time with my immediate family. Covid-19 made me do that.
And it is not only about me. I have seen innovative ways to stay in “contact” with people around you. Just recently, my daughter and her friends play dolls by FaceTime, each in her own home. I never thought about that one! My wife has taken various crafts workshops during this year. That is something she really likes but had not the time to do before the Pandemic. All in all, talking about the Coronavirus should not only be in the negative side, even though I know many families, including mine, had experienced really hard times and terrible losses.
The pandemic hasn’t ended yet, and it doesn’t look like it is going to end soon. However, as human beings, we have demonstrated once again to be resilient enough to overcome this worldwide outbreak. We have discovered new heroes, although they have always been there: physicians, nurses and other health professionals working like never before, even by risking their own lives trying to save us all. Researchers and Governments from different countries and health organizations, tirelessly working together to find a cure and treatments, while overcoming different ways of thinking or solving problems and political views, are also people to admire and acknowledge. Covid-19 did that.
Definitely, this pandemic has been hard and difficult for almost everyone. That is the reason why I invite you to share what did the Coronavirus make you do so far, and to motivate others to do the same. It could be therapeutic and helpful for you and many others.
Stay healthy! One last thing that the Coronavirus made us do is to maintain social distance and to follow safety precautions.
Author: Dr. Gilberto Crespo
IS/IT Researcher & SME
