COVID boredom with life not changing.

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

I'm with you OP

If I was 25 years younger I'd have gone stone mad months ago.

As a youth and young man I loved going out, socializing, hanging around with big groups of people, going to concerts or sports events, spontaneously deciding to go away for a weekend.

I'm almost 50 now, married, settled down with kids so it doesn't affect me as much, if at all.

If I was young the idea that I would have to book a table, pay at least €9 for a meal and be gone in less than two hours just to go to the pub would certainly send me down the house party route.

Absolutely. At 18, I really did live for the weekend and I don't regret a moment of it. I wanted to be out every single Friday and Saturday night. I was enjoying my newfound freedom. And the thing is, that need does pass but I feel sad at the thought of it passing kids by without them experiencing it. It was such fun nonsense.

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts

LostDuck wrote: »

Because the rat race was the only game in town if you had to pay mortgage, rent, save for a deposit etc.

Much better life now working from home. Go for morning exercise and breakfast in the garden when I would have been commuting. Prep dinner during lunch break, throw it on before finishing work and you're done and fed with a full evening to play with instead of commuting home. Get out into nature as much as possible.

Always hated shopping at busy times but it's a joy now that shops never get packed, happy to chill out in the queue for a few mins.

Gone from spending €200/mth on fuel to €30/mth.

Have meaningful meets with one or two instead of nights out with a crowd.

The old way was a frustrating life for introverts. The new way is frustrating for extroverts.

The only problem is the party-going extroverts are putting the health of everyone at risk now.

I think that is too simplistic a way to look at it. I am an introvert and I am finding it all very oppressive. It's a misconception that introverts don't like socialising.

tara83

leahyl wrote: »

I hear ya Susie Blue - similar situation to yourself; still living at home with the parents at 35 :-( but I’m lucky I do still have my job but been working from home up in my room for the last 6 months. Before Covid hit was trying to find a place of my own to buy for years but prices are way too high, then Covid came so everything came to a halt and not a hope in hell of finding anywhere. My parents are in their early/mid 70’s, generally in good health but still they are in the at risk category. It’s been tough for everyone but I think this is the first time I’ve seen posts about how difficult it is for single people in their late 20’s/30’s. It makes me sad to think that I probably won’t meet anyone now cos I hadn’t met anyone prior to Covid anyway, and now that most social things can’t happen, there’s even less chance. I just wouldn’t do online dating now with the way things are. I’m hopeful that we will get a vaccine next year but I don’t know....I kind of feel what have I been doing for the last 5 years since I turned 30...makes you question your life Lol

Feel similar, am a homeowner but that just means being on my own alot of the time as I live alone. Never bothered me before was busy and social so enjoyed my time home alone when I was there. Online dating seems to be a bigger minefield that ever. Miss bumping into acquaintances, miss the office, since latest restrictions hard to get into gym, miss natural movement - my commute involved 1hr walking. Now I feel I have to plan walks to get steps in and starting to hate it. Miss being in the city, miss the variety of food. It's the limbo. Like others said if I was at a different stage in life I might feel different. Considering moving somewhere for winter months.

De Danann

ILoveYourVibes wrote: »

Right now everyday seems the same...im sick of not meeting new people and of not having spontaneous things happen.

Everything is so planned regulated.
Yes im wearing masks handwashing etc ...

Anyone else same?

IM BORED!

Yes OP I feel the exact same. You hit it right on the button that everything is so regulated and unspontaneous.

Everybody in my office is seperated and its very dull and lonely. I feel more than ever like a little worker drone, sitting alone at my desk with nobody to chat with. No craic to break up the day.

Lunchtime is awkward as the little kitchenette we have is limited to 1 person at a time, you're not allowed use the dishes or cutlery so you have to remember to bring in everything in your bag. I have resorted to bringing in boring sambos to avoid needing to use the microwave. Miserable experience

I'm tired of all the planning and caution and wariness. I have vulnerable family members so I have a constant reminder not to drop my guard but it is all wearing me out.

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts

De Danann wrote: »

Yes OP I feel the exact same. You hit it right on the button that everything is so regulated and unspontaneous.

Everybody in my office is seperated and its very dull and lonely. I feel more than ever like a little worker drone, sitting alone at my desk with nobody to chat with. No craic to break up the day.

Lunchtime is awkward as the little kitchenette we have is limited to 1 person at a time, you're not allowed use the dishes or cutlery so you have to remember to bring in everything in your bag. I have resorted to bringing in boring sambos to avoid needing to use the microwave. Miserable experience

I'm tired of all the planning and caution and wariness. I have vulnerable family members so I have a constant reminder not to drop my guard but it is all wearing me out.

But honestly, De Danann, some of the vulnerable people are sick of it too. I'm one of them and I'm totally fed up. Sick of the lack of spontaneity and the restrictions.

And here's another angle to consider. I don't know if I'll be alive in the year. It's very possible I'll be gone. And I hate the thought of my short remaining time being stuck in this grey, boring reality we are living in right now. I didn't go on a foreign holiday last year and was looking forward to one this year. What if I never get to go abroad again and feel the hot sun on my skin?

Personally, I am happy to protect other vulnerable people but this vulnerable person wants to take her chances. My life literally is too short to hide away. If I get covid, I get it. Plus, my life for the last five years has been filled with medical appointments and watching my health so I don't really have the mental space to care about coronavirus. I'm already allergic to anything to do with health.

I have been very struck by the comments of singletons and people in houseshares in this thread. I'm fortunate to be in a relationship and have my own place. But if you're stuck in a shitty houseshare, it must be really oppressive. Many people don't love their housemates and in those scenarios, you'd be in your room most of the time. Sounds awful.

I think this isn't sustainable. We are a social species.

CelticRambler

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts wrote: »

I hate the thought of my short remaining time being stuck in this grey, boring reality we are living in right now. I didn't go on a foreign holiday last year and was looking forward to one this year. What if I never get to go abroad again and feel the hot sun on my skin?

Serious question: what's stopping you from booking a flight this evening and being somewhere foreign next week?

If you're effectively in quarantine at home, all the time, with nothing to do and no-one to see, even though you haven't been away, what difference will it make if you do go away, and then go back to that "new normal" afterwards?

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts

CelticRambler wrote: »

Serious question: what's stopping you from booking a flight this evening and being somewhere foreign next week?

If you're effectively in quarantine at home, all the time, with nothing to do and no-one to see, even though you haven't been away, what difference will it make if you do go away, and then go back to that "new normal" afterwards?

Well, for example, I could get stranded somewhere (because times are that uncertain that something like that could happen) and be far from my own hospital if my health takes a turn. I can go from fine to sick in the space of 24 hours. That's not a risk I can take right now.

Even before, a holiday was a bit of a risk but at least I could say that if my holiday is seven days, it really will be just seven days. I could plan much better.

Thespoofer

I for one would welcome a covid free day once per week.
No radio, TV adverts, pandemic news reports unless something really drastic has really happened with the virus.

Even though I don't ' go out ' anymore ( bar the yearly staff party ), if this all blows over I'm gonna go out and burn up the dance floor like I'm in my twenties again, hugging, kissing everybody and being a general nuisance!

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts

Thespoofer wrote: »

I for one would welcome a covid free day once per week.
No radio, TV adverts, pandemic news reports unless something really drastic has really happened with the virus.

Even though I don't ' go out ' anymore ( bar the yearly staff party ), if this all blows over I'm gonna go out and burn up the dance floor like I'm in my twenties again, hugging, kissing everybody and being a general nuisance!

Hell, yes. I was home this weekend and I was sick of all the covid talk from various family members by the end of it.

We were at my in-laws a few weekends ago. They listen to the radio during the day. No bother at all usually but, Christ, there was easily a three hour stretch where people were ringing in with anecdote after anecdote about people breaking the restrictions. It was head-wrecking. And made me realise that the pandemic has been heaven for the curtain-twitchers of the world.

CelticRambler

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts wrote: »

Even before, a holiday was a bit of a risk but at least I could say that if my holiday is seven days, it really will be just seven days. I could plan much better.

But isn't that kind of planning the exact opposite of the "spontaneity" that many contributors to this thread are pining for? In reality, you could never be sure that a seven-day holiday would be seven days. Strikes, earthquakes, power-cuts, bankruptcies, illness, robberies, everything and anything could have added a day or a week or a month to a "seven day" trip.

It's just that people got used to the world being predictable, and were able to exercise just a little bit of pretend spontaneity, knowing that they had a safety net of EU regulations to get them back to a boring, normality.

All of my summer guests - health problems or not - booked themselves onto planes, trains and automobiles to come over here, one couple confirming just six hours before they arrived (they came for two days and stayed four, another truly spontaneous decision) Oh, and they were truly "random strangers" - I'd never met them before, ever, nor had they ever met any of the other "random strangers" who were here at the same time.

So I still struggle to understand why so many people in Ireland (and it does seem to be a particularly Irish thing) think they're stuck in such a deep hole.

tara83

Im sorry to hear about your illness, truly hope you get to make all the trips you wish for shortly.

I think that’s the crux of it that humans are social creatures. When I see comments on kids needing to go back to school for socialisation and I get they are priority, I think adults need socialisation too. We need to get back to offices and hobbies

tara83

So I still struggle to understand why so many people in Ireland (and it does seem to be a particularly Irish thing) think they're stuck in such a deep hole. [/quote]

A lot of people are restricted by quarantine restrictions they need to take the additional 2 weeks off work for example

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts

CelticRambler wrote: »

But isn't that kind of planning the exact opposite of the "spontaneity" that many contributors to this thread are pining for?

No, I mean for me, holidays pre-covid before did represent a big risk way above the risk your average person takes by going on holiday. I know this having lived in the land of the healthy and of the ill. There are risks for everyone takes going on holiday but for me, the risks were not distant hypothetical scenarios but things that could very easily happen. I really had to be certain that I could get home quickly if I needed to. That risk was still worth taking pre-covid. Now, it just isn't because it would be a disaster for me to get stranded in another country now. And that's why I can't take a foreign holiday right now.

De Danann

De Danann wrote: »

Yes OP I feel the exact same. You hit it right on the button that everything is so regulated and unspontaneous.

Everybody in my office is seperated and its very dull and lonely. I feel more than ever like a little worker drone, sitting alone at my desk with nobody to chat with. No craic to break up the day.

Lunchtime is awkward as the little kitchenette we have is limited to 1 person at a time, you're not allowed use the dishes or cutlery so you have to remember to bring in everything in your bag. I have resorted to bringing in boring sambos to avoid needing to use the microwave. Miserable experience

I'm tired of all the planning and caution and wariness. I have vulnerable family members so I have a constant reminder not to drop my guard but it is all wearing me out.

Why are you not working from home, it’s the government advice and would avoid all that hassle with a small kitchen, worrying about relatives etc? Sounds like an office job so no reason you shouldn’t be. I know very few who have gone back to the office since March and 95% are delighted with not setting foot in the office either, WFH home is all positives imo.

leahyl

Madden Late Percussionist wrote: »

Why are you not working from home, it’s the government advice and would avoid all that hassle with a small kitchen, worrying about relatives etc? Sounds like an office job so no reason you shouldn’t be. I know very few who have gone back to the office since March and 95% are delighted with not setting foot in the office either, WFH home is all positives imo.

We have to go back into the office from next week for 2/3 days per week - I’m in admin in education and I work in an office that has a reception for students to come with queries so we have to have someone there to “support the students” even though they won’t even be in the building for 90% of the time...but anyway! In the first few months I actually was thinking I’d like to go back to the office but in the last month or two I’ve gotten used to WFH so two days would suit me just fine to be in the office especially with the winter coming in. Plus I live with my parents who are both over 70 so would prefer to be home as much as possible.

De Danann

Madden Late Percussionist wrote: »

Why are you not working from home, it’s the government advice and would avoid all that hassle with a small kitchen, worrying about relatives etc? Sounds like an office job so no reason you shouldn’t be. I know very few who have gone back to the office since March and 95% are delighted with not setting foot in the office either, WFH home is all positives imo.

I work in a Court office that deals with physical paperwork being sent in. For one we can't take this paperwork home with us for security reasons, and for another we can't take the stamps and seals required to officially issue the papers home either.

I have a letter saying I am an essential worker because of this inability to WFH and have been commuting as normal the whole time. But they have taken measures by spreading us all out inside the building. Those in different departments that can do work online are wfh and we have taken over their spaces to allow for social distancing.