discussion Lockdown blues?

[Dave Ward]

Looking at my build postings , it's been a long while since I actually sat at my bench, and actually made anything! Part of the problem has been my health, and the other part is a complete lack of enthusiasm, although I guess they are related. I continue to search out new models on the internet & enjoy looking at other people squirreling away, and have even bought new models, but have no inclination to make them.
I've been going into my stash, opening boxes, closing boxes, and to date nothing has really stirred my imagination.
Everybody goes through a lack of Mojo, but this seems to be going on for longer than normal - I didn't think that lockdown had affected me, but now, over the last day or so, I think it has. Not necessarily just not going out, but, at the moment there's nowhere to go! Although I'm hardly a big drinker, I'm missing the ability to go and sink a pint or two in my local.............................
Dave

 

[Richard48]

I know how you feel Dave.The old diabetes dont help. A nice visit to a model show with a bar and couple of pints of Guiness with likeminded guys likeon here would be veryyyy welcome.
Look after yourself ok
Rich.

 

[AlanG]

I've got lockdown blues but for another reason. I'm working my backside off. We've up'd production on the farm so we have more to do. All my mates are sat at home on 80% wages, living life and doing stuff around their houses/gardens. They're treating it like one long lovely holiday..... and they haven't even taken their entitled holidays yet!

So yes i'm a little hacked off. I've a ton of stuff to do in the house/garden/model bench. But no time to do it

 

[Lee Drennen]

Well my wife and I are both essential workers I’m a truck driver and she’s a Respiratory Therapist at are local Hospital. Some of are friends and neighbors hasn’t worked since March and they to are enjoying there time at home collecting over half of there wages. But on the up side of this there is less traffic on the road to the big city where I work. I think by this fall we all will be back at stay at home orders due to all the protests and people not practicing social distancing I hate to say that. So find some good models to start I think it’s going to be a long winter

 

[Tim Marlow]

Hi Dave
I think you may need to speak to your GP. What you are describing sounds very like mild depression. It is probably being driven by boredom and an unvarying routine. Try to get out every day for fresh air and exercise, and regularly talk to others. Apart from that, hang on in there, it is gradually easing up. Stay strong!

 

[PaulTRose]

for me lockdown came at just the right time......the memshaib has been having chemotherapy and so its made it a lot easier for me to look after her.....i got sent home from work a week earlier than everyone else to shield her, and im not going back til start of next month...maybe

the downside is that its been just me looking after her, no help from anyone else and i will be honest, its been hard work!

but as normal modelling has been my escape to de-stress, sure theres been days at a time when ive felt down/tired and just cant be bothered to go and do anything at the bench, but at the minute i cant wait to get to it and crack on.

the other downside is work has been sending me stuff to do......really mundane paperwork that no one has done for 2 years but needs digitalizing....got enough to keep me going for a few weeks......but my word its boring!

ive also lost count of some great tv series that ive binge watched or caught up on

other guys at work (yay for skype meetings lol ) have said how glad they are to be back cos they hated being stuck at home (funny how its the ones with kids that said it).......me? if they keep paying me i could keep this up for another year lol

 

[Dave Ward]

Tim,
done that! - First time I've had a doctors consultation by phone! I've had clinical depression before, and this isn't taking the same path. Off next week to have some blood tests - another first, having to wear a facemask. The unvarying routine actually predates the lockdown by about 5 years - my diabetic regime pretty well dictates that
Dave

 

[Tim Marlow]

Good luck then Dave. Hope you get it sorted out. I go to the professional vampire fortnightly to check for methotrexate side effects and every time I go the regime varies slightly....at one point it was the highlight of my lockdown because I got to go somewhere different and talk to someone.........Face mask doesn’t phase me though, i wore various types of mask for thirty odd years at work :thumb2:

 

[Jason Crausby]

I think its affecting us all in different ways ... Im doing much more modelling due to being at home much more but apart from the fun I get from that I have to say Im getting a bit down at times myself...nothing serious just a bit fed up every now and again... Good to see that you are talking to people about it though Dave as I think sometimes we blokes can bottle things up and let things get on top of us... Hope you're feeling better soon and looking forward to seeing more builds from you in the near future!
Jason.

 

[boatman]

Well i'll be quite honest the days since lockdown started have flown by for me an the missus as I have had my tiger to build which to me is very intresting an if its intresting then no boredom to set in an the missus has been out doin something in her garden so we thankfully have not had the lockdown blues but dave we hope you feel better soon an try a simple build if you can
chris an jen

 

[Defiant911]

Dave, I think we all feel these blues a little at the moment, particularly during these strange lockdown times. Even though we can go out a little now you still don’t feel particularly comfortable doing so. I recently went to the garden centre, something that I usually enjoy, partly for a cup of coffee as much as a look around. Of course the cafe parts are closed and you walk around the store on tender hooks trying to avoid the super heroes that have invulnerability to COVID 19. It’s just not the same. I end up going home wondering why I ventured out. Weeks seems to blend into weekends and vice versa and these last few months have flown by, rather too quickly to be honest. i guess it’s easy to slip into a bit of a rut and as you say it’s hard to get motivated some times. All that said, life is slower and it makes you appreciate the simple home life and perhaps the hobbies one didn’t have time for before, like model making. It’s certainly rebooted my enthusiasm. Like most hobbies you do go through highs and lows. I Do a bit of photography as well and have had no interest in it for the last six months. the more I feel I should the less I feel motivated to do it. I guess when the mojo returns I’ll pick the camera up again but in the mean time like your modelling you can at least keep reading the forums, perhaps pick up a few more tips and sooner or later you’ll see one that ignites the passion again I’m sure. Sometimes I think we just need that break to be able to go back and give it our best again,
anyway, I’m blathering now but I reckon your be back on top before you know it.
carl

 

[wotan]

Dave

I commented on lack of enthusiasm a little while back. It has certainly hit me. Thankfully I am a regular golfer during the summer and my club is open., although a little limited in that our restaurant etc is closed. It will come back for sure but this site has lots of great support for everyone and I certainly like to keep up with your news updates on what is coming in the near future.

John

 

[rtfoe]

Hi Dave, in your present state, do you do any form of exercise? Any simple body movements that generate heat and perspiration keeps the blood flowing and freshes the knob on the shoulders. With the lockdown I have lack of exercise despite lots of things to do in the house. I tend to flop in the couch and watch the idiot box. Building comes in spurts the change to things that float seem to get the mojo going. Very scary to see myself loosing weight without exercising. So Dave if possible you can do some light exercises while sitting like leg lifts and lifting bottles of thinner in between yoir builds. A stroll in the garden will also do you good.

Cheers
Richard.

 

[Guest]

Dave sorry to read of your feelings being so low.
Think the mo jo up and downs are a normal thing what ever hobbies you have, but this lock down has certainly made huge changes to all our lives.
Being retired like you brings big changes anyway, but to find ourselves virtually prisoners in own homes with very little contact with friends is something that is abhorrent.
When I had to stop my gardening job the contact with others was the worst thing. I found it too easy to sit a watch the box after our own garden was in prime condition. No exercise, so went for a walk every morning at 0600, after a week I noticed how much fitter and interested in other things I'd become.
Do hope you start to feel better soon. At least you can come on here and chat.

 

[Dave Ward]

One of my problems is my lack of mobility - I walk, very slowly, with a stick, and I have to sit down after a couple of hundred yards. Poor circulation, and no feeling in my feet ( diabetic neuropathy ) make it extremely difficult to get any real exercise!
Once the pubs & cafes reopen properly - I'll have a target to go for, and lift a few pints for exercise as well!
Hopefully things will be back to normal soon - but I suspect that 'normal' will be different from the situation before March!
Dave

 

[colin m]

I've got lockdown blues but for another reason. I'm working my backside off. We've up'd production on the farm so we have more to do. All my mates are sat at home on 80% wages, living life and doing stuff around their houses/gardens. They're treating it like one long lovely holiday..... and they haven't even taken their entitled holidays yet!

So yes i'm a little hacked off. I've a ton of stuff to do in the house/garden/model bench. But no time to do it :sad:

Same here. All around me are people enjoying there 'holiday' but for me, life goes on. Am I jealous, probably. Then again, if the weather had been rubbish, probably not. Although I do have to say, quite roads have been bliss.

 

[boatman]

One of my problems is my lack of mobility - I walk, very slowly, with a stick, and I have to sit down after a couple of hundred yards. Poor circulation, and no feeling in my feet ( diabetic neuropathy ) make it extremely difficult to get any real exercise!
Once the pubs & cafes reopen properly - I'll have a target to go for, and lift a few pints for exercise as well!
Hopefully things will be back to normal soon - but I suspect that 'normal' will be different from the situation before March!
Dave

G/M Dave yes I think you are right things just wont be the same anymore as yesterday I popped my wife over to see her mum first time in six months an driven back it was such a lovely day an I thought oh it would be nice to head to the beach an just sit in the car or on beach an people watch then go in to café an have a meal for tea but an none are open its pointless to go so I just carried on to drive home an I have a bit of trouble walkin as back problems so I carry a small lighwheight fold up chair so I can sit an rest for a bit makes all the diference then I can walk a bit further till have to sit again but at least me an jen go for walks just to exscape the four walls maybe havin a small chair may help you
ATB chris jen

 

[stona]

I think it affects everyone differently. I've been trying to see this as a paid holiday, and the SEISS is fairly generous (at least to those of us who do our books properly!) I keep myself occupied, which is important, but I'm used to quite a hectic lifestyle, lots of travel, lots of people etc. and there is only so much to do in the house, garden and at the bench. I've built more models in the last three months than I usually build in a year! Thank heaven we have had nice weather for the most part!

The other issue for me is looking ahead. I'm in a business that depends entirely on large crowds and there is no sign that those will be possible in the foreseeable future. I have written this year off mentally, but I'm lucky in that I can afford to do that. This year, like many, I have only worked in the first three months of the year. One job got cancelled (Lana Del Rey, nothing to do with the pandemic, though we would probably not have been able to complete the tour) but I got paid a good chunk of my fee for the entire job, which was a lifesaver.
Some of my younger friends and colleagues, the ones who still have kids at home, mortgages, etc., are really struggling. My son in law is a DJ/producer. He is currently re-mixing a single release for a very well known band, and he did a studio mix for Craig Charles a couple of weeks ago, but that is all the work he's had in the last three months, obviously no live shows and that has a knock on effect for his studio work. It's not easy for a lot of people.

 

[Jim R]

Hi Dave
I reckon how you are feeling is common to many, many people. The lockdown has affected some more than others but those who live alone and are especially vulnerable probably find the strain the greatest. I am sure that as things ease and some sort of normality returns you will feel more like your normal self. I certainly wish you all the best.
My wife and I are doing ok. We are really very lucky. We have no health issues to speak of and being retired have no job to worry about. Financially we are the same as before although invested savings have taken rather a hammering but will hopefully recover. The only thing that has truly hurt us is not seeing our granddaughter. She's three and although we do 'video calls' it's not the same.

I'm working my backside off. We've up'd production on the farm so we have more to do.

You and all the farmers have my thanks Alan. I just hope that when all this is over people will continue to support you and not just revert to the cheap, high carbon footprint imported stuff in our supermarkets.
Stay safe.
Jim

 

[Komedy]

Hi Dave

My thoughts are with you and I hope you can pull through this down spell and you are able to find a way to work through whats ahead of us.

I say this, as unfortunately the last two weeks have only proven to reinforce that society in the UK is full of brainless morons, from mass protests of tens of thousands to raves in country parks and this mornings scenes of huge crowds pressing against doors of high street stores, as apparently they are in dire need of a new plain white tee shirt for £3.50 and a pair of trainers.

It is inevitable that serious times are ahead of us, probably around October going into the winter. This time however it will be much more severe as lock downs and social distancing will be a thing of the past. I can only recommend to all to prepare for the next phase, both physically and mentally.

Warren