First a personal note: Our move to Portugal has been postponed indefinitely due to the pandemic that is sweeping the world. So we have adjusted our plan and will be staying in Southern California for another 6 months initially. This change has not stopped our progress on getting the house ready to rent commencing in May, just has given us a little more time to get things done. We will still be moving out and are in the process of obtaining a long term lease for a 1 bedroom 1 bath home in Belmont Shores, Long Beach on Bay Shore Drive along the Naples canals, We are fortunate to have a dock available to us for our Kayaks across the street in front of our new place. So things are still good for us even with the change of location. When the world reopens for business we will be on our journey.
It has been interesting seeing the reactions of people to the pandemic and that changes it has imposed on their everyday lives. There has been a hysteria that boggles my mind about the populous panic buying, hording, and fear of other people. I started thinking about some of the long term changes if we remain panicked and afraid and how we might conduct ourselves and our businesses in the future. These are some of my thoughts on the subject, should the hysteria continue:
Ø Planes, Trains, and Automobiles Oh My!
With the “Social Distancing” and reducing contact with others, will rapid transit, busses, trains and even air travel be reduced significantly? In California we have a love affair with our cars and it could get really possessive now. The political stance for utilizing these modes of group transportation will not be an expedient political position anymore. The these forms of travel may adapt by providing less seating with six foot distancing and HEPPA filtered air like they have in Airplanes. The cleaning and disinfecting may need to be improved; again much like airlines. People will be even more inclined than they are now to keep their cars. This could cause an conundrum for the Climate Change Agenda, Let’s not forget Uber, lyft and Taxis… who knows what evil virus lurks in the back seats of those vehicles.
Ø Dining on the Run
Looks like the Pizza delivery industry has been ahead of the game for some time. Is this the model for the future of restaurants, We either drive through to pick up or we have it delivered by the likes of Uber Eats, Postmates, or Grub Hub. Every restaurant will want a drive through window. All those that can’t have one will want timed for pickup parking spaces in front of their restaurant. You will place your order on your phone in advance and it could be delivered to you automat style that has your order bagged an ready where you put in your texted aceess code and you open a compartment. There will be a limit on the number of people that can pick up their order each time. The doors will be designed so that it lets one person in when another leaves.
Ø Praise the Lord and expand the bandwidth.
Church worship services could be provided via Zoom or some other expanded form of face timing. The televangelists have been doing something similar for years. With the proper bandwidth and mass teleconferencing others may still be able to participate and add to the service. Collections and tithing should be simple with Vendmo but you wont be able to make change from the collection plate.
Ø Fitness Clubs will have to work it out!
Rover is getting a lot more workouts lately. I have seen more people walking, biking, skateboarding and the like over the past week. One positive side effect of this pandemic will be that people get a little more exercise and pick up a little more vitamin D. All the gyms and fitness centers are closed. So they are providing on line work outs. Personal trainers can facetime with their clients to assist with the work out but it is limited to exercises and isometrics and the like because not every one has the equipment or free weights at home.
Perhaps we can go back to the 60’s with President Kennedy’s and Arnold Schwarzenegger calisthenics and fitness programs. Will the gyms become much smaller with small groups scheduled to work out at very controlled times with the equipment separated by 6 to 10 feet and everything sprayed down with sanitizer after every use?
Ø Is the Theater Dead?
The short answer is “not entirely”. As we have all been sequestered or quarantined in our homes, we have probably all turned to on line streaming services to entertain us while we wait for the all clear from our government. Netflix and the various streaming services have the solution. Right now during the current crises first run movies that are being released in the Theaters are allowing the purchase of streaming the film at a premium rental rate. So waiting in line for the next Star Wars or Avenger Movie will be much more comfortable because you can stream it into your home or phone or anywhere you have an internet connection. Hopefully, there will not be a run on popcorn like we have for toilet paper and hand sanitizer. Of course I hope we see the revitalization/reimagination of the Drive in Movie. That way we cn still enjoy the experience of the big screen and the reactions of the audience.
Ø Let’s Get Personal …
The current trend in growth for personal care has been fueling the expansion of filling up our local shopping centers because unlike merchandise which you can have delivered to your home… you can’t get a haircut, massage, pedicure, waxing, threading or any of the myriad of other personal care services on line. How do we make people comfortable when they need to be in such close proximity and need to touch the customer for these services? Will the services be preformed in separate rooms with the provider dressed in environmental suits? Will there be a sterilization process for the chairs, tables etc after each customer? I do not know the best solutions to this, but I do believe that a lot of these service businesses will go away. So who will fill the shopping centers for the future.
Ø Let’s Not Get Personal …
Online dating may take another bold step. Not only do you find someone on an app, but virtual dates may be the new norm. Since we cant go eat out in restaurants, work out together in the gym, or go to the movies together… it is time to face time our dates. You can set up synchronized Netflix watching. You can have interesting conversations about when the next shipment of toilet paper is going to arrive at Costco. You can sign up for the same exercises training session on line with your personal trainer. Social distancing can be sexy. Just because you're staying home doesn't mean you can't flip your phone to selfie mode and get busy with someone special. Eventually, you may reach a comfort level enough to actually meet someone in real time to start a life together, Of course you will both have the recent test results showing that you don’t have any contagens.
A Brave New World
Will society continue the hysteria, and change the way we live and interact in society. I certainly hope that we will realize that we should all exercise some caution and be aware of our surroundings but we must not isolate ourselves and lose contact with other people. I think that group experience and personal interaction is an important part of our humanity.
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