Covid

[Lifestion]

Has COVID affected your mental health in any way? Were you less stressed or anxious beforehand?

 

[Peter Frary]

Life is a lot easier and more mellow now. I work remotely and don't have to worry about rush hour traffic, business trips or boring social events. Lots of time to practice, record and write! Life is good.

 

[Jan D]

I’m enjoying the slower pace of my covid life. A lot less stress, and a lot more time to do the things that bring me joy.

 

[Lifestion]

It is interesting because I have read that a huge percentage of Americans suffer more mental health issues than pre-pandemic.

 

[Down Up Dick]

I find it interesting that most of the Condo’s garages are neat and clean now. Lots of men walking the dog or pushin’ a baby carriage too. Maybe there’s a lesson there . . .

 

[clear]

I think it depends on your lifestyle. I'm about had it with COVID. I really miss the parties and meetups. Although restaurant scene is better; I never liked crowded restaurants; but I really miss going for dimsum. Just when I was about to go to my very first uke club meeting after COVID shut it down, COVID restrictions got placed back due to the delta variant... so in all my uke days, I've never even gone to a single jam.

 

[Another Ukulele]

My bank account is happier.
No jams, stay at home, MUST remember to drive the car once a week to keep the battery charged.
I do miss going out to breakfast. I do miss gathering with neighbors.
Everything is slower, more cautious, relaxed. Now that we are vaccinated and ready for the booster, anxiety has dimmed. Confidence that as long as we wear the mask, wash our hands, etc., we will be safe.
Overall, life is good, calm, slow, different.
Life changes — I’ve accepted it.

 

[Another Ukulele]

It hasn't negatively affected my mental health at all, but I do seem much happier these days.

Being able to avoid those who are, smelly body orifices, will have that result.

 

[Nickie]

We're doing shows again, we have to be vaxxed and/or pass the COVID test. Yesterday we all tested negative, did our show acoustic, only plugged in the bass, because the testing took so long.
We want to give a public show, and the only venue I can come up with is the local library, not sure they're ready for that.
We're turning down shows now, we don't want more than 4 a month.

 

[VegasGeorge]

I never have had many actual friends. After college, everyone split up and went their separate ways, and became too busy with family and career to hang out and be buddies like we used to. Since retirement, I've been looking for a situation where I could be a part of an old geezers group, but so far, no luck. So, before Coved hit, my main method of socialization was to go where lots of people congregate, and just hang out talking to strangers that happened by. Sidewalk bistros, park benches, etc. But Covid really put the kybosh on all that. People just don't hang around with others in close proximity anymore. So, it's been kind of lonely for me. I am married, and have a small family. All that is good. But I miss stepping out in the world to see who's there.

 

[Peter Frary]

Some medical researchers and physicians are saying COVID is here to stay for a long time so get used to the new lifestyle. It ain't going back to normal anytime soon. I know 'ukulele and guitar sales hit record numbers in the past 18 months so some people are finding more worthwhile things to do with their free time. It's been my most academically and musically productive 18 months in decades...

 

[necessaryrooster]

All my friends are vaccinated, so if I want to hang out with people I can, but I'm mostly a homebody. It's nice to have a built-in excuse to avoid crowds, however I'm a little sad I missed out on all the teleworking. I was deployed last year and therefore went to work every day regardless. Now that the vaccine is out, everyone is back to work as normal, except now when I need to stay home for a day (maintenance coming to the house, furniture/appliance delivery, etc) I'm expected to telework. So I've missed out on the best parts of COVID and been stuck with the worst.

 

[mjh42]

Absolutely more stress, I worked my behind off this past year. I work in a human petri dish. People-kids--vaccinated-unvaccinated. Compliance--noncompliance. Creating new work each day. Tedious repetition of moving files just to get set up to do something on line. It's nice to have a paycheck but if I didn't have a kid that needs to get through college without crushing debt I might have quit. Removed from family members, healthy ways to get out, the local music scene a shambles, These things have partially returned but looks like they might be more restrictive again.

Nobody said life was supposed to be easy, I'll get by....

 

[Rllink]

We got along pretty well through it all. No stress that I've noticed from it anyway. I went back to playing guitar after forty years. I took lessons on Skype this time around and it went well. I did a lot of writing, which is what I do, with fewer distractions. We got comfortable with Zoom. My daughter lost her job early on and my son-in-law worked from home. They were very careful not to expose themselves to the covid so we got to spend lots of time with the grand kids. We streamed a lot of movies and spent a lot of time mixing up weird and exotic drinks then consuming them out on the patio.

I missed busking and doing my little coffee shop gigs. Those are a big part of my social life. We also really missed road tripping. In late June we finally took off from Iowa to LA the long way to visit our son. We were gone three weeks and did 4500 miles. We still had to be prepared to wear masks in some places along the way. With the up tick in cases right now though we've cancelled a few trips to festivals that we had talked about, just because we want to avoid crowds. I'm not really worried about it, but I don't want to become a carrier. I have unvaccinated grand kids to worry about, and vaccinated but vulnerable parents. We are still planning some sight seeing trips in September and October. Crazy how this has changed everyone's lifestyle.

 

[Kaelrie]

Some medical researchers and physicians are saying COVID is here to stay for a long time so get used to the new lifestyle. It ain't going back to normal anytime soon.

We all better hope that's not the case, because things and people are breaking. Factories and farms all over the world are closing. Healthcare workers and teachers are burning out and quitting en masse. Shortages are becoming rampant because it's getting harder and harder to make things. People are dying from previously preventable conditions because there's no room in the hospitals.

 

[Peter Frary]

Guess Kaeirie you're the glass half empty type. Two things that humans are good at are adapting and surviving. Yesteryear will never return but we can work on making tomorrow better.

I decided to delay retirement as I've come to really like online teaching (music professor). Albeit I had an easier transition than my colleagues. I designed asynchronous distance ed courses in world music and music history years ago and thus didn't have to scramble to prepare online materials when covid hit. I was already teaching online. No teachers quitting en masse I know, and I know a lot of them. After a tough start 18 months ago, most of us are enjoying remote teaching. No traffic, no stress and no yelling at students to stop noodling during lectures. I think we'll eventually learn to live with out new reality and figure out how to make it better. Humans are resilient.

 

[Kaelrie]

No teachers quitting en masse I know, and I know a lot of them. After a tough start 18 months ago, most of us are enjoying remote teaching. No traffic, no stress and no yelling at students to stop noodling during lectures. I think we'll eventually learn to live with out new reality and figure out how to make it better. Humans are resilient.

‘Everybody loses’ Study finds nearly a third of teachers consider resigning, retiring early due to pandemic

A recent survey showed nearly one third of educators said the COVID-19 pandemic has made them more likely to retire early or leave the profession.

www.wistv.com

So Many Teachers Are Leaving Their Jobs

"Too much is expected of teachers without the pay or benefits to back [it] up.”

www.teenvogue.com

Teacher overburdened because colleagues are quitting - kappanonline.org

You can’t rescue anyone else if you’re drowning, so think about what supports you need, whether that’s clearer boundaries between work and home, a mental health therapist, or better personal protective equipment.

kappanonline.org

 

[Peter Frary]

So I should quit and be part of your mainland stats? Hawaii ain't Texas or Mississippi. Over 6000 students and hundreds of faculty at our school and no quitter faculty. We're all still there, happy to have a wonderful a job in a great campus setting. Some part-timers were laid off (lower enrollment due to the plague). In life, one can choose to whine and dwell in negativity or try to make things better. I choose to work towards improvement and change.

 

[Kaelrie]

So I should quit and be part of your mainland stats? Hawaii ain't Texas or Mississippi.

Crisis - Hawaii State Teachers Association

Here are the complexes and differential amounts that currently qualify: $3,000 Keaau Complex Pahoa Complex $5,000 Kealakehe

www.hsta.org

Hawaii teachers leave classrooms because of COVID-19

As the public school year gets ready to begin, there are concerns the COVID crisis will make Hawaii's teacher shortage even worse.

www.kitv.com

 

[actadh]

Absolutely more stress, I worked my behind off this past year. I work in a human petri dish. People-kids--vaccinated-unvaccinated. Compliance--noncompliance. Creating new work each day. Tedious repetition of moving files just to get set up to do something on line. It's nice to have a paycheck but if I didn't have a kid that needs to get through college without crushing debt I might have quit. Removed from family members, healthy ways to get out, the local music scene a shambles, These things have partially returned but looks like they might be more restrictive again.

Nobody said life was supposed to be easy, I'll get by....

I get the petri dish analogy. No mask mandates where I work, and no social distancing.