Andrew: Working from home, and a recent breakup...
Introduction:
Andrew is a 29 year-old gay American male with German, Polish, Irish, and Scottish ancestry. He is an office worker, more specifically a licensing specialist. Like many other office workers, he has been working from home since the Covid-19 pandemic began in March. The change was abrupt, Andrew says, there was no time to plan; all of a sudden, he was in lockdown and working from home. Aside from a short trip to upstate New York, grocery shopping, and occasional essential errands, Andrew hasn't really gone anywhere this year. From his home in Woodbridge, New Jersey, he would visit his boyfriend in Brooklyn on weekends, but their relationship ended over a month ago. The combination of the pandemic and his recent breakup has rendered Andrew's sex life non-existent. He has recently reached out to some friends-with-benefits that he has known for many years. With such friends, he has discussed the possibility of meeting for a sexual encounter, but Andrew is committed to staying absolutely safe from Covid-19, so he has not yet spent time with such friends. As for dating, Andrew feels he is not in the proper head-space to seek out a new relationship. In the aftermath of his breakup, he wants to focus on himself, not a new partner; mentally and emotionally, he is glad to have a little space.
Notable Quotes:
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR EXPERIENCE OF THE PANDEMIC THUS FAR?
“So, I guess mine was like most people, it started kind of abruptly where, one day, I'm in the office, and there's a little bit of headlines about Covid-19, and then, all of a sudden, everything's locked down, everyone has to go home, and there wasn't really a whole lot of time to, I guess, plan out working from home, as far as work goes. So, I've been working home ever since March.”
“Overwhelmingly, I've still just stayed home, I haven't really gone anywhere. I think I went away for a long weekend once, but other than, you know, grocery shopping and other, other necessities like that, [I've stayed home].”
HOW HAS THE PANDEMIC AFFECTED YOUR SEX LIFE?
“I would say it's been virtually non-existent, this whole year. But, I would attribute that about half to Covid and half to the relationship prior breaking up.”
SINCE YOUR BREAKUP, HAVE YOU REACHED OUT INTO THE WORLD FOR DATING OR SEXUAL ENCOUNTERS?
“I guess Yes and No, like, I'm not, I'm not really in any sort of head-space or desire to jump into dating, for right now, or any kind of relationship like that. But I do have, I do still have a couple of friends-with-benefits that I've known for years now, and I've been in touch with them a little bit more the last month, but we haven't actually met up and done anything.”
“When it comes to dating, like, I'm kinda just coming out of a three year relationship and just feeling like, yeh, I need to focus on, on myself.”