Let's take the positives from the 'new normal'

[chocolatesaltyballs22]

This might be unpopular but I felt we needed a bit of balance to all of the threads moaning about the 6 person rule. What aspects of the current rules do you quite like? Here are mine:-

No more fighting to get served at the bar, when you can get served at your table.

If your mask is big enough it can double as a sleep mask when you fly home from your hols.

If you don't particularly like people, like me, it's good that they're not allowed to get too close to you!

The 6 person rule is a good excuse not to meet up with those family members you never really liked anyway.

WFH means you can get your washing hung out whilst on a conference call, prep dinner, go to the gym in your lunch break etc.

Come on people, let's think positive!

Not having strangers sit next to me on public transport
Less crowded public transport
Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (as a non-driver)
DH wfh and being around more to help with dc
Switching to online grocery shopping
Shopping online is easier - retailers doing free delivery/returns and no contact deliveries
More organisations willing to deal with online enquiries/forms rather than having to hang on to phone lines for hours
No unexpected guests
Saved lots of money due to fewer days out/no overseas holiday
Having more personal space in public places
Prebooking for museums etc means they are less busy
I've always avoided touching lift buttons etc or poles on public transport with my hands (I use my sleeve or elbow) and now I look less like a freak for doing it
Furlough pay has worked out pretty well for me and DS
Getting disability benefits renewed was easy and quick for DS with no assessment and less hassle
Cultural activities online - loved all the theatre shows
No hugs and kisses, and generally less chatting to strangers

I’ve not really taken enough advantage of the walking. Might have to dig the walking boots out. Also the free stuff online.

Just thought of another couple. Emptier public transport - think I might be less likely to get a cold this winter, so less likely to end up on steroids for asthma.

Wearing a mask might have had a positive effect on my hay fever.

I might manage a whole year without a course if pred.

Is it bad I miss there being less traffic about? Everywhere was really quiet and peaceful during the first few weeks of lockdown.

Nothing positive, it's all shit.

Dad's cancer now terminal as treatment was paused.

DH made redundant.

No support for my disabled and vulnerable child.

DD1 self harming.

Family of 6 so not group get togethers for us and no money now either.

But walks, and baking and #makingmemories. Yay.
Fuck that.

The gym is so lovely and quiet in the daytime. I haven’t tried the pool yet but I think once I’m used to it (not too keen on lane swimming) I’ll prefer the quiet there too

Quieter trains and buses, never having to sit next to anyone when I’m feeling stressed

DS was born in March. DH has had so much more time with him due to WFH. No need to factor in travel time in the day. Saving money from commuting.

I've been walking much more, discovered some lovely walks around me that I never realised before. Love going out to eat and ordering at the table. Swimming pool numbers are controlled so never too busy.

I wish people would scroll past positive threads if they dont have anything to add that's positive and want to do the opposite. Everyone has suffered in some way, including myself, I understand people may not be in the right frame of mind for this thread so just scroll by (sorry OP that wasn't very positive!).

I wish people would scroll past positive threads if they dont have anything to add that's positive and want to do the opposite. Everyone has suffered in some way, including myself, I understand people may not be in the right frame of mind for this thread so just scroll by (sorry OP that wasn't very positive!).

No that's fine, and I totally agree. We've all suffered in some way and no one is going to pretend that 2020 is the year of the century. My point was just to try and take the positives from life at the moment because it's going to be like this for the foreseeable, so we might as well make the best of it.

I like that I hopefully won't have to spend another tiresome Christmas travelling from one bit of my extended family to the another... I can just stay at home.

I like that I'm no longer forced to hug anyone outside my family.

I like that there's hardly anyone on the tube.

I like that people bring drinks to my table in the pub without having to queue at a bar.

(I realise that my first two points are negatives for some, just not for me)

I'm firmly in the ridiculously grumpy, hating the new normal, lockdown/restrictrions are pointless camp.... but i love all the table service and booking tables at bars. However i would gladly give that up to be normal again 🤣

Nobody tries to hug me any more 😁 (I hate hugs).
Now Zoom is a thing I can meet my ME/CFS group without needing a rest day before and after.
Online church, I can drink my own nice tea, and wear my pyjamas to church!
Not having to stand nose-to-armpit on public transport.
Masks filter out most of the "people smell" in town.
I got to use a lot of my fabric stash to make a load of masks for people.
Taking walks at lunchtime with DH.
Not having to nag DCs to revise for exams.
When the flights and traffic stopped in Lockdown I heard a lot more birdsong.

Table service in pubs.
More personal space (shame that masks have now cut this and triggered panic attacks that only rarely happened in crowds)
Found some new running routes in the arse end of nowhere. 8 miles of glorious solitude while everyone else was bitching about imaginary 1hour rules and jumping into roads to dodge each other.
The clear skies in April/ May were fantastic for stargazing.

I still want real normal back though.

I went for a family swim and you could actually swim because it wasn't packed

My DS who is autistic has loved the quiet and not being forced to socialise

I work for a charity in a very deprived area, the community spirit has been fantastic
Lots of my clients reported reduced anxiety eg about no benefit sanctions for not looking for work when they have chronic illness.
The homeless population supported to be housed
Hundreds of people signing up to be phone befrienders for those isolated, elderly or shielding ❤️

More table service.
More space on buses.

I really miss how things used to be though.

I might add- the quiet.
Lots of places have turned their music off- and it's great!

I've got some huge hormonal spots on my chin that my mask covers perfectly when I go to the shops.

There are no positives . My pre covid life was lovely.

Crimblecrumble1990 yes! I have a coldsore and one can see my crusty lip as it is under a mask!

It's been wonderful tool to keep in laws at bay and take that pressure off! Musuems beautiful quiet...

Things that people said I'd get used to & better at if only I did them more often: I did them more often because of "The situation" - guess what, I still hate doing them & am still mediocre at them. But boy can I state my case why those people are wrong in their advice, now.

Swimming pool is uncrowded.

I gave wild swimming a try & it was ok.

I have an amazing 2020 tan, but my vitamin D levels aren't huge. Surprise curious info!

Being forced to do computer cables & hardware has made me more competent at computer hardware & cable choices.

I'm doing a 'Borrow a Doggy' scheme I didn't have time for, before.

I've discovered a lot of fun offroad cycling routes in my area.

Lots of room on public transport, no trouble getting a seat for me or space for my bike.

I'll consider myself chastised.

No handshaking.

School run is fab. Turn up at given time, bring nothing with you except water bottle. Dump kids at gate, go home.

Increased work/life balance by wfh with preteens. I’m here when they get home from school, I can work out at lunchtime instead of at 9pm, I can get a Tesco’s delivery while at home and get dinner on the table every evening.

Saved money on travel, clothes, childcare.

No annoying “me me me...” colleagues

Takeaways from nice restaurants and pubs that are usually eat-in only; great for us with littles who can’t (don’t!) go out to eat!