SOAK, the local Burning Man regional for Oregon, is canceled. There's a half-built "pineal gland" ovular design temple in the backyard of a local Burner group house: we're now discussing whether we burn it later, or whether we build a teahouse for the fellow who donates his backyard to regional temple every year. I'm dearly hoping that in a few months, I'll get to help build a teahouse. I spend an awful lot of time back behind the house, and will be gardening there - it'd be nice to have a focal point to garden around, especially if the owner obtains the empty lot directly behind his house.
It's sad that the regional is being canceled, but then again, it was scheduled for late May. I don't think America is going to be done with the pandemic any time around then, and I was already thinking of not going. Some of the anxiety around them potentially deciding to go ahead with SOAK has now been transferred to the Gerlach regional, or what people tend to think of as Actual Burning Man. I hope they cancel it, but there's some pretty severe financial risks (about ten million dollars, off one analysis) to them doing that. On the other hand, I can't imagine 80,000 people in one place being a good idea anytime soon.
Me, I'm observing Hermit Man by staying at home, making lots of stock, and congratulating myself on my choices in CSA and non-perishable supplies. I suspect in years to come, survivor's guilt will eat me, but right now I've adopted the mentality that this is a fucked up situation. At least I'm eating (and drinking well.
Thankfully, my job is not in any way at risk. Here in the second or third week of all of this, I'm actually getting into the swing of blankly coping with the crisis and inability to go work at coffee shops and taprooms. The new normal is to turbo-hermit, hit my marks, and think a lot about business continuity.
And so my life has narrowed, once again, to my Internet communities, those few local friends socially distancing as much as I am, and deeply technical, interesting work. Curious to see where it all goes.