To feel like we are just existing now

[Ghostlyglow]

In a miserable, joyless world of queues and masks. A couple of friends have lost their jobs this week. Where are we going with this?When will it end?

@TheGreatBritishLockdown - you've made some good points.

Personally I feel that if we had locked down sooner and harder we were be virtually out the other side now with fewer deaths.
Lockdown has been hard on everyone to varying degrees and we really should be more kind and less selfish.
This selfishness is apparent in various situations.
My dh is shielding and time and time again it has been implied that we lockdown for the likes of him and the real kicker that we are not even grateful and it was pointless because they will die soon anyway.
Well dh is in his late forties with 3 kids. We have modified things more than most but ever me and the kids can get out of the house.
Yesterday on our bike ride I heard squeals of delight from kids messing aroung beside or on the river. Water based activities resumed and lots of football training going on our way too.
I felt a tinge of sadness as dh is physically no longer able to enjoy this pasttime and tbe pasttimes he enjoys are off limits for now but he understands this and continues to wfh.
My main worry is that they and the dcs education will be off limits or at least more risky for longer due to other people's unwillingness to follow the rules. People who won't wear masks or send their child who has been tested for covid to the school bubble which burst on day two.
I certainly don't see teens following social distancing and my dd will be in thick of this next year whrn she starts 6th form college so I seriously hope there won't be a second wave.

I have been really struggling. I made quite a busy life for myself before lockdown, as I am naturally a lazy couch potato, so rely on external classes and activities to be productive. I was going to 2 evening classes and volunteering every week after work, as well as board games. I liked going to the office and never liked WFH (I don't do any work when I WFH).

Now I'm furloughed and I literally sit on the sofa on the Internet all day every day, with a break to maybe do some shopping and some chores. I've turned into a lazy miserable bastard. Doing any of my hobbies seems pointless now - no point making clothes if there's no parties/weddings to wear them to, and they'll go straight into the wardrobe. Everything seems so pointless and blah, I'm just killing time at this point and waiting until I can start working again. Even the volunteering is now just a phone call. The more spare time I have the lazier I get and shitter I feel.

I've seen my family in my flat, they don't care about corona and neither do I and we'd rather take responsibility for ourselves than follow Boris's instruction.

It is what it is for as long as it takes. Where’s the great British resolve gone?
Everyone has their struggles, just get on with what’s needed.
Personally I’m sick of all the moaning and whinging about things that can’t be changed and supposed “mental health” issues. Why can’t people just be having an off day anymore? It’s instantly depression or some other drama.
Pull your socks up and just get on with it.

Where’s the great British resolve gone?

I'm not British. I come from a country where my father was put in prison and tortured for breaking a curfew.

So the current infringement on our civil liberties worries me more than the virus.

@Merryweather80 you sound like a barrel of laughs

I said upthread that my experience of lockdown has been relatively easy compared to that of others. However I do agree that there does seem to be a lack of mental resilience about the place on MN more so than IRL And our civil liberties haven’t really been curtailed. That’s somewhat melodramatic.

And our civil liberties haven’t really been curtailed. That’s somewhat melodramatic.

Yes, people used to say that in my dad's country too when it first started kicking off.

Out of curiosity, what are you going to moan about when things are truly back to "normal" within a month or 2?

Parking. Why Center Parcs is more expensive in school holidays than not. White dogs mess in the street.

@fluffiphlox

I said upthread that my experience of lockdown has been relatively easy compared to that of others. However I do agree that there does seem to be a lack of mental resilience about the place on MN more so than IRL And our civil liberties haven’t really been curtailed. That’s somewhat melodramatic.

I agree with you about the lack of resilience on mumsnet. This is not reflected in real life. I think it's because not many people come on line to post things like: "I'm pretty much okay today, another day coping with changed cirumstances, at least my kids are enjoying the down time. I'm sure this won't last forever and look forward to a return to normality"

People don't post things like that online, so the internet becomes a place of heightened worry and emotion. It's the same with health concerns. Not many people bother to post that a strange headache they had faded after a paracetamol, but something more ominous is more likely to get a mention on a forum.

Yes, people used to say that in my dad's country too when it first started kicking off.

So is ‘kicking off’ the same as ‘in the midst of a global pandemic’? I gather some country have had stricter rules and enforcement than have we.

Obviously that should read ‘countries’.

Personally I’m sick of all the moaning and whinging about things that can’t be changed and supposed “mental health” issues. Why can’t people just be having an off day anymore? It’s instantly depression or some other drama

@Merryweather80 oh cheers, that’s my 11 years of depression and generalised anxiety disorder since childhood fixed. I had postnatal depression on top of this. I feel like I am back there again.

Lockdown has been relatively easy compared to some. However I do have to juggle a full time job and caring for children (one with SN) so it is harder than usual, more frustrating than usual and often dull and that is all. This is a very typical 'covid thread' on MN - full of hysteria which you do not see IRL and yes some posters do need to 'get a grip'. A small number have posted offering sensible ideas and suggestions only to be immediately shot down by hysteria. I guess it is the internet at work.

Well said @Merryweather80. Honestly I sometimes worry about the way the world is going - then I remember it's MN not RL and most people are far more sensible in RL.

Eaglejulesk
I think you are right. Mumsnet doesn't necessarily represent RL. I think the people who are really struggling for whatever reasons during the pandemic are probably going to come on MN and vent their feelings. Some comments have been actually quite concerning to read..i .e people feeling suicidal, giving up on life etc (although they are in the minority) but some are from people who have stated, I have a lovely home, garden, job still, lovely husband and children but they say they are struggling with the boredom and really missing the socialising , pubs, theatre, hairdressers, nail salons etc. I think it's probably more difficult if you have small children to entertain . I think many families who normally have to go without luxuries and normally have to worry about having enough food or keeping the roof over their heads (millions of low paid workers) probably over the years have built up more resilience because they had to, but still not an enjoyable way to live. Saying that , you can be happy with little money and treasure the small things in life. The media has a lot to answer for though by scaring the living daylights out of people and that itself causes anxiety and is very draining. Gosh, I've gone on a bit !!

LookOnTheBrightSide1 Loving your username!

Your post put it very well. Incidentally, I've been unemployed, other than temp work, for the past two years. I find that I am much happier now than I was when working, even though I am on a tight budget and have no money for luxuries. Being poor but not having to go into the toxic place I worked is much better for me and my enjoyment of life - and yes, it has helped me during lockdown also.