Staying sane during self isolation (not medical chat - there are enough of those threads already)

littlegreenparrot

With impeccable timing I have had a week on leave, and back to work today. 
Office is now closed, it's been a very long day. I look after students wellbeing and have been asked to find resources to help them cope, I'll make sure to share anything good 😇. 
House of cards is in my opinion one of the best things on Netflix, American political drama. Just started re-watching. 

helensbiggestfan

candygirl said:

When I make my will, there'll be a few very shocked n disappointed people , albeit deservedly so 😉
I need to get it sorted asap 

Well that'll learn 'em. 😂.    Can't say as I blame you.  

I've been doing some Swedish Death Cleaning too this week.  Nearly done.  Photos next.  

Brown bin full but not collected. Tip also closed so can't even take the rubbish there. I think it's pretty nationwide.  Don't envy the bin men, its going to a right stinking mess when they finally get emptied.  Oh well, there's  nothing we can do.  

Think I've overdone the gardening this week, will need to take it easy for a day or two.    Going to make a start on the spring cleaning next week.  Then I can start some fun stuff and get creative, painting, reupholstering some chairs.  

Had to cancel my physio so need to try and do some exercises and stretches myself.

Manana .....maybe. 😂

MoneySeeker1

I gather solicitors are facing unprecedented demand for Wills at the moment because of this. Two reasons over: 
1. That people who are at highest risk of this (eg medical staff) have been told to, I gather, just in case they become a statistic
2. There are older people with assets that hadn't made a Will yet and are hastily catching up and doing so.

To me - that was one of the things I listened to my father about. The second I bought my first house (with quite a noticeable deposit and therefore already had a fair bit of house equity at the start) my father said to me that "You have an asset now and some other people will want it from you if they can" and told me to be careful. It took me some years afterwards to translate that into thinking that I'd better do a Will (as I felt that I was too young to die at the time and was therefore unlikely to). But, at some point in middle age, I did duly make out a Will (so that I could specify who my assets would go to).

Message to younger people that are living together (rather than married) being I've seen it happen to someone I know personally that they were living with their guy (as what is referred to as "commonlaw husband and wife") and he died. Not only did she have to deal with the shock of him dying (from leaping in front of a train in his case deliberately) and, as if that wasnt bad enough, his family came along and promptly grabbed all his assets - despite the fact she'd been meant to have them. The family were able to do this because she wasn't actually married to him and he hadn't made out a Will. She could have done with that money too.

MoneySeeker1

LessonLearned/aka Helen - You're in a city - have you had an email today from your City Council about Covid - in which they are telling everyone to consult them if planning an event prior to end of July just-in-case. Because I've had an email from my old City Council saying that. Ignored the "Probably good to go again" on that timescale that we've had in my current location (as I assumed that was just local wishful thinking) - but when I had it through from my old City Council along same sort of lines today - now thinking "Do the PTB reckon it is probably going to be over by end July for us?". That being one heck of a time - but maybe the Government feels reasonably confident we'll be back to normal by then?

Is anyone else on their city council's/former city council's mailing list and they are saying much the same? Looks like the Government has been "feeding this line" to city councils/maybe smaller councils as well??

helensbiggestfan

No nothing yet......

Tbh I don't think life will be entirely back to normal for some time because even though the first wave might be over by then there could well be a second wave, possibly over the winter.   Realistically, we won't be really safe until there is a vaccine. 

Probably best not to plan too far ahead.  Most big sporting and cultural events that usually take place over the summer have been cancelled or postponed, Including the Olympics which hopefully will now take place next year. 

Just watching the news.......it's definitely starting to bite now.  Italy and Spain's death rates are soaring, despite being in severe lockdown for 2 weeks now and it's pretty much global now, gathering pace. Cases in the US have now overtaken China.  

The talking heads are saying that the NHS needs a 75% isolation rate if they are to cope. if less than 50% comply they will be overwhelmed. So there we go, we are just going to have to hunker down. 

I watched Jamie's cookery programme.  Feel inspired to make bread now, not made it for years.  😂.  

pickledonionspaceraider

I have had quite a productive day.
Really was starting to run very low on most groceries by now so attempted to go to Aldi, but drove back out of the carpark after I saw a que of 100+ people standing there waiting to get in (ques now are due to the social distancing / only letting so many in)

So I went Iceland instead, which was far better, it is the Iceland Warehouse, and massive place, and probably 6 other shoppers in there.  Floor all marked out with 2m lines, but none of this stopped someone literally leaning over me to reach something

I felt very uncomfortable and could not get out of there quick enough, but filled a basket up with what we need for a good few days.

I am beginning to suspect this lockdown may be for longer than three weeks @helensbiggestfan

candygirl

we need to protect our postmen after all ! 😂🤣

MoneySeeker1

...and we're all going to get little personal niggles/worries/etc. I woke up today to the knowledge that someone in a circle of people I'm in here is probably going to commit suicide before this is through. He is a nice/generous/kind/outgoing sort of person (even though I don't know him that well it is clear to see) and he has openly admitted previously to having once tried to commit suicide. I just know I'm going to be at an Event after this is over to commemmorate his life and I'm sad about that. He won't be the only one - there will be others.

Aware there is a very vocal group of "hard" people that are being more than a little selfish (even if I understand why). Aware there are people I know of personally that are capable of extreme selfishness/hardness and I may land up in a physical fight for the first time in my life (as I fear them sneaking in to steal the food I'm growing - and I will fight if I catch them at it). I don't even know how to fight - as I'm not that sort of person...

Developed a couple of slight issues myself unexpectedly and can't even admit it to anyone else - as I've thought of the best work-arounds I can to this and uncomfortably aware I can't talk about it to others - in case they copy it and then there'd be too many of us after said work-arounds. I don't like feeling I'm having to be selfish here - as I'm someone who usually shares knowledge freely (very freely). I know most people are selfish (even if only in terms of "My kids come first - and you are nowhere Dear Stranger") and hoping I won't have to do anything else that makes me feel selfish (as I like to be a nice person).

If you lose being able to be a "nice person" - what have you got left? Your self-respect/pride has just gone through the ground.

EDIT; and yep I've woken up this morning myself and have a 50/50 suspicion I've got It.

pickledonionspaceraider

Suicide is more of a  problem right now, than usual.  One of my friends works with a lad who had mental health issues and has killed himself, only 21.  They were very close worked directly together.  I firmly believe that worldwide suicide is rising 

 I don't know the young lad myself,  but the shockwave of knowing that is happening is palpable .... It is unbelievable for us all to comprehend what is going on in the world right now. 

I am very concerned about a friend of mine who has MH issues, but so far seems to be coping fairly well

Has that person reached out directly to you - @MoneySeeker1 ?

Dont worry too much about the illness for yourself unless you get breathing difficulties, I am pretty sure I have had it a couple of weeks ago

Not including those with MH issues, but I honestly believe (and I know this sounds ridiculous) but the only weapon  folk have in this is our attitude.  (easy to say I know..

MoneySeeker1

pickledonionspaceraider said:

Suicide is a problem right now.  One of my friends works with a lad who had mental health issues and has killed himself, only 21.

Has that person reached out directly to you - @MoneySeeker1 ?

That poor lad - has this been since this all kicked off?

There are going to be people who do this right now. I did feel sorry for the two nurses (one in this country/think the other one was abroad?) that have done so already because of this and some of them will doubtless be under a lot of strain right now.

Re Mr X (the likely candidate for this I know) I don't know him well enough to count as a personal friend - he's just in a circle of people I am in. There are people much "closer" to him than I am in every sense of the word - he's quite a popular guy in fact. He's unlikely to regard me as "close" enough to ask - but will have lots of others I'm sure that could/would. But I still regard him as "likely candidate".