Dating Thread 187 - Love in the Time of Corona

[JeSuisPrest]

The Rules:

1. The first rule about the dating thread is don't talk about it with people you're dating.
2. Develop a thick skin.
3. Do not invest emotionally too soon.
4. It's all BS until it actually happens.
5. Trust your gut instinct.
6. People vanishing, lying & being generally weird is not your fault.
7. Know your worth.
8. If it's not fun, stop.
9. Loo update is mandatory.

10. No dating the thread. 11. Treat others as you'd like to be treated 12. Any relationship you have that could get ruined by having a conversation about your feelings, standards and/or expectations wasn't really stable enough to begin with 13. The things you choose to ignore/ tolerate now are the reasons you will break up in the future 14. OLD can get very time consuming. Keep doing other activities you enjoy.

Optional: Please give your irons (potential dates you are talking to) nicknames like Mr Scottish. Initials are allowed (Mr S) when you are an item.

I used Kik when on Fab - the few men I met and that became FWBs I moved to WhatsApp. I wasn't cheating, just wanted to keep casual sex separate from OLD.

I found lots of men on Fab wanted to Skype or FaceTime before meeting, which I never had a problem with.

@TheCatWithTheHat I did like the "if covid doesn't take you out, can I" 😂
Nice to hear everybody keeping busy, irons still on the go, children and boyfriends not strangled during isolation. All very positive!

MissH asked me on Tues if I fancied some company We have kept in touch just as friends with the odd few texts here and there, but that was a bit of a change of tack, she's clearly bored!
Anyway I pointed out the virus related rules, her answer "well we both think we've had it, so where's the risk?" I just said I was busy decorating rather than getting dragged into why I don't think it's a good idea.
Just about to do some rowing for the 1st time in 3 weeks so that shouldn't take long, pretty sure the recovery time will significantly eclipse the time spent rowing!

@EchoElephant that was on his profile, can verify via kik so you can take a photo there, like a normal WhatsApp. I mentioned today about moving back to the app and he said fine, and added he was happy to swap normal numbers too if i liked. He seems normal enough and I've said if we keep chatting like this in a few months, then happy to meet for a drink. Only 37 though!!! To my 42....

@BatshitCrazyWoman I agree, I'd like to keep any fab chats separate from my normal life!

Is anyone potentially worried about the future with current of future Bfs or dates ?? The way the vaccine is being rolled out is guna be 12+ months and god knows how long testing the public will take ?
I'm just interested to see each other's views as I'm thinking how long before I can see MrS, we are in constant contact daily etc but do we really have to think about potentially not seeing anyone outside of our households for 12 months ???

@dollface19 I’m sure it can’t be 12 Months. Schools etc will have to reopen by then and small business or the whole economy will collapse. I guess people will maybe have to self manage and can see People when both have had the virus or where they know there’s been no exposure risk in the past few weeks.

I’ve been texting mr g daily and calling 2-3 times a week but things seem like we are more friends than anything . But I guess without seeing each other that’s how it is 🤷🏼‍♀️. IM working from home and have dd so keep Busy. He’s not working but just moved so has all his decorating and gardening to do.

@dollface19 won't be that long, most likely till September. I'm just enjoying seeing whether any of my irons have longevity as I'm being forced just to only chat rather than just meet for a drink quickly.

Ye I think there's so much uncertainty about it all. You are right @Jane1978xx kids will have to go back to school at some point. And they are goin to be mixing with teachers etc the way they are planning I'm assuming everyone will have a test it's just so hard right now for everyone

I can see things going back to normal in stages. In my view it would first be shops that open up. Then if there isn't a peak sports clubs, hair dressers etc. Then restaurants, clubs, pubs etc. The last things to go back to normal would be schools and large events. Between each stage there would be a period of 2ish weeks to see of a rise/peak in infections.

My uneducated opinion is that once the number of new cases hopefully plateaus and starts to consistently drop due to the lockdown, then the rules will be relaxed but only temporarily.
It won't be a massive free for all, parties, pubs open etc. Think it will just be a chance to see family and close friends with numbers gathering restricted, the next grade of 'essential services' being opened. Then back to lockdown to see what impact that has had on the number of new cases.
Then rinse and repeat dependent on numbers infected each time. Fact is the virus isn't going away. How long that could take we can only base on what is being seen across the world.
All just my opinion of course, could be complete rubbish!

Shouldn't have used the word 'fact' as nobody really knows yet how it will change/mutate and there's the introduction of a vaccine. Slip of the tongue, it's not going away in the short term 😉

I think the only way is testing the mass public to see if they have immunity or not. It makes me wonder thought what do we do if we do not have immunity

@dollface19 I hope @Ant330 and @Dancerinthemoonlight are right about things going back to normal in stages, i’m Not sure I could cope with this for a year. As it is I feel like time is standing still and the government press conferences- where they seem to say the same things every day about testing and Ppe equipment - add to the sense of Groundhog Day. It’s been less than two weeks since we’ve been in lockdown and 12 days since I saw Mr R and it already feels like months. In terms of my relationship it’s coming up to 11 months and I wonder if we’ll still be separated on our anniversary. We talk and FaceTime every day and I feel fairly confident that we’ll still be together after this ends. One thing I like is his approach to the situation and I think how we deal with stress is a good indicator of compatibility. Like me he’s being careful, observing social distancing but also has a positive outlook and appreciation of the amazing work done by key workers . My ex has some abhorrent views about just letting people die from it as it’s not worth the damage to the economy. I’m so glad I’m not stuck in a house with him all day.

Anyway that was more rambling than I intended I hope everyone is ok and thank you @Menora and everyone else who is doing so much for the country (sorry I cannot remember who else is a key worker)

I’ve not even heard from dd dad and neither has she 🤷🏼‍♀️. Some counties have a rule that households can have one or two close friends or relatives visit so that may be the next stage. That then at least isolates within small groups.

@Eesha he isn't bothered by the age difference, don't worry about it! I met one of my past FWBs when I was 54 and he was 38 ... he still contacts me sometimes (Mr BC knows and reckons he's after a shag 😂).

@BatshitCrazyWoman both my irons are 38, though the one from FAB is only wanting sex. My ex was nearly 50 so I'm only really used to dating older. I'm not used to feeling desired in any way by a younger man. Plus he is super fit and these days I'm looking like a slob. Will have to get back to the old me if we ever meet!

I'm struggling tonight missing Mr Army. 2 weeks ago I was getting ready to go and see him and now none of us know when we can see our irons/partners again.
I don't really want to go to sleep tonight because the last few nights I have been dreaming about him and then waking up alone. Some of the dreams seem.so realistic. I suppose it's good practice though because if it's going to go somewhere with him, he will be deployed at some point in the future so I wouldn't be able to see him then. I think that might be easier though as the world would be normal and he wouldn't be a 30ish minute drive away

Anyone else feel like the days are blending into one another? Two weeks ago today I was in bed with Mr Beard ... now I am under house arrest with my two teenagers, endless conference calls and seemingly unlimited washing up! Just watched the oddest version of Have I Got News For You ever, they did it by conference call and it just wasn’t funny. I’m off to bed. Hope everyone is ok x

@uttersock I have different meetings with work diff days that’s how I know 🤣 and with dd I try and go activities the same as she’d do after school like gymnastics or brownies on the right days.

I am sure a lot of people take risks to see bf / gf. I haven’t been anywhere for 2 weeks and mr g hasn’t but we aren’t going to meet as you just don’t know if you would catch it off post or deliveries (unlikely) but we both have health conditions and we won’t risk it . I went without sex for 3,years when I was married so can last a few months 🤣

Same really @jane1978xxx but so annoying I went so long celibate then find a gorgeous sexy man and it all ends after 2 weeks....

Our messaging has gone from 'I'm so excited thinking about seeing you' to 'hi, what did you have for tea?' FFS 🙄

We’ve been seeing each other 3 months or so I’m finding our messages are more like you’d message friends. But I guess keeping in touch in any capacity is good. We do Silly things like sending funny videos or memes and pics of our tea to see whose is best 🤣. I dont think messaging miss you or anything helps when we don’t know a time line. He can’t see his kids so I know that’s a lot worse for him so I try and talk about fun things

I’d actually rather be separated from my bf during lock down than with my ex h 🤣

@Jane1978xx. I was just thinking the same thing. Thank god I kicked my cheating ex out last year, if he was here I think I’d have to be sectioned
Like you, in my marriage sex wasn’t an issue (not for him anyway, he had the OW), but now I’ve found good sex, I’m really missing it. My iron has covid19 currently and is very poorly at home alone. It’s been a full week, and he feels no better. Messages have become more mundane obviously because he’s so unwell, but we still message daily. I just hope we last the lockdown because he’s super hot!

@Mylifestartstoday. I hope he recovers soon. Is he all alone ?

@Mylifestartstoday hope he's ok soon. Mr Beard had some of the symptoms of CV19 from the Tuesday after our Friday date, for about 6 days, and was totally self isolating, but I think he just had something else because I am fine and if he had it there is no way I would not have come down with it. He lives alone anyway but until pre lockdown his family visited loads. I miss him more than I thought I would and feel a bit over invested but it's this situation. If life were normal then a) I'd be seeing him and b) I would have other distractions and be too busy to wonder how he is when not with me. Like you and @Jane1978xxx I'm just very grateful I'm not quarantined with my ex...