Computer Illiterate

Covid has simplified Tommy's life.

In the morning he gets up and turns on his computer. While it is warming up (its a slow old desktop), he quickly cycles through his social media on his cell phone. He also checks google news sites that he follows and has a quick read of the headlines. All stressful news.

Then he gets a podcast running on his computer and makes breakfast. While breakfast is cooking, he checks the sports scores from last night one more time. Checks his fantasy teams.

Suddenly he remembers something he forgot! He did not check his dating apps. He quickly jumps up and grabs his phone from his bed and goes through those. Likes girls. Ignores or blocks the scammers and fakes. Now breakfast is ready.

While eating breakfast in front of his computer he cues up something else on youtube. Backpack reviews. He plays one silently while still running his podcast in another tab. Breakfast is finished, he washes the dishes. Sends a couple of good morning messages on his chatting apps. Tommy lies down on his bed to play a game on his phone while listening to the podcast. 100 minutes passes and the podcast ends. Tommy gets up and checks the computer again, cues up another podcast suggested to him and heads back to his bed. He does a quick porn search. Types in the words that used to bring up fun results. Nothing new or exciting. He feels almost no sexual energy. It is slightly disconcerting, but not worth dwelling on.

Tommy gets up again and does stretches. Washes his face, does the dishes. Cleans a bit. It's already almost 11 AM and he should think about going out and doing something. Writing something, studying something.

Tommy is 50 years old. He has a girlfriend and an easy job. She works much more than he does, so he only meets her on weekends.

He feels a bit worried about his life. Social interaction. He feels like he is in a perpetual state of hibernation. He is specifically worried about his mind. He rarely uses it actively and more worryingly, he rarely feels like he should.

It wasn't that long ago that he read on a regular basis, took classes and exercised creativity. Took trips to other countries to pursue his hobbies.

Now he is capable of extending this morning routine through the day. After all, there is a pandemic going on. And one day leads to the next.