Random Thursday Thoughts.

I'm just back from a trip to the post office (thank you to everyone ordering things - this is making things feel much, much better and normal-life-like), followed by a little bit of shopping. The latter was necessary because our milk consumption has gone up noticeably with the Most Patient of All Husbands working from home as well.

Going shopping feels very, very weird. There's marks on the floor everywhere where queues are expected - in front of the butcher's counter, at the bakery, at the cashier lanes. The cashiers are now protected by plexiglass shields, and there's a security guy standing close to the market entrance. There was no scarcity of things in the market, though (except for peanut butter, but that has been the case for a good while, and even that was available today).

Quite a few of the things that are now expected, or asked, carry their own subtle humour for me. For instance, Germany has always been a cash country, with very little card payments, and never for small sums. Usually and in most shops, it wasn't possible to pay per card for sums under 10 €. Now, signs are everywhere asking people to pay with card, even contactless card, if possible, to protect the cashiers. We're being dragged kicking and screaming into the century of the fruitbat; today was the first time in my life I paid with contactless card. Twice (for the groceries, and for the bread in the bakery), and the latter was 2.60 €. That would have been unthinkable both for me and the bakery a few weeks ago. (I'm very much a cash person too, and at the moment, I plan to go back once this is all calming down. But who knows how I'll think about this in a few weeks' time? We shall see.)

Another kicking and screaming thing, for many among us, is the video conferencing that has now suddenly become the way to meet. There is no more talk of quickly flying here or there for a day of meetings; there's much more working from home, and home office is suddenly possible in companies that have never wanted it to happen.

Also, it used to be considered quite impolite and unsocial to change to the other side of the street if you saw somebody coming towards you. Now it is suddenly a sign of respect and politeness, and I've had people smile and nod at me in appreciation.

It's a weird world right now, but some things are worth noting, and remembering for our future. Like how quickly things can change, and how quickly most humans can and will adapt their behaviour. And also how much is possible if those running the country decide that it is important, and has to be done...