Spring Break

[avrelia]

Things get into routine, weird and crazy routine. I keep thinking how lucky we are comparing to many others.

Kids have a spring break this week, but I feel it’s me who’s on a spring break, because I don’t have to structure their time and make sure that they do their school work and other work, and go for a walk in a tiny local park with them and play with them and read with them, and cook and clean several times over.

Now I am working on ways to relax by myself – before I could always send everyone away and be alone and do whatever to recharge. These last three weeks I felt “always on”, and it was horrible.

The stress comes out of uncertainty, and all the bad news everywhere, and waiting for more bad news. Despite the whole isolation thing, I am communicating with people more than ever – and it’s exhausting, even if necessary. I call my parents, I call my friends, I arrange video calls for George with his friends… I even have my book club meetings through video conferences.

When do people have all that time and strength to learn all the new languages and skills, read books, watch streaming lectures and operas?

I am only watching nature documentaries with kids, like Planet Earth. They are relaxing.

In funny news: I dropped into a discussion for recommendations for Spuffy fanfiction. I tried to be helpful and remember some stuff I liked:

- wow, it’s been a long time ago
- wow, a lot has disappeared forever, partly because I don’t remember names or titles
- wow, a lot is still out there, and it feels like a time travel
- wow, I really forgot a lot.
- wow, I really don’t want to read it all again, no matter how I loved it.

Still, now I think about making a post with some links, just for historical purposes.

Comments

[shadowkat]

When do people have all that time and strength to learn all the new languages and skills, read books, watch streaming lectures and operas?

I've been wondering the same thing. But they may not be working remotely from home or taking care of kids or handling online learning? There's a lot people who have nothing to do - and previously their lives were - going to work, going out with friends, going to the gym, going to dinner parties, planning this, planning that - a lot of people like to be VERY VERY busy.

I can't. I need down time. Also I don't have the mental energy to do my work, worry, and learn a new language. It's not happening.

wow, I really don’t want to read it all again, no matter how I loved it.

Yep. I'm apparently over it? At some point, I just lost interest. Not quite sure when it happened exactly.

I loved it, but I'm no longer interested now.

[avrelia]

My mom is actually in the category of people who needs something to do - she is retired, and usually she leads a very active social life: meeting with friends, going to theater, museums, traveling, etc. So having to sit at home is hard on her. But she is also much less online, so all these opportunities are not that interesting for her.

Movies and books are still there for her, of course.

re: Spuffy. I love it in abstract, I guess. I still find their relationship fascinating, but I am not interested in reading about them any more.