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COVID - the positives

Mr Tutu, I think you have been maligned. I was thinking of a similar topic but framed more as ‘what I’ve learned’ so for me: Health is the most precious thing (my grandfather only ever offered one toast: “good health”- his sister Amy died of the Spanish flu at 14 so we have much to be thankful for because this spares the young) Be grateful, yes I’ll lose my business and end up in a small flat with a little job and no money but I’ve had a bloody good run. I don’t need much and aspire to little but both my daughters love me. I have a wife and a girlfriend, my liver and kidney function is fine so can still knock it back. I’m 61 and can still run a sub 2 hour half without really training and top of my list when this is over is the Three Shires fell race. I’m a very lucky man. Oh and I’ve got a nice record player and lots of records.
 
1) I’ve seen more of my children, we’ve got closer as a result.
2) My kids’ school is amazing, getting them excited about stuff remotely has been a godsend. They also digitally edited together various things over the Xmas period for parents to view - fantastic.
3) Lack of spending has enabled me to pay off pretty much all debt.
4) Garden looking great.
5) My parents still alive - have shielded since March, so I’m not surprised, but good to have them here still. Also mum now zooms which is great for everyone’s mental health.
 
JezmondTutu said:
Also very sorry to hear.

The whole thing is horrendous but from a mental health and wellbeing perspective, trying to grab hold of some positives is pretty important.
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Yes, I got that, totally get where you’re coming from. I didn’t intend to pull the mood of your thread down either, all were early victims, it’s still sad but I’ve had my time to process it. It just makes me get mad at the Covid deniers, I know better... I saw some arguing with my brother earlier on Facebook... he’s a doctor.:rolleyes:

Positives for me? Well I’ve had plenty of time to get work done on my garden, and have gotten a few projects done too.
 
Spent much more time with my GF (we don’t live together as yet). But we could well make the move soon, as the test went well. Young love is possible at 50.

Lost 4 kg thanks to a lot of running, cycling and swimming, as well as taking time for cooking properly instead of shoveling down stuff from the Chinese takeaway.
 
Cheese said:
Spent much more time with my GF (we don’t live together as yet). But we could well make the move soon, as the test went well. Young love is possible at 50.

Lost 4 kg thanks to a lot of running, cycling and swimming, as well as taking time for cooking properly instead of shoveling down stuff from the Chinese takeaway.
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Now that’s a positive, I’m happy for you.

Very early days for me, but my I’m seeing my first proper GF again (well the actual seeing just got more complicated), she was always “the one” for me, I worshipped her. But life, university, working away etc got in the way and we both ended up in different relationships, both of which failed disastrously. We’ve always remained distant friends and checked in on each other from time to time, and when I was stuck at home shielding during the first lockdown, ranting because I couldn’t get a Tesco delivery slot, she stepped up and went shopping for me... I told her I didn’t want her to put herself at risk but she went anyway, told me I was special to her and to alert ask if I need anything... I realised that she’s still the one of the sweetest natured people I’ve even met, still beautiful too. I’m very timid, probably because of how much she means to me and not wanting to risk spoiling it, so I’ve only started to reveal to her that I’m keen to see her more recently, she’s keen to see me too... I have butterflies again, not really felt that for nearly 20 years!
 
linnfomaniac83 said:
Now that’s a positive, I’m happy for you.

Very early days for me, but my I’m seeing my first proper GF again (well the actual seeing just got more complicated), she was always “the one” for me, I worshipped her. But life, university, working away etc got in the way and we both ended up in different relationships, both of which failed disastrously. We’ve always remained distant friends and checked in on each other from time to time, and when I was stuck at home shielding during the first lockdown, ranting because I couldn’t get a Tesco delivery slot, she stepped up and went shopping for me... I told her I didn’t want her to put herself at risk but she went anyway, told me I was special to her and to alert ask if I need anything... I realised that she’s still the one of the sweetest natured people I’ve even met, still beautiful too. I’m very timid, probably because of how much she means to me and not wanting to risk spoiling it, so I’ve only started to reveal to her that I’m keen to see her more recently, she’s keen to see me too... I have butterflies again, not really felt that for nearly 20 years!
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That's also a positive ! As far as GF and I are concerned, we also met very early in life (18 and 15), way too early, still after five minutes of talking to her I knew that she was The Woman. Unfortunately, she didn't see it that way, and my dreams went nowhere. We kept very loosely in touch for a number of years then lost contact, but one day we met again at a shabby roadside supermarket (for more drama I sometimes add 'at the chocolate section' but that's not true ;)) we never went to otherwise. I was just as clumsy and awkward as back in 1985, but she said that actually reassured her, meaning that I hadn't changed too much in all those years :D Contrary to you we didn't feel any butterflies - for us it rather felt like trying dozens of shoes at the shop, all of them feeling sort of 'not right', and finally finding a truly wonderful pair of shoes you never want to take off again. What was most comforting was the certainty that we'd finally met someone who tells us the truth most of the time. 6 years now, the tendency still going up rather than down. Supermarkets are where it's at, dude. Good luck to you @linnfomaniac83 and your new love :cool:
 
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Covid had two attempts at being a force for good when it infected Trump and Britians Trump. Unfortunately on both occasions, it failed to grasp the opportunity.
 
avole said:
The more people who die, the more chance the planet has of survival. If that isn't a positive, what is ?
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mondie said:
Covid had two attempts at being a force for good when it infected Trump and Britians Trump. Unfortunately on both occasions, it failed to grasp the opportunity.
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@avole got criticised for his post, but if it's about Trump or BJ, he's not that wrong after all. Although I'd prefer them caught live and ridiculed, rather than killed. That would be too easy.
 
Great idea for a topic!

For us, the main finding is that even after 40 years of marriage we can still be in the house 24/7 without a cross word even when one of us gets fed up about something.

We’ve both enjoyed having time to read up on the science of COVID and hope we’ve been helpful to friends and neighbours with explanations of why some decisions make sense, which also means we have met more people around our newish home.
 
hc25036 said:
enjoyed having time to read up on the science of COVID
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eh? Both my wife and i are a highly accomplished and successful scientists and engineers, but this way beyond what i would call enjoyment.... We switch off from our disciplines outside "work"
 
gintonic said:
eh? Both my wife and i are a highly accomplished and successful scientists and engineers, but this way beyond what i would call enjoyment.... We switch off from our disciplines outside "work"
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Don’t read this as criticism of you (and I fully understand your point) but our fascination and enjoyment of science didn’t end with retirement. It probably helps that we are a biochemist/microbiologist and a microbiologist/biochemist. We are living through the scary stuff in our undergraduate text books.....
 
hc25036 said:
Don’t read this as criticism of you (and I fully understand your point) but our fascination and enjoyment of science didn’t end with retirement. It probably helps that we are a biochemist/microbiologist and a microbiologist/biochemist. We are living through the scary stuff in our undergraduate text books.....
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Mind you, that’s not to say we are enjoying it much!
 
Some total nonsense posted above again ........................

The total estimated world-wide death toll for C19 so far is around 2 million.
WHO estimates that air pollution kills 7 million world-wide per year.

Get pollulting lads, FAST - it could be the solution to the world's problems. Burn far more really sulphurous coal.

Even better, far better idea - stop ALL vaccinations world-wide, stop all humanitarian efforts to stop people starving to death, there is an almost endless vein here for reducing the human impact on the world. Stop the sale of all medicines.
 
Cheese said:
Supermarkets are where it's at, dude. Good luck to you @linnfomaniac83 and your new love :cool:
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At the cheesy counter, maybe? (sorry, couldn't resist; nice stories !)

Positives for me are:

No table tennis for nearly a year, so my bat is still in good shape.

My short tennis club packed up in March, so I don't have the hassle of running anything.

Open court tennis has been stop-go all year 'til now; currently stop, so I don't feel as cream-crackered at the end of nearly two hours' sets

Had to buy a new (expensive) battery recently, as lack of car use put the mockers on the original one as soon as the cold weather started. It needed doing, sometime anyway, so less concern about that.

I seem to be relaxing much more; mainly by falling asleep at odd intervals; guess I needed it on top of 8+ hours' sleep.

Watching my small portfolio of shares rollercoaster over the past year; cheaper and less hassle than visiting an amusement park.

Actually getting through on the phone to HMRC and other places; engenders a sense of achievement.

Lastly, I was wondering what to do with my remaining teeth, but now I don't need to plan as they're dropping out anyway, saving extractions.

Now where's that big sarcasm/tongue in cheek emoji?
 
hc25036 said:
Don’t read this as criticism of you (and I fully understand your point) but our fascination and enjoyment of science didn’t end with retirement. It probably helps that we are a biochemist/microbiologist and a microbiologist/biochemist. We are living through the scary stuff in our undergraduate text books.....
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maybe if i was retired things might be different. Dont get me wrong, i am still excited and inspired by the science, the ethics, the technicalities

(i should add that our science here is totally non-bio; although I was brought up in a bio-household, with all my relatives and parents friends being into that area of science)

- but i dont really want to bring it home.

My Dad still subscribes to the BMJ and other pharma type journals - at the age of 83 he is still telling the GP about pharma interactions and medications......
 
gintonic said:
Isn't there a book in this? "Love in the Time of Covid"
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I hope so. :)

Was chatting with my daughter at bedtime last night about her not going back to school and seeing her friends, she’s going to start writing a book about this pandemic from the eyes of a nine year old that focuses on the positives and the things that they’ll all be able to do in a few months time. It’s amazing how close friendships are at even 9yo, and how switched on and capable of positive thoughts they are at that age. Hopefully she’ll see it through as it will be really fascinating to read it in 10 years time.
 
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