A Week Like This

By now, most of us have lost track of what day it is, how much frozen matter actually fell, and whether leaving the house is still a reasonable ambition.

This storm affected roughly 200 million people across the US. In Memphis, we could be housebound for days from sleet, snow, and ice. The roads are dangerous, and with single-digit temperatures, there is no melting in sight.

And for once, we really did use all the groceries we bought.

By now, the novelty is gone. I need my twice-daily walks with Gabby, and she needs them too. We are both stir-crazy. There is a restless sense that you should be doing something, improving something, or proving something, simply because you are home.

You are not required to emerge from this week wiser, thinner, better organized, or upgraded in any way. You are not failing because you watched another episode, ate Cheetos, didn’t shower, or forgot what day it was. This is a pause you did not choose. The assignment is to get through it with your sanity.

Things to Keep in Mind

First, calories do not count. This is weather, not a lifestyle pivot. If you bake bread, eat the bread. If someone brings you brownies, eat them. We can worry about nutrition when the roads reopen.

Second, you do not have to organize the world. You do not need to cook like a chef, deep-clean your house, or finally become the person who labels everything. 

Third, have gratitude. It’s also worth naming the people for whom this week is not optional. Hospital staff. Utility crews. EMTs. Firefighters. Police. The people who still have to get out and keep things running while the rest of us stay put. 

The Three Modes of Cabin Fever

One: Doing very little. Reading. Scrolling. Standing at the window and wondering what day it is. Not caring enough to check. This counts as coping.

Two: Turning outward, briefly. Checking on a neighbor. Sending a text to someone who lives alone. Making one thing and giving it away. Not a campaign. One small act is enough.

Three: Tackling something mildly useful. Finishing an unfinished project. Organizing one drawer and dealing with paperwork only if boredom overtakes you. Stop before resentment arrives.

Small Silver Linings

There is a small piece of good news hiding in all this. Tax filing deadlines may be extended, possibly until November. This is not confirmed, but it is emotionally useful information.

Also, any meeting you were dreading is almost certainly canceled, postponed, or quietly forgotten.

A Safety Advisory

Do not reorganize your attic. Do not decide this is the week to move heavy furniture. Do not climb ladders, step stools, or chairs that you trust. Do not attempt home repairs that begin with a YouTube video and end with, “I think I can handle this.” Do not combine boredom, power tools, and confidence.

General rule: if it might require an ambulance or a trip to the ER, it can wait.

The Bar Is Low

As for me, the goals are modest. One meal a day for neighbors. Finishing a few long-ignored projects. Taxes and paperwork only if desperation truly sets in. Nothing heroic. Nothing Instagram-worthy. Just enough structure to keep the days from blurring together.

Until then, do what works. Stay fed. Stay upright. Do not make it harder than it has to be.