Tag: quarantine

Categories
pet cartoons

How are the pets faring while we stay at home?

Cartoon of an annoyed cat and a dog
Copyright © Kevin Spear

It seems every other news article is about how pets are reacting while we work from home.

It seems Buzzfeed has a post every other day about annoyed pets during the quarantine. And perhaps all our furry companions can’t wait until we return to the workplace.

But perhaps pets are more resilient than we think. Do we implant on them emotions they are not really feeling? If we assume our cat would be annoyed we are home, do we interpret every action they do as a testament to their annoyance?

When I drew this illustration, my daughter brought home a new puppy. We assumed our cat would go ballistic. He didn’t. He tolerated the new pooch fairly well. I was both relieved and disappointed. I was relieved that the pets got along while disappointed I wouldn’t have an epic struggle to write about. That is one of the curses of a writer. We don’t want conflict, but we know it provides great fodder for our writing.

Pets will get through this just as we will. It will take some time and adjustment. Maybe they will face separation anxiety… or maybe we will. But either way, we will adjust. In the meantime, maybe it’s best to give your cat some space and have his naptime.

Cartoon of an annoyed cat and a dog
Copyright © 2007 Kevin Spear
Categories
motivation

Loving Your Neighbor in Tight Quarters

Cartoon of man in backyard. Love your neighbor and put up with his pooch,

When my wife and I began married life, we lived in an upstairs apartment. Our downstairs neighbor had a little dog named Happy. It was ironic because the pooch never seemed to be happy. The poor thing would spend all of her time barking at everything whenever she was outside. As a young adult, I thought it was quite annoying.

Four years later, my wife and I had our first child. When the baby cried, I thought of how ungracious I felt when the dog would bark. I realized a crying baby could be just as annoying to neighbors as a yapping dog.

Nearly twenty-eight years later, that same child is working from home during the quarantine in Phoenix, Arizona. He rents a room from a couple and has to do most of his work from the room because of client privacy rules. Next door, a young vocalist has been practicing. She has been robust in her vocal practice and in singing opera. It’s amazing how things come full circle.

We are living in a time where we may be more aware of our neighbors and their activities than before the quarantine. It is taking some patience and some agapé love to get us through it.

The Washington Post has a great article on ways to work with and be patient with your neighbor during the lockdown. It focuses on apartment dwellers. But considering my son’s situation, it could also apply to suburbanites.

In the end, remember to love your neighbor and show patience to them and their little quirks. If you think about it, you may have a few of your own.

Cartoon of man in backyard. Love your neighbor and put up with his pooch,
Categories
Internet love Social Media

Is It Easier or Harder to Love Your Neighbor These Days?

Illustration of a man suspiciously looking over a fence while a dog observes him with Concern
Copyright © 2007 Kevin Spear

Is social distancing getting the better of you these days? Do you find it hard to love your neighbor while maintaining a distance of at least six feet (1.8288 meters)? Do you find yourself wondering what everyone else is doing on the other side of the fence?

This morning, my wife and I went to the grocery early. We figured it was best to get there before the crowds really kicked in. Well, the crowds were already at our grocery by 7:00 AM. I can only imagine how it would go up from there. The cashier remarked that they were going to limit the number of people within the store Monday and that would add to today’s crowds.

I needed some items at the local big-box retailer. It was less crowded. But that was because they were already limiting the number of people in the store. Both places were limiting the amount of “necessary items” you could purchase. At the big-box retailer, I saw a guy stopped for attempting to purchase an excess of bathroom tissue. It was probably for the best. The guy could not have gotten all of that into his car anyway.

I have to admit, it’s been easier to keep in touch with my friends in other states than locally. It seems silly to have a video conference with someone in the same town, but acceptable to do the same with someone out of state. I’ll need to get over that stigma.

The Internet and social media make it easier for me to keep in touch with friends and family. But I am ashamed to admit it’s hard to connect with the family next door since I don’t know their names. This extended time of quarantine has made me reconsider how I connect with people and what is the best way to do that once we get back to some form of mobility again.

What about you? Have you found it easier or harder to connect with your neighbors during the stay-in-place orders?

Illustration of a man suspiciously looking over a fence while a dog observes him with Concern
Copyright © 2007 Kevin Spear