Take it from someone who couldn’t: Go outside.

September 2, 2020 1:15 PM

You know how Captain America just slept through the 50s and 60s and 70s? Who are the lucky people who are missing *waves hands*? Early on, many submariners were unaware of the pandemic. But that's changed...

- Strategies to keep the seventh continent COVID-free.
- Italian hermit and his Instagram. Colorado hermit has advice, but "that's not necessarily what a healthy person does."
- Other hermit doing just fine until an influencer tried to hug her.
- Submariners and astronauts give advice about managing lockdown and isolation (earlier lessons).
- Isolation Journals can be a way to stay grounded.

Are you feeling isolated? It's okay, you are not alone.

posted by jessamyn (23 comments total)

"Up until a week or two ago, I would listen to the news every morning so that I could start every day either totally depressed or furious. That's always a good way to start the day," [Billy Barr] said.

Now this is relatable content.
posted by evidenceofabsence at 1:21 PM on September 2, 2020 [15 favorites]

Other hermit doing just fine until an influencer tried to hug her.

It's too bad "influencer" caught on, they should be termed "assholery monetizers."
posted by axiom at 1:29 PM on September 2, 2020 [35 favorites]

Billy Barr's movie rating spreadsheet could be an FPP all by itself. Both he and Mauro Morandi seem like great, delightful characters.
posted by mstokes650 at 1:35 PM on September 2, 2020 [6 favorites]

Mod note: Please note this is a post made as part of MeFi's Fundraising Month. Read more about this project here.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 2:30 PM on September 2, 2020 [3 favorites]

I'm in Antarctica. AMA.

(Unless that will make this too chatty?)
posted by inexorably_forward at 2:45 PM on September 2, 2020 [45 favorites]

inexorably_forward, are you all wearing masks? What are the coronavirus rules where you are?
posted by suelac at 3:24 PM on September 2, 2020

It's too bad "influencer" caught on, they should be termed "assholery monetizers."

Apparently, “chronically unemployable” was already taken.
posted by Thorzdad at 3:32 PM on September 2, 2020 [2 favorites]

NavyTimes: "‘Please remember the world is different:’ A sailor recounts the Ike’s 200-plus days at sea and its surreal return"
posted by Fukiyama at 3:38 PM on September 2, 2020 [4 favorites]

suelac, we are not. No new people have arrived (where I am) for several months. When they do, they will have gone through at least 2 weeks of quarantine/isolation with tests near the beginning and end of that time, and we will be masking and socially distancing for 7 days after their arrival.

We had a 2-day practice run a couple of weeks ago to work out our procedures.

We're trying and failing not to refer to the incoming folks as 'plague rats'.
posted by inexorably_forward at 3:56 PM on September 2, 2020 [82 favorites]

That's just such a cool thing i_f...

It must be nearly surreal to be there. Bucket List but, I'm lacking in science cred.
posted by Windopaene at 4:19 PM on September 2, 2020

We're trying and failing not to refer to the incoming folks as 'plague rats'.

Off-topic follow-up question: are there actual rat rats in Antarctica? I've always assumed that wherever humans go rats follow, but maybe that's the exception?
posted by evidenceofabsence at 4:40 PM on September 2, 2020

Windopaene, science cred is not actually required. Think of everything that's needed to run a small town - all those jobs are done here. The smaller the base is, the more jobs are rolled into one, but it takes a lot of non-scientists to make science in Antarctica possible.
posted by inexorably_forward at 4:41 PM on September 2, 2020 [15 favorites]

No rats, hooray!

Pest eradication projects are ongoing on some of the subantarctic islands.
posted by inexorably_forward at 4:48 PM on September 2, 2020 [3 favorites]

A Place Further than the Universe... if a bunch of high school girls can make it to Antartica, So Can You! dream big.

now off to actually read the links
posted by zengargoyle at 7:15 PM on September 2, 2020

I_F, has there yet been identified any particular non-science-project-related risks or losses that will result from the reduction in personnel? E.g. “no teeth cleanings this winter, the dental hygienist won’t be coming” ; etc.
posted by armoir from antproof case at 7:24 PM on September 2, 2020

inexorably_forward: how tall is the wall around the outer edge of the earth's disc and have you been to see it?
posted by signal at 8:30 PM on September 2, 2020 [17 favorites]

signal: How high is too high?

armoir from antproof case: Hmmm, interesting question! Of course there is the loss of of jobs that in many cases people were already counting on, but it sounds as if you're talking a bit more specifically than that.

In my department, a specialist usually comes in to do some annual equipment PMs, but there's no slot for them this year. So either those PMs won't happen, or the crew here will follow the procedures to the best of their ability.

Is that the sort of thing you're asking about? If so, yes but I doubt any one person has a full list.
posted by inexorably_forward at 9:23 PM on September 2, 2020 [2 favorites]

No rats, hooray!

Pissed-off shapeshifting aliens, on the other hand....
posted by gtrwolf at 10:02 PM on September 2, 2020 [1 favorite]

inexorably_forward: Which base are you on? I spent a season at Pole and we thought of it as perhaps the perfect place to ride out a plague.

signal: The wall has no height because it does not exist. Stop asking. There is nothing to be found there.
posted by Leeway at 10:22 PM on September 2, 2020 [1 favorite]

Are there shoggoths? We were promised shoggoths.
posted by thatwhichfalls at 11:08 PM on September 2, 2020 [4 favorites]

I like the idea that preventative maintenance activities will be delayed. Adds a certain simmering edginess to the whole situation. And for some reason makes me wonder if it will feel like you’re working on the Millenium Falcon.
posted by armoir from antproof case at 11:19 PM on September 2, 2020

Fortunately the specific equipment I'm referring to doesn't affect very many people! But... it already does sometimes feel like that already. It's a fascinating combination of old and new tech.

Leeway, I'd rather not say where I am on the thread as I'm anonymish here, but if you memail me we can figure out if we've overlapped anywhere.

I'm sorry to report that the shoggoths were greatly exaggerated, but the things that appear at parties are EVEN BETTER.
posted by inexorably_forward at 12:10 AM on September 3, 2020 [3 favorites]

Celebrate the stuff that matters, rather than the stuff you're supposed to celebrate. I love that advice from Billy Barr, the Colorado hermit. For him, going to town is stressful so he saves special movies to watch after he has returned from his eight-mile skiing trip. That’s how he celebrates being back home again in his former silver mine. I know that’s not unusual advice but it’s lovely to discover it works for at least one actual hermit. Also, I can’t get over the overweening sense of entitlement and thoughtlessness shown by the social media traveler gal. Great post, jessamyn. Thanks!
posted by Bella Donna at 1:04 AM on September 3, 2020 [5 favorites]