How are you staying sane in 2020? (Now with bonus 2021 sanity!) (Is it 2022 already?)

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Sudy
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Re: How are you staying sane in 2020?

Post by Sudy »

Working from home coupled with ongoing overnight shift work have done a double-whammy on my depression/bipolar 2. After taking the better part of April off with a lower back sprain and following the passing of my grandfather, I went into a downward spiral I don't know when I'd have emerged from were it not for work obligations. I'm grateful I can work from home right now, but as my work situation continues to crumble I'm not sure how long that will last. But covid was putting a strain on my anxious and obsessive-compulsive tendencies that I'm not sure I could have weathered much long, either. There are so many shared surfaces at work far from sanitation options, and our supply of disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizer quickly dwindled. The professional cleanings they added were not at a satisfactory level, not to mention it's impossible to ever sanitize effectively in a 24-hour call center with shared workstations.

But as much as I hate getting ready for work and travelling 45+ minutes on the bus, my mental health kind of hinges on it. Physical, too. I do find it kind of cool that I can shower on my lunch break now. 30 minutes of otherwise useless time reclaimed.

I saw a commercial on late night TV. It said, "Forget everything you know about slipcovers." So I did. And it was a load off my mind. Then the commercial tried to sell me slipcovers, and I didn't know what the hell they were. -- Mitch Hedberg
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Re: How are you staying sane in 2020?

Post by Skinypupy »

Just want to say to those who are struggling, please don't hesitate to reach out to your fellow OO'ers for support if you need it.

I know we're just a bunch of faceless, anonymous weirdos on a website, but this place is family. We may never know exactly the right thing to do, but know that we'll always try to help.
When darkness veils the world, four Warriors of Light shall come.
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Re: How are you staying sane in 2020?

Post by Sudy »

Without OO I'd definitely be less sane. Years ago I avoided EBG, but since then it's where I go to share my rants that are too hot for Facebook, and I've discovered so many good bands, beers, and shows I otherwise wouldn't have. I look forward to possibly gaming with some of you again in the future, but just haven't been able to make that kind of social commitment lately. I have such fond memories of playing MMOs with OOers 10 and 15 years ago.

I saw a commercial on late night TV. It said, "Forget everything you know about slipcovers." So I did. And it was a load off my mind. Then the commercial tried to sell me slipcovers, and I didn't know what the hell they were. -- Mitch Hedberg
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Re: How are you staying sane in 2020?

Post by Blackhawk »

Paingod wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 8:03 am
I'm not going to get into R&P debates and details but will plainly state that the political climate in the US has me consumed with rage and hate every day and I don't like that at all. I've never in my life experienced such disgust for so many people as I have now for the leader of our nation and those who willingly endorse him.
I'm right there with you. I'm a person who believes that compassion is the greatest human quality, and I keep finding myself overwhelmed with rage, even hatred. That isn't me, and it's nauseatign. And it fills me with rage, even hatred that it's happening. I'm mad that I'm mad. Vicious circle.
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Re: How are you staying sane in 2020?

Post by Blackhawk »

Skinypupy wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 9:25 am Just want to say to those who are struggling, please don't hesitate to reach out to your fellow OO'ers for support if you need it.

I know we're just a bunch of faceless, anonymous weirdos on a website, but this place is family. We may never know exactly the right thing to do, but know that we'll always try to help.
*points to this thread*

;)
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Re: How are you staying sane in 2020?

Post by Skinypupy »

Blackhawk wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 10:52 am
Skinypupy wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 9:25 am Just want to say to those who are struggling, please don't hesitate to reach out to your fellow OO'ers for support if you need it.

I know we're just a bunch of faceless, anonymous weirdos on a website, but this place is family. We may never know exactly the right thing to do, but know that we'll always try to help.
*points to this thread*

;)
My intent was to offer support outside of just posting on OO, but point taken. :oops:
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Re: How are you staying sane in 2020?

Post by Blackhawk »

Skinypupy wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 11:13 am My intent was to offer support outside of just posting on OO, but point taken. :oops:
I know that, and I didn't intend to belittle the suggestion. I've both given and received support that way here more than once. A certain person here was really on the ball for me during my cancer treatment, sending me a message every few days just to keep me going. It's significant, it's impactful, and it's special.
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Re: How are you staying sane in 2020?

Post by Jaymon »

It has been quite stressful, and it seems to be compounding. I also found myself drinking more than previous. But for me, "more" means I had two drinks in the past two weeks. Many of my family and friends are in severe distress, and that weighs heavily on me, in addition to the general world concerns. the job has become much more demanding. Layoffs happened right before covid, leaving us to do double work.

My normal stress relief would be a nice long jog. Great for clearing the head. But I am injured, right now I am barely managing 20 minutes on the treadmill at a fast walk.

So I've been playing a lot of mindless video games, taking hot baths, having some netflix with the Mrs. I started the One Punch Man workout, so its pushups, squats, situps mostly every day. I can't do the running, but I take the walks when I can handle it.

But the stress is still building, and its starting to affect me physically, and I don't know what to do, past weeks I am getting insomnia. So tired I can barely walk straight, but I can't sleep, even the sound of my own breathing is keeping me awake some nights.


I guess I am still sane, but somethings gotta give, and I don't know what. 2020 is a hydra.
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Re: How are you staying sane in 2020?

Post by Z-Corn »

I too am drinking more. But I'm having a lot of fun with it...I can stop anytime...don't worry about me...

Cheap vodka during the week and then good(ish) tequila on weekends. And then when I'm drunk I buy things on Amazon. I love spending money to combat stress and depression.

I also made the decision recently to start smoking THC buds again. I hadn't been because I was always half-ass looking for a new job where I may have to face a urine test. Well, I figure I won't be looking anytime soon now. Break out the Peanut Butter Breath!

I'm finding full THC buds to be stronger than I like so I am rolling joints 50-50 with hemp buds. Real nice CBD/THC entourage effect. Real nice for stress and body aches.
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Re: How are you staying sane in 2020?

Post by hitbyambulance »

i'm reading a lot. i've found a lot of my reading friends can't concentrate at all, whereas i've gone the opposite way completely. i mean, i'm 170 pages from finishing James Joyce's _Ulysses_ - at no time in the past two decades that i've tried would i have been to accomplish this.
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Re: How are you staying sane in 2020?

Post by Skinypupy »

I've been really wishing I could use the occasional, um, alcoholic or chemical alternative to take a bit of the edge off lately. Unfortunately, Mrs. Skinypupy strongly disapproves of drinking (I've never had a drink in my own house in the 24 years we've been together) and pot is still illegal here, so I'm shit outta luck.

Guess I'll have to continue getting vicariously buzzed through everyone else.
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Re: How are you staying sane in 2020?

Post by Paingod »

Skinypupy wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 3:19 pmI've been really wishing I could use the occasional, um, alcoholic or chemical alternative to take a bit of the edge off lately.
I've been "Chem Free" my whole life - no alcohol or drugs unless legitimately prescribed for a medical reason. I've also been wishing I had some way to sand down the burrs and hard edges of some days so I can actually relax for a while.
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Re: How are you staying sane in 2020?

Post by Smoove_B »

It never occurred to me that staying sane was an option. I need to think about this.
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Re: How are you staying sane in 2020?

Post by hitbyambulance »

i thought for a while of going back on the anti-OCD meds, but i didn't. i don't drink (or smoke or ingest or inject) anything - i do my best to avoid eating unwell now, so i've been losing weight.
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Re: How are you staying sane in 2020?

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hitbyambulance wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 3:14 pm i'm reading a lot. i've found a lot of my reading friends can't concentrate at all, whereas i've gone the opposite way completely. i mean, i'm 170 pages from finishing James Joyce's _Ulysses_ - at no time in the past two decades that i've tried would i have been to accomplish this.
IIRC the ending of that book correctly, you probably only have 2-3 more sentences left!

(Exaggeration, of course, but I do think the last sentence is 42 pages long or something like that.)
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Re: How are you staying sane in 2020?

Post by Daehawk »

I invented a drink for this...I call it the Covid Killer. Its a straight shot of Everclear. Repeat as necessary. One will put you off your stool though.
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Re: How are you staying sane in 2020?

Post by hitbyambulance »

ImLawBoy wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 3:53 pm
hitbyambulance wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 3:14 pm i'm reading a lot. i've found a lot of my reading friends can't concentrate at all, whereas i've gone the opposite way completely. i mean, i'm 170 pages from finishing James Joyce's _Ulysses_ - at no time in the past two decades that i've tried would i have been to accomplish this.
IIRC the ending of that book correctly, you probably only have 2-3 more sentences left!

(Exaggeration, of course, but I do think the last sentence is 42 pages long or something like that.)
that is correct. as it is, individual sentences have started encompassing entire paragraph breaks. i'm referencing this book of annotations for some clarity:


and i will start this after i finish:
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Re: How are you staying sane in 2020?

Post by Kraken »

Smoove_B wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 3:29 pm It never occurred to me that staying sane was an option. I need to think about this.
I'm an even-keel kind of guy. Detached, not emotional or particularly empathetic. But in the past three days I've learned that my sister probably has ovarian cancer, and my surviving BIL's wife just went into the hospital with jaundice/liver failure. In the past year I've lost my other BIL and two cats. It seems like everyone around me is checking out.

I doggedly cling to my habits and routines while bombs fall all around. 2019-20 is the longest decade I've ever lived through. But dammit, I will keep on keepin' on, because I don't have the luxury of giving up.
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Re: How are you staying sane in 2020?

Post by Blackhawk »

Lately - and this started before the riots, before friends starting backstabbing, before pets died, before the virus - I've been restless. Things I've done for a while don't satisfy, and don't keep my attention at all. RPGs (pen-and-paper) were like this, video games have been, too. The last few weeks, though, I can't get into any of them. Now, everything on that list in the first sentence, save for the virus, has been in the last 2 1/2 weeks, so that's taking its toll on me. My problem is that I can't quite figure out whether my disinterest is because I'm simply changing (which I am), or getting depressed (which I also am.)

In the corner for the latter is the timing. It really took off when the wave of crap hit the fans. On the corner for 'just me changing' is the fact that I actually feel a degree of drive and enthusiasm, I just have nowhere to aim it when my old hobbies aren't doing the trick. Maybe I just need to wait out the stress, possibly even talk to someone (professionally) about it. Or maybe I need to take my time in a different direction - focus on health, reading, painting, maybe something new. I haven't had a genuine new hobby in years. I'd say the last time I discovered a new hobby was when I took up board gaming almost nine years ago.
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Re: How are you staying sane in 2020?

Post by raydude »

I have identified the things that give me rage which I was, unfortunately, taking out on my wife and children by being angry. I no longer log in to facebook. I have designated news reading times that are not near the times when I interact with my family.

I have also taken up running again. It is the first thing I do in the morning. It helps to calm my mind and give me a positive start to the day. I have also started taking the principles of what martial arts taught me and started applying it to my life. Stay in the present. Focus on what you are currently doing. I do worry about the future, but I do that worrying while reading the news. At all other times, I just focus on the now.

I have been reading more as well. And my wife and I are hooked on The Last Kingdom. We watch an episode each night to give us a ritual to look forward to every evening. We'll have to look for a new series once that is done.

Most of all I think my kids keep me sane. I stay focused on giving them the best childhood possible, playing with them as often as I can. I want to give them strong memories of happiness now, and hope this gives them a solid foundation to draw on when they become adults. I'm thrilled that both girls love climbing trees and that they've used my longboard as a two-girl "bobsled", racing down the street. We do board game night every weekend.
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Re: How are you staying sane in 2020?

Post by Blackhawk »

I am still on Facebook, but I've removed pretty much every source of 'current events'. My Facebook feed is 90% board games and pigeons, and 10% family posting pictures of dinner.
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Re: How are you staying sane in 2020?

Post by Scuzz »

I had a few tough years when the business was coming to end. I didn't get depressed but I was stressed by it. I have always been able to put aside things that caused problems until then. That was resolved when we shut down in 2018 and actually closed with some money in the bank, something I didn't think was going to happen. I am now working for someone else. I get my health insurance thru them and if all works out have a plan to get me to Dec 2021 when I will file for my social security.

Sure, the world may be burning down around me but I can only control that which I have control over. Sometimes not even that. So I try not to invest too much time worrying about things beyond my control. I let my wife do that and she does enough worrying for the two of us.

I do wish that gyms were open again though.
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Re: How are you staying sane in 2020?

Post by Jeff V »

Scuzz wrote: Thu Jun 04, 2020 3:27 pm I do wish that gyms were open again though.
I no longer have a gym membership, but there are plenty of things for me to do otherwise, such as running or biking. Since Tuesday though I've been largely paralyzed by exhaustion. Had a big breakfast this morning and all I wanted to do after was sit on the couch and stare at the TV. Wife was sick again at work with the same thing that got us covid tested a few weeks ago; today would have been the last chance for us to take a bike ride together -- our boarder is leaving tonight (uncertain if or when she might return). Hopefully, I'm just experiencing low battery and will recharge soon enough to be active again.
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Re: How are you staying sane in 2020?

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Jeff V wrote: Thu Jun 04, 2020 5:02 pm
Scuzz wrote: Thu Jun 04, 2020 3:27 pm I do wish that gyms were open again though.
I no longer have a gym membership, but there are plenty of things for me to do otherwise, such as running or biking. Since Tuesday though I've been largely paralyzed by exhaustion. Had a big breakfast this morning and all I wanted to do after was sit on the couch and stare at the TV. Wife was sick again at work with the same thing that got us covid tested a few weeks ago; today would have been the last chance for us to take a bike ride together -- our boarder is leaving tonight (uncertain if or when she might return). Hopefully, I'm just experiencing low battery and will recharge soon enough to be active again.
In the summer it is too freakin hot to do anything out doors here unless you are just a masochist. But if I belong to a gym (which I did for at least 15 years) I will use it, at least 3 times a week. I have bad knees and a bad back so running and a regular bike are out for me.
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Re: How are you staying sane in 2020?

Post by Z-Corn »

Jeff V wrote: Thu Jun 04, 2020 5:02 pm
Scuzz wrote: Thu Jun 04, 2020 3:27 pm I do wish that gyms were open again though.
Had a big breakfast this morning and all I wanted to do after was sit on the couch and stare at the TV.
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Re: How are you staying sane in 2020?

Post by Jeff V »

Z-Corn wrote: Thu Jun 04, 2020 10:16 pm
Jeff V wrote: Thu Jun 04, 2020 5:02 pm
Scuzz wrote: Thu Jun 04, 2020 3:27 pm I do wish that gyms were open again though.
Had a big breakfast this morning and all I wanted to do after was sit on the couch and stare at the TV.
Dude, it's OK, you've earned it.
Wife understood, she felt that way the day before. I can't get away with that for too long though. I do seem to have energy this morning, although I ought to have something for breakfast. I have several requests for my resume already, so the morning chore is to get that updated.
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Re: How are you staying sane in 2020?

Post by LordMortis »

I don't have a method for staying sane and I think it's failing me.

But more importantly, Scuzz, I thought you were retired You were me beacon, that it is possible. Knowing that you are working and your highlight is
I get my health insurance thru them
breaks my heart because if it weren't for health insurance, I'd begin my map to retirement right now. As it goes, there is no point until I can cover medical which I currently have allocated $0 of what I figure is going to be about $750 a month, assuming the ACA holds out at least until Medicare kicks some 15 years from now.

Which brings me back to how am I staying sane and I don't have an answer.

(Also I suspended by FB account)
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Re: How are you staying sane in 2020?

Post by LawBeefaroni »

One thing I forgot to mention. I listen to rte NewsTalk on TuneIn. It's my usual go-to whenever I want to avoid domestic news.

It has some US news but it's mostly local Irish stuff, often almost charmingly provincial.
"People are leaving trash on the beach! What is your opinin?"
"Author drunk on TV??!?"
"Summer wines from the Continent."
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Re: How are you staying sane in 2020?

Post by dbt1949 »

How many of us here ARE sane?
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Re: How are you staying sane in 2020?

Post by Jeff V »

dbt1949 wrote: Fri Jun 05, 2020 1:39 pm How many of us here ARE sane?
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Re: How are you staying sane in 2020?

Post by Scuzz »

LordMortis wrote: Fri Jun 05, 2020 9:40 am I don't have a method for staying sane and I think it's failing me.

But more importantly, Scuzz, I thought you were retired You were me beacon, that it is possible. Knowing that you are working and your highlight is
I get my health insurance thru them
breaks my heart because if it weren't for health insurance, I'd begin my map to retirement right now. As it goes, there is no point until I can cover medical which I currently have allocated $0 of what I figure is going to be about $750 a month, assuming the ACA holds out at least until Medicare kicks some 15 years from now.

Which brings me back to how am I staying sane and I don't have an answer.

(Also I suspended by FB account)
I was very surprised that I qualified for the health insurance I have. I figured I would be using Covered California to get coverage, but I got lucky.
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Re: How are you staying sane in 2020?

Post by Blackhawk »

I was just reminded of a line from Buffy:


"It turns out I suddenly find myself needing to know the plural of apocalypse.”
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Re: How are you staying sane in 2020?

Post by Zitterbacke »

I'm making music as per usual. Doesn't cost a dime if you do it right Waveform DAW (or Reaper) and lately you get such good stuff to work with, e.g. BBC Symphony Orchestra Discover for free, too.
Gaming? Nope, I'm into Bitwig.
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How are you staying sane in 2020?

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Off-roading and video game backlog.
I would like to apologize to anyone I have not offended.
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Re: How are you staying sane in 2020?

Post by Jaymann »

I must be sane because I'm doing the same thing and not expecting a different result.
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Re: How are you staying sane in 2020?

Post by Punisher »

dbt1949 wrote: Fri Jun 05, 2020 1:39 pm How many of us here ARE sane?
^^^THIS!
I've decided that sanity is overrated.
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Re: How are you staying sane in 2020?

Post by Blackhawk »

I'm starting to go batty. Not because I'm stuck at home - I've been stuck at home for years - but because I've got nowhere to go at home.

I've been burned out on PC gaming for entertainment lately. I still enjoy my twice-weekly sessions with OO folk and a couple more sessions during the week with the kids, but other than that, I honestly just don't want to play PC games right now. So, what else to do... hmm...

I thought about trying to play on the PS4, but then realized that the kids take over the TV for the first part of the day any time we're not playing Borderlands, and Michelle gets it when she gets off work. There is essentially no time during which the TV is available to me. I am trying to board game (solo, because my group imploded), but I'm limited to a 32"x32" card table that takes up pretty much all of the free space in the bedroom. That greatly limits which games I can lay out. There is still the larger table in the kids' room, but a good chunk of the time my eldest is in there, and he's noisy. It's not his fault, but he hums loudly, all the time. It makes concentration almost impossible. I'm going to have to try it at some point, though. I do like to read, and do so for an hour or two per day, but the only chair suited for long-term reading is in the living room, where most days have the kids entertaining themselves, and every evening consists of Michelle watching TV and my youngest talking non-stop on Discord. I can only sit on the bed reading for so long before my back and neck give out.

The only options I have are to PC game (which, again, I'm not enjoying) or to sit and watch streaming TV on my laptop (and I don't really binge shows.) A lot of how things are here were established when the kids were living with their mother (before we got back together a couple of years ago.) They'd have the house here for a week and I'd either be joining in or giving them their space, then I'd have the house to myself for a week. Now that they're here 24/7, they have the house the full time, and I'm left with just staying out of everyone's way. And Michelle works a really, really hard job and doesn't have any real secondary hobbies anymore, so I'm not about to kick her out of the living room during the few hours she has to cool down each day.

I'm stuck in this tiny effing house with nowhere to go for privacy or quiet unless I want to lie on the bed or jam headphones in.

And I have ~16 hours per day of free time. My level of frustration is starting to show.
(˙pǝsɹǝʌǝɹ uǝǝq sɐɥ ʎʇıʌɐɹƃ ʃɐuosɹǝd ʎW)
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hitbyambulance
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Re: How are you staying sane in 2020?

Post by hitbyambulance »

that would drive me absolutely crazy already. you need a woodshed...
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dbt1949
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Re: How are you staying sane in 2020?

Post by dbt1949 »

Blackhawk wrote: Fri Jun 19, 2020 5:06 pm I'm starting to go batty. Not because I'm stuck at home - I've been stuck at home for years - but because I've got nowhere to go at home.

I've been burned out on PC gaming for entertainment lately. I still enjoy my twice-weekly sessions with OO folk and a couple more sessions during the week with the kids, but other than that, I honestly just don't want to play PC games right now. So, what else to do... hmm...

I thought about trying to play on the PS4, but then realized that the kids take over the TV for the first part of the day any time we're not playing Borderlands, and Michelle gets it when she gets off work. There is essentially no time during which the TV is available to me. I am trying to board game (solo, because my group imploded), but I'm limited to a 32"x32" card table that takes up pretty much all of the free space in the bedroom. That greatly limits which games I can lay out. There is still the larger table in the kids' room, but a good chunk of the time my eldest is in there, and he's noisy. It's not his fault, but he hums loudly, all the time. It makes concentration almost impossible. I'm going to have to try it at some point, though. I do like to read, and do so for an hour or two per day, but the only chair suited for long-term reading is in the living room, where most days have the kids entertaining themselves, and every evening consists of Michelle watching TV and my youngest talking non-stop on Discord. I can only sit on the bed reading for so long before my back and neck give out.

The only options I have are to PC game (which, again, I'm not enjoying) or to sit and watch streaming TV on my laptop (and I don't really binge shows.) A lot of how things are here were established when the kids were living with their mother (before we got back together a couple of years ago.) They'd have the house here for a week and I'd either be joining in or giving them their space, then I'd have the house to myself for a week. Now that they're here 24/7, they have the house the full time, and I'm left with just staying out of everyone's way. And Michelle works a really, really hard job and doesn't have any real secondary hobbies anymore, so I'm not about to kick her out of the living room during the few hours she has to cool down each day.

I'm stuck in this tiny effing house with nowhere to go for privacy or quiet unless I want to lie on the bed or jam headphones in.

And I have ~16 hours per day of free time. My level of frustration is starting to show.

Do you like shooting and is it available to you?
Try your hand at gunsmithing? I took a course on that when I lived in New Orleans. I never did any major mods but it was fun learning to repair guns.
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Re: How are you staying sane in 2020?

Post by Blackhawk »

Nah, new hobbies that take up space and cost money aren't a viable option. I've got stuff I could do, I just don't have anywhere to do it!
(˙pǝsɹǝʌǝɹ uǝǝq sɐɥ ʎʇıʌɐɹƃ ʃɐuosɹǝd ʎW)
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