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Checking In - Everybody Okay? — Parallax Forums

Checking In - Everybody Okay?

WhitWhit Posts: 4,191
in General Discussion
Just starting a place to check-in with my Parallax Forum friends.

We are under "stay at home" orders in Louisiana. We have suspended all public worship at the Church (updated now) until April 26. As one friend said, "Now we are all tele-evangelists!" We are live-streaming worship, and prayers on Facebook and YouTube. You can see my attempts to keep folks connected and in good cheer at http://www.saintalbansepiscopal.org/ or if you Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/saintalbansepiscopal

Our two children, both at Louisiana Tech, are home and finishing the quarter online. We are caring for my Dad, who will be 85 this year.

So far, we are all well but the infection and spread rate in Louisiana is very high.

Please check-in and let me know how you are doing.
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Comments

  • DigitalBobDigitalBob Posts: 1,514
    No containing it now, this corona is everywhere. Just have to wait until it peaks and dwindles down. Nows a good time to make a Prop or Bs2 DIY ventilator project.
  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,069
    We are bunkered down in the Central Coast which is 100km north of Sydney, Australia.
    Stay safe everyone!
  • Capt. QuirkCapt. Quirk Posts: 872
    My family lives in California, Arizona, Minnesota, and Australia.

    We had a family video conference on Zoom last night between 8
    couples. This may become the new normal for a while. Even for
    those of us that live nearby.


    Bill M.

    We had a good time :smiley:
  • JRoarkJRoark Posts: 1,215
    We just passed the 2-week mark of self-induced quarantine. No virus in the immediate family, but those rising numbers everywhere are just durned-Skippy scary.

    I've already forgotten how to shave. And dress myself. :)

    Be safe, my Parallax-Family!
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    Been hunkered down at home going on two weeks now. No more yummy deli food, and starting to lose weight eating my own cooking. I feel lucky, though, with a shop at home and lots of interesting projects to work on. Just finished making a face shield for a friend who works in the hospital lab. Luckily, I had the materials on hand to do it. I do get out on my bike occasionally for solo rides. I very much miss socializing with friends, but I think that's gonna have to wait for some time to come.

    -Phil
  • localrogerlocalroger Posts: 3,452
    With you in Louisiana. Normally I commute from Mandeville to NOLA but working from home at the moment, my Dad lives in McComb MS and our weekly visits are suspended since we don't know if I might be a danger to him. I've gone in to the shop in NOLA a couple of times to grab stuff I need but it's been really surreal. I miss the much better computer rig at work I never had a need to set up anything quite so good at home for my own use and I'm seriously considering a run to Best Buy to expense an upgrade.
  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    Thank goodness for teleconferencing. It's provided a way to really keep in touch with family and friends. I've been a member of several discussion groups and my wife is on several community committees and Zoom has provided a means to continue these (without the benefit of meeting at a coffee shop or someone's home). I've been slowly trying to get some experience using a Propeller wirelessly. I've been able to download to PropMinis with a WX WiFi module and really minimal circuitry (mostly a transistor inverter). Now if I can just get Telnet or something similar to work with my MacBook.
  • msrobotsmsrobots Posts: 3,709
    edited 2020-03-29 05:52
    I am working from home since decades, since they are in Germany and I had to move to the US to take care of my mum. Now the company I am working for did use the experience with me to get a lot of other people teleworking. So far, so good.

    Small town in California, the streets are empty sometimes I go outside to see if there is still somebody there except me. Creepy.

    I started a vegetable garden, not because of corona, but it is the right time in the year, but now I think about getting some rabbits and maybe even Meat Chicken.

    The Bar and the Restaurant in town (yes one of each) are closed, all two ATM's are empty, alike a lot of the local family owned supermarket.

    It is sort of funny what people buy first, not sure why toilet paper is hoarded (honestly, people taking 3-4 packets with 24 rolls each) but basic stuff like beans, rice, canned goods are fully stacked.

    I did switch my diet from Brandy and Coke to Gin and Tonic, It is anti-bacterial (the alcohol) and anti-malaria (the tonic and the berries used to make Gin) ...

    Enjoy!

    Mike
  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,069
    Our daughter and family now live in the UK, and formerly S.Korea and Singapore. We have been FaceTiming for years. Their twins know us as well as our other grandchildren who live locally.
    In these times, it’s especially important to stay in touch. The internet is a wonderful thing :)

  • ercoerco Posts: 20,257
    We're fairly intact here in Los Angeles, just as confused as everyone else about how quickly things turned upside down all over. We're on lock down. For my stay-at-home wife and homeschooled kids, their daily routine hasn't changed drastically. I still go daily to my small studio office near the house. Just me, my partner stays home, hardly anyone else in other parts of the building. I hear them occasionally, but never see them. Availability of food & supplies in stores was bad at first but starting to come back if you hit the stores early.

    Per Phipi, it's a very good time to have projects to work on. Even before people started hoarding toilet paper, I was hoarding all my cheap Ebay parts, which are paying off now. All of the big toy companies have sent employees home to "work", and so I'm picking up as much freelance from them as I want. Robots robots robots: I can do this for a while. Bill Gates says it will be 6-9 weeks before things start turning around, so everyone please stay safe & healthy.

    Share your projects here. Don't make me say, "Now everyone has time for the figure 8 challenge!"
  • rbehmrbehm Posts: 102
    Here in Taiwan we are safe. We have a well known epidemiologist as health minister. They acted already at the beginning of January when they heard about the problems in Wuhan and from their experiences with SARS. So far community spread does not seem to exist. So no lock down needed.
    Until two weeks ago we had less 50 cases. Then it started to rise because many people returned home. The government ordered everyone coming in from outside to 14 day quarantine with a heavy fine (1M NT$) in case of someone not following.
  • doggiedocdoggiedoc Posts: 2,245
    Doing good here in South Carolina.   Everyone is holed up at home.  My oldest son is home from Clemson for the rest of the semester and doing his classwork online as are the younger son and daughter (high school) - looks like they will finish out the school year online too.  My adult daughter and her boyfriend have moved in with us for the duration to get out of Boston.  She can work online and he is working on his PhD at MIT and can FaceTime with his advisors too.  So it’s a little crazy busy at home but we are blessed to have the space and resources to handle it all.

    I’m still going in to work every day. I’ve kept my clinic open since demand is high - I guess people are spending more time with their pets and noticing problems more. I have a small staff and we are doubling down on hygiene and sanitation and that seems to be all we can do.

    I have pulled out my hoard of parallax products but haven’t had a chance to do too much. I am planning to trouble shoot a couple of the on board LEDs on one of my P2 EVAL boards that aren’t working correctly after replacing the P2 chip (when I have time). Spare time is going to routine spring yard work and gardening at the moment. It’s pretty warm out already - I even jumped in the pool to cool off yesterday!

    Stay safe my friends.

    Doc
  • PublisonPublison Posts: 12,366
    Being only 60 miles from the epicenter in New York City, we in south west Connecticut have had a lot of restrictions as many of our residents work in New York. Traffic has been non-existent and grocery shelves have been stripped of goods. Luck would have it that I stock up on non-perishables all the time when they go on sale. I had to put closing on the house for another week, maybe two. Moving to Tennessee is going to be tough if we have a quarantine that Trump is talking about.
  • David BetzDavid Betz Posts: 14,516
    I'm doing okay in NH. We have only 214 cases so far and 2 deaths but I don't think we've seen the peak yet. They predict that for about two weeks from now. I'm working from home for a company that makes ventilators so we're considered an essential business. I don't actually work on ventilators myself but they are manufactured in the building where I normally work. My wife works at a local hospital and hasn't worked directly with COVID-19 patients yet but that may change if the number of cases goes up. Unfortunately, because I can work from home, I haven't had a lot of free time to do P2 development.
  • ctwardellctwardell Posts: 1,716
    OK here in Central Ohio.
    Kids on extended break doing schoolwork from home.
    Ohio is under stay at home order, but working for client that is considered essential, so still traveling into Columbus daily.
    Going from a few remote workers daily to 60+ over a few day span was a fun challenge. Having just four or five people in the office that usually has around 70 seems strange, but makes social isolation easier.

    Miss getting to visit my parents and my mother in-law as she is recovering from cancer surgery, but we don't want to put them at additional risk by visiting.

    Stay safe!

    C.W.
  • John AbshierJohn Abshier Posts: 1,116
    Here in Eastern Kansas (Leavenworth) for a retired person it has mostly been inconvenient. Stay at home order was effective 24 March. Indoor range closed. Outdoor shooting matches cancelled or delayed. Two day Amazon Prime is now two week. Panic buying at grocery stores has slowed down. I would like to buy disinfecting wipes. Home Depot has none within 100 miles. Amazon will not add to cart for May delivery. Biggest downer is not visiting Dad, Sister, kids, and grand kids. If the actual rate is 10 times reported cases, the infection rate for Leavenworth county is 0.18 of a percent. The governor just issued a state wide stay at home order. I don't know how it is received in western half of Kansas with only 1 reported case.

    My biggest worry is impact on economy. Farmer's market in Kansas City was open, but nobody is coming.
  • xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
    A few weeks ago I donated every electronic component in my possession. Then I traveled to NY for the summer. Awesome plan right? Haha, I probably won't be building anything anytime soon. Work is busier than normal, so that might be a good thing. Everything here is great. Stores, people, etc. I love small towns, and I'm glad I'm here (Dutchess county NY). Also, I'm sure all of the electronics will be put to better use by the students than I : )

  • tomcrawfordtomcrawford Posts: 1,129
    In rural northern California, we retirees are doing well.
    Conventional "wisdom" has it that shortages in local stores are due to city people buying up all our toilet paper.
    I am working on an hour meter for our generator for the upcoming fire season.
  • David BetzDavid Betz Posts: 14,516
    xanadu wrote: »
    A few weeks ago I donated every electronic component in my possession. Then I traveled to NY for the summer. Awesome plan right? Haha, I probably won't be building anything anytime soon. Work is busier than normal, so that might be a good thing. Everything here is great. Stores, people, etc. I love small towns, and I'm glad I'm here (Dutchess county NY). Also, I'm sure all of the electronics will be put to better use by the students than I : )
    Who did you donate to? I have way too many parts including both Parallax and non-Parallax microcontrollers and various sensors and robot parts. I'm pretty sure I'm not going to find time to use most of it and I'd love to give it to someone who could make use of it. I will keep my P2 boards, an ActivityBoard and a few FLIP modules of course.

  • davejamesdavejames Posts: 4,047
    msrobots wrote: »
    Small town in California, the streets are empty sometimes I go outside to see if there is still somebody there except me. Creepy.

    From fires to empty streets? That's quite a swing. Say hi to Konocti for me?

    Missing the lake...

  • davejamesdavejames Posts: 4,047
    edited 2020-03-29 18:58
    As Johnny Winter said: "...still alive and well!"

    Clearwater county here in north Idaho has posted no *confirmed* cases yet, but this blasted virus is all around in the lower portions of the state.

    Wife and I are adjusting to the new norm. Stores, banks, gas stations...all the "essential businesses" are open. The recently issued "stay home" order order has made our quiet town even quieter.

    Currently studying the LM13700 and PTC2399 for a future product.

    Later...
  • xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
    David Betz wrote: »
    xanadu wrote: »
    A few weeks ago I donated every electronic component in my possession. Then I traveled to NY for the summer. Awesome plan right? Haha, I probably won't be building anything anytime soon. Work is busier than normal, so that might be a good thing. Everything here is great. Stores, people, etc. I love small towns, and I'm glad I'm here (Dutchess county NY). Also, I'm sure all of the electronics will be put to better use by the students than I : )
    Who did you donate to? I have way too many parts including both Parallax and non-Parallax microcontrollers and various sensors and robot parts. I'm pretty sure I'm not going to find time to use most of it and I'd love to give it to someone who could make use of it. I will keep my P2 boards, an ActivityBoard and a few FLIP modules of course.

    STEM students in the San Diego area, via craigslist. I accidentally placed the ad in the video games section ; )
  • PublisonPublison Posts: 12,366
    edited 2020-03-29 19:46
    davejames wrote: »
    As Johnny Winter said: "...still alive and well!"
    Unfortunately Johnny passed in 2014, still alive in his music.

    Just went to Home Depot to get some shipping supplies. They have a limit of 100 customers at a time. There is a que for checkout only allowing 1 person in any checkout lane.

    I have a pile of one use gloves on the floor of my truck that I need to get rid of. :)

  • PublisonPublison Posts: 12,366
    davejames wrote: »
    Currently studying the LM13700 and PTC2399 for a future product.

    Later...

    Ahh... Audio projects go on. I have a PTC2399 for evaluation also.

  • Buck RogersBuck Rogers Posts: 2,187
    Me? Bored out of my mind. I am slowly spinning up new projects. In fact Project #2 and Project # 3 are indeed Parallax based. Project #1 and Project #1A are not sadly.
  • PropGuy2PropGuy2 Posts: 360
    Here on the central Florida / Daytona Beach area everything is quiet. We had 300 thousand here two weeks ago for our annual Bike Week, and no problems so far. Our local Halifax Hospital report: "We have taken testing from over 100 patients to date. We are currently awaiting test results on 59 patients. Still to date, no tests we have sent out have come back positive for Covid-19." The hospital has an Intake isolation tent and virtually no patients. For myself, I did a 180 from electronics, to starting a new company to make "Millie" hospital beds. Ramping up to make a thousand beds every day - Using small local shops and "distributed" manufacturing techniques to produce individual parts, interesting stuff...
  • frank freedmanfrank freedman Posts: 1,983
    edited 2020-03-30 01:53
    localroger wrote: »
    With you in Louisiana. Normally I commute from Mandeville to NOLA but working from home at the moment, my Dad lives in McComb MS and our weekly visits are suspended since we don't know if I might be a danger to him. I've gone in to the shop in NOLA a couple of times to grab stuff I need but it's been really surreal. I miss the much better computer rig at work I never had a need to set up anything quite so good at home for my own use and I'm seriously considering a run to Best Buy to expense an upgrade.

    Don't know about where you are, but BestBuy Az is now limited to delivery or in-car in-parking lot pickup. No one allowed in the store but employees. Ran afoul of the sidewalk police before finding out parking lot only.

    As for Phoenix area, kinda quiet. At Costco yesterday, TP and wipes still "wiped out", but was able to get pretty much whatever else was needed. Late afternoon, no line in and really no waiting at registers. Ran afoul (habitual offender I guess) of the line police there, started putting stuff on the conveyor and was told six feet does not apply. Must wait until current customer at the register leaves the line. But otherwise OK. The commute has been very fast from Goodyear to downtown Hospital. No direct contact with any known positives, but I am not direct patient care, just medical imaging systems maintenance. Hospital has been very quiet, canceling as much elective procedures as possible so now easier access to systems for maintenance events. The no visitors thing (there a (very) few exceptions has the place feeling like a ghost town.

    Playing with my prop stuff, watching movies, getting wine barrels ready for planting in the back yard etc and home fixit projects. Hot tub time rounds it out. Not a whole lot different......
  • David BetzDavid Betz Posts: 14,516
    edited 2020-03-30 01:22
    PropGuy2 wrote: »
    Here on the central Florida / Daytona Beach area everything is quiet. We had 300 thousand here two weeks ago for our annual Bike Week, and no problems so far. Our local Halifax Hospital report: "We have taken testing from over 100 patients to date. We are currently awaiting test results on 59 patients. Still to date, no tests we have sent out have come back positive for Covid-19." The hospital has an Intake isolation tent and virtually no patients. For myself, I did a 180 from electronics, to starting a new company to make "Millie" hospital beds. Ramping up to make a thousand beds every day - Using small local shops and "distributed" manufacturing techniques to produce individual parts, interesting stuff...
    Sorry to be so dense but what is a "Millie" hospital bed? (or does "millie" refer to the "thousand beds/day?)

  • PropGuy2PropGuy2 Posts: 360
    edited 2020-03-30 03:03
    A "Millie" bed is a military cot type bed, a very simple no frills bed. A slang term.
    Sometimes referred to as a "camp" bed. Hoping it is not too uncomfortable. I will sleep test it...
  • Buck RogersBuck Rogers Posts: 2,187
    PropGuy2 wrote: »
    A "Millie" bed is a military cot type bed, a very simple no frills bed. A slang term.

    That's one definition. I always thought of it as an uncomfortable camp bed. And every single summer camp I got sent to had them.
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