Someone sent me a joke the other day. It goes like this :-

Ten years from now, you’ll put on a jacket and find a mask in the pocket.
“Oh man, what a weird year that was”, you’ll chuckle to yourself.

It’s just a joke, but true nonetheless. COVID will pass (more or less) and life will go on. Woody Allen said,
“Comedy is tragedy plus time”. He must have had type-two fun in mind. Look back and that horrible mud/bog fest a couple of years ago doesn’t seem half as bad. You can laugh about it, anyway.

As I say, it will pass.

The joke goes on:-
Then you’ll pick up your machete and continue across the wasteland, keeping to the shadows to avoid the roving bands of cannibal raiders.

Sorry for the random, off-topic ramble.

You're right Lu. It's easy to think that 'that's it, things will never be the same again' but they will. 'Tis nowt but a blip.

These came up on another cycling forum (no, not that one)

Some things will never be the same again, we won't be taught mouth to mouth resuscitation for instance.

But it's true that all through time things have changed, become very different, then developed into a new normal and we forget about the old normal. Like downtube shifters and cotton saddlebags

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Wed Jan 06, 2021 10:13 pmIt's easy to think that 'that's it, things will never be the same again' but they will. 'Tis nowt but a blip.

It is a big blip though and for sure we’d all be happier if it wasn’t happening, but I do get a bit annoyed with all the doom-mongering going on. Compared to the hardship my parents and grandparents went through before and during WW2, this is peanuts.

Perhaps we should be thinking “What doesn’t kill me, makes me stronger”. Or, to quote Granny Weatherwax,
“I Aten’t dead”. (Well, not yet, anyway)

whitestone wrote: ↑Wed Jan 06, 2021 10:25 pm These came up on another cycling forum (no, not that one)

Little things like the starting post gives me a little hope.

I found a new pair of glasses in a waterproof jacket I forgot I had the other day and remembered when I wore them last. 2018. It feels like yesterday I wore them.

Thankful for all the folk on here, YouTube, now books (never thought I'd become a reader), my guitars and other stuff.

This blip can do one now. I'm ready.

[/quote]

It is a big blip though and for sure we’d all be happier if it wasn’t happening, but I do get a bit annoyed with all the doom-mongering going on. Compared to the hardship my parents and grandparents went through before and during WW2, this is peanuts.

Perhaps we should be thinking “What doesn’t kill me, makes me stronger”. Or, to quote Granny Weatherwax,
“I Aten’t dead”. (Well, not yet, anyway)
[/quote]

In WW2 the National Government controlled almost every facet of the public's life from the compossition of their daily bread to where and when they could travel, for a death toll of 60-70,000 civilian deaths in 6 years, a total we've far exceeded in 10 months. Yet the only restriction we're be asked to conform to is to stay at home beyond essential travel, and still this too much to ask for some.

Some things will return to normal but I think some things have changed forever.

woodsmith wrote: ↑Wed Jan 06, 2021 11:54 pm In WW2 the National Government controlled almost every facet of the public's life from the compossition of their daily bread to where and when they could travel, for a death toll of 60-70,000 civilian deaths in 6 years, a total we've far exceeded in 10 months. Yet the only restriction we're be asked to conform to is to stay at home beyond essential travel, and still this too much to ask for some.

Some things will return to normal but I think some things have changed forever.

This sure puts things into context, doesn’t it?

With regard to whether things have or haven't changed forever, I believe we as individuals have the capacity to decide how 'this' will effect us in the longterm. I'm sure some will fall straight back into their previous life, while for others, it'll leave some scar and their behaviour will alter to compensate. Obviously, that doesn't take into account what restrictions may be imposed by 'higher powers' but by and large, how we recover will still be largely dictated by us as individuals.

frogatthefarriers wrote: ↑Thu Jan 07, 2021 11:22 am

woodsmith wrote: ↑Wed Jan 06, 2021 11:54 pm In WW2 the National Government controlled almost every facet of the public's life from the compossition of their daily bread to where and when they could travel, for a death toll of 60-70,000 civilian deaths in 6 years, a total we've far exceeded in 10 months. Yet the only restriction we're be asked to conform to is to stay at home beyond essential travel, and still this too much to ask for some.

Some things will return to normal but I think some things have changed forever.

This sure puts things into context, doesn’t it?

Yep

I'm thinking that if nothing else it will make us appreciate the little things more and our own locality..

I was looking forward to a bikepacking trip to Slovenia and to go to New York that we had saved up for, for my wife's 40th.

Now, i would be happy to go for a bivvy trip to the coast 10 miles away with friends and just sit in a pub beer garden with friends on the way there and maybe get away to somewhere with hills as much as a i love my adopted home of Norfolk.. i miss elevation!!