Whatcha Stocking?

[Kasey Chang]

Glasses fogging is what make them impractical for me at work. So far I'm dodging the enforcers -- my St. Charles office failed to provide me with one (never mind the dozen or so in my backpack my wife gave me). Same with Bolingbrook...they didn't even give one to my employee who is always there. There's like 5 people (in an office normally filled with 200) there, but today one of those 5 was the business unit president and he gave my employee some crap so I gave him a mask (he didn't see me so I didn't wear one).

I quit wearing the mask at my desk. Of 7 offices in the suite, only 2 other people were in and we all have our own walled offices. Yesterday the CFO stopped by and asked where my mask was and I pointed to it on my desk. "Not doing much good there, is it?"

Busted.

"But you're the only other person I've seen all day. Shouldn't you be maintaining social distance?"

[em2nought]

Glasses fogging is what make them impractical for me at work.

You could try spitting on your glasses in the same manner as dive masks.

[LawBeefaroni]

Glasses fogging is what make them impractical for me at work. So far I'm dodging the enforcers -- my St. Charles office failed to provide me with one (never mind the dozen or so in my backpack my wife gave me). Same with Bolingbrook...they didn't even give one to my employee who is always there. There's like 5 people (in an office normally filled with 200) there, but today one of those 5 was the business unit president and he gave my employee some crap so I gave him a mask (he didn't see me so I didn't wear one).

I quit wearing the mask at my desk. Of 7 offices in the suite, only 2 other people were in and we all have our own walled offices. Yesterday the CFO stopped by and asked where my mask was and I pointed to it on my desk. "Not doing much good there, is it?"

Busted.

"But you're the only other person I've seen all day. Shouldn't you be maintaining social distance?"

He did stay at the door to my office and had mask. I didn't get in "trouble" but I'm sure I'll get some mild shit for a bit. I switched to surgical mask today. N95s are as shitty as we hear they are for longer than 20 mins or so. Also, closing my door for now so I can mask up real quick if anyone comes over to talk.

[Max Peck]

Based on my two points of anecdata, I'm guessing that the sweet spot to place an order here is on Saturday morning just about when the stores are opening for business.

My Instacart Saturday-morning theory held up again this week. Some same-day capacity popped up right at 0900. I had an order set up and ready to go, and had the groceries in hand by 1000.

[Daehawk]

Be careful as they are starting to suspect AC units are circulating the virus.

[Blackhawk]

Be careful as they are starting to suspect AC units are circulating the virus.

Context? I assume that they're talking about huge, multi-unit central AC systems when others in the same building are infected.

[Defiant]

Be careful as they are starting to suspect AC units are circulating the virus.

Context? I assume that they're talking about huge, multi-unit central AC systems when others in the same building are infected.

Possibly this:

https://www.businessinsider.com/how-res ... ina-2020-4

[Scuzz]

Be careful as they are starting to suspect AC units are circulating the virus.

Who are "they"?

And based on what?

[em2nought]

Be careful as they are starting to suspect AC units are circulating the virus.

Context? I assume that they're talking about huge, multi-unit central AC systems when others in the same building are infected.

Possibly this:

https://www.businessinsider.com/how-res ... ina-2020-4

That was probably a mini-split. I'd think we'll see mini-splits getting filters more like whole house units after this instead of the crummy filters like a window unit has. Not that manufacturers are going to mind now selling us filters several times a year too. I wonder about air conditioning systems in hospitals? Does each floor have it's own unit? What are the filters like? Do they have some kind of UV attachment to A/C units too? Will each room of a hospital end up with a mini-split after this?

With the extra fabric left from buying a really large filter for my mother that I could make two plus filters out of I've made a filter for my office window unit.

[Scuzz]

Aren't dirty/bad a/c systems one of the causes of Legionairre's Disease?

[dbt1949]

I thought Legionairres were the cause.

[Jeff V]

I thought Legionairres were the cause.

Victim shaming!

[Scuzz]

I thought Legionairres were the cause.

Victim shaming!

Nobody likes the french anyway.

[Isgrimnur]

It was actually the American Legion.

[Blackhawk]

Red State Report: Two different stores today. One was a 'nice' store with lots of produce, organic products, etc. The kind of places that the 'typical' midwesterner avoids. The other was Wal-Mart. I'd say I saw maybe 40% of people with masks, and that's being generous. Walked by multiple conversations involving how the shutdown was infringing on their rights (their right to kill strangers, I assume.) Directional shopping aisles were in place for the first time, but nobody noticed. To be fair, I didn't notice until halfway through the trip myself. The 10" square signs glued to the floor don't do the trick in a society where excessive advertising has taught us to actively ignore signage.

As far as content, I dialed it back a bit today. I usually keep very tight controls over what I eat, both in regards to calories and content. When this all started I had to relax that. There are relatively few 'healthy' options around here (the 'vegetarian' section in these huge stores is one two foot wide freezer area), and with everything as picked over as it was six weeks to a month ago, I had to say, "screw it" and just go with what was available. Net result? Lazy me-mind isn't keeping track of what I eat, so why not toss that extra box of cookies in the cart? And hey, they have plenty of microwave calzones! Oh, and the Asian market has all sorts of decent ramen. And Mochi. And Stikko.

Six weeks later and I've gained 12 pounds. Not only that, I've also felt blech one a grease-and-sugar dieat after years of relatively healthy eating.

So today I started trying to get back on track. The store shelves aren't so bare anymore, and my excuses for eating crap are starting to feel a little thin, even to myself. I still had to compromise. Fruits and vegetables instead of junk food for snacks, no cheesy-salty convenience foods, but I'm still not going to be able to keep under my normal calorie limit. Part of the problem is that the house is still moderately stocked with the crap. My goal this week is to finish off the last of the garbage around the house by midway through the week. After that I'll be limited to the healthier stuff. Then next week or the week after I'll be able to get all the way back to normal. I hope.

[Blackhawk]

Oh, and the 'dumbsmack' moment of the week.

When we got to Wal-Mart, the people counter out front had her mask on over her chin - and well under her nose. Well, I thought, at least she's outside away from people, sitting in her little plastic tent.

As I was checking out she walks by, mask still under her nose, and disappears behind the service desk. She reappears a few minutes later pushing a wheelchair for some sick or elderly person. I can only assume that this person offended her in such a manner as to justify her trying to kill them. That or she's a mindless goddamned idiot.

[ImLawBoy]

Blue state report. Shopping this morning, and I'd say mask usage was probably near 90%. Still some poor mask hygiene, but overall people are taking it seriously. Was able to get most of what I had on the list, although things like Clorox Wipes are still not available. There was an older guy (mid 70s, a least) pushing a cart around without a mask asking an employee where the pork & beans were, FWIW.

[Kraken]

We got a shipment of toilet paper and paper towels via Amazon today. It was delivered promptly and we now have at least a 2-month supply of both.

[dbt1949]

I can usually find TP and paper towels at the grocery just not much of a selection.

[em2nought]

The best material for homemade face masks may be a combination of two fabrics

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2 ... 081648.htm

They don't mention what thread count to use. Someplace else I've seen mention of 600.

[Lorrel]

Stocked up for the next month. Used to cook much before lockdown, but have no opportunity to do so recently. Whatcha your usual shopping list on lockdown look now?

[Paingod]

pork & beans

I've noticed that the baked beans in our podunk store are pretty consistently cleaned out. TP is still scarce. Paper towels, pasta and sauce are consistently thin, flour is usually nearly empty. Frozen veggies, fries, and tater tots are usually sparse. Soda, chips, candy, alcohol and ice cream are well stocked.

Never any lines to enter the podunk stores, but even just 30 minutes north or south, though, I see lines of people waiting to get into the stores. Thankfully the lines move quickly. My mother reported needing to wait up to 30 minutes to get into one store, though.

[Jeff V]

The only line I've observed was at Trader Joe's. Given the shelves in the store were substantially barren the last time I went, I decided I was not going to wait....there was about 2 dozen people in line.

[Blackhawk]

That's one advantage I have. We have masks, sneeze guards, directional aisles, social distancing, age limits, and people-counters in front of the stores, but I have never seen a line. The closest thing I've had to deal with is longer lines in the drive-thru.

[ImLawBoy]

I haven't seen any lines at stores, nor have I seen people counters or directional aisles. My store is pretty new and the aisles aren't as tight as at some stores, so maybe they feel they don't need them? There's no way to pass each other while maintaining 6 feet, though.

[LawBeefaroni]

I haven't seen any lines at stores, nor have I seen people counters or directional aisles. My store is pretty new and the aisles aren't as tight as at some stores, so maybe they feel they don't need them? There's no way to pass each other while maintaining 6 feet, though.

The Trader Joe's on Lincoln and Grace usually has a line. They limit people in the store so there is a queue outside and they let people in as people leave. Same with Whole Foods on Lincoln/Ashland/Belmont. Have not yet been to a Jewel with a line. Jewels all have directional aisles and floor decals for distancing at the checkouts.

[ImLawBoy]

I haven't seen any lines at stores, nor have I seen people counters or directional aisles. My store is pretty new and the aisles aren't as tight as at some stores, so maybe they feel they don't need them? There's no way to pass each other while maintaining 6 feet, though.

The Trader Joe's on Lincoln and Grace usually has a line. They limit people in the store so there is a queue outside and they let people in as people leave. Same with Whole Foods on Lincoln/Ashland/Belmont. Have not yet been to a Jewel with a line. Jewels all have directional aisles and floor decals for distancing at the checkouts.

I go the Mariano's at Webster and Elston. Of course, I also go at a time calculated to have a minimum of shoppers, so maybe it's just that my strategy is working.

[Blackhawk]

My store is pretty new and the aisles aren't as tight as at some stores

Just last year our Wal-Mart went through an extremely messy renovation that had the effect of narrowing the aisles considerably. It's like walking through a narrow canyon now.

[coopasonic]

I hit Target at 8 am yesterday to restock, found most everything I needed and was out at 8:12, there were maybe 15 people lined up outside the store when they opened and I hardly passed anyone once inside the store.

[pr0ner]

I didn't check delivery, but my local Harris Teeter had a lot more ExpressLane grocery pickup options available than usual. Nabbed one for Monday morning, but there were available times for days earlier instead of the whole week being completely booked solid as had been the usual MO.

[Scuzz]

The only line I've observed was at Trader Joe's. Given the shelves in the store were substantially barren the last time I went, I decided I was not going to wait....there was about 2 dozen people in line.

My daughter does a lot of her shopping at Trader Joes and they limit the number of people allowed in the store at any time, so there are almost always lines.

I had an early doctor appointment today (cardiologist, and everything is fine for now) and afterwards I went to the store for a few items. Being earlier than normal they still had TP, so I bought some. I also bought fake butter, which they were limiting last time, and still are as far as I know. Since I was there I also bought beer and wine. And veggies.

[Hrothgar]

Costco had TP and paper towels back in stock. We're set for a while.

[Z-Corn]

My plug for Clorox wipes just came through so I can keep these kitchen counters 100.

[Anonymous Bosch]

Costco had TP and paper towels back in stock. We're set for a while.

Yeah, I noticed that when I was in Costco today.

However the meat shortage was definitely showing, as there was scant selection to choose from. They also had an announcer on a loudspeaker instructing customers to limit meat purchases to 1 package each.

[dbt1949]

O great! I usually buy all my meat for the month one one day.

[Jeff V]

So we're supposed to somehow minimize store trips by greatly increasing the frequency of shopping visits?

Things like steaks are sold individually. I need at least 3 of them when we have steak for dinner.

[ImLawBoy]

So we're supposed to somehow minimize store trips by greatly increasing the frequency of shopping visits?

Things like steaks are sold individually. I need at least 3 of them when we have steak for dinner.

Go to the meat counter and ask for three steaks. They'll put them in the same package.

[dbt1949]

Meat counter? How quaint.

[Jaymann]

You know meat production is a MAJOR contributor to global warming. I'm just sayin'.

[LawBeefaroni]

You know meat production is a MAJOR contributor to global warming. I'm just sayin'.

Production hasn't slowed as far as I know. There is just not enough processing.