What have you learnt from this pandemic?

[pawsies]

For me I am a naturally cautious person and tend to think of worst case scenarios on a daily basis. I am a catastrophiser.

Therefore I'm very reluctant to book things far in advance. I wouldn't book a holiday years in advance. Maybe months but more likely weeks.

This pandemic has reinforced that. I can't see myself booking a holiday for 2022/2023. I want to go away in January but probably won't book anything until December.
Seeing the hassle people have had to go through to get money back/travel insurance etc puts me off booking anything earlier.

What about you?

That this scam will go down in history!!

How some people really are dumb as bricks

Haven't stuck to the rules, have been in close contact with every Tom, Dick &Harry, refusing to now wear masks, and yet say they won't send their kids back to school in September...

That I really love teaching and have missed it so much

That my 6 year old autistic son can read much better than I thought before

That I miss socialising

That everything can change overnight.

And that when you think you've hit rock bottom and things can't get any worse, there's still room for more bad stuff to happen.

That the right house is actually this house. I'd been feeling unsettled but it has lots of room, a big garden, we were within 2k of 2 beaches and a park so able to get out during full lockdown. Feel much more settled.

That the managers of our hospital ward are utterly useless, selfish cunts, leaving us to struggle on the front lines whilst they 'work' from home.

That politicians are not smarter than anyone else. I always thought they knew more, or thought more, or had insights we didn’t have, but most of them are pretty thick and it’s just disguised by an expensive education and/or sheer brute force and pig headedness.

My hair colour is naturally ginger
I can live without false nails
I'm actually quite good at making meals out of leftover fridge food bits

That the British population has hardly ascended above the average playground, and that the notion of “worry about yourself” has totally gone over their head.

That moving to our little farm was the best thing ever, and that I enjoy “teaching” my child.

That a frightening number of people have virtually no capacity for critical thinking or personal risk assessment.

That the rights, wellbeing and future prospects of children and young people are largely ignored in our society (tbh this is something I was aware of before but the pandemic brought it into focus)

That I’m a lot more simple than I thought.

That my work colleague is actually a really good friend, and I missed her dreadfully when we couldn't see each other.
That I actually cope quite well when the shit hits the fan.

That life is short. That death is inevitable. That the inequality that exists within our society is not only appalling but lethal. That I should have bought an inflatable hot tub last summer when I had the chance.

I've discovered I really am very lazy. I thought I'd have a pristine house. Instead I've just read novels.

That critical thinking is in short supply. That many people live to judge and empathy is an alien concept. That economics needs to be taught to all teens so the they understand that the economy isn't simply a nebulous entity that benefits billionaires. That this hasn't brought out the best in all of us and there are some people I will never look at in the same way again.

That proper cookery needs to be taught at school and not designing a pizza or a sandwich.

That some folk are very selfish.

That old folk are far more resilient than younger folk.

That governments lie.

That I am someone who can easily focus too much on the negatives and what I don't have, to the extent that I forget to enjoy and appreciate what I do have.

That more people than I realised (mainly online) find it very hard to discuss opposing viewpoints without becoming insulting/vitriolic etc.

TLDR: My kids are brave, I'm a wuss, my husband is a good egg and I want to change career and where we live.

I have learnt that my autistic children are both a lot braver and stronger than I ever gave them credit for.

This pandemic has taught me I am a fearful person but also that fear is what makes me tick and do good things with my life (sounds bizarre I know!)

I went into this pandemic fearful for my life as I am obese and asthmatic (yes, I am a bit of a catastrophizer too!) but from this fear I have lost weight and I have chosen to go back to studying. I bought myself a couple of books at the start to get a better understanding of the thing that was terrifying me. I bought a book on pandemics (it covered a host of pandemics over the years and how they were dealt with and in the case of smallpox the vaccine methods used to eventually eradicate the disease - ring vaccine method if anyone is interested) and a virology textbook. I've also taken free short courses in public health, epidemiology and infectious disease and found a whole new interest and am about to embark on a OU degree in biology and health sciences which was inspired by the short courses (I can't go to brick uni as I am full time carer to my eldest child).

I want to move back to where I swore I would never live again (I thought I wanted to live in a city with transport links and big shops. I really, really don't. I want to move back to the small coastal town, even if it is a bit run down.

My husband is actually a good person, he has worked all through and then come home and propped me up when I was crumbling (he has also put up with me quarantining and wiping the shopping even though he thought it was overkill!)

That a LOT of people are curtain twitching judgemental drama loving holier than thou cunts.

Nothing.

That I can't work and home school

That we don't need to be out spending money entertaining the kids all the time , they love being home playing games cooking etc

That I can't deal with being at home 100% of the time

That spending time with my children at home has been so precious and I will always treasure we got this extra time even though it's been tough st times

That it's possible to hear twilight zone music without it playing for real...

Oh and Facebook is full of toxic energy. Some people who are my friends have made some horrendous judgemental comments and it's made me realise more than I knew!

I hate working from home every day (a few days a week would be fine)

How much people want to argue they have it “hardest”. It’s been shit all round it’s safe to day

People annoy me and a pandemic has been great for keeping them at a distance. It will be spun out as an explanation for a long time

That I need to insist my parents have a stock of toilet paper, kitchen paper, bleach based cleaner and hand sanitizer in case of future lockdown or panic buying.
That the people in my area are LOVELY and we are now a much closer community than pre-pandemic.