Are you more scatty than normal during lockdown?

No, not scatty at all - quite relaxed in fact.
I managed to do lots of things I’d been meaning to do for ages (painting 18m of iron railings amongst other things - I’d had the paint for three years…); no noisy cars/motorbikes in the street; friendly chats with the neighbours; my daughter and her companion staying with us…
But I’m lucky: I’m retired, my income is safe, I don’t have to worry about whether the customers will come back or not - this crisis has been terrible for some and we shouldn’t forget it.

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Age may be a thing here, not retired yet and it’s juggling home working at all hours, trying to ensure the kids get a bit of support for their schoolwork at home (frankly far too much for parents to monitor even if we have enough digital gadgets and are not bothered printing dozens of pages of work each day - many families won’t have the gadgets (or at least not enough for more than 1 child) or carefree printing facilities (Epson EcoTank printer we’ve printed thousands of pages with and I’ve not had to refill in over 18 months, still 50% left on most inks - not best quality for photos but fine for anything else).

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Hell yes, extreme adult tensions the last couple of days over nothing in particular.

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I think I have days when being grounded gets to me and others when I am very relaxed about it. It does give time to potter about, though it does mean that I can’t get out and do my normal things. Taking early retirement due to side effects of so far effective cancer treatment, I find that being here is a bonus which possibly makes this easier to cope with. Also as I was unable to do a lot for some months during and after my treatment, I think I got used to be very much home based then, which again is helping now. And as others have said, living on a pension means that I don’t have to worry about unemployment.

I am not sure if I am more scatty somedays. I do feel a bit irritated some days though, or feel a bit anxious, usually I find doing something that needs a modicum of concentration gets me out of this and having a NAS drive full of photos that I could edit further often is my go to activity.

As I am in one of the groups that needs to be sheilded I might not be so accepting of it as people get let out more and I have to socially isolate until the end of June, time will tell.

Being single and living alone is something that I think has benefits and well as a downside. At least I haven’t got someone around to annoy with my habits or get annoyed by theirs. Fortunately I enjoy my own company and whilst I miss seeing my friends and family, telephone and web cam calls keep me feeling connected to them.

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I am rather annoyed that what used to be a weeks worth of wine no longer lasts a week …

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Brilliant!

I think the way to look at it is that getting more wine delivered is rewarding the entrepreneurial behaviour of the supplier who is after all a key worker in these difficult times. :wine_glass:cheers!

Best

David

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I’ve had a few blank moments, finding work emails I didn’t action, not sure what day it is, difficulty recalling some work details, general irritably and impatience etc.

I also had a couple of “encounters with authority” when my daughter and I have been blocked access to hospitals to accompany my wife.

General man stuff. Life goes on.

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Hi Mike, I know New Zealand has handled this superbly - but here in UK (according to something I saw yesterday) it is reckoned that 20% of CV 19 cases are caught in hospital.

I still remember and this is over a decade ago, our doctor when I saw him for the last consultation (Prior to his retirement) gave me this sterling piece of advice “don’t go anywhere near hospitals or doctors’ waiting rooms - they are full of sick people and you never know what you will catch” . Now that is really prophetic isn’t it?

Anyway what you are describing applies to me as well, though knowing the reason why I am irritable helps me control it . I certainly am getting forgetful , especially as days move into each other . Music is a great help.

Hope you are back to equanimity soon and that all goes well on the health front for you and your family .

Best wishes

Ian

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I’m currently finding that music isn’t relaxing me the way it normally does, and I just don’t really know what I want to play.

I’m finding music really helpful at the moment and have been getting lost in my new headphone setup.

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Ah, I am listening to Radio 3 and finding that soothing. Perhaps it’s because I don’t have to decide what to listen to. I think apathy and a lack of decisiveness are all part of the same malaise. Generally we know what we are going to do but at the moment many options are denied

On the downside My NAT 03 has decided it wants a service , so currently listening via the Uniti Qute and the sat dish , so that’s my Magnum Dynalab and NAT 03 that have had issues in the last six months.

Best wishes

Ian

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For me, this current situation is not too bad. I had two weeks enforced holiday in April and then back to work for a couple of weeks and now have three weeks furlough on 80% salary. Money wise it means I try to economise and have put off buying any new cd’s for the last couple of months. However, I have dipped into my savings to get a few jobs done at home. I’ve been building a retaining wall for the side of the garden, previously it had been made of loose brick, blocks and rubble held in place by chain link fencing so I’ve cleared that all out the way and I’m now waiting on the delivery of the timber posts to replace it all. I’ve also managed to extricate the old asbestos cold water storage tank resting on inch and a half galvanised pipes set into the walls of the old airing cupboard and have arranged collection from an asbestos removal company so I’m now making good the inside of the cupboard and will be fitting it out with shelves and hooks etc. Living alone my state of mind is pretty sound although I sometimes have to check my phone to see what day it is and my laundry and shopping routines have gone awol.
I’m lucky in that I have good neighbours around and we pass a few words when we see each other. My only concern is that the company I work for has had empty order books for a while now and although there are unconfirmed orders in the pipeline, the future is a little uncertain but I keep busy so as not to worry about that. Meanwhile the birds are sing and the trees are green and everywhere is more peaceful, well mostly, just sporadic sawing, banging and drilling sounds from all these home projects being frantically built.
My wife who is Chinese and I are waiting for this situation to improve so we can carry on with her visa application to come and live here with me. We had been aiming for last Easter but obviously that idea got trashed, so now it’s just the waiting game. I’m fairly sure things will be approaching the new normal before very much longer so in the meantime, let’s all try and stay safe and chill … :sunglasses:

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I recognize that problem. My main system is not used much. I did not recharge the Chord Mojo which means that I have done less than 10 hours serious listening in the last 3 weeks.

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Maybe an inability to relax, I don’t know.

I’m working from home in the day/evenings/overnight/weekends and it’s all rather random in terms of work pattern each week currently - body clock quite unsettled.

Also aware perhaps that adults/kids at home/next door are trying to school work at home, so don’t like raising volume in the day.

I don’t watch much TV, especially live TV, but have also found I’m not that interested watching stuff either.

We’re not getting out as a family for exercise/a walk and haven’t done so for nearly 2 months I suspect.

Went out on the bike with my son on Sunday to the local park - a real breath of fresh air.

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I’m staying as sane as the next camel.

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That made me laugh!

I think I am fealing more positive and healthy, in this otherwise stressfull time.

Got into a routine, as everyone should do - in life.

Yes, holidays, a nice sit down by a local river side pub, friendly hugs and that the overall feeling of time passing acknowledged.

Taking a zen, this is like the world giving us all a kick up the Capricorn/Aries
If this is the age of Aquarius, those old hippies must be well on a downer.

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I need a routine but my working patterns are all over the place currently.

Definitely not getting out enough. I’m apparently very irritable.

I took the bike out again this afternoon after work and thought I was doing well. Was whizzing around the park and took a route with a long downhill at the end as a reward back to the house, whizzed down the hill as though I was 20 years younger, real adrenaline rush.

Then 20 yards from home crossed the road and decided to bunny hop onto the (clear) pavement down to the house - bad move - front tyre hit the kerb and I couldn’t get my foot out of the pedal strap quickly enough, keeling over to the left, landing on my left knee which is infuriating as my knees have been playing up in recent months. I also strained my abdominal wall which has not been right since doing some huge tyre flipping exercises a few years ago with a PT.

Another scatty moment? Not sure as I’d have normally done this easily in years gone by.

After cleaning my grazes and ranting a lot I shot up to the shop to get some fresh food and wine. Got there about 20 mins before closing time and typically put far more in the trolley than I went for.

Surly cashier reminded me I was too close to him as I passed him a bag of charcoal I’d not put on the conveyor belt as I wanted to scan it and put it in the trolley first.

Next he said ‘normally come shopping 5 minutes before we close do you?’, I think he was being sarcastic and asked him rather pointedly if he had an issue with serving me, and was just about to tell him where to shove the trolley load. Then lightened up and told him about my fall, and that I’d have been there sooner had I not done that. Apologised if I’d sounded rude which he thanked me for as he says many customers are cranky, but I still think he was the miserable one to begin with. Funny how certain people instantly get you back up with their tone.

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And I almost didn’t manage to experience the charms of isolation. Energy engineer has to work at any time. The eldest son and his wife are also on the list of necessary professions and work. And even a Favorite Woman goes to work. The only thing I can’t see my youngest son for two months is that he lives in another city.
I also have to visit my mom every day, she’s 86 years old, and she’s a little lost after a stroke. That’s where we have to implement all the security measures. And it’s very hard to keep her at home, she’s used to working, walking, acting.
But! There are also pleasant moments. I may not go to places i don’t like, citing the virus! :grin:

The eldest son suffered the most from our family. He wanted to celebrate his 30th birthday with a big stance-party, and had to limit himself to a close circle of communication.

Also, I Upgrade my Thorens TD-150.

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