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Post by NeilVHughes on May 21, 2020 16:26:01 GMT
Carrying on from a reply in another thread is there anything positive that this enforced period of isolation has introduced into your lives.
For me it is cycling, I used to cycle to obsessive levels years ago and sort of drifted into idleness once I moved to London thinking it was unsafe and there would only be busy roads and inconsiderate drivers.
Turns out there are miles of quiet lanes around Borehamwood and the hours spent on the bike each week is an immense pleasure.
Hopefully there are others on here who are also finding some positives that make this period bearable and hopefully we can have a thread to counterbalance the natural tendency for negativity as we wait to emerge from the cocoon of isolation we are in at the moment.
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Post by Mark on May 21, 2020 16:33:23 GMT
A nice walk out every day.
Sitting at the table with the family for dinner.
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Post by alece10 on May 21, 2020 16:45:02 GMT
My day to day life hasn't changed really as have continued to work throughout.
But I have discovered lots of local shops/suppliers and craft people. From someone to cut my hedge, artisan ice cream delivered to my door, local delivery of skin products etc. and local restaurants delivering food. These are all people I will continue to use in the future.
Also my garden has never looked so good as we have had lovely weather and evenings and weekends there is nothing to do so spend a lot of time pottering around out there.
Oh and I've read 3 books already which is amazing for me as I usually read 1 book a year when i go on holiday.
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Post by daisy24601 on May 21, 2020 16:50:57 GMT
The people I live with are home a lot more so I have more company. I have spent too much time in my life alone so this has been nice for me. I'm in fear of that ending.
I've been doing more exercise, I'm usually too tired so that's been good as well.
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Post by marob on May 21, 2020 18:32:48 GMT
The money I would spend on theatre has instead been going towards paying off a credit card debt I've had for quite a few years. It always seems to stay at about the same level, so with not much else to spend money on, it's been pretty nice to see a noticeable amount come off it each month.
It's still going to take me until Christmas at the earliest to pay it off, but I'm actually looking forward to being paid tomorrow specifically so I can pay some more off the bill. That's a huge change in my attitude, and I hope it sticks.
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Post by CG on the loose on May 21, 2020 18:35:56 GMT
Still working full-time, from home, which is the norm for me, but usually I'd head off to London in the evening for a show a couple of times a week, or anywhere in the country at the weekend. So, plenty of free time to play with. Other benefits too. I've got back into reading after a decade or more of neglect ... I've caught several fabulous shows online that I missed on stage ... my somewhat dysfunctional (and thankfully distanced) family is growing closer than it's been for years ... I'm woken by birdsong rather than next door's motorbike as he roars off to work (though it seems he's back to work this week, all good things etc) ... I'm back in regular (albeit remote) touch with people who'd been largely lost to our busy lifestyles ... like alece10 I've discovered lots of lovely local suppliers who deliver wine and food and flowers to my door with a smile and a wave or a brief chat from the pavement ... I've started baking ... exercise is a work in progress ... I have not started gardening. |
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Post by vickyg on May 22, 2020 9:03:40 GMT
I have discovered some beautiful walks, which are essentially countryside, in North London. Previously if I wanted to go for a walk I would have gone into town and walked along the river to Tower Bridge and up though the city so this is a big change. I'm much closer to my housemates, who I already got on well with and we have been watching the NT Lives and The Shows Must Go On together so I get to share something that is very important to me and which outside this time I often do solo. I have been concentrating a lot on identifying positives lately and I'm lucky I'm really starting to be able to notice them.
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Post by david on May 22, 2020 10:20:56 GMT
I’ve taken the opportunity to have a bit of a life laundry over the last few weeks. With all the stuff I’ve accumulated, it was time to either bin it or get it bagged up ready to be sent to charity shops once they reopen. I’ve also taken the opportunity to find away all the theatre programmes I’ve bought from last year. Another positive of the life laundry process is that I’ve uncovered a stash of chocolate in a cupboard that I had completely forgot about. Not a bad result overall.
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Post by kathryn on May 22, 2020 21:21:27 GMT
I’ve been using my spare time to practice my juggling - I learned how to do a 3-ball cascade 20 years ago at uni but hadn’t really tried anything else since. Been learning some(very) basic 3-ball tricks and trying to learn to juggle 4 balls.
Yesterday I received a surprise package containing new professional standard juggling balls! I still don’t know who sent it - it was my birthday last weekend so I am guessing they are a belated birthday gift from someone. Can only be one of 3 or 4 people but none of them have dressed up yet.
A lovely surprise!
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Post by poster J on May 22, 2020 22:49:31 GMT
Not much, to be honest - I'm working more than usual as I'm doing it from home and my job wasn't 9-5 before the crisis either. It's much more difficult to switch off now as clients know you aren't far from your desk at any time. I'm actually quite jealous of people who have been furloughed and suddenly have much more free time.
I think just about all that can be said for this time is that I've managed to get a bit of gardening and baking done, rediscovered the fun of jigsaw puzzles and saved more money to escape the UK as soon as holidays start up again.
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Post by The Matthew on May 23, 2020 8:17:44 GMT
I've worked from home for years so this hasn't opened up any opportunities that I didn't already have, but one change it has made is that it's got me into the habit of doing more shopping in one trip. When I first started living on my own I was travelling to work by train and the shops were on the way from the station to home so I got into the habit of buying things as I needed them, getting only as much as I could carry and fit into a single small carrier bag. Now for the first time ever I'm routinely using a basket in the supermarket and buying food for a whole week.
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Post by Musicality21 on May 23, 2020 10:53:25 GMT
I'd say that my normal day to day life hasn't changed massively. As I work for the NHS (in a support capacity - not nursing) I'm still going to work as normal - if you can call it normal! What I have noticed though is a massive change in people. People are so much nicer and friendlier at the minute. We've also noticed a massive change on our street. We've never been close with the neighbours but it's pulled everyone together and everyone is talking and helping each other out. I really hope it continues when it's all over.
On a personal note - I've really got back into reading too. I've always been a reader but have took time to start reading books that have piled up as I'm terrible for buying them, despite having a kindle. Definitely enjoying winding down with a book!
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Post by Dawnstar on May 23, 2020 11:42:33 GMT
Having been a temp since I graduated, I'm used to having gaps between jobs so in some ways the lockdown is like another job gap. The main differences are a) no theatre, b) spending hours bleaching groceries, c) only going for walks at the crack of dawn & d) disliking the sight of other people even more than I usually do! Plus permanent anxiety about coronavirus, though as I've had major OCD & anxiety since my teens even that isn't new, it's just something different to be anxious about. I've worked from home for years so this hasn't opened up any opportunities that I didn't already have, but one change it has made is that it's got me into the habit of doing more shopping in one trip. When I first started living on my own I was travelling to work by train and the shops were on the way from the station to home so I got into the habit of buying things as I needed them, getting only as much as I could carry and fit into a single small carrier bag. Now for the first time ever I'm routinely using a basket in the supermarket and buying food for a whole week. I'm impressed you can fit a week's worth of food into a basket - most of us need a trolley! |
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Post by londonpostie on May 23, 2020 12:09:09 GMT
As an historian might say, it's too soon to say. I'm still working through huge changes, but they will only be changes if I follow through on at least most. Some, though, are complete and that provides the motivation to push on. Very interesting.
It's becoming more probable I will be in a different space when we emerge from this.
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Post by sf on May 23, 2020 13:28:33 GMT
I moved into a flat on the first day of lockdown. To do something about the bare walls I've embarked on an art project, decorating the place using framed photographs and postcards from places I've lived or places I've travelled to. It started out as simply an attempt to make the place feel more like my home and less like a box with my things in it, and it's turned into something more than that: an exercise in reassessing where I'm going and what my goals might be by looking back at where I've been. After several years in which it wasn't possible for me to think about long-term goals - after my mother's health started to slide I took care of her until she died last year - it's been interesting, and I think worthwhile, to take some time to examine what I want. There's not been a lot of time for that over the last few years. And I like the pictures. https://www.instagram.com/p/CAVTsnJDJ9S  |
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