During pandemic lockdown have you found any new hobbies or things that you really enjoy doing?

During pandemic lock down have you found any new hobbies or things that you really enjoy doing? Or old hobbies or passions that you now have time to start again?

During this virus lock down and social distancing that pretty much puts most martial arts in a category of things not to do. At least no sparring or classes with other people. So what do you do in your free time that gives you joy? Looking for some tips for myself

 

I've been watching the entire DVD collection of Breaking Bad, including the 50+ hours of Special Features.

Man, I could get used to this staying home stuff.

 

Try to design a set of solo drills for students to train at home.

 

I’ve got three different swords I am rebuilding. One of them I began working on a bunch of years ago for a classmate, but I never finished it. I haven’t done any new work in several years. So I’m getting reconnected to that old hobby of mine. Hopefully I’ll get them finished this time.

 

I’m putting in a ton of overtime at work. My new career is considered essential, and there’s a ton of OT to be had. It’s amazing the amount of people that just flat out don’t want to work any more than the bare minimum. We do 4 x 10 hour shifts, so a 5th day brings in an extra 10 hours. Somehow it’s too hard to work 5 days a week for some people

My 7 and 9 year old daughters being home all day every day and just doing things to intentionally really annoy each other and us serves as extra motivation to work extra. Combine that with everything being on lockdown around here, and you’ve got the perfect storm. It’s either work more hours or frequent the liquor store that’s also considered essential I’ll stay constructive.

While everyone else is hoarding toilet paper, I’m hoarding extra shifts and money. I’ve got 2 big packs of TP from BJ’s, so I’m good for a while.

Aside from that, I bought a few new woodworking tools - miter saw and router. Going to start building some outdoor furniture right after I build a new work table.

 

Nothing new as such, both OH and I are retired so have already settled into doing stuff we like. There is a call for us retirees to go back to work but we can't because of health problems. I've been doing a lot online for my Rainbows and Brownies as we can't meet otherwise it's all the usual things we enjoy which are quite modest and don't involve going out.

I do miss travelling down to see my granddaughter though, she's 13 months old now and such a bundle of mischief and curiosity. Still we can video call and chat. there's no horseracing until at least May so both my daughter and son in law are at home which is where my son in law works as well, the racing yard is an enormous estate with lots of land, gallops, woods and fields so they can get out for walks easily with the dog. They send videos of them out and about which is fun.

 

The only real differences in my regular routine stems from being stuck with the IV.
We had a long work day yesterday on our PPE conversion projects. Two millwrights from the same industrial park came in yesterday to help move a large 5 axis robot which helped tremendously. They built a slick frame/base with a mounting plate to locate the robot. This will help with both the temporary location of the robot and it's eventual move back to it's regular location. I have a beta program ready to test today. The conveyance is in place and should be ready to go.

Little change with my at home projects. With the help of our son, I spread 18 acres of lime, fertilizer, and fescue yesterday. We had our first calf of the season a few days ago (see avatar) which is always exciting. I have some upcoming major service/repair on one baler which is going to be a challenge on a bad leg.
My wife's law practice has been about 70% from a distance/online and 30% meeting with clients in person when absolutely necessary. Our son had just finished up a gig with a college football program before all the virus stuff started so he has been at home working for his mom and me.

It is difficult to look forward and predict what the permanent changes in our society post virus will be. My wife and I do think there will be a shift in the preference to perform certain service industry work online. A significant portion of her legal business involves certain government entities and they have guidelines for video services which she is researching.
Talk about a self-greasing wheel.

Tennessee is close to 1,200 cases and 6 deaths. Our county has 9 and the total for the 6 adjoining counties is 20 so very low in our area.
By in large it is business as usual in our area with the exception of dine-in at restaurants. I even saw a biker bar open yesterday which I am certain was in violation.
Our stores have mild shortages in dry goods but we have ran out of nothing at home.

I pray all is good for everyone else.

 

I would love to have some work right now. We are in a bit of a financial pickle, having some income would be excellent.

 

I’m very fortunate right now. Way too many people are really struggling financially through this mess. I guess I chose the right career this time around - making biotech medicine.

We have a cafeteria service at our worksite (3 cafeterias on the campus) which employs I’m guessing around 100 contracted workers or so, as it’s a 24/7 operation (2 open 24/7). Our company has gone to bare bones essential staff only, and the cafeterias closed 3 weeks ago for a minimum of 2 months.

The contracted company is a locally owned and run business. The owner can’t possibly afford to pay everyone for 2 months without any money coming in. He had to lay them off. A bunch of people employed by my company weren’t happy when they found out. But honestly, it’s for the better of a bad situation - at least they can collect unemployment until they reopen and hire them all back. While it’s not much and quite possibly not enough, at least it’s something.

I see a lot of those guys every day. Or at least until this happened. My heart goes out to them. And by no means are they the only ones. Not even close.

Love or hate the government, at least they’re trying to help people out with stuff - getting creditors like mortgage lenders, student loans, etc. to suspend payments; increasing unemployment benefits; tax check; stuff like that. It’s most likely not enough for a lot of people, but every little bit helps.

As for me, I’m banking my OT money. Saving it for a rainy day. I’ve seen too much so far to not do that. I’ve put in a combined 40 hours of overtime the last 4 weeks, will take 2 weeks off from OT (still working my 40), then another 40 hours of OT over the following 4 weeks. And I’ll reassess it halfway through the next round of OT. If they’ll let me continue it anyway. All signs point to yes, as we’ve got something in the works that’ll be all hands on deck for several months. Possibly longer.

 

I would love some overtime pay right now. We needed to do an early withdrawal from retirement savings last year, and now it's time to pay the taxes and penalties. As much as I usually hate doing overtime, right now I would welcome as much as I can get.

 

We bought our house in November. I used some Roth IRA money for the down payment and it wasn’t taxed right. It was too late for them to issue a check. That’s what started my OT journey. Things have been pretty tight since buying the house, but no complaints because it’s for the right reason and temporary. Savings were pretty much nonexistent until the OT started. I’m trying to get close to where we were before the house.

If I wasn’t getting paid right now, I have no clue what I’d do. Too many people are in that position right now. Even a lot of people who are working are having a tough time. A friend owns a two family house and rents one unit out. He’s working but his wife isn’t due to this. And their tenants (couple) both aren’t working either. Problem is he can’t pay the mortgage and everything else on his income alone. They could afford to lose either his wife’s or the tenant’s income, but not both at the same time.

My wife is a public school teacher and is still getting paid. She’s doing class through Zoom and Google docs. If she wasn’t getting paid, wed be struggling, even with the OT I’m getting.

My thoughts and prayers are with you and everyone else in the same boat. I’m confident it’ll end before it gets to the point of no return for most people. But it’s not going to be pretty in the meantime.

 

I definitely am. I was down and felt like I had no way out for quite a while not too long ago. I never want to be there again. I thank God every night that that’s over and ask it doesn’t happen again.

 

Yeah.. I truly feel for those struggling financially, and in any other way.

I was already unemployed before all this happened, but now it is a million times harder to find work... so had to bite the bullet and apply for Jobseeker Payment today. Seemed like the sensible thing to do, but it's given me quite some relief, as was running out of money.

It's never a bad idea to ask for help when you need it <3

 

As for the thread (which is great idea), I've been dedicating my time between martial arts, weight training, stretching/mobility routines, piano, singing, reading, meditation, chatting with others on the internet, video games, writing/journalling, roasting coffee, DRINKING coffee, few DIY stuff round the house, watching all the stuff I've always wanted to watch... there's never nothing to do.

But I still make time to do nothing ;D

 

You are a good man JR. I consider it an honor to hear how your journey is unfolding.
Keep the faith brother.123