Good Things during Lockdowm

Purple Fairy Tree

Whilst most of us regularily hear about all the bad stuff happening during lockdown, I'd love to know if anything good or positive (expected or unexpected) has happened  since staying home? 

PureandEasy

I don't know if it's good or bad, but I am SOOO getting used to working from home.  Still go into the office 2 days a week but even that feels like a hassle now.  The days I do go in, it boggles my mind how I used to do this 5 days a week. The traffic, packing my lunch, getting dressed.  It's weird how the brain works, it's like muscle memory and for those two days a week, I have to rewire myself.  Going into the office adds a good 3 hours to my work day, whether it be getting ready to go and getting there and home again.  Sorry, I don't think this is what you were looking for in response to your thread.  But that is how I've been feeling lately.  

deadendp

It is the most time my husband and I have ever spent together.  He looked at me one day and said, "We really DO like each other!"  

(We've been married 23 years, together for 26.)

cp3iverson

Seeing my wife and kids all day is amazing

and no traffic

deadendp

cp3iverson said:

Seeing my wife and kids all day is amazing

and no traffic

Another good thing?  I purchased a tank of gas on my first day of unemployment-- March 19.  I didn't buy gas again until May 21.  I just bought another tank of gas on Father's Day.  Considering that I would stop a time or couple (depended on price) a week, month/s in-between have been great! 

PureandEasy

deadendp said:

It is the most time my husband and I have ever spent together.  He looked at me one day and said, "We really DO like each other!"  

(We've been married 23 years, together for 26.)

That's awesome and really sweet.

brianlux

A few things:

-It's definitely gotten me to play guitar more regularly. 

-Getting more reading in.

-Cleaning up the cat puke ASAP rather than when I get home and it's crusted onto the floor or carpet.  So much fun!   

PureandEasy

brianlux said:

A few things:

-It's definitely gotten me to play guitar more regularly. 

-Getting more reading in.

-Cleaning up the cat puke ASAP rather than when I get home and it's crusted onto the floor or carpet.  So much fun!   

I'm right there with you, I actually hear it while it's happening, makes me feel so bad for the cat, she's basically trying to force it up, choking on the hair ball and all.  It's not a pleasant sound by any means.  Definitely makes it easier to clean up without long term damage to the carpet.  Then I pull out the Febreze fabric spray and she goes running.  

xavier mcdaniel

My house is the neatest it's been. I had started it but it's often been a stop and start kind of thing. Also, I'm in great shape from having time to do a decent amount of long-distance walks in my area.

xavier mcdaniel

brianlux said:

A few things:

-It's definitely gotten me to play guitar more regularly. 

-Getting more reading in.

-Cleaning up the cat puke ASAP rather than when I get home and it's crusted onto the floor or carpet.  So much fun!   

That also. I just completed my eighth book today.

HughFreakingDillon

not having to deal with office political bullshit. got word that we'll be going back to the office in september, so i'll be enjoying the fuck out of the summer at home. 

hauntingfamiliar

Awesome thread!!

More camping! I'm currently on my 3rd camping trip since the lockdown.   Ok ok I'll put my phone down, just checking in. Back to nature!

My view from inside the tent when I wake up in the mornings.

brianlux

hauntingfamiliar said:

Awesome thread!!

More camping! I'm currently on my 3rd camping trip since the lockdown.   Ok ok I'll put my phone down, just checking in. Back to nature!

My view from inside the tent when I wake up in the mornings.

Agreed- very cool thread! 

OMG, that view!  What a cool looking spot and what a great thing to do these days!

hauntingfamiliar

It really is the perfect site. We've been taking a little 3 person raft out right off our shore. 

brianlux

One great benefit to staying at home has been improving my high-functioning mental and motor skills:

-Cooking eggs without breaking the yolks.

-Turning the record over AND remembering to use the anti-static brush.

-Instead of the "lick and a promise tooth brushing", going the full two or three minute.

-Improving my furniture dusting and dishwashing skills.

-Playing with cat without getting any scratches.

And the most challenging of all:  Jigsaw puzzles!  (It says right on the box, "3 to 5 Years" and we did it in TWO WEEKS!  )

Purple Fairy Tree

@PureandEasy
That is exactly what was thinking, it's the same here.  I too work from home and I'm totally loving it. I can only imagine how hard it must be to have to go into work and I really bet it does feel like too many extra hours are added onto your day. I dont miss going in or making packed lunches at all. I love being at home with my family and going out into the garden to have breaks from the computer and to feed the birds. 
 
@cp3iverson I totally agree!
@deadendp I also use the car a lot less, saving on petrol and better for our environment!
@xaviermcdaniel I have more time to do housework too and my diet has improved!
@HughFreakingDillon Bad luck mate, but enjoying summer at home sounds like a good plan. At least you've managed to escape some of the bullshit! Sadly not everyone is that fortunate!
@hauntingfamiliar That's so chilled!
@brianlux Sounds like you are fine tuning your mental and motor skills, nice one Brian! I trust that is going well. I'm kinda doing the same thing but in a work related goal oriented way. I cant believe you have time to play jigsaw puzzles! Perhaps next time you could take before and after photo so you can share your achievements! : )

hedonist

brianlux said:

One great benefit to staying at home has been improving my high-functioning mental and motor skills:

-Cooking eggs without breaking the yolks.

-Turning the record over AND remembering to use the anti-static brush.

-Instead of the "lick and a promise tooth brushing", going the full two or three minute.

-Improving my furniture dusting and dishwashing skills.

-Playing with cat without getting any scratches.

And the most challenging of all:  Jigsaw puzzles!  (It says right on the box, "3 to 5 Years" and we did it in TWO WEEKS!  )

Ever since I became ill, I’ve been diligent about daily full-on flossing and brushing - tongue too! I figure I’m just cheating myself otherwise...and it’s paid off huge over the last 2+ years. . 

And, I’ve finally learned how to play without skin-piercings. 

Purple Fairy Tree

@hedonist
Improving levels of dental hygiene seems to be coming quite popular

brianlux

^^^ Brushing the tongue.  I often forget to do that.  Thanks for the reminder!

PJ_Soul

I totally LOVE working at home. I get to consume music like I have never been able to before because of it, I get to sleep longer, I don't have to spend so much time getting ready (I do still kind of because there are still Zoom meetings - I still shower and everything - but I can get away with a lot less preparation compared to being at the office), I am saving loads of money on transportation and food.... It's great!

I also like that it's just generally more peaceful outside. Far less traffic on the roads still. Speaking of which, the air is also much cleaner than it was before covid, which is wonderful.

Purple Fairy Tree

@PJ_Soul Exactly, I'd be really happy for life to not ever having to go back to the way it was in some respects... it's much more peaceful and I prefer nature anyway. Obviously there are things we all miss, but I really hope we can all change our way of lives so we dont have to drive all the time or spend our whole life revolving around work. I'd like to work less and just chill more.

Spunkie

Camping - Rain or Shine Beauty

brianlux

tish said:

Camping - Rain or Shine Beauty

"S'mores, kids?"

"Yes, two please!"

PureandEasy

brianlux said:

One great benefit to staying at home has been improving my high-functioning mental and motor skills:

-Cooking eggs without breaking the yolks.

-Turning the record over AND remembering to use the anti-static brush.

-Instead of the "lick and a promise tooth brushing", going the full two or three minute.

-Improving my furniture dusting and dishwashing skills.

-Playing with cat without getting any scratches.

And the most challenging of all:  Jigsaw puzzles!  (It says right on the box, "3 to 5 Years" and we did it in TWO WEEKS!  )

hahaha, that cracked me up.  I love jigsaw puzzles but the cat just won't allow it.  I need to find a good storage place when I put it away; but she barely allows me to read a book without getting in my way.  She's very affectionate, or needy, one or the other.  When I went in between cats for about 3 years, I did a ton of puzzles.  I actually find it relaxing.  

PureandEasy

HughFreakingDillon said:

not having to deal with office political bullshit. got word that we'll be going back to the office in september, so i'll be enjoying the fuck out of the summer at home. 

I know depending on where you work, the bullshit can be overwhelming. I actually enjoy my coworkers.  

I have been working in the office 2 days a week (Tues/Wed).  

We had a teams meeting Thursday while I was working from home to notify us that one of our coworkers had passed away.  I saw her packing up to leave on Tuesday night and said my goodbye as I walked by her desk.  She wasn't there on Wednesday and I just assumed she had taken the day off.

Unfortunately, that was not the case.  She was on a different team, her other team coworkers have been working from home since March.  They have not seen her since March.  They are devastated.  As we all are, she was one of those people that every one knew, in the whole building (and it's a big building).  

So working from home has it downsides as well.  Be thankful everyday and stay safe.

darwinstheory

I've gotten a ton done around the house. Too many things to even list. Some of it routine tasks, some overdue tasks and some projects I had never attempted before. Like a man on a mission with an endless "honey-do" list.

JPPJ84

Working from home has allowed me to visit my parents for long weekends and simply work from there. And taking quick naps or running during my lunch break has been brilliant. It looks like I‘ll be able to keep working from home 2-3 days a week permanently, which is a dream! Like most of you I‘m saving so much time not having to drive to work!

Purple Fairy Tree

@PureandEasy I'm so so sorry for your loss. Something similar happened at work exactly a year ago, one of our beloved colleagues passed away very suddenly. She was at work one day and gone the next. Everyone was allowed to bring their dog into work to help deal with the bad news. We still really miss her and she would have been 59 next week. She was someone everyone knew and she would laugh a lot, all day, every day. I still miss her x

brianlux

PureandEasy said:

brianlux said:

One great benefit to staying at home has been improving my high-functioning mental and motor skills:

-Cooking eggs without breaking the yolks.

-Turning the record over AND remembering to use the anti-static brush.

-Instead of the "lick and a promise tooth brushing", going the full two or three minute.

-Improving my furniture dusting and dishwashing skills.

-Playing with cat without getting any scratches.

And the most challenging of all:  Jigsaw puzzles!  (It says right on the box, "3 to 5 Years" and we did it in TWO WEEKS!  )

hahaha, that cracked me up.  I love jigsaw puzzles but the cat just won't allow it.  I need to find a good storage place when I put it away; but she barely allows me to read a book without getting in my way.  She's very affectionate, or needy, one or the other.  When I went in between cats for about 3 years, I did a ton of puzzles.  I actually find it relaxing.  

Annie loves to crawl up on the table when we do jigsaw puzzles.  I have to keep a table high stool next to the table with the puzzle on it so she can watch and feel like she is part of the action.  When I get up to quit for a while or go get something, I put a weighted down large sheet of cardboard over the puzzle, otherwise she really messes it up!

PureandEasy said:

HughFreakingDillon said:

not having to deal with office political bullshit. got word that we'll be going back to the office in september, so i'll be enjoying the fuck out of the summer at home. 

I know depending on where you work, the bullshit can be overwhelming. I actually enjoy my coworkers.  

I have been working in the office 2 days a week (Tues/Wed).  

We had a teams meeting Thursday while I was working from home to notify us that one of our coworkers had passed away.  I saw her packing up to leave on Tuesday night and said my goodbye as I walked by her desk.  She wasn't there on Wednesday and I just assumed she had taken the day off.

Unfortunately, that was not the case.  She was on a different team, her other team coworkers have been working from home since March.  They have not seen her since March.  They are devastated.  As we all are, she was one of those people that every one knew, in the whole building (and it's a big building).  

So working from home has it downsides as well.  Be thankful everyday and stay safe.

I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your co-worker.  Did she have coronavirus?

PureandEasy

brianlux said:

PureandEasy said:

brianlux said:

One great benefit to staying at home has been improving my high-functioning mental and motor skills:

-Cooking eggs without breaking the yolks.

-Turning the record over AND remembering to use the anti-static brush.

-Instead of the "lick and a promise tooth brushing", going the full two or three minute.

-Improving my furniture dusting and dishwashing skills.

-Playing with cat without getting any scratches.

And the most challenging of all:  Jigsaw puzzles!  (It says right on the box, "3 to 5 Years" and we did it in TWO WEEKS!  )

hahaha, that cracked me up.  I love jigsaw puzzles but the cat just won't allow it.  I need to find a good storage place when I put it away; but she barely allows me to read a book without getting in my way.  She's very affectionate, or needy, one or the other.  When I went in between cats for about 3 years, I did a ton of puzzles.  I actually find it relaxing.  

Annie loves to crawl up on the table when we do jigsaw puzzles.  I have to keep a table high stool next to the table with the puzzle on it so she can watch and feel like she is part of the action.  When I get up to quit for a while or go get something, I put a weighted down large sheet of cardboard over the puzzle, otherwise she really messes it up!

PureandEasy said:

HughFreakingDillon said:

not having to deal with office political bullshit. got word that we'll be going back to the office in september, so i'll be enjoying the fuck out of the summer at home. 

I know depending on where you work, the bullshit can be overwhelming. I actually enjoy my coworkers.  

I have been working in the office 2 days a week (Tues/Wed).  

We had a teams meeting Thursday while I was working from home to notify us that one of our coworkers had passed away.  I saw her packing up to leave on Tuesday night and said my goodbye as I walked by her desk.  She wasn't there on Wednesday and I just assumed she had taken the day off.

Unfortunately, that was not the case.  She was on a different team, her other team coworkers have been working from home since March.  They have not seen her since March.  They are devastated.  As we all are, she was one of those people that every one knew, in the whole building (and it's a big building).  

So working from home has it downsides as well.  Be thankful everyday and stay safe.

I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your co-worker.  Did she have coronavirus?

No, she had been in work every day and showed no symptoms.  I believe it was natural causes, she was fine when I said goodnight on Tuesday.  You just never know.

PureandEasy

West Coast Dreamgirl said:

@PureandEasy I'm so so sorry for your loss. Something similar happened at work exactly a year ago, one of our beloved colleagues passed away very suddenly. She was at work one day and gone the next. Everyone was allowed to bring their dog into work to help us deal with the bad news. We still really miss her and she would have been 59 next week. She was someone everyone knew and she would laugh a lot, all day, every day. I still miss her x

Thank you, yeah I will be back in the office on Tuesday, it will be tough to realize she will never be coming back.  :(