things you realised in lockdown that you're surprised you never noticed before??

[NoviceNewMN]

Working from home made me realise how low level subtly grindingly misogynistic alot of the men I work with are and how I am undermined every day without ever noticing when I was there - because it comes under the guise of cheerful chat that is blink and you miss it stuff. When you are out of it, life becomes lighter and happier.

I also never noticed exactly how much ££££ I spend on travel.

See my post above. You were happy to do all those things, you referenced your annual long haul holiday on another thread. We’ve known about the climate emergency for decades. Now it’s hit your radar you want everyone else to live how you think they should live?
I have never flown long haul. However my family live in another country, so I fly (short haul) to see them fairly regularly. And will continue to do so. I imagine my carbon footprint is still lower than yours.

How many people become so selfish in a ‘panic situation’ and resort to ancient knuckle dragging antics of Neanderthal’s. ‘Toilet paper is in short supply, I know, I’ll go out and buy the whole shop out of it. That’ll help me survive through this period’
‘There’s a food shortage according to the media, I know, I’ll go and buy as much of it as I can and deprive the more rational people / vulnerable of there meals.
There was never a problem with the supply chain of these things as I recall, only that selfish twats bought up what they could and cause this issue.

@TheGrumpyGoat

See my post above. You were happy to do all those things, you referenced your annual long haul holiday on another thread. We’ve known about the climate emergency for decades. Now it’s hit your radar you want everyone else to live how you think they should live? I have never flown long haul. However my family live in another country, so I fly (short haul) to see them fairly regularly. And will continue to do so. I imagine my carbon footprint is still lower than yours.

Covid has been an eye-opener for many.

Covid has been an eye-opener for many

You were (conveniently) burying your head in the sand pre Covid re the climate then. The issues were well publicised. As long as you got your long haul holidays though, eh? 👍

I learnt that I much prefer commuting (by train) to sitting at a desk all day and that teaching is a lot better when you're in a room with people.

I learnt that my DD has SEN and she is now diagnosed. Her mental health was destroyed by the pandemic. We had some very dark days in the summer of 2020 and the Christmas after.

I learnt (which I suspected tbh) that DH works part time for full time money while I work full time for part time money.

I learnt that a lot of butterflies and at least one stag beetle live in our garden, which is cool.

@TalkedTooMuchStayedTooLong

I'm naturally an antisocial cow, so lockdown didn't phase me... it reminded me how happy I am in my own company, or just with the kids (and made me relieved I'm divorced!). I was furloughed in the first lockdown and realised I loved being at home again and missed being a SAHM ( my kids are now of an age that would make that an indulgent luxury for me, and would be financially impossible anyway!)

During the second lockdown I worked full time (I'm a TA, so was involved in the key workers hub) and yes, lazy so and so that I am, I'd rather have been at home...

However, my job, and my own kids have shown me the impact the social isolation and fear mongering has had on our young people's mental health and I feel they have been unfairly disadvantaged throughout the pandemic.

I have also learned that it's easy to be pro-lockdown/ WFH etc if you are comfortably off with a nice admin/ finance/ desk job whilst those that don't have that luxury keep services, food deliveries, Amazon etc working for you!

Very much agree with your last paragraph!

In my life nothing good came from lockdown.

I missed vital moments and time with loved ones when time really is of the essence at the moment.

I learned how selfish most people are. Shelves stripped bare of food and drink, stockpiling of items. Never did the Hollywood apocalypse films portray the human reaction so disgustingly accurately.

I realised how much I disagreed with every single step the Government implemented.

I had to continue going into work and working amongst hundreds of people, which was particularly scary for me, especially during the beginning of Covid when there was scaremongering. My industry was never recognised as an industry that continued working throughout the pandemic to provide a service and was never given the privilege of being listed as essential which meant I didn't get testing privileges like others even though I was working in a busy environment and the government insisted the industry continue.

I realised how easy it is for people to become completely scaremongered and too afraid to leave their houses when they were WFH.

How everyone is out for themselves and how I really don't feel like I belong in this country and would much rather live in another country.

The amount of nosey judgmental twats that live in this village.

I worked from home pre-pandemic, and with everyone else working from home everything became so much easier!

People don’t forget to include you in meetings, you aren’t kept waiting while people try to find meeting rooms, people don’t assume ‘out of sight’ equals ‘doing nowt’.

Some colleagues/clients are already venturing back into the office and it makes me feel so anxious that all the positives of wfh will be lost when people go back full time. Time will tell!

Also feel extremely lucky that I am in an industry that has continued to flourish during the pandemic so I haven’t had the fear/stress so many others have re: keeping a roof over my head.

Pole fitness is as good for the mind as it is the body (and having a pole in your front room is a lockdown essential).

And how willingly people follow rules (no matter how illogical) without question.

@StopGo

I really don't like other people. I'm happy on my own.

Same! Shielding suited me nicely

How my neighbors jet wash the drive almost daily.

Was shocked by how little I miss travelling abroad. Like a previous poster I am a key worker (so is husband) and my parents were a Godsend.

Actually enjoying life on my own rather than being with a selfish partner who hoarded toilet roll, as did her whole family!! They were actually quite proud of it 😵‍💫

How much I cherish my lovely little village.

How much I’ve missed spontaneous holidays abroad. I got abroad twice in the summer of 2020 and three times in 2021 but it didn’t feel like enough and the endless forms and tests took some of the joy out of it.

I love working from home.

I love the fact that evenings feel long and productive and not just arriving home from work exhausted, dinner and killing time waiting to do the same all over again the following day. And the day after that.

That I absolutely love London and would never live anywhere else (in the UK)

@profpoopsnagle

There are 3 sorts of Pom Bears. One that has both hands up, one with both hands down and the third is one hand up, one hand down.

You win the pandemic

I learned to love gardening so much - how neglected my garden was.
But I also learned that I am really very much a people person and I have wonderful friends.

@DeborahAnnabel

How much I’ve missed spontaneous holidays abroad. I got abroad twice in the summer of 2020 and three times in 2021 but it didn’t feel like enough and the endless forms and tests took some of the joy out of it.

I love working from home.

I love the fact that evenings feel long and productive and not just arriving home from work exhausted, dinner and killing time waiting to do the same all over again the following day. And the day after that.

That I absolutely love London and would never live anywhere else (in the UK)

I think you might be me 😁 When London is heaving and smelly and diverse and crazy, I just love it more than ever, never ceases to change and amuse and a silent, still London was just so so wrong.

How idle I am and how much I procrastinate.

I realised that my 92 year old dad is an amazing man. He moved into a retirement apartment during the first part of the pandemic, had to remain in his apartment for the first 2 weeks (company rules) and then all apartment block activities were cancelled so he didn't meet anyone. He's a really sociable person so this would have been very hard. But - he never complained, was unfailingly cheerful and positive minded.
That I really love my husband, but he likes doing different things to me and spends a lot of time in his study so I missed hanging out with my friends more than I can say.
That I wish I had a dog again.
That I really love my church and telling bible stories in a way that engages children is really satisfying.
That amateur dramatics should be prescribed for the whole population. It's the most fun you can have without being arrested.
That I love Mumsnet.

how much i never missed people visiting me doing my head in with their boring mundane details of their lives.Also the postman or parcel delivery not knocking on my door as they just left the package in my front porch

How much I like and enjoy the company of my colleagues.

That I don't do 'dressing down' or lounge wear.

That I miss the office.

(back in the office now, and loving it)