What do you want back and what do you not?

[PuzzledObserver]

Want back:

Coffee shops
Live theatre
Concerts
Seeing friends/family without having to count them or pay attention to where we are and remember the current rules.
Holidays

Happier without:

Traffic jams and mass pollution
Crowded airports
The after-conversation when a meeting is over that I would rather not be involved in
People invading my personal space

Oh I don't want FOMO back either. I'm glad that's gone.

I want everything back!

There's plenty of stuff I'm not personally bothered about but I like living in a rich society where people are free to do whatever.

Out of all of it, the thing I miss the very most... is flirting.

I mean the innocuous, playful, most often platonic, warm, human, flirting that makes you feel connected to other people.

The type you do with friends, colleagues, barmen, baristas, the train guard, - the sort of flirting that makes the world go round.

I’ve been single for four years - since I had DS- and I thought I had nothing left to give anyone, was “touched out”, had no joie de vivre or spark.

I’ll bloody well find it again after this.

Id like to keep working from home
People generally being more hygienic and washing their hands more
More GP appointments being done by phone / video (assuming you don't need to be physically examined )

Everything else can go back to normal

I quite like wearing a mask in winter, it keeps my nose warm When this is over I'd like to see them become a socially acceptable option for anyone who's feeling unwell, but not an expectation.

I want back everyone to have the choice to do what gives them meaning and joy in life.For me I want to be able to visit my dd who has spent her 1st term in a beautiful University city but we have not been able to see her. I want to see my dad who is undergoing chemo so we have been unable to see my parents as he is so vulnerable. I want to go for drinks or for a meal or have a city break. I know other people are desperately missing their church, theatre, baby groups or concerts etc. Basically I just want everyone to be able to enjoy whatever makes their life feel happy and worthwhile rather than just an existence

nomoreboobs I cracked up about you wanting everyone smoking in the supermarkets 😆 I re -read it and laughed a bit more. You can tell I'm not getting out much.

So glad not to be working in the office so much. Toxic place.

I want:
Proper dental appointments
To see friends
To go to London
Gigs
To shop
To chat to work colleagues in corridors
To sit in the staff room and put the world to rights
To wear some smarter clothes

Don't want
To travel to work everyday
To leave my pets
To have to put up with visiting family when I can't be arsed
Have to get up at 7 am every day.

Want back:
Being able to visit family and have them round our house
My children being able to go to their grandparents after school
Holidays
Nights out with my friends and getting embarrassingly tipsy
My children being allowed their best friends round

Don’t want back:
The rushed lifestyle we had
Crowded places, I think it will take me a while to get back to being ok with that
Only being office based
The constant kids parties taking up weekends, I’m going to be more selective of accepting invites as they’re all full class parties

Want back: pubs/shops/restaurants/theatre

Don't want: holidays abroad. I want no more or hugely curtailed flights (for the environment)

@UniversalHadIt

Out of all of it, the thing I miss the very most... is flirting.

I mean the innocuous, playful, most often platonic, warm, human, flirting that makes you feel connected to other people.

The type you do with friends, colleagues, barmen, baristas, the train guard, - the sort of flirting that makes the world go round.

I’ve been single for four years - since I had DS- and I thought I had nothing left to give anyone, was “touched out”, had no joie de vivre or spark.

I’ll bloody well find it again after this.

I'm a big old flirt too, I miss it a lot.

And socialising generally. Spontaneity. Live music. Activities for the kids, sleepovers etc.

I would like to keep: some working from home (looks like I will be, as well ). Erm. I'm on the f nice about masks. Perhaps yes, if people have a virus it'd be good. Not all the time though!

• on the fence, that should've said

Want:

Spontaneity
Lunches/coffees/dinners out with no restrictions
To lose the whole mental burden of Covid restrictions
Gigs
My husband to earn a full wage

Don’t want:
FT office work
Masks
SD of any kind
Random hugs or handshakes. Stop pawing me!

@borageforager
would like to keep the kids wearing their PE kits to school on PE bags. A great innovation
As a teacher I totally agree with that, it makes life so much easier!

Don't want:

Handshakes

Want:
Everything else.

What can stay:
GP/hospital video calls
WFH
wearing PE kits to school
work zoom meetings
some online extra-curricular classes
zoom PT meetings

Don't miss:
Office small talk
Christmas parties/nights out/concerts/school discos
Unnecessary commute

Smiling, not smoking
That was surprisin!😂
I’d like to have back everything and the end of Zoom, but fear Zoom is here to stay.
Most if all strangers being friendly lobsters of overreacting to passers by as if they have the plague.

I like DH wfh and therefore doing more with DD; increased awareness of hygiene/handwashing; how much money I've saved when not in the shops and supermarket all the time; GP phone appointments. It seems a bit perverse in hindsight to drag loads of sick people into one place and keep them hanging around to see a doctor if a physical exam/other contact isn't needed.

I want to have other people in my home/to go to others'. I am so fed up of traipsing round the local park with a toddler.

I often think back to one night out I had last year, with someone I really shouldn't have been out with, in a crowded pub, dancing to a band, everyone a bit sweaty and drunk... I'd do so much to go back there.

Keep-
Eating simply
No hugging
No shopping as an activity
Walking to socialise

Missing-
Swimming
Having my mum in the house
Nice coffee in a cafe

I would like back the theatre, the possibility of foreign travel (I am including Scotland in that now!), cuddles (I can cuddle DH, so at least that’s something), drinks and meals out with friends and family, swimming and not missing out on work opportunities.

I would still like to sack off my commute for about half of the time. I feel much better for that. And I don’t think I will go to the gym again.

@RuleWithAWoodenFoot

I don't mind GP appointments via phone first, but I don't want 'sometimes in the morning' timescales. Doesn't suit teachers at all, and presumably doesn't suit loads of people.

Totally agree! I was wondering how teachers managed.... I have avoided having one on my working days as I can’t book out an entire morning or afternoon as I have clients to meet with (virtually at the moment). Tried my non working day for DS who I think will need to be seen in person anyway, once they called on the school run and I couldn’t answer and then the next week they said they’d call after 4 and didn’t bother at all!

@MadameBlobby hits it on the nail with "spontaneity". We all value different things but for all of us we are poorer because we cannot do what we want when we want (within reason).

I like increased hygiene amoungst my children, nobody in my house has had a cold or a tummy upset for the whole covid period.
I like that I have reconnected with nature, taken great pleasure in the little things and started walking in my local area for pleasure.
I don't like the lack of spontaniety.
I don't like the isolation and lack of social life it has brought my teenage children.
I don't like the impact it has had on my sons Uni experience.
I don't like the impact it may have had on daughters learning with her GCSE exams looming next year.

[quote LadyGAgain]@PuzzledObserver Are you me? [/quote]
Were you not aware of our diagnosis of multiple personality disorder? Oh dear, Granny was supposed to tell you. Sorry you had to find out this way.

You’ll get used to it. At least we’ve got company in lockdown, eh?