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Original poster

Do you feel life is on hold?

158 replies

ivykaty44 · 11/03/2020 08:09

Are we all just holding back a little bit from job hunting, booking holidays making plans with friends etc?

I feel that I’m just going to work & going home & staying there, haven’t been shopping for 10 days

I’d planned on going to Portugal at the end of this month but had to cancel those plans due to other reason, haven’t booked any holidays for this year or made plans with friends

Anyone actually make future plans?

OP posts:
CheesePleaseLoueese · 11/03/2020 08:10

Yes I think people are highly reluctant to make plans, certainly travel plans. And most of all anything that may invoke handing over money!
Here's hoping in a month or so things become clearer

ElderAve · 11/03/2020 08:11

Yes, I do and I think it's having quite an impact on my mental health. No one likes uncertainty and everyone needs something to look forward to. Even if we make plans, we can't be sure they'll go ahead atm.

Onetickettomars · 11/03/2020 08:13

Yes, I want to get on with normality again!! I’m really annoyed that certain plans are scuppered

AhoyMrBeaver · 11/03/2020 08:13

Not for us. Holidays were booked in advance of everything kicking off, we're still going to work and school as usual, none of our plans has been affected. We're being blindly optimistic, in other words.

Comps83 · 11/03/2020 08:13

I know what you mean . I was asked about a spa weekend yday and I initially said yes but now I'm not sure . It's not so much catching it that worries me but the knock on effects it's going to have and I can't afford to lose the money if for any reason I can't go , be that lock down / place closes etc
Most ppl I know just aren't taking this seriously and think I'm overreacting, in fact DH and I had an argument about it last night as he can't understand why I'm worried and I can't understand why he isn't

Helenj1977 · 11/03/2020 08:15

Yes. I've said a few times this week 'when corono is over we'll...'

KaptenKrusty · 11/03/2020 08:26

Really?

I've not changed any plans - Going to Dublin next weekend, friends are coming to stay this weekend as planned, am off on holiday over Easter - - just booked a holiday to New York for Christmas -

Was out at the theatre last weekend and am out again tonight at a comedy show

Have been going to shops and work as normal - taking the tube etc

I feel like I can't just sit around waiting indefinitely!

YoursTunbridgeWells · 11/03/2020 08:27

Life should be on hold right now.

I really can't see how anybody could make any plans or commit to anything with a sufficient degree of certainty. For example - why would you book a holiday right now?
This may still be persisting well into Autumn or next year.
We have to just live in the minute, the hour, the day.

Things I am not doing:

Booking holidays
Buying clothes/shoes/handbags and for the children unless absolutely 100% needed
Buying school uniform - it's being patched for the moment
Buying makeup - Who needs to look good if we get isolated (other will disagree with this)
Booking theatre tickets/concerts/sporting events any sort of tourism/public event
Eating out
Going into town "shopping"/browsing whatever you call that
Not buying the car I was thinking about getting

We have a wedding to go to in June. It has been cancelled already as people were due to fly around the world to it. They are doctors. They know it's not going to happen.

No matter what was said by the Japanese minister this morning, I still think the Olympics will be cancelled as suggested by the Olympic committee.

I don't think now is the time for big descions like buying cars, houses, moving round the world, TTC etc.
We have to wait and watch. It's not a nice feeling. I feel claustophobic and stifled by the inability to make plans as well as fear of the virus and what it might do.

People won't agree with me. Some people will be confident that this won't affect them.

ElderAve · 11/03/2020 08:32

It's not that I'm cancelling anything Kapten. I have a holiday planned for Easter and will still go unless there's a reason that we can't but I dont feel confident that it will happen. I think any lockdown in UK, in whatever form that may take (I don't think UK can pull off Chinese style lockdown) will be timed to coincide with the Easter holidays.

I have plans to go to a big sporting event next week, I won't cancel unless they do but tonight's football has been cancelled so who knows?

I'm supposed to be running a race this weekend, organisers are saying watch this space...

ShanghaiDiva · 11/03/2020 08:33

My life is definitely on hold as I am waiting to return home to China. Dd has only had three weeks at school since 13th december. Dh is in HK so we are separated as a family.
Dd has online learning from school and goes to the gym and swimming, but misses her friends and dad. With so much uncertainty for us as a family it is difficult to make any plans.

ElderAve · 11/03/2020 08:33

Plus there's all the uncertainty in the financial markets and all the knock on effects of that

cologne4711 · 11/03/2020 08:33

Yes, certainly not booking holidays - and I also run and have not entered any more races for me or my son. My son has a race the weekend after next and I'm holding off booking accommodation as I can't see it going ahead.

However, last year was like this too with the spectre of a no deal Brexit hanging over us. For example, I didn't book to go away in October half term because of it.

Seeline · 11/03/2020 08:34

Not exactly on hold, but more in limbo.
What was for us as a family a fairly predictable year, is now really uncertain.
2 DCs doing public exams - if /when they happen
DC2 supposed to be flying to Northern Ireland at Easter with youth group
DC1 supposed to be going to Majorca post A levels
Actually got tickets to see the cricket...
Both DCs supposed to be starting at uni and 6th form.....
Haven't booked a holiday for myself and DH

cologne4711 · 11/03/2020 08:35

No matter what was said by the Japanese minister this morning, I still think the Olympics will be cancelled as suggested by the Olympic committee

Agree with this, and I wish the London marathon organisers would stop stringing people along and cancel. I did hear yesterday that there is talk of it being postponed until October, may just be rumour, but makes sense.

ElderAve · 11/03/2020 08:38

Interesting Cologne. I also worried (worry) about Brexit but this is changing my behaviour much more.

I dont think the Marathon will be postponed. If it doesn't happen, it will be cancelled altogether. They simply won't be able to secure another date to close the roads

Zacharyezrarawlings · 11/03/2020 08:38

yes, it's horrible. Ive got one dc doing gcses and one doing a levels this year. Im also due to run my first marathon in April which now may not happen (yes I know, really insignificant in the grand scheme of things but I've trained really bloody hard for it all winter) No idea what will happen at work - I work in the nhs, lots of meetings/training etc being cancelled. It is all just so uncertain, that is the stresful part. I also have elderly parents and my Dad has respiratory illness so that is a worry too.

Zacharyezrarawlings · 11/03/2020 08:40

cologne latest news from Manchester marathon is that it is still going ahead unless gov advice changes. If that happens plan is to postpone to Sep/Oct. The trouble is it feels as if eventually gov advice will have to change and all events will be banned so it feels like we are all just waiting for that to happen ....

CatherineCawood · 11/03/2020 08:43

I'm running London Marathon. In theory. They keep saying that it is going ahead. I just can't see it happening. Surely there are hospital admissions after a marathon - there must be? Not sure how VMLM can justify putting on an event that means there might have to be hospital admissions in already stretched hospitals. 6.5 weeks to go and I'm sure the situation isn't going to have either got better or gone away. Surely COVID19 will be worse if anything in 6 weeks?

I'd rather they just said now because it really is making training hard. Up to 18 miles and it is a huge effort. I'd rather know it's a no now than wait.

ElderAve · 11/03/2020 08:45

No Catherine, there is no significant spike in hospital admissions as a result of a Marathon. Several may be treated at the finish/on the course but it would be unusual for more than 1 or 2 to be taken to hospital.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 11/03/2020 08:46

Not at this stage. I'm not doing anything differently. My holidays were already booked for this year so I'm waiting on official advice about those.

Regarding day to day life I'm still shopping, using public transport, going to work and socialising as normal. No plans to change that unless forced to.

ShanghaiDiva · 11/03/2020 08:46

Having lived with the virus situation since January, it’s the uncertainty of everything that is very hard to deal with. When we were in China, the situation was changing daily re restrictions, compulsory mask wearing, not being able to get masks, getting to work etc. We spent a lot of time as a family making plans and then having to change and adapt them as the situation changed eg restrictions on entering HK, changing flights and not being able to get through to airlines etc.
For several days, the uncertainty made me feel physically ill with the thought of more changes and new plans.

CatherineCawood · 11/03/2020 08:47

Ah well that is good to know. I assumed I might have to be carted off at the end Wink

Waxonwaxoff0 · 11/03/2020 08:48

I'm taking my mum out for mother's day next week and going to a friend's birthday on April 5th. Also going to Butlins at Easter unless it closes.

burntpinky · 11/03/2020 08:48

We are newly pregnant and looking to move house but feel we ought not to given current situation.

Have another property which is rented out but on market for sale. Had a very cheeky offer this week which have declined. So am taking it off the market next week as think safer with tenants in at present (unless of course they lose their jobs but they work in a university so should be ok).

We have a holiday to France booked end may but not convinced it will go ahead

Def feel like life on hold. Feel like we are sitting ducks waiting for it to hit us

cologne4711 · 11/03/2020 08:49

They simply won't be able to secure another date to close the roads

I think they probably could - I know people don't like the roads being closed, but it's a prestige event, brings in money and improves air quality massively. Anyway we'll see.