Pandemic Mental Health - How YOU doin'?

[Poppy]

How am I doin? How are you doin?

I'm not doing great.

I am Covid tired, but know that we need to hang in there for another 6-8 months.
I can do that.

It seems that I am surrounded be people who are ANGRY!
Almost every discussion ends up being political and those who are at the extremes at either end are extremely angry!

I have family in the restaurant/hospitality businesses. The stress in some is unbearable, and it flows outwards.

Thankfully there is a light at the end of the tunnel, but it is a LONG ways away... 6-8 months.

We did it 7-8 months ago, let's suck it up and do it for another 6-8 months.

We'll get through this if we hang tough together.
Poppy

 

[markr6]

Kind of bored at this point. Now that it's dark at 5:30pm, everything is harder. Heck last night I felt ready for bed then looked at the clock, 6:45pm!

 

[Lynx_Arc]

Yeah.... DST changes suck when you get used to it then it stops and when you get used to "not it" then it starts again.

 

[Katherine Alicia]

isn`t that a Good thing for us though? I know I love when it gets dark early and I can use my lights for a little bit longer, it`s just way more cozy than daylight, I guess it`s how you frame it really.

 

[Lynx_Arc]

I love it being dark but when you are used to doing things in the sunlight after work and not having to drive into the sun going home then suddenly that changes because some bozo instead of allowing people to change their own start/stop hours they forced DST on the country a long time ago to save a few bucks.

 

[Katherine Alicia]

because some bozo instead of allowing people to change their own start/stop hours they forced DST on the country a long time ago to save a few bucks.

I`v often wondered ever since I was a kid, why don`t they just split the difference, and change it by half an hour and just leave it like that forever, surely half an hour isn`t going to make That much difference?

 

[Lynx_Arc]

I`v often wondered ever since I was a kid, why don`t they just split the difference, and change it by half an hour and just leave it like that forever, surely half an hour isn`t going to make That much difference?

It was initially to save money I think it started before central heating and air conditioning systems were the norm in building.
With central AC and with more efficient lighting the savings changing the time back and forth are probably non existent.

 

[markr6]

I say keep it year round. Without DST, in the summer, I can see light starting in the eastern sky at 3:52am. That's the middle of the damn night! Not much to be done in the morning light anyway for the 8-5 worker. With DST, it's nice having light later at night so I can not rush home, mow the lawn, do some housework, go cycling, wash the car, kids can play, etc. I don't think any of that is plausible in the morning, except cycling maybe. For those on different shifts or going to sleep early, it's a lot easier to block the daylight than it is to create it. Well, outside of this forum

They kept warning this winter could be tough. Unfortunately I think that will be the case. That vaccine is sounding pretty good, but still a ways to go. As long as COVID-20 doesn't enter the chat.

 

[idleprocess]

With central AC and with more efficient lighting the savings changing the time back and forth are probably non existent.

The energy savings have been largely nonexistent for many decades now. The adjustment costs have been very real since the beginning of DST - a spike in vehicular accidents for a week plus following the transition, and demonstrable productivity hits due to forced adjustment to a new schedule. What may have been relevant during WWI / WWII is now a liability that bafflingly keeps rolling because of inertia.

 

[Lynx_Arc]

The energy savings have been largely nonexistent for many decades now. The adjustment costs have been very real since the beginning of DST - a spike in vehicular accidents for a week plus following the transition, and demonstrable productivity hits due to forced adjustment to a new schedule. What may have been relevant during WWI / WWII is now a liability that bafflingly keeps rolling because of inertia.

I agree in the spike in accidents and productivity for sure I've worked in places that have limited to no lighting and before DST changes it is often dark in the morning for an hour or two luckily I have a good headlamp that copes with it well. When you get used to using a headlamp in the morning and the guys around you are struggling to get things lighted because they have cheap headlamps or using bulky tool lights then time changes and the fun ends as the sun lights things up enough you no longer need the headlamp for most things.

 

[Empath]

DST discussion should be in its own thread. We've lost the theme or purpose of this thread.

 

[KITROBASKIN]

Things are ok. We have to wear masks inside, and when outside the mask can be removed. Leaving it dangling from one ear is an option and if one's hair is long enough to cover the ear, said mask is less likely to be blown away. So now it is a joke that I won't cut my hair until the vaccinated have the option of not wearing a mask inside again.

New Mexico's hospitalization rate continues to be well below half of the worst times. Much sorrow for those states where the health system is severely strained. So frustrating that people should be given a choice about vaccines, but when hospitals are busting at the seams...

It is unnerving to see students where I work having to quarantine at home for days if they present symptom(s) that are in common with COVID. Seems like a negative test would let them return sooner? It is concerning that so many attitudes now days seem blotched with this situation.

 

[raggie33]

im terrified i seldem sleep . so many enytry level jobs are going to auto checkout and asmbley line robots . even thou i have many sklls in the tech felid .i see a depresion that rivals 1929//...but this time we wont recover

 

[chaoss]

I find that brown liquor and automatic weapons seem to ease my pandemic angst.

 

[Poppy]

Things are ok. We have to wear masks inside, and when outside the mask can be removed. Leaving it dangling from one ear is an option and if one's hair is long enough to cover the ear, said mask is less likely to be blown away. So now it is a joke that I won't cut my hair until the vaccinated have the option of not wearing a mask inside again.

New Mexico's hospitalization rate continues to be well below half of the worst times. Much sorrow for those states where the health system is severely strained. So frustrating that people should be given a choice about vaccines, but when hospitals are busting at the seams...

It is unnerving to see students where I work having to quarantine at home for days if they present symptom(s) that are in common with COVID. Seems like a negative test would let them return sooner? It is concerning that so many attitudes now days seem blotched with this situation.

I wrote to the NJ Dept of Ed director, suggesting that the State buy into a home school program that has already been approved and is accredited. Make it virtual, and offered state wide. One presenter may be able to present to hundreds at a time, like they do in some college auditoriums. I had organic chemistry 1 and 2 and bio-organic chemistry classes of over 100 students in college. Our labs were much smaller, maybe 30 students.

My thought is that the class can be presented online virtual, freeing up the local school teachers time, which would allow them time to give individual instruction to those who need it, or to simply answer some questions to groups.

<SNIP>
More than 200 students and staff in New York City's public schools tested positive for COVID-19 in the first two days of the academic year, forcing the closure of dozens of classrooms, according to Department of Education data.

As of Tuesday evening, the confirmed cumulative number of COVID-19 cases spanning Monday and Tuesday was 105 students and 113 staff, for a total of 218. <END SNIP>

COVID cases close nearly 60 NYC classrooms in first 2 days: DOE data

NEW YORK — More than 200 students and staff in New York City’s public schools tested positive for COVID-19 in the first two days of the academic year, forcing the closure of dozens of classro…

pix11.com

IMO... this is only the beginning, and it is silly to think that we can pour unvaccinated kids shoulder to shoulder into classrooms and hallways without creating major outbreaks. In the pre 16 age group, the only protection they have is a face mask.

 

[PhotonWrangler]

...it is silly to think that we can pour unvaccinated kids shoulder to shoulder into classrooms and hallways without creating major outbreaks. In the pre 16 age group, the only protection they have is a face mask.

This is what frustrates me about in-person school without vaccinations or mask mandates. We've already seen this scenario earlier in the year where they tried to reopen schools and BAM - they get shut down immediately again. The definition of insanity is trying the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

 

[High_Noon]

deleted

 

[idleprocess]

So far so good from my end of things. I've remained steadily employed and no one I know of personally has had COVID, although a few suspect they got it circa January 2020.

Perversely, I miss the office. My team at work has a standing daily conference call at 13:30, ostensibly to cover concerns for the team but in reality it goes on for the rest of the workday and acts as a meager substitute for being able to see each other in person.

New Mexico's hospitalization rate continues to be well below half of the worst times.

TX seems to be taking up some slack there. ICU beds are largely unobtanium in my county, with an influx of COVID patients neatly explaining the utilization. I'm hoping this crests soon, but flu season is unfortunately only just about to get started.

 

[Splitrail]

MSM has people cowed.
Nauseating.

 

[jtr1962]

More than 200 students and staff in New York City's public schools tested positive for COVID-19 in the first two days of the academic year, forcing the closure of dozens of classrooms, according to Department of Education data.

Count me in as not surprised. I knew going back to in-person learning before vaccines are available for ages 5 to 11 was a bad idea. Every other place that tried it ended up with the same result.

Remote learning should have remained as a option at least. If I were a parent, no way would I want my children to return to in-person learning. In fact, remote learning should remain as an option even after the pandemic is over. I imagine any children who were bullied would never want to return to in-person learning. Ditto for anyone who might have a long trip to school.