Like lots of people, I’ve hit a wall going into the fifth month of the pandemic. Turns out I”m not the only one. Many of our readers reported a similar feeling during this time. Their solutions and suggestions included creative efforts, keeping a gratitude journal, staying in touch with people and avoiding the news. Take a look at the suggestions in the comments and feel free to add what works for you!
Photo by Chris Barbalis on Unsplash
Virge Randall is Senior Planet’s Managing Editor. She is also a freelance culture reporter who seeks out hidden gems and unsung (or undersung) treasures for Straus Newspapers; her blog “Don’t Get Me Started” puts a quirky new spin on Old School New York City. Send your suggestions for Open Threads to her at editor@seniorplanet.org.
COMMENTS
30 responses to “Open Thread Follow Up: Uh Oh”
It’s a time like this when I think of my ancestors in Eastern Europe.
Every morning they woke up and said, “Praise G-d I lived to praise my creator another day. And there are no new taxes levied against the community. And no-one is kept hostage. And we are safe (to a degree). And the boards covering the mud on our lanes will survive until Sukot.
I’m responding from Jerusalem. Have been here since 2008.
The economy is at a low state with no tourists.
In Jerusalem every third stores is closed in the centre of town.The restaurant across from me however is thriving with Israelis. The boss cut hours and salary to keep the staff ON.
The regular seasonal travellers supported the restaurants and they are not here. In fact, restaurants have gone back to only Mid Eastern faire.
I enjoy Pilates and Yoga Class IN our National Council of Jewish Women centre in the Rehavia neighborhood. The classes are limited in size to 10 in the studio. Masks are required in the public spaces.
Buses are crowded. Everyone is wearing a mask. Many people limit activities for fear of the buses. That is the case with most friends over 70.
I visit my younger friends on Friday night and fortunately have a daughter in town with 5 grand children.
I get a call every 2 weeks from the Health Department to see how I am faring.
I am committed to a very vigorous jumping rope program with 4 lb weighted jump rope, which I do in the park every morning. Have taken painting classes with senior planet, Educational Alliance, NYC but means getting up at 1 AM.
Finally organized my CD collection.
Study Hebrew and Arabic on Zoom.
Went on a few dates at 76 as a recent widow.
Painting with new materials and using a “Brogan” a gas torch.
We have a restaurant in Independence Park and two nights a four piece band performs. And every Saturday Night the demonstrations take place a few blocks away. I understand the hotels are packed with Israeli tourists.
Zoom with David Benkoff , Jewish Culture, Sondheim, Mad Magazine.
Finally, write my blog savyatseventy. Check it out. Just posted my 608 post. Comments on life here, my interests, quantum mechanics, Israeli culture.
My next few blogs will describe movies on the Yarkon in Tel Aviv. People are viewing from small boats. We have a few outdoor concerts, and a drive-in in Tel Aviv. It’s vacation and the parks up north are open with huge crowds, so am staying away.
Looking forward to return of tourists.
Just miss visiting the states. Hope to travel in the Fall.
No complaints
Participating in my book clubs via Zoom has been a real saving grace for me in the forced isolation. I also belong to a conversation group helping young immigrant women become more fluent in English. It is not a class, but it is a group of women who come together for conversation and friendship. We met in person for three years; we continue to meet via Zoom. In person, we met once a week, but now we meet twice a week for 40 minutes on the free Zoom plan. The meetings are good for all of us. I also read a great deal and blog about my reading as the Book Whisperer, https://parkdalear.wordpress.com. Writing a review of the books I read keeps my writing skills sharp and allows me to express my feelings about the books.
COVID motivated me to dust off my kids Wii system. I get on my Wii Fit every morning & do yoga, play fun exercise & dance games. It’s really helped me with my arthritis, general stiffness & sore back. Also I love dancing with the Wii Just Dance games is fun & it makes me laugh. I watch TV shows & movies mainly on Prime & Cable. I order food online from Walmart & Amazon among other things. (wink)
Happy Color is a (free) color-by-number app with beautiful creative pictures that relaxes me. Kindle & Audible (listening to) books are another passion of mine.
I want to learn a foreign language too & do more sewing & other crafts. I thought it might be too hard. Thanks for those inspiration. 8-6-2020 1:02est
– I am entriguedjby the “Happy Color” app you mentioned. How can I locate it? Many thanks in advance
Hi.
I know that you can get them on your cell phone through their app (application’s) stores.
They are apps on either Apple or Android devices. I am not sure if you can get them on PC’s or on Kindle Fire devices.
Happy Color™ – Color by Number – Apps on Google Play
on Android phones and
Happy Color™ – Color by Number on the App Store on Apple phones
Mushrooms, I grow magic mushrooms. Take a bit above a micro dose and head into the woods for a hike.
Where can I get the seeds to grow these mushrooms. I live in NYC, can they grow in a pot (no pun intended).
I go to our cabin on a little farm 30 minutes from our house. The quiet, peacefulness of the place allows my soul to relax. We considered selling our farm so often as Heath issues don’t allow us to live there full time, but it is a blessing durning these trying times
Taking online art classes at a local community center and joining a zoom session with a local art museum helps me cope for a few days each week. My local digital library is a god send for free audio books and movies for my device. Posting of my results on Instagram has been a ball. I’ve also been using Microsoft Paint (old program) to make stationery for digital e-mail and have been playing around with gmail templates that I just learned about. Some day I hope to sort my gmail according to labels that I learned about on seniorplanet.org. And I’ve been exercising more than ever being led by online instruction.
Hello, I had the virus in early March. I am fine now , but there are times when I get anxious , I pray and read my bible, meditate.I feel so much then. I’m doing the stretch class . I do miss going out and doing trips. I’m grateful I’m alive . So try to thinking about you are here and so many are gone on. Blessings
Blessings to you Mary! So grateful to you that you’re here & your comment! It’s a great idea to count blessings. I try to write in my thankful & happy moments & things in my “Apple notes daily. I also do devotionals on YouVersion app.
Btw, my son was in hospital recently for a few days, so I was anxious as well. I’m very grateful for him being out & much better. (Diabetes related)
My battery would be unstoppable if the burning sensation in my foot from neuropathy would go away. I’ve probably harped on this before. Picture the car’s cigarette lighter (do they still make those) on the bottom of your foot and it gives a pretty close idea. Not even exaggerating. Spell that, Trump. Sorry, off the subject.
Enough whining.
Whining justified!!! Excrutiating pain is insufferable! I’m am on a new medication for my acute ulnar neuritis(nerve pain) – The name of it is “LYRICA”)I wonder if it might be helpful to you. I’ve suffered for 30 years before it was offered to me. Perhaps its worth a phong call to your physician.
I truly hope so and hold you in my prayers
My doctor said to try Voltaran cream. I use it twice a day on the bottom of my foot and left knee. Actually, releases
some of the pain so that I can walk around the block.
I also strongly recommend VOLTAREN. You can buy it over the counter and apply it as often as needed. I find that applying “gobs” rather than massaging, is more “cooling”. I eagerly look forward to your post regarding at least partial relief of your discomfort. Good luck!
I make sure that my daily routine includes studying, visiting with friends on facebook, streaming a movie I have forgotten about, reading for one of my 4 book groups, participating in group activities over zoom, attending religious services through zoom, keeping in t ouch with my kids and grandkids,. Taking rest breaks to recharge and managing the clutter that somehow mysteriously reappears every couple of days or so.
When the news gets me down I just turn it off and let it sit for later.
We have 4 grandchildren we have been raising for eight years. We are exhausted, depressed and anxious. We take drugs. Someday when we get rid of certain Kentucky Senators, we might have access to medical marijuana, and I can at least be silly while being exhausted,depressed, and anxious.
I read alot, I read while I am not sleeping. We have been here with four kids, who’s hobbies include sniping, arguing, and avoiding chores, in politically correct speak, chores are called family contributions.They are ambition impaired.
I got nothing, just wanted to complain.Thanks
Hey Linn, you know sometimes just voicing your frustrations helps you to feel lighter with your burdens. Your grandkids are fortunate to have you. They feel as frustrated as you but do not always know how to express themselves and we sometimes stifle their voices. You may want to try to set aside a designated 10 minute time in the day where they can yell, scream, stomp their feet, or whatever to get out their frustrations. Limit the time and “no judgement” from you–even if they use curse words. They just need to get out their negative feelings. After the allotted time of “getting it out” they need something good, like a “hug”, or a cookie.
I was hitting a depressed mood with the concern over the Virus so I decided to stop listing to the morning show over the Virus and that has made me focus better with my husband and my home. I started to sew for my church and play all the games AARP has for keeping my memory in tact. I feel better about myself and have been able to concentrate on more important things.
I’m fostering a black-and-white cat (who’s looking for a home, by the way)–a 2-year-old female, and she’s so much fun to play with and pet. She really teaches me how to stay in the moment and concentrate on the prize! Plus, she’s great fun to photograph-
Good for you on being a foster mom, Barbara! I have 3 cats myself, so can’t take another, but wish you well in finding her a good home.
We live in Newton New Jersey area. Miss Barbara. where do you live for consideration?
The Morning Stretch and Meditation with Cas and Fiona has helped me. In addition, the salt water pool in my senior apt. complex was finally allowed to be open so that helps although the number of people at one time in there is limited. Not really a problem because the pool is just for our apts. I do wish I could let all health related companies know how valuable a pool for seniors is because I suffer from severe arthritis in my knees and water walking is most recommended. I tried going to a regular gym pool and it was too intimidating. Lack of grab bars, a lift chair for getting in and out of the pool, and embarrassment to be seen in a bathing suit at my age and condition stumped me so having a senior pool is genius. I think I should try to learn a foreign language per advice above but I seem to have enough activities because even getting the coffeemaker ready takes three times as long to do so there’s that multiplied by every other chore that takes a long time. I reach out to other seniors via phone and moan about how some of them are so tied in knots with any tech and I’m no guru with it either but can order groceries, household items, etc. so that has helped.
I just started a Chakra Dance and Meditation class! It’s energizing, focused and enjoyable. The music, guided movement and meditation starts my day out wonderfully. Then throw in some journaling and I’m good to go!
Is your class on line? If so, what is the site?
HI MARIAN,
I DID A SEARCH FOR A CHAKRA DANCE CLASS AND FOUND YOU TUBE VIDEO ON IT —- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqtfjvFK5WI
I ALSO WENT TO THEIR WEBSITE — http://www.chakradance.com — AND DOWNLOADED THE 15 MINUTE MP3, WHICH HAS THE SAME AUDIO AS THE YOUTUBE VIDEO… THIS IS VERY NICE AND I LIKE IT & WILL BE DOING IT MYSELF.. I AM GLAD I READ THESE POSTS AND SAW SANDY TERRYS’ COMMENT ON CHAKRA DANCING. THIS IS “GREAT”
HOPE THIS HELPS YOU AND THAT YOU ALSO ENJOY IT.
MURIEL
Again I would ask the membership secretary to include a small check box at the end of any replies to be notified by email. Just helps us all keep in touch.
Thank you
I also hit a wall a couple of weeks ago. The heat and humidity kept me from seeing friends…always outside and 6 to 10 feet apart. I decided seeing them was more important than suffering in the heat. The promise of getting together for coffee, or whatever, a couple of times a week definitely lifted my spirits.
For me, like Suma Glassman mentioned, creative outlets have keep me going: knitting, sewing, even experimenting with new dished to prepare (beware of the extra calories) But in addition, learning something new has been very important: I am taking guitar lessons again just for fun, I have been able to continue my Italian conversation class via zoom, there are so many options in the internet, I am taking a candle making class from the NYBG this Saturday.
I find I always feel a bit better if I am doing something creative. I am a quilter so doing some designing and sewing helps me.
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