COVID 19 Diary — March 17th 2020 — This is getting surreal
Tags: Shutdown, Diary, Covid 19, Coronovirus, Self Qurantine

COVID 19 Diary — March 17th 2020 — This is getting surreal

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Everyday, the whole virus situation keeps getting surreally crazy. I have this habit of reading the news from multiple sources (technology, business, regular news, memes, whatsapp updates), and put them all together. Entire countries are shutting down.

The virus is spreading. The last time I saw something like this happen was in my video games. I play a ton of video games. When I was young or when I have too much free time, I would pick up games like Caesar 3 or City Skylines. In these games, a single point of fault (like a water pipe not working, or a plague hitting, or a traffic jam) will occur. The game of course, will notify you, and then, there are so many notifications.

I sometimes would ignore them. But the single point of fault become a second fault. It develops into 4 faults. Soon, I am getting dozens and dozens of notifications about faults. Soon, I am marshalling the in game emergency services, reducing interest rates, building new roads.

However, by the time, these new actions take effect, it’s already too late. The city has burned down. There is nothing to do but start a new game.

This virus seems eerily similar. It really hit me today, when I saw this.

I have never seen that in my entire life. An entire city’s movie theatre shutdown. I remember reading the world war 2 book by this guy, William L. Shirer. He describes in some chapters, how life had shutdown for people. Right now, what is happening, it reminds me of that.

I don’t know what else is in store. I am also currently in the middle of an ongoing business battle with my office provider. I am looking to cut costs but my supplier is using a clause in the contract, threaten with legal issues.

As mentioned to you that we unable to proceed neither early terminate nor temporary suspend your account.

Since you have agreed both with the agreement that you signed and we have stated in our house rules as well as for VO house rules point 37 and Office house rules point 46.

“We shall have no liability to you under this agreement if it is prevented from, or delayed in, performing its obligations under this agreement or from carrying on its business by acts, events, omissions or accidents beyond its reasonable control, including (without limitation) strikes, failure of a utility service or transport network, act of God, war, riot, civil commotion, malicious damage, disease or quarantine restrictions compliance with any law or governmental order, rule, regulation or direction, accident, fire, flood, storm or default of suppliers or subcontractors.

Our obligation to perform its obligations shall be suspended during the period required to remove such force majeure event. We shall notify you as soon as reasonably possible of the force majeure event and propose a suitable alternative accommodation (if any) in the same business centre or in another available business centre.”

Our centre remain in the office do as usual business task need to be done for VO products and our centre team has ensure first assistance to ensure clean and hygiene in the centre.

Secondly, As we explain over the phone that our legal team will be appoint once our debt-collection not able to collect the outstanding amount remain in your account.

That is happening as well. So, I am really feeling the heat of this virus on multiple directions. Like an enemy that attacks on multiple fronts. I always kept hearing about corporate greed, but recently, I seem to be experiencing it on multiple occasions.

In a way, it is also becoming like a major business lesson for me. The virus is teaching me things I did not think I had to. I know now, going forward, I will add a delay clause in all of my contracts.

I worry for my wife. I worry for my parents and myself. Every now and then, I will think, phew, what about my friends, my team that works for me and so on.

Perhaps I am over reacting. In my city, Hyderabad, although the movie halls are shut down, the road in front of my apartment building appears normal. People are walking about and going on with their lives. Universities and schools are shut down. However, I just spoke with my office provider’s reception and I found out that she has been asked to come to office. I spoke with a couple of my friends, they are also being asked to come and work in office.

On one end, people are being asked to avoid groups and gatherings. On the other hand, people are being asked to come to office. I don’t know if that is a good or bad thing. As I mentioned before, countries Italy and US are in lockdown. When the same lockdown will take effect here in this city and my country, I do not know.