In this episode:   

* Me, freaking out in a parking lot. About COVID-19, naturally.* Intro, and me reading reflections from other folks. * Voice recordings from even more folks.* Outro, links, resources.

Summary: 

I can’t imagine business as usual right now at a podcast about how our lives can change on a dime. So I reached out to our community, and I want to share some stories from folks that we can all relate to, find comfort and solidarity in, and just be in this thing together. This episode is dedicated to COVID-19, and the way it’s changing our lives. I will continue to share your stories over the next however many episodes I can, so keep recording your voice memos with some reflections about how you’re doing out there. 

Email them to me at nextthingpod at gmail dot com. 

First, I’m going to read some reflections that folks sent in, and then we’ll go to some recordings of folks who sent in their voices.

You just heard from, in reverse order, Juniper, a doctor in Portland, Daria, reflecting on forced introspection in Providence, Gordon, a grocery worker in San Francisco, Amanda, living in exile in her own home in Graton, Linda, on family and grocery store battles in Campbell, and Samaki on needing a certificate to walk the dog in Schiltigheim, France.

The reflections I read for you at the top of the show were from Rian, jobless in Seattle, Sam on kid’s sacrifices in Jersey, Molly in Berkeley on kids’ disappointment and the uncertain prospect of nursing, Rachel in Modesto on fascism in the time of plague, Kate on managing risk factors and working with children in Boston, Jenn on a busted knee in Oakland, and Lyn on trauma response and cherishing time with her kid in Berkeley. 

Gordon adapted his piece from his blog series “Diary of an ‘Essential Worker.’” You can find it at https://gordonzola.net/

He’s also the author of two really great books, Cheesemonger: A Life on the Wedge and Cheddar: A Journey to the Heart of America’s Most Iconic Cheese. Don’t be like me, panicking in the parking lot of a nameless national grocery chain. Support worker-owned co-ops like Rainbow Grocery!https://www.rainbow.coop/

Thank you to everyone who sent in reflections, and everyone out there listening. There’s a lot more ground to cover on how COVID-19 is affecting us. If you want to share some of your experiences and feelings, open up your voice memo app in your phone, record a short message, and email it to nextthingpod at gmail dot com. 

Prison Policy Initiative https://www.prisonpolicy.org/

Last Prisoner Projecthttps://www.lastprisonerproject.org/covid-19

RAICES https://www.raicestexas.org/2020/03/19/raices-response-to-covid-19/

Wash your hands and stay the fuck home, if you can.

Email us, or send us your own And The Next Thing You Know story by recording a voice memo on your phone and emailing it to: 

nextthingpod@gmail.com

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