"WHAT have you been writing about for the last couple of weeks?"
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It's the question everyone I speak to, personally or professionally, ask as we go through one of the toughest periods in sports history.
Working by yourself at home in deathly silence, without the stimulus of workmates spitballing ideas or cracking the odd joke or two to break up the monotony, has been a challenge.
But after speaking to a heap of contacts from various sports on their mentality when faced with the challenges the coronavirus-enforced lockdown presents, it's obvious I'm one of the luckier ones.
For most, the game they've devoted most of their life to is the furthest priority on their mind. What's most immediate is concern for the mental health and welfare of players, supporters and members who rely on their 'footy fix' to ease the stress after another week of work.
Usually when you call a contact in the sports journalism game it's to preview or review a game, race or event, something everyone is looking forward to.
Nowadays it's more "So how is COVID-19 badly damaging your club/competition/event?"
What is normally a happy subject in the back of papers or the back end of TV bulletins, a bit of light relief from the serious stuff up front, has become just as difficult to process.
What's become evident talking to contacts, particularly those who head up associations, is the burden on trying to lead their sports toward the best possible outcome in a bad situation is having its toll.
Junee Diesels president Simon Vanzanten works with the NRL and is currently on leave with the rest of the organisation's staff.
He isn't sure when he will return to work and can relate to the struggles being experienced by families and businesses.
"We're constantly in touch with our group and members through messenger with mental health advice," he told me this week.
"We put some things up on our website from the NSWRL about how to get through hard times, but we're also touching base with each other and seeing how everyone's going.
"At the moment times are hard and with Group 20 at the moment it's pretty bad with the amount of people committing suicide due to mental health.
"It's very worrying and it's something we have to talk about and discuss.
"You don't think of the social aspect until it's not happening. It's probably 70 or 80 per cent of what football's all about."
All we can do is try and make someone's day a little better if you think they're doing it a bit tough.
If you can afford it, say 'keep the change' after buying a coffee from a cafe owner reliant on people coming through the door to survive.
Call someone you feel may be struggling in the current circumstances and let them know they're not alone.
Sometimes the little things can be a big deal in times when people need a pick-me-up the most.
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