where did all the fun go?

[howsmyenglish]

I've realized what's wrong with my husband. And partly with one of his best friends. They both of them used to be so much fun. They used to talk nonsense, laugh like crazy, dance around and behave age-inappropriately all the time. This is what I loved about them. They're intelligent, interesting, well-read and all that, but many people are that. These two used to be fun! They're not fun anymore. I just realized it today. I think, it's the corona crisis and the fact that they're not social media kind of people. They used to meet people, talk, make jokes, share them with us. Now they don't meet people. They work online And all the interactions they have are basically with their small family circles and the news. That's it. There's no inflow of positive emotions. Covid here, Covid there, TrumpTrumpTrump, BidenBiden, aren't people stupid, I hate our government and Omg we're all going to die. This is basically all they're surrounded by.
I don't know about our friend, but my husband also stopped reading. I don't know why. I think the reason that I read sooo much during this time is exactly this feeling that I need a variety of in-flowing emotions and experiences. I'm too empty without them. Still, when I sit working at my computer and I need a tiny break the place I go to is a news page. I also visit DW, but, dear friends, you don't produce enough posts for me to consume* and I feel forced to go and look at the news. I hate the news. I wish I'd never have to read them...
Anyhow, why am I writing this? I'm worried and I'd like to hear about your experiences. And also: got any recs for websites for a short visit when I need a 2 minute break?


*oh, but let me thank all of you for posting! you do keep me sane, if not as sane as I'd like to be :D

Comments

[thewayne]

I completely understand, this plague has certainly taken a toll on people and it's taking a mental and emotional toll on me. I've been house-bound for two months and just this week back in the library and boy, am I glad for it! Getting to see more than two other faces and three dogs: heaven!

Anyway, I'd recommend boredpanda.com, it's what we used to yell at my wife when she did too much doomsurfing. And if you can get AppleTV+, there's a new TV series called Ted Lasso, though there's only ten episodes at 30 minutes, they're quite good and very much feel-good entertainment. Definitely a good pick-me-up for the times.

[loganberrybunny]

I do have a website to recommend, actually! The (UK) Science Museum's Never Been Seen page. When you go there, it will show you a pixellated picture of an item in the museum's collection that has never been viewed online before. Click on the picture and you'll be taken to the item's description page (with a non-pixellated photo). It's good fun: I tried it just now and was shown an 18th-century pistol.

I hate the news. I wish I'd never have to read them...

I'm sure you already know this, but just in case: "news" is singular. :)

[howsmyenglish]

I do have a website to recommend, actually!
Thanks! That's exactly what I need: short and interesting enough to completely take my mind off work!

"news" is singular.
It's hard for me to accept this. Literally every other language I know (there's a list) uses "news" as a plural. Granted, they most of them also have a singular form for "a piece of news" (apart from Hebrew somehow, I'll need to think about that...), but, I mean... I'm talking about many different kinds of news! I wish I didn't need to read any of them! I know it's childish, but for now I think, I'm going to disagree with English.
(thanks for pointing that out, though, my username is not just there for decoration :D)

[loganberrybunny]

Hey, nobody ever said English was always sensible! :D

[swordznsorcery]

He may have low level depression. It's quite common at the moment! No longer reading is often a symptom, because concentration often goes when you're feeling really down. I don't want to worry you, and chances are it's nothing to worry about yet, but keep it in mind, and see if you can talk to him about it. Get him out into the open air if possible. Long (careful!) walks are great for sorting out troubled heads. Just talking it through with you might also help.

[howsmyenglish]

Thank you! He's been working nonstop for the last few months, so he also had no time for reading at all. But he stopped reading way before that... Anyhow, the semester is almost over (we're a teaching family) and we've agreed to start worrying if he doesn't start reading again after he's slept for a week after that.

[draculard]

I like the digital collections of historical archives. It has collections of 10th-16th century liturgical chants, documents exploring Japanese exploration, historical maps, manuscripts, personal documents of historical figures, etc. The only thing is it's a very American-centric website, and it's also a government website, so I'm not even sure if it can be accessed by people outside the U.S. XD It does have divisions for Asian and African documents, probably more, but they're not as extensive.

[thanatos_kalos]

I watch livestreams in-between whatever work I'm doing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DY5RYp4sxYc is a nice one in Hawai'i. :)

[heartonsnow]

I do feel that the management of the covid pandemic ia destroying lives and society.

I enjoy sharing photos on Instagram a lot.

[moth2fic]

I am also having a love/hate relationship with the news. Husband is a newsoholic and our wifi only works in the lounge so I get it by default unless I retreat to the kitchen to cook. And, like you, if I have five minutes to spare I tend to use it to check newspapers, articles, etc.

Husband is still fun. He is legally allowed out to help at the local hydro station on our river - shifting flood debris, etc. - and they have to work in pairs so he gets that input. He also emails and texts friends galore. So we share jokes etc.

But I'm housebound - not good enough at walking or standing to take advantage of permission to exercise or shop. And I'm not lonely - I have a lot of online friends, friends on the other end of the phone, etc. and a live-in husband - but I'm going stir crazy and am sick of the sight of our four walls. It was better in the summer when at least I had the garden.

I've been posting every other day in January - follow my links for longer rambles and comment there or here to have conversations. I'm getting a bit overwhelmed and I think February might see posts every third day. But the old posts are all still available for perusal or comment on my Wordpress blog and you don't need a Wordpress account. Just identify yourself so that I'm not talking to #anonymous*.

[flikkeren]

What you're describing has been happening with my clients too. I think for me, the two minute breaks (that turn into longer ones) are usually email newsletters I get, like Today in Tabs; it's news-adjacent but not completely just news. Also, Pocket's recommendations usually have something good.