Cabin Fever

[Mrbigwolf82]

Anyone else getting cabin fever? I haven't left the house in 4 weeks and you can only do the same daily routines to get by. What is everyone else doing to fight the boardom?

[_priapism]

I’m walking twice a day now.  We’re allowed to be outside if social distancing is maintained.  I’m online also, here, Reddit, Facebook.  I do my emails and try to get some work done daily.  And cooking and baking.  I also got interested in hummingbirds.  I have five feeders near the windows now, and enjoy watching their activities.

I am trying to avoid the grocery store and crowds.  But we need to shop at least once a week.  I feel bad with the looks my full cart gets, but I am *not* coming back here tomorrow for a load of bread!

[Lois]

I've been reading lots of books.  I'm still working though as I'm an essential worker.

[Littlebit]

[MissBarbara]

At this point, I'm "working from home," but I only have about 12-15 hours of work each week, all of it online communication (text, email, and video conferencing via Zoom, Face Time, or Google Meets). And as time wears on, I'll have even less to do. I'm grateful that I'm still receiving my full salary.

One thing I did early on that has helped me a lot is to make a daily schedule, and then strive to stick to it. And that includes going to bed on time, and getting up on time. I don't get up as early as I used to, but I've been getting up at 6:30 am, going for a daily run, and then starting the day at 9:00. Other than work, I allot time for reading, music (I've had a recorder sitting on my bookshelf for about 10 years, and I've been teaching myself to play it, thanks to YouTube), staying in touch with friends and family (Face Time is amazingly useful), meditation, and walking. At the end of the day, I've been making a point to go to bed by 10:30 pm.

I'll admit that the first two weeks I watched a lot of TV. I don't normally watch much TV, but during that time I did a lot of binge streaming. I've cut that back, and I don't turn o the TV until 6:00 pm at the earliest. That really helps me center the day.

One of my sisters-in-law, who is a grade school principal (and who has been working about twice as many hours as she used to P.C.), suggest to everyone that they should come up with two longer-term projects, and then go for it. I think it's fantastic advice. We all have those things we've always wanted to do, but have never had or never made the time to do. Like learning how to play the recorder. Now's the perfect time to do those things.

[Jed_]

I’m reading actual books again made of actual paper.  I use to be a voracious reader but somehow with phones, iPads and computers, I had nearly stopped reading real books.

We go out 1-2 times a week for groceries, prescriptions and what we term other ‘medicine’ from the liquor store.  And about 1-2 times every two weeks we see some extended family as we did yesterday evening (usually combined with a grocery run), the total number of people was 6 (so < 10).  We took them a thermometer we bought when we bought 2 on Amazon for us and them.  It took them 3 weeks to ship.  Naturally both these long waited for thermometers said the battery needed replaced.  And naturally just like the thermometers, the batteries were sold out in the 5 stores we looked, so it was back to Amazon for batteries.

We have a routine while out.  Social distancing, masks, carry wipes to use opening doors and on credit card keypads, no face touching and use hand sanitizer.

I’m also out on my deck a lot and play with the dog in the backyard.

I’m organizing gourmet meals based on what we have and plan shopping around these meals.  The plans typically extend out a week or more.  These plans, while subject to frequent change for flexibility, mean we are eating very well.

[MintJulie]

At the 4-1/2 week mark I think.

Everybody stays up late, so I have the mornings to myself.  Even Dan sleeps in until 8-8:30am   The girls sleep until 10am

I go for a walk if it's nice while they're sleeping.   I also clean at that time.

The kids all have online school work so I'll read my kindle or come here before noon (as I'm doing now)   Dan and I will got out and do yard work while the kids are online schooling.

Lunch.  More online school for them.  They're all in different rooms.  I usually sit with the youngest listening to teacher and making sure she knows what needs done after they log off.

We go outside for walks.  We are doing Pokemon now, so all the kids are excited to get outside.  We go on bike rides

We all have our alone time from 3-5 so we don't get on each others nerves.  Do whatever we want.   The kids have started playing Wii.   Bowling and Tennis competitions.   The girls face time their mother.  I facetime my daddy.   Dan goes in the yard and hits whiffle balls with his golf clubs.   We do arts and crafts.   Scrap booking pictures that we started doing this just to get us all doing something and it's worked out pretty good and kills time.

After dinner is  games and a movie.  Kindle for me if it's a movie I can't get into.  Maybe some more KB time if I have the privacy and can hide the screen on the laptop.

We keep busy.   It's a little easier with 5 people.  We make it work.   

The best part of it all is that Dan's youngest and I have grown much closer.   Almost to bff status, but not quite.

But you're right, their are many times Cabin Fever kicks in and I just want to get out and do something.   I MISS TARGET THE MOST.   Haven't been in 6 weeks.

[watcher1]

No cabin fever to speak of, except it is still too cold to be outside sitting on the patio. We walk two or three times a day. More and more communities around us are beginning to mandate the wearing of masks if you go outside, especially to stores.  Unless they supply every one with masks, I cannot see the legality of those ordinances.

[IdleBoast]

I'm not really suffering.

I'm working from home, setting work & feeding back to kids. I've finally got time to do some proper long-term planning.

In between times, I have Netflix, Amazon & Disney to watch, and I'm amusing myself making short stop-motion animations and posting them to a very small audience on TikTok.

Once or twice a week, we have a Zoom meet-up for a pub quiz and a virtual pint.

Walks out on the common for exercise, helped the young'uns lay a patio over the weekend, life is surprisingly good.

[msslave]

We're doing ok. As old retired folks, we don't go out that much anyway. I still get to chase birds with my camera.  The cats take me outside two or three times a day. Then we had our Easter snow and they looked at me with their WTF eyes.  Back to going out again finally as temps got above freezing today.

Miss our Friday dinners out with friends. We still meet on Zoom, but it's not the same. 

Don't find myself doing extra "fapping". Not doing any less either.

[gcgalveston]

For me, my job is classified essential and I am out on locations throughout the US. Travel through airports is a lot less hectic, but planning flights can be a pain. Starting to get tired of take-out food and having to eat in the hotel rooms. Also, not being able to enjoy the pools and hot tubs. I also miss being able to enjoy the bars and clubs I usually go to. But, I still have a friend stay over......

[Lois]

I miss seeing my friends.  We've closed the Dungeon for the duration.

Still working though as I'm an essential worker.  I help process nutrition assistance (SNAP), medical claims (Medicaid), and unemployment insurance claims.  We've never been busier and it's been hard with so may of our people on leave.

My hand are dry from washing and I'm shocked how a face mask can really stink, so much that it's hard to use the same one two days in a row.  Finally got a home-made cloth mask.  It is really nice and does not get stinky.

I come home drained and exhausted.  Usually I kick back, smoke a cigar and watch movies.  I've never watched so many movies.

Last night the cops showed up for a domestic violence situation accross the street. The man beat his wife and her sister and then took off.  One of the women was taken away by ambulance.  Sometimes you just can't social distance yourself from those you have to get away from.

[MintJulie]

Usually I kick back, smoke a cigar and watch movies.  I've never watched so many movies.

Sorry, I can not picture this.   haha

We were invited to one of Dan's coworkers houses last year.   It was just us and the other couple sitting on their patio.  The wife was about 100 pounds and a fitness freak.  The husband is a bourbon guy who has gifted me some nice bottles.    So we sit down and the host asks how I'd like my bourbon.  "Neat" I say.  Dan translates it to him.   "The only way," he answers.  I give him a smile and a thumbs up.

As I turn back toward the wife, she is cutting the end off the biggest cigar I've ever seen and lights it up.    

Not knocking women smoking a cigar.  It was the first time I had ever witnessed it though.   It just seemed so foreign.
      

[_priapism]

Usually I kick back, smoke a cigar and watch movies.  I've never watched so many movies.

Sorry, I can not picture this.   haha

We were invited to one of Dan's coworkers houses last year.   It was just us and the other couple sitting on their patio.  The wife was about 100 pounds and a fitness freak.  The husband is a bourbon guy who has gifted me some nice bottles.    So we sit down and the host asks how I'd like my bourbon.  "Neat" I say.  Dan translates it to him.   "The only way," he answers.  I give him a smile and a thumbs up.

As I turn back toward the wife, she is cutting the end off the biggest cigar I've ever seen and lights it up.    

Not knocking women smoking a cigar.  It was the first time I had ever witnessed it though.   It just seemed so foreign.
      

Pictures that remind me of Mint Julie.   

[Lois]

It's far better than shooting up the neighborhood, as plenty of my neighbors seem to like to do.

[Hard_as_ironman]

After three weeks it was pretty bad, ended up staying awake till 2 in the morning and then sleep till almost noon.  Messed with salems sleep cycle and eating cycle.  Felt so bad for her, so I set alarms for her food and stuff and if I got tires I'd just sleep where ever.  I can my own food and vacuum seal beef, venison, and scrambled eggs.  I also have two cases of military MREs.  I am a bit of a prepper and it paid off a little bit.  I honestly didn't have to leave for anything in those first three weeks.  I would play with Salem in the backyard as much as possible as I wasn't taking her for walks. Last couple weeks changed and I had to go to the store for her food and a few other items.  Forced myself to get my sleep cycle back on track with hers. 

[watcher1]

I come home drained and exhausted.  Usually I kick back, smoke a cigar and watch movies.  I've never watched so many movies.

I can picture Lois, in the dungeon, dressed in black leather, whip in one hand and a cigar in the other....

[_priapism]

When your receptionist offers to lead an online workout group for the office on Zoom.    

Something is getting a workout, and it isn’t my quads.

[Airplane]

stealth and intimate conversation is always a win