What comes next (Positive Edition)

[BBowmaster]

So, two competing assumptions:
#1 - April continues the shut downs and isolation with no timeline for end
#2 - mid-April things return to “normal”

So for #1, what additional measures are you taking for positive mental health?

For #2, what is “normal” going to look like for you?

My answers will go in comments.

 

[Marc_G]

There's no chance of an April return to normal. June if we are lucky.

 

[BBowmaster]

#1 - Life continues, albeit at a lower financial level. With my new internet access I do some teaching remotely. I donate blood plasma to help make up the financial deficit, probably take on a delivery job for a local service or restaurant.

Hobbies get done at an accelerated rate. My build pile should easily last until mid-summer without additional purchases.

#2 - Church, and most of my income therefore, resumes. Hopefully my piano students ramp back up. I’d think so, since they’re out of school probably for the rest of the semester.

Gaming hobbies resume in-person playing and my 4H rocket club meets once a month again.

 

[tim cubbedge]

There's no chance of an April return to normal. June if we are lucky.

Agree with that!

 

[kuririn]

#2 - mid-April things return to “normal”

Shutdown doesn't end here until April 30, so that is not an option.

So for #1, what additional measures are you taking for positive mental health?

Slimming down my build pile and doing yardwork and home improvements and car maintenance.
Generally keeping busy doing SOMETHING.
At night started viewing "The Man in the High Castle". Heard about it but never saw it until recently.
The end of the first episode got me hooked. Looks interesting.

 

[rcktnut]

As soon as the weather allows looking forward to do the yard work, and some fishing.

 

[Marc_G]

High Castle is great. Loved it.

I'm actually busier now than before all this. Not much build time or energy. Full time working from home plus overseeing kids. COVID-19 adds more to my work responsibilities.

No complaints. I look forward to normalcy but I'm not even sure my July trip to visit my father in Maryland will be practical.

 

[boatgeek]

School in WA is closed until at least April 26 so I’ll only answer #1.

Mainly keep working away on projects. I have a build thread up for the spruce rocket, plus I may try to get the night launch spinner one all dolled up with LEDs. There are projects around the house as well.

One thing that is surprisingly helpful to me is that the garden is still on its schedule. The plum trees still bloom in March, the lilacs are still on their usual schedule, etc. Its nice to know that there are constants when everything else is upended.

Another interesting question is what changes once we are all done with this. How is life different 3 months or 6 months after the crisis is over?

 

[BBowmaster]

As soon as the weather allows looking forward to do the yard work, and some fishing.

I hate yard work in general. That said, I really look forward to it the first month it warms enough. Plus I enjoy gardening and hiking which also go better with warmer weather.

 

[NateB]

We are almost 2 weeks into things being closed down here. Give it another 10 days for testing to catch up and we will see if the encouraged social distancing is working, add another week to that and see if the actually stay in orders made people take this more serious. I'd like to be optimistic that we start to return to normal by May 1, but that may be a dream. June 1st might be a more realistic target.

As for me, I need option 3 - life goes on. On April 13, I work my last regularly scheduled night shift and end my day/night rotation every 4 days for a straight day shift schedule. That will be a slight reduction in income from the shift differential, but should be wonders on my sleep habits and mental health.

My RN partner might be back to work next week after being isolated as well. If everyone else stays healthy, I have some much needed time off next month too. Even though we won't be traveling, it will be nice to rest at home.

 

[Speaknoevil]

Best thing that has come from this for me is telemedicine. I just completed my third doctors appointment without having to waste time and gas to get to their offices. Still once a quarter I have to go in to get blood work, but the LabCorp in my area is super-efficient. You just hit a button on an app letting them know you are in the parking lot. You then get a message back when they are ready do do the draw and they shuttle you right into a room and take the blood, less than 3 minutes total inside. Unfortunately, next week I have to get a steroid shot in my right knee joint. Tough to substitute a doctor's visit for that one.

 

[stickershock23]