Share your experience, tips, advice, questions…
As it seems most communities world-wide are going into voluntary or enforced quarantine that involves staying at home and avoiding physical contact as much as possible, I thought we could have a thread where we could try a bit of mutual support by cheering each other up over the next few days, weeks, months… Who knows?
I don’t know: suggestions on films to watch, books to read, gardening tips, exercise ideas
Usual rules apply plus a guideline. Let’s be kind and supportive to each other.
Anyone fancy a game of chess? (I’ll be white)
1. e4
Miss
J10
😂
j10 ? How big is your board?
In Virginia (US), the governor has ordered a limit on 10 people max in social gatherings, schools are closed, and my university has transitioned to online-only teaching for the remainder of the semester. So I’m teaching from home and going out as little as possible.
The various books I’m partly in the middle of reading, just for the curious:
A new edition of Spinoza’s Ethics
The Restless Clock: A History of the Centuries-Long Argument over What Makes Living Things Tick by Jessica Riskin
Inventing the Future: Postcapitalism and a World Without Work by Nick Srnicek and Alex Williams
The Promise of Artificial Intelligence; Reckoning and Judgment by Brian Cantwell Smith.
Plus of course a huge stack of books I haven’t even started yet!
along with doing some fire clearance and setting up my wife’s cold frames/greenhouses for her veggie & flower starts it appears I can start some long delayed projects of y own. I will finally be able to start putting up the metal soffits and siding on the house and perhaps even restart the rebuild project on my wife;s 1951 chevy pickup truck. First up on that is to rebuild the brake system from master cylinder, new brake lines and emergency brake cables. Once that is done I can finish the tuneup and put it into the ranch fleet and active duty! I’ve had all the parts for the projects on hand for all too long. I did finish building a 6-wheel cabachon machine for my wife’s lapidary and wire wrapping jewelry projects.
did dazz just sink Alan’s battleship?
That’s the joke, I responded as if playing battleship.
I know, I’m not funny 😅
dazz, I’m too old to remember playing battleships so whoosh!
That’s definitely the right order to fix things – brakes first!
Films?
Here’s a meaningful and timely tv miniseries from 1994 by Stephen King with a stellar cast. Not for the squeamish; a virus wipes out 99% of the planet & the remainder are in a battle of evil vs. good. Frightfully wonderful & uplifting (or at least not despairing) for a horror film. Spoiler: not everyone dies.
He was in discussion last year to do a re-make. And it’s available for free on YouTube, though definitely find it elsewhere if you can’t “stand” the ads. I watched it last month – chilling & inspiring … if you’re on the right side. https://youtu.be/0e64sPHWnsY
Captn Trips! Loved the Trashcan man character!
the book is better than the movie, IMO. but enjoyed the movie as well. M-O-O-N spells Tom!
One of my favorite lines: “Even heros get skidmarks in their jeans”
Somebody recommended I should watch The Marvellous Mrs Maisie I think it’s available on Netflix (haven’t subscribed yet – bandwidth is an issue but I can hook up through my smartphone). Any good?
I thought it was funny. 🙂
I do too, now it’s been explained. 🙁
I both thought it funny and got it. Just in case anyone thinks otherwise.
My wife, meanwhile, is crunching crudités and crisps. One by one.
One. By. One.
My partner is very grateful that we are not co-habitating yet. She said the other day that if we had to be confined together for an extended period of time, my constant muttering to myself would drive her insane.
Very good, but in the USA it’s amazon-prime and NOT Netfix
Last week I stopped going to the gym because I felt exposed there. Instead I placed an online order for an exercise bike and a rowing machine. Made space in the spare bedroom and set up the machines. I’m now working out fairly hard for at least an hour every day. I find it very beneficial – you feel fit, it clears the mind, and working on your health seems a great thing to do in the circumstances. Plus, I am playing Beethoven’s symphonies in the background whilst exercising.
Kantian Naturalist,
You might be interested in this article.
OK thanks. I seem to recall being plied with an introductory offer on Amazon Prime recently. I’ll check it out.
I am used to hearing nonsense from Byers, but this is lethal nonsense. Robert, I hope you’re not in one of the vulnerable categories (as I am), and I hope you don’t visit anyone who is. Fortunately, there is one comfort: Nobody follows your lead.
As for our beloved President, sadly there are many people who take seriously what he says, and there are whole news networks who amplify his words.
Robert Byers,
Like pastors and right-wing pundits? We can but hope.
I agree and the comment is no longer visible. Admins will need to discuss what follows.
I agree!
Alan Fox,
A friend posted – in complete innocence – “Can someone please lend me a decent shovel? I need to use it on Sunday….can pick it up and return the same day.” Much hilarity ensued in comments.
Allan Miller,
Ridiculous. Everyone should have their own shovel!
It’s like Communism. First someone has to do it properly before we can say it hasn’t worked.
I’m sensing I’m getting a bit incoherent. Time for some fresh air!!!
What’s to discuss?
I was thinking of doing an OP on the theme; why certain “categories” are more vulnerable than other, as there is now some data, but because of people like Byers, I will have to wait…
The hysteria and the misinformation on the news, are not going to end any time soon… I don’t pay attention … Reading emails is sufficient…
Alan Fox,
Pick of the responses: “I helped my neighbour bury a roll of carpet in the woods. Her boyfriend would have done it, but he’s out of town”.
Allan Miller,
🙂
Just got back from walk. Was thinking about benefits of the lockdown, especially the reduction in travel and fossil fuel consumption.
Cruise ships. Is it a bad thing that these floating incubators have been curtailed and the people who actually live in tourist hotspots like Venice have a chance to enjoy their city for a while?
Air travel. Our west-facing terrace at sunset in summer is notable for being able to spot jet trails (its a major north-south corridor) and we sometimes count them to see who can spot most at one time. 10 to 20 is the usual range. Wonder what it might be this evening.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the huge drop in air pollution we are seeing could be maintained after the pandemic.
ETA degarbalisation
Mon compagnon du jour!
Whether TSZ will be a vehicle for posters of fake news about the present pandemic.
India goes total
No-one is allowed to leave their homes for anything, seemingly. Not sure how that will pan out in practice.
Alan Fox,
What a lovely dog, and landscape!
(deleted)
oops, wrong thread, sorry
Meg. Not my dog, she often decides to come and keep an eye on me. Today, she was distracted by something in the undergrowth so I carried on and, when she didn’t appear, I called her. She usually bounds up within seconds but there was no sign. I turned to carry on and nearly fell over her as she was sitting just in front of me with an expression “why all the shouting?”
It’s nice to have that on the doorstep. Must be tough for folks with an apartment in present circumstances. (Tougher still if you are homeless.)
We now have an updated “attestation” – paper self-authorizing travel outside the home. You have to choose among options such as medical, essential supplies, etc. the one for exercise has become more stringent. Only one kilometre and one hour a day but now you can be together if you are living in the same house.
“Déplacements brefs, dans la limite d’une heure quotidienne et dans un rayon maximal d’un kilomètre autour du domicile, liés soit à l’activité physique individuelle des personnes, à l’exclusion de toute pratique sportive collective et de toute proximité avec d’autres personnes, soit à la promenade avec les seules personnes regroupées dans un même domicile, soit aux besoins des animaux de compagnie.”
ETA and you have to add the time you leave the house on to the form!
Those of us who have experienced being stuck in an airport because of the chaos of delayed and postponed flights (most of us I’m sure) should spare a thought for this lot. I’m thankful to be here in my own home even with the restrictions in place.
Forgot to add the link:
https://www.flightradar24.com/5.05,7.85/2#
TSZ being a vehicle of “fake news” is nothing new…
In this case, however, balance is needed, because the unbalanced views on the pandemic can have immediate, and possibly, irreversible damage…
The other “fake news” regularly spread at TSZ can have similar effect but hopefuly the damage cannot be immediate, and is possibly reversible…
Alan Fox,
Indeed. With all the furore here about people visiting beauty spots, I’m lucky enough to live in one.
Miller Towers, recently.
(eta – Idyll rather spoilt by my neighbour a few moments later enquiring whose car had arrived. It’s my daughter, home from University as a 3rd Year nursing student with a 5 week gap between placements. “We all have to stay in place and not spread germs, Allan”, she said, marching off before I could explain the situation further).
Allan Miller,
I see a bottle of beer produced in the town where I live, and do my eyes deceive me or is that a sculpture of a loving couple on its right?
Alan is right, we are designed to see patterns 🙂
Nice garden by the way.
Aberdonian huh? I’m in Cumbria.
Your eyes definitely deceive you! Sculpted, they’re not.
Thanks! Lawn’s mostly moss, and definitely needs a spring clean. I’ll get round to it …
Just needs a trim. I found Matthew 7:24 solved all my lawn issues.
CharlieM, Is that now? Where can so many be going with restrictions everywhere?
Alan Fox,
It is slightly boggling. A friend’s daughters have just made the national press, being stuck in Dubai with the airport closing at midnight and no food or drink available. They waited 10 days to get out of the Philippines, then onward connection was cancelled. One is a police officer, the other a nurse.
Lovely place. I have some fond memories of holidays in Cumbria, beginning with 2 weeks during the heat wave in the summer of 1976.
I’m not a native Aberdonian. Came to Aberdeenshire for 100 miles up the road, but still felt like an outsider for a good few years.
Well in my eyes it’s a couple embracing, although my nose might tell a different story if it got too close.
My garden’s an ongoing project. Good job I like a challenge.
Allan Miller,
Jeez, that’s rough!
It was a live time screen capture I grabbed a couple of hours ago. Just go to https://www.flightradar24.com/ and zoom in and out to get an idea of the current air traffic. We have friends who have just arrived back from hols in Mexico. We won’t find out how it went until they have recovered from their trip back which lasted over a day and a half. I’m sure there are thousands of people trying to get back home.
Yup. The story was on the Daily Mail site, and I made the mistake of looking at comments. “Going on holiday at this time; no sympathy” was the general tone, with literally hundreds of upvotes apiece. But when they went, in early Feb, even the Mailers’ manchild hero was saying it was a storm in a teacup.
Well, perfect conditions for jet trails this evening and I didn’t see one. Mrs F. (always so competitive) claims one but I’m doubtful.
ETA photo
How are the NWO chemtrailers going to dose the population now?