This is an entry to How are you spending your quarantine? 100 Hive contest! hosted by @derangedvisions.
We're just in the third month into 2020 and there's a coronavirus pandemic already. In the second week of March, a confirmed case was recorded in the Philippines so our cities declared lockdown and required us to quarantine ourselves.
What's happening outside
Week 1
A day after a case was confirmed in our country, we had to suspend the classes and we were advised to stay at home if there's no unnecessary agenda outside. I could say our country is pretty late with confirming the case but pretty sure we have more than 1 already but we lack testing kits so we can't detect it early.
After this was announced, I predicted this isn't going to be better in the next few weeks so I went to the art shop and bought the materials that I will need in case everything will be halted. I knew I made a good choice.
Alcohols and hand sanitizers sold out fast because of some fucking hoarders trying to sell them 25x the original price. We don't stack up on toilet paper because we use water and soap to clean our ass after taking a shit so they are pretty abundant here. Grocery stores were packed with people panic buying.
Week 2
Classes as well as work are suspended during the second week of the community quarantine. The virus spread pretty fast and we already had a hundred confirmed cases. Our city canceled some flights and stores are closed for good. Only the grocery stores, dry market, and pharmacies are open during this time.
Social distancing was mandated for everyone, even in public transportation. It is nearly impossible to impose social distancing in public transportation but the drivers found a way by taping boxes in each seat, with a sign not to sit on them. Since the drivers are going to have less income for this, the government gave them cash to make up for it.
Tiktok
In an effort to make the people stay inside their homes, our city started a Tiktok challenge where they have to make Tiktok videos based on the theme for that day. Cellular load will be given as a prize each day for the winners. Of course, they have to film it at home.
Quarantine pass and curfew
In some cities, they imposed quarantine passes where only one family member can only go out and buy supplies. Since this is Philippines, we live with our parents, sometimes with other relatives too, so we had to be strict with the going out-going in rule.
In our city though, we aren't having those passes yet since it is not found necessary as of the moment for us.
I believe the government is giving out food packs and some cash to the daily wage earners.
We are having our curfew here as well.
In our family, my dad goes out often since he works in the military. He does the groceries and other stuff outside so everybody else gets to stay home.
What's happening inside
So what do I do to kill the time?
The usual. I am a full-time artist and I rarely go out so this stay at home isn't something new to me. I just make art, either painting or some digital stuff. Nothing has changed.
With my artmaking though, I tried a few things.
I bought an odorless mineral spirit and a gas mask for me to experiment with painting. I kept on delaying this since I know the solvent is not gonna have a nice smell even though it is odorless. Well even if it says odorless, there's still gonna be some harmful particles in the air that I don't want to inhale. I'm liking the effects on it visually so far, I just don't like the odor.
I filmed the process of painting too so I can compile them later on and have some nice content. :D
I'm experimenting on GIF art
Since I got into Makersplace, I made some GIF art too and tokenized them on the platform. Hey! I sold my first work!
Days later, I sold two of my works too and I'm happy! So yeah, I'm starting on some NFT and I'm becoming active on Twitter cos I need to market my crypto art there since the collectors are hanging out on that platform.
So yeah, that's how I spend my quarantine days. Pretty boring yeah? :p That's what I do! Always inside.
Hope you're enjoying your days and stay safe!
I wonder, what do people panic buy in the Philippines?
someone commented to my post, it is pasta but what are other things than pasta that's truly scarce. Obviously, other than alcohol hand sanitizers.
Usually vitamin C and other multivitamins. Eggs are running low lately due to a viral fake story about eggs as cure to the virus. I find it funny and disturbing at the same time. People can be easily fooled lately that even the most nonsensical stories get traction.
This is my favorite aspect of communities like HIVE, hearing about what things are like in areas far away from where I live. Stay safe!
Thank you, @minerthreat. I'm safe at home, but I'm more worried on what's going to happen in the coming days. IMF just declared a global economic recession, so I'm not sure if I can go back to my job once this pandemic is over.
I am currently unemployed as I was inbetween jobs when this hit. I am also unlikely to receive any aid offered in the country I live, but I have decided not to let negativity overwhelm me. I believe a path will show the way at some point and I hope the same for all of us affected by this around the world. Good luck to you, I wish you the best!
True, worrying about things will not do you any good. I'm glad you can control them. Stay safe wherever you are!
Thank You! You too!
whoa! so people basically panic buy whatever the media say. In Indonesia, people are panic buying sugar and multivitamins. I mean that's not how immune system works. You can't really build them overnight, which something that most people unaware of.
Yes! I think they're basically in survival mode. Can't blame them though. I did some groceries two days ago and there's still available food supply, but I don't know how long they will last.
I just hope that it will end soon and that governments are trying their best to combat this pandemic. We're actually waiting for our food ration because they the local government units will help. Not that we're now lacking, but we don't know if when the lockdown will last.
I watched the news that reported govt in PH is handing out daily needs to people, is that right?
There's a plan, but we haven't received anything yet. Maybe they will distribute in the coming days.
Hopefully that plan works out well!
Yeah lol. Well, some people believe things they see on Facebook even though it's clearly FAKE and silly.
They panic buy masks here too. The surgical and n95 ones. Before the coronavirus outbreak, an active volcano started erupting here, so the n95 masks were quite scarce already. When it comes to food, I guess they are canned goods, noodles, rice.. The government had to impose a buying limit for a transaction for each customer to prevent them to sell out as these are important or main food, and supplies are also limited due to the lockdown.
So the measure is quite similar in Indonesia except they don't impose limited transaction for canned goods and noodles. Also, they only impose it in the capital but not elsewhere.
I hope this will pass soon before August.
Glad hearing you're doing good. And congratulations on the successful sales! Your mask looks awesome! :D
Thank you! Hope you're all well too :D
Very interesting to hear that, how other people are spending time in quarantine! I just posted one of my my mornings, but I'm going to write some more. I'm wood carving, which I've never done before! 😊 Stay safe, you and your family 💛
Woah wood carving! I did that in art school and I didn't like it, mainly because I wasn't using the right wood so it breaks easily! Like you're gonna carve in some small parts and next thing you know the other part next to it breaks as well. Lol I wasn't that interested that's why I didn't research the right wood for it. Good luck on your carving! I hope you enjoy it :D I hope to see that in the next few days :P
Stay safe too!
Breaking part is so true! But, I don't care, it's all fun and some kind of therapy. 😄
I congratulate you friend @hiddenblade, that is a way to take advantage of the crisis. You are very creative.
Thank you!
Such an amazing entry! I love the artwork. I wish that I didn't have to go to work so I could spend more time doing creative things as well.
Thank you! Glad you like it, even though it's still an underpainting! haha
No chance of you working from home? Yeah it will be best for creatives to stay at home cos making art needs a lot of focus!
Hope you manage to stay safe.
Sorry that assholes have been hoarding there to sell at higher prices. Pretty big gamble. They could end up with a ton of stock and the store ends up restocking just fine. Then maybe they get in legal trouble.
Actually some were arrested hahaha. Well that's what they get for being greedy.
Oh wow, your hive mask is cool. Love your drawings. It was wise of you to get supplies fast - I did the same thing with the van we're building, thought I couldn't get everything I needed. May you use this time creatively, and may you be safe! xxx