Shelter in place? OK, but with cocktails, Funyuns and long walks

COMMENTARY

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But at least it provides some social interaction.

Yet things are about to get even more drastic for Central Floridians with stay-at-home orders set to take effect at 11 p.m. Thursday.

So we need to talk about how to keep sane and fight off anxiety.

I try to take long walks. About two hours a day. Sometimes I work while doing so. In fact, part of this column was written while walking. I think I’ve mastered the art of typing while walking. You’ll see hardly any errorsghdf%$.

It’s a good thing I’m walking. (And sometimes running.) Because there’s a good chance that, by the time this pandemic winds down, I’ll weigh 800 pounds. Sheltering in place isn’t great for physical fitness. Especially when bags of Funyuns are nearby.

Before yesterday’s walk, I asked my smart watch how many steps I’d taken. Siri was surprised to learn I was still alive.

My wife has started doing online workouts in the living room. I like to pop in and mock her by hiking my knees up high and waving my arms around in exaggerated fashion.

You can imagine how endearing she finds that.

But good for her. We all have to do something to tamp down our stress levels. Because right now, life feels like the world’s worst “Groundhog Day.”

Every day, we rise, think about going to work for a nanosecond … before realizing the only place we’re going is the same place we went yesterday. And the day before that. Our sofa, desk or porch.

SCOTT MAXWELL/ORLANDO SENTINEL This ain’t your average neighborhood potluck. It’s a coronavirus cocktail hour — no more than 10 people, and everyone (except married couples) standing so far apart, they practically have to scream to carry on a conversation. What passes for socialization in the the pandemic age.