Lockdown 2 – Electric Boogaloo – The Climb #578

Tuesday 22^nd September 2020

Mentally, I’m preparing myself for another 6 months of lockdown.

Some might say we’re only in a partial lockdown, but given the number of covidiots we have even in my local shop, I’m fully expecting that things may have to be locked down further for a time.

I did a lot of reading at the time the pandemic started, and whilst the science has progressed and refined, all the models seemed to suggest a second bigger wave in the autumn. I’ve fully expected since March that things won’t get back to some form of normal before next summer.

Even so, I think the winter will be incredibly tough for some people. I have family that, due to risk, have been unable to leave their house since it all started.

My strategy of keeping myself busy has been a good one, and whilst I have moments where the purveying sense of stress overwhelms me, I’ve bumbled myself forward. I say bumbled, because I’m far from optimum in terms of productivity. However, despite often feeling that I’m flitting between one thing and another, stuff is getting done, and it’s getting done quickly. I need to be a little less hard on myself.

I also want to be positive. I need to be positive. For that reason, I’m looking at Lockdown 2 as an opportunity. I’m not sure that is exactly the right word. As you can see, I’m fully aware that this is going to be a struggle for some people, especially loved ones, but in order to look after them, I need to look after myself first. And for my own mental health, I need to selfishly focus on the ‘positives’.

If I look at HEMA which has been all but cancelled, a lot of people are like me: have been unable to train and have turned flabby and useless. Some will have broken the habit so bad, they quit. If I could put some focus into fitness in the next 6 months I could emerge from Lockdown not only feeling great about myself, but fit and ready for when HEMA tournaments start again.

In terms of writing, the lack of social functions and travel means I have more time to write. I’ve got a redraft to start as soon as I shift this cold (I swear this purveying sense of dread in the air has elongated it to the point where it – rather than the cold – is contributing to me feeling so run down this past week).

And then I’ve got a bunch of games to play. I’ve got gold farming to do in Warcraft as well as a new expansion launching next month. I have xbox and a load of games to play. And then there’s the Fortnite seasons. Heck, there’s even some play from home Pokemon Go.

This is the perfect time to look at new habits I want and start putting them in place.

The world is grim and I think everyone is suffering in one way or another. If I can focus on the positives and keep myself busy across a range of activities, maybe I can emerge from this prepared for whatever the new world may look like.