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March 18, 2020 - Dennis Prager Show
07:13
Has the Quarantine Affected your Relationships?
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1-8 Prager 776-877-243-7776.
Do you have recommendations to people on how to handle it?
That's another one because a lot of people are listening right now.
And you might have a thought on how to make this more tolerable.
Or do you go to work?
Thank you.
I can tell you from the traffic patterns, not many people are going to work where I live in Southern California.
I now, anywhere I go, I get there as if it were Christmas morning.
I mean, it's a phenomenon.
The time we're living in is a phenomenon.
This is a classic example of the Chinese curse, may you live in interesting times.
Though, the irony is, they're interesting times, but you may not be having an interesting life right now.
I mean, basically, most Americans right now are under house arrest.
Now you know what house arrest is.
It's generally considered...
A bad thing.
People don't get sentenced to house arrest and go, whoa, what a chance to clean up the house and reconnect with my loved one.
On the other hand, this is not permanent.
So how is it working out?
I'm thinking about it.
So if you...
The trick here, if I may say, offer some advice, is that what is critical is not to complain.
I think this is a good time to adopt some of my theories of the happiness hour.
I'm against complaining generally.
It doesn't do anything.
I mean, or maybe reserve 10 minutes.
I'm not baby.
I'm serious.
Reserve a 10-minute period each day to say what's really annoying you.
Not about the other person.
I don't think that's a good idea.
But just about the situation.
But here's another thing.
Maybe I'll talk about this during the happiness hour.
This is an example of where it is critical to react positively.
And I am a skeptic of the quarantine, and I'm saying this.
This is the only freedom we truly have in life, is how we react to what happens.
You and I are not free to determine whether we can go to a restaurant.
You can't go.
Or a movie.
Or a sporting event.
It's just because they're not happening.
You can't go.
They're not open.
Our only freedom.
This is from Viktor Frankl.
Our only freedom, true freedom, is how we react.
So maybe this will be my happiness hour theme because I probably want to incorporate what's happening into the happiness hour.
But it's take, make, As much lemonade out of this lemon.
And for some of you, it's a very, very hard thing to do.
If you're a waiter, a waitress, or as they now say, server.
I don't know why that's a preferable.
I know why it's a preferable term, but I don't think it's a preferable term.
But if that's what, then you, you're not making a living.
I work out three days a week with a personal trainer at a gym.
She's not having any income now.
That's how she makes her money, is from her clients.
When did I last have a session?
It was, I guess, Sunday.
Yeah, Sunday was open, and it was my last one.
There weren't too many people there, but I would continue to go.
The law of logic would prevail that not hugging anybody at the gym, everybody keeps that distance anyway, I would have continued to go.
It's not easy.
I know what she's doing.
She's spending all day now with her newborn.
That's probably in some ways a blessing.
But the income is an issue.
All right, everybody.
Let's see how you're doing with your significant other.
Walt.
In Seattle, Washington.
Hi, Walt.
Yes, sir.
Hi.
Can you hear me okay?
I certainly can.
Oh, wonderful.
Hey, Dennis, you're a wonderful man.
I'm a longtime listener, first-time caller.
Thank you for all of that.
And I'm also Ukrainian, which is neither here nor there, but I admire you very, very much.
Well, thank you.
You know, for whatever reason, I have a lot of Ukrainian listeners in Seattle.
Yes.
I came to this country in 1961, and I was born in Ukraine.
But anyway, let me, if it's okay with you, I don't want to take too much time.
We're doing really well.
My girlfriend's 79, and I just turned 69 on March 16th.
We've been in a lockdown for two weeks now, so this is not new to us.
This is our third week.
And you know what?
We do stuff like crossword puzzles.
She likes to do circle the word kind of a thing.
We're both recovering alcoholics.
We actually have gone so far as to even have a meeting of our own, just she and I, because, you know, we can't go to AA meetings.
So, you know what?
It's just another way of me loving her.
We've been together for four years, and I had a choice of either being away from her for two weeks or I could be with her thanks to her very kind, compassionate person that's in charge of this retirement home.
All right.
Good man.
I'm glad it is working out.
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