Here's where my head is at today
 

Here's what's weird about this isolated way of living, at least for me. I'm accustomed to being alone, taking my meals quietly by myself and doing the things that fill my days, but many of those things are no longer available. I have the strangest sense of being limited and I'm not accustomed to that.

It's as though time itself has lost meaning. Yeah sure the measurement of time is an artificial construct, a metric but it is also a tether. It can help tie us to others by placing us at a point that everyone else can relate to.

We all have a sense of where we are physically, it's known as proprioception. It's our internal GPS that tells us where we are physically. Time is something like that but rather than a physical location, it places us at a spot within the passage of a day, a week or more. Being cutoff from all those things that put a context onto time like when a store opens, when does my class start, when can I go visit a friend or my family I am losing track of it all and that adds to my sense of being limited.

This is a strange sensation, not unpleasant, not yet and not entirely but it is unusual. Time to grow? Or, at least an opportunity to strengthen the muscles that let me live the way I do?

I make it a point to get out every day, usually for a good walk of two or three miles.
I may dust off my son's bike and start riding it occasionally.

That goes a long way.

Bike riding is the only aerobic exercise I'm capable of and I do it when I can, but I have always been easily bored. I need more. I know this isn't forever Sammy but man I'm getting tired of it.

Bike riding works for me. Makes it seem like everything is back to normal.
The worst thing to do, for me anyway, is to put everything on hold or wait.
Weather permitting, I bike everyday for an hour or two. Best part of the day.

Not sure where you live but a couple folks here in town who found themselves with a lot of time on their hands have jumped deep into charity work.

It started as a FB group just to share with other neighbors what was open, what wasn’t. In 4 weeks it’s grown into a $60,000 gofundme effort. They’ve provided over 3000 meals to frontline workers in hospitals, EMS and police which in turn helped support local businesses. They’ve bought PPE for frontline workers and helped recharge the local food pantry.

Of the 12 people at the core of the operation there are only 2 or 3 making deliveries to minimize chances of exposure.

It doesn’t have to be on that scale but it could help pass some time and provide purpose.


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exercise

drop by and I'll let you lay some pavers

or at least carry them down the hill

Don’t laugh: online games?

My partner and I go at it once a day before our 0900 meeting with online Scrabble. Great stretching exercise for the brain.

I am sure you Grandson would be happy to kick your flatbutt at whatever games he plays.:D

Just a suggestion...

Be well. We have been very lucky her in Southern Maryland. I took my buddy to the doctor today, to the grocery store and the pharmacy.

He goes in, I sit in the truck. I’m a good guy but mask on and launch, Sparky, I have games to play!

I'm not doing well with this lockdown. I've never in my life had so much time on my hands! I question how I ever made it through summer vacation as a kid, 3 months and I could always find something to do.

I ordered a fly tying vise today, figured I'd start tying my own flies instead of cursing the fishing Gods whenever I'd snag and lose $5 in flies.

Just great, me tying my own flies. Next thing you know I'll start smoking a pipe, wearing a Cardigan sweater and calling my Wife "Mother".

FBIII beats me in online chess when we play, but like Oldman Flatbutt he has ants in his pants!

What an interesting post. I kind of get it.
Feeling limited could be unsettling, but given your lifestyle, why should it matter?
Maybe growing means giving up the sense of limits?
I've been letting go of them since I retired. I often don't know what day of the week it is. I was pretty good at estimating the time of day, but even that matters less to me lately. I don't care if my socks don't match or if my tee shirt is on inside out. Not caring about limits is as good as not having any. It is liberating and unsettling at the same time.
Thanks for the thought provoking post.

we bike ride every day we can. Always have but lately with the pandemic we have been going farther and farther from home. If this goes on much longer gonna have to start packing a lunch lol

I'm 67 and find that the best bike riding is when it's the most tiring. Gives me the chance to enjoy the relaxing afterwards. It's almost an addiction.

You guys are a trip. My knee gave out (arthritis?) right as covid set in. My plan... pedal to happiness every day of this mess.

I was waiting for armegeddon for a good bike ride.

My friends just embarked on a three state tour.

Reality- I can't even walk to my 9 or 10 bikes ( i.e. coping mechanisms).

I went from riding across the state to riding across the block.

Just one more thing to repress and accept.

Funny thing being- As I rode across the state this winter, I can think of nothing but an endless stream of great experiences.

Get some good rides in for me. Riding is like skiing- no such this as a bad ride! :)

On the brighter side:
You could be stuck alone for months/years within a dark cold stone prison cell prison.
Destined to be starved to death fast or extended like the French/Mongols/others used to do.
No other fate would await. Hope would be only a fantasy.

But there is that front door of your own abode.
Only a few feet away.

Or a good rock hammer. :D

After two shoulder surgeries last year I’m finally feeling good. Gathered my tools and started working on my guest house. Biggest problem is that the dumps is limiting the number of vehicles a day. I will have lots to dump. Always something blocking the path.

We're all living Groundhog Day is how it feels to me.

I still see occasional friends who I chat with for a minute or two, and still check up on my aging parents, but I have always been a loner, and prefer quiet time alone. If i'm at a party, i'm probably petting the dog, or outside away from the noise.

I find that staying on somewhat of a schedule throughout the day helps me....roll out of bed around 8 (4 am when working), grab a yogurt, and toast about 9, and look through FB, and forums. Around 1, i'll get some lunch, then, I work on farm projects till about 5 outside, take a shower, eat some dinner about 7, watch a movie, or two, and go to bed about 12 (10 when working).

I think you need to be doing yoga or something, maybe get a dog.

I need to be on my game to beat the grandson at chess

Other than planning our grocery shopping and limiting visits with parents, who also don't go anywhere, we haven't changed much. I still have to go to work everyday. Wife was a work at home person, kids were online school students. I did take the daughter for a motorcycle ride Sunday out on the backroads. Have lots of outside projects at the house to do. Been waiting for warm enough weather for painting some shelves.

We live in a pretty rural area so we can go for walks or fly the R/C planes or just have a campfire. All in all we have been pretty lucky where we live.

Yer a giver ;)

Another thing that's keeping me sane: I try to "fix" something every day. Make something better.
Yesterday I cleaned and adjusted the rollers on the sliding glass door. It's an eight footer and heavy, and it took quite a bit to move it.
Not any more, it moves with one finger now.
The day before that I washed windows. The ones in front of the kitchen sink hadn't been really cleaned in a long time and the difference is amazing, and it feels good.
I have a bunch of old fluorescent lights in the garage from when I replaced them with LED lights.
They are taped into a bundle and i have them in my car and I'll be taking them to the recycling plant today. One little thing that's better.

I am gradually cleaning out the storage area in the attic of the garage, all the stuff that was stored up there over the past 25 years that I don't really need. Every week I take down a little and throw it away as room in the trash can permits.

For me that's a big deal, looking at something and knowing it's better than it was.
In my career I always had the attitude that a man has to have something to look forward to, the knowledge that things are getting better. Little things sometimes but that's enough.
Otherwise why get out of bed?

It's much harder not going stir crazy when all you can think about is how much you are going into debt each day with your failing business because of COVID.
Thanks for listening, I had to get that out.

my Sister came for a visit just before shutdown...
it's been just awesome having her stuck here..
sadly...
she's leaving Wed's..
gonna miss her..
I even bought her another guitar..
but this one stay's..
she's taking a few of the other's home..
meanwhile...
the dogs need running ..
and my pool is open..

Rika

Rod, hang in there buddy. Nothing i can say will change things but ya gotta know it'll get better eventually.







I tuned up my son's cheep bike, the wife bought it for him to get around campus. And then I went for a ride. Wow, it's been a while.

That seat did not like me from minute one, but I managed about 5 quick miles for the 1st day.
I know that's not much, but I gotta start out slow and work up. I haven't use those musk-els in a long time.

It’s interesting to read the responses.
I couldn’t stand it when I had a job, with someone telling me where to be and what to do all the time.
I’ve been on my own for almost 40 years, making my own decisions about where to be and what to do almost on an hourly basis. I’m a little more relaxed daily habits, but for the most part this seems normal tome.

If I told y'all where my head was....

Sammy would post that pic....I ga-rone-tee :D

I'm actually enjoying lock down at home, I'm not missing my 12 hrs of commuting a week, sat in an office looking at a computer or not having time for my own projects.

Was slightly disappointed when I was asked yesterday could I start work again in 3 weeks.

Now I have time for my own projects, so every morning my daily job 'about home' list is longer than my day. I have jobs for when it's sunny outside and jobs for when it's raining

Think the secret of not going crazy is to have some sort of routine to your day, like what do I fix now, or what do I watch or what new stuff can I learn.

I'm one for writing lists, partly to remind myself and partly just so I can tick it off as done.

Not sure what you mean by my lifestyle. Under ordinary circumstances I'd be on campus everyday for at least half a day. I also spend time in the parks, with my grandchildren, at the range, going to the theatre etc.

From your OP:
“I’m accustomed to being alone, taking meals quietly by myself ...”

Ah ok now I see. Yes that is true, but even then I have outlets. Perhaps it would be more clear to say that I am accustomed to a lot of privacy but this feels more lonely. As I said, it is an unusual feeling.

flatbutt chowing............

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1588123943.jpg

^
I'm sorry Dave. I'm afraid I can't do that.

Play the games he wants to play...

BTW, do you like word games?

The Scrabble games from these folks is incredible: https://playallfreeonlinegames.com/games/popcap-games-free-online/

There are a lot of kids game The III may like.

No affiliation.