# What are you doing to stay sane during this epidemic?



## millionrainbows (Jun 23, 2012)

I'm still cooking every day (I always did), listening to a lot more music, doing yard work. 

Also, I'm 'building' electric guitars from bodies, necks, and parts ordered on-line. 

So far, I put a new rosewood/maple neck (12" radius), tuners, bridge, and pickups on an old white Squire Strat I got for $80. It plays fantastic now. The neck came from Canada.

Also, a black Telecaster, with binding on the body, gold hardware, and Seymour Duncan humbuckers. The neck is rosewood, with black finish. This one is going to be a knockout.

Lastly, a gold Stratocaster with leopard-print pick guard, gold hardware, a Seymour Duncan "Pearly Gates" humbucker in the bridge position, and two single-coils in the mid & neck positions.


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## jegreenwood (Dec 25, 2015)

The one productive thing I'm doing is writing. Working on a stage play and a screenplay. And no, I'm not a professional, and there is a very slim chance the play will be produced and a far slimmer chance that the film (actually a mini-series) will be made.


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## Kjetil Heggelund (Jan 4, 2016)

I actually did something that made me go mental...I will not say anything more. Moral is, don't do anything that puts your nerves in high gear. Take it from a sucker...(me) Staying sane is easy: Work in the garden, listen to nice music and have your ordinary routine with meals and sleep. I forgot about all that for a week...oops, too much info


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## Judith (Nov 11, 2015)

Before it started, embarked on a project of my home city of Leeds. I am passionate about Leeds and am researching the history from as far back as Roman. Well "project Leeds" has kept me busy but frustrating that the library and archives are closed so can't obtain "primary sources" at moment but do have books and internet.


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## En Passant (Aug 1, 2020)

Judith said:


> Before it started, embarked on a project of my home city of Leeds. I am passionate about Leeds and am researching the history from as far back as Roman. Well "project Leeds" has kept me busy but frustrating that the library and archives are closed so can't obtain "primary sources" at moment but do have books and internet.


That's great I've always likes the history of that part of England a lot of Roman and Norse history up there as well as English obviously.


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## philoctetes (Jun 15, 2017)

I developed a bulge in my left lower abdomen over the spring that just snuck up on me, and had hernia surgery last week. The surgeon patched not one but two hernias on the left side, adding to the one I had patched on the right side 25 years ago. I'm held together by a bundle of mesh now.

To gain admission to surgery I had blood and COVID tests with all good results, so that's something.


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## Dorsetmike (Sep 26, 2018)

Doing a lot of jigsaw puzles on screen, I downloaded some software that allows me to make a puzzle from any image on my computer, be it my own photos or downloads from Google. Being in what many term "Second childhood" I also "play trains" but I prefer to call it railway modelling.


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

Who says I’m sane?


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## millionrainbows (Jun 23, 2012)

jegreenwood said:


> The one productive thing I'm doing is writing. Working on a stage play and a screenplay. And no, I'm not a professional, and there is a very slim chance the play will be produced ad a far slimmer chance that the film (actually a mini-series) will be made.


I like the way you think, though! Think big!


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## millionrainbows (Jun 23, 2012)

philoctetes said:


> I developed a bulge in my left lower abdomen over the spring that just snuck up on me, and had hernia surgery last week. The surgeon patched not one but two hernias on the left side, adding to the one I had patched on the right side 25 years ago. I'm held together by a bundle of mesh now.
> 
> To gain admission to surgery I had blood and COVID tests with all good results, so that's something.


Let me guess, philocetes: this is from carrying around large speaker cabinets!


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## EdwardBast (Nov 25, 2013)

Getting out in the forests of the Adirondacks for at least an hour or two most days. Practicing piano and guitar. Finishing a coming of age novel about a teenager's conversion from Catholicism to LSD abuse. Composing music. Hanging out with my "pandemic family," a small group of similarly isolated mountain folk. Strangely, having a healthier diet since I've been avoiding restaurants and picking more wild berries.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

I teach the weekly Bible studies for my church, which means extensive study and a lot of writing. So with all this free time lately, I'm able to spend most of the day doing that and at the same time discovering what the New Testament actually says apart from what I used to think it said.


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

Manxfeeder said:


> I teach the weekly Bible studies for my church, which means extensive study and a lot of writing. So with all this free time lately, I'm able to spend most of the day doing that and at the same time discovering what the New Testament actually says apart from what I used to think it said.


Need any help? Haha. You've probably read some of my negative views.

I'm wasting time playing a lot of video games, more than I've ever did.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Eating too much ice cream, lifting weights, walking, and unlike most years listening to Bach, and 19th century music. Trying to get my wife to turn off the TV and stop listening to the bad news. Good luck with the guitars, MR, and the hernia, Philo. Summer is nice but I'm really looking forward to fall. Walking in cooler weather is what I enjoy most.


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## En Passant (Aug 1, 2020)

starthrower said:


> Eating too much ice cream, lifting weights, walking, and unlike most years listening to Bach, and 19th century music. Trying to get my wife to turn off the TV and stop listening to the bad news. Good luck with the guitars, MR, and the hernia, Philo. Summer is nice but I'm really looking forward to fall. Walking in cooler weather is what I enjoy most.


The keep the "News" negative on purpose (good news doesn't sell). My partner is the same so we limit how much we read/watch it She tells me she feels much better physically and mentally now.


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## Oldhoosierdude (May 29, 2016)

Working, writing, reading.


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## TxllxT (Mar 2, 2011)

*Franz Rosenzweig*

From 2018 onward I'm writing a dissertation on the Jewish philosopher Franz Rosenzweig (1886-1929), that focuses on the very last years of his life (1924-1929), when he was dealing with ALS, the same disease that struck Stephen Hawking. Now I'm busy assessing the secondary literature and discovering that no American/Jewish Rosenzweig scholar seems to have detailed knowledge about the translation work of the Torah, in which both Martin Buber and Franz Rosenzweig were deeply engaged from 1924-1929. The reality is that Buber and Rosenzweig did not translate the Hebrew Torah into German once but twice, which is in itself a mind-boggling matter for meditation: why to do such a heck of a translation job *twice*?. But now on top of this I have to deal with lots of scholarly literature that pretends to thematize the 'Buber-Rosenzweig translation', however without showing factual knowledge of the truly existing plurality of Torah translations. I've written many emails to professors in America and Canada who have written these books, but they all (except one: Ernest Rubinstein in New York) curiously keep their silence...


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## senza sordino (Oct 20, 2013)

Starting today, I am replacing the grout and caulking in the main bathroom. The existing caulking is falling apart and covered in mould and mildew. I pulled away the old caulk and quickly found out I will have to replace the grout too. It is cracked and a bit mouldy. I am not much of a handy man, but I think I can manage this. 

I try to do something around the apartment everyday, no matter how small or large.

I have been doing a bit of gardening. 

I am reading more during the pandemic. My music listening is about the same as pre pandemic life. I don't turn on the television before 4pm to 5 pm. 

And I have joined Ancestry. I've been finding out about my father's family. A few years ago, my cousin found out a lot about my mother's side of the family.


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## philoctetes (Jun 15, 2017)

millionrainbows said:


> Let me guess, philocetes: this is from carrying around large speaker cabinets!


Crates full of CDs is more like it


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## adriesba (Dec 30, 2019)

I think I've already gone insane. 

I was doing my garden, but between squirrels, insects, about two weeks with temperatures at or above 90°F, and probably the abnormally warm winter, it turned out the worst it ever has. Barely anything has made it without some damage, and some of my perennials might not grow back.

Discovered _Le Sacre du Printemps _back in March and have listened to a bunch of recordings of it.

Went camping a couple weeks ago, the highlight of my summer pretty much.

Been listening to operas recently. I decided to go through all thirteen of Wagner's operas one after another. I'm at _Tannhäuser _now. I was going through a period of musical fatigue, but I think my enjoyment of music is coming back. Might listen to Puccini operas after that.

I'm glad I splurged on all those opera CDs before this started. :lol: 
So yeah... listening to opera CDs until I go back to college. That's about it for now.


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## Guest (Aug 8, 2020)

It's important for maintaining mental health to be physically active (which I'm not!!). I've been receiving emails from friends who are desperate to travel interstate (as are we) to visit family, but we cannot do so. They are telling me what they're doing (they're baby boomers and older) to keep engaged; one is doing an elaborate family history, some are bush-walking, others are baby-sitting (pass!!), others are reading, watching films and listening to music. One friend wrote yesterday, "it's the Beethoven anniversary years and I'm working my way through all the symphonies, piano sonatas and string quartets". 

We have 1 acre of landscaped property and the spouse is active outside; thank heavens for the computer, books, music and friends to phone. We are visiting friends for lunch on Thursday as well. It's the economy I'm hugely concerned about; that's sick and isn't going to be made well for generations.


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## En Passant (Aug 1, 2020)

I’ve been reading a lot (even more so than normal) which has forced me into making some makeshift bookshelves. Same goes for CDs, I might just have to bite the bullet and buy fitted storage but my goodness it’s expensive. Joining Talk Classical has only exacerbated the problem.  

As I homeschool the kids nothing has changed in regards to their education. I’ve always enjoyed it but it’s been a godsend during the lockdown. Britain has some of the best universities in the world but it’s primary/elementary schools leave much to be desired. I hope schools allow kids to repeat a year of their education rather than miss out. I’m friends with many teachers (I know how unruly some children can be) but I’ve been disappointed in the reaction of teachers/teaching unions.


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## Pat Fairlea (Dec 9, 2015)

Wrote and published a book, read too many junk novels, resumed jogging, lost my presence of mind. 
What have I done to stay sane? **Laughs madly**


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## Festus (Aug 11, 2020)

Working - I have not missed a day of work since the chinese let the virus loose.


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## Varick (Apr 30, 2014)

Since my company services hospitals, we have been working non stop. I have been very fortunate that I have not missed a paycheck since the outbreak. The sanity issue is a challenging one. I am trying to stay sane when I see nothing but insanity surrounding me. The lockdown has gone from one of the greatest mistakes we as humans have ever done to something that is outright immoral in most places. I can't even imagine the pain and suffering those who have lost their businesses, livelihoods, dignity, ability to provide for their families, and homes due to this lockdown. My good fortune has kept my sanity, but I greatly fear for those who have lost so much, and those who will be losing very soon.

V


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## DaveM (Jun 29, 2015)

I’m always happy to hear about people who have been able to continue to make a living through this. Lucky for me, I worked very hard starting at a very young age; one of the very youngest to get an advanced post graduate degree while my peers were partying or taking a year or two off so I am weathering the pandemic relatively well with a myriad of hobbies (reading historic non-fiction, chess, puzzles, fantasy football etc.) but missing the closeness of loved ones.

The failure of some states to have locked down when they had the chance and are now suffering the consequences is downright immoral. I can’t imagine the pain and suffering of those who have lost loved ones as a result.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

We're opening the gallery more than usual (normally we'd be open two afternoons per week, and we'd take a daytrip to another town or Germany once or twice per week). I've also been revamping and updating my site with an overview of my favourite pop/rock songs for the first time in ten years or so, and made a similar site for an overview of my favourite classical music for the first time (for those familiar with the Artrockometer, these are the 6/6 works). It's not important, but it pleased me to do it.


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