2020 Has been one of the more depressing years of my almost 60 years on this Earth. World-Wide Plague. Military saber rattling from Communist China. Huge world-wide economic downturn due to the plague and idiotic political responses. Rioting in the West. No college sports!
How are you coping with this storm of horrible news?
What I'm doing is:
1] Dropped all TV news - even when cooking or doing dishes.
2] Reading happy escapist stuff.
3] Stopped watching depressing TV or movies. We got Britbox and I'm watching Hercule Poirot mysteries and All Creatures Great and Small (think Mayberry except by vets in 1930s rural England).
4] Other than reading the newspapers, I'm trying to avoid all news topics. Just too depressing.
5] Going to the gym every day I'm in town (unavailable to people in some US States and some countries).
I'm trying to (in priority order):
-read the Bible more
-Pray/talk to God frequently. Remind myself that He is in control
-Be uplifting to others, even when I don't feel it.
-Volunteer to help out in a variety of charities
-Minimize the amount of time on the news (I'm striving for no more than 1 hour/day).
-Listen to uplifting music and watch uplifting movies. Mozart is good, the Rolling Stones notsomuch.... :)
-Exercise
It is easier to talk about not giving into despair than it is to actually do it. I'm fortunate in that I'm retired/semi-retired so I have the time to concentrate on mellowing myself out. If I still had kids in the home or work responsibilities, it would be much harder to avoid worry and become anxious over what is happening, as the world appears to be coming apart at the seams. Knowing that God is in control helps keep me from heeling over too much.
I'm taking it all out on my Groghead buddies right here. Best therapy I've ever had. :idiot2:
Ive reached the end of pornhub.
Stockpiling more guns and ammo.
Malt liquor. Lots of it.
Making sure the work out every day, making sure to cut down my intake of news from any outlet, attempting to be with my family more and take work less seriously.
Oh and games and books as well.
I find it all pretty fascinating.
Parts of it remind me of the reformation in Europe in the 16th century.
...oh, and body armor. Just got rid of my old AR500 steel plates and replaced them with polyethylene Level III+ multi-curved plates. Much lighter and more comfortable to wear.
^For lounging on the backyard deck while still remaining vigilant?
Quote from: Gusington on July 27, 2020, 08:40:06 AM
^For lounging on the backyard deck while still remaining vigilant?
Yes. They are very fashionable.
I'm not going to lie and say my alcohol intake hasn't increased but I'm also trying to be more productive.
Finally getting some neglected home projects completed.
Spending more time with my kids.
Trying to improve myself
Trying not to overly worry about the world going to hell in a hand basket
Watching some older shows I never caught or were not interested in when they initially aired.
Quote from: Lotti Fuehrscheim on July 27, 2020, 08:30:43 AM
I find it all pretty fascinating.
Parts of it remind me of the reformation in Europe in the 16th century.
It reminds me of 1968. Which having lived through it seemed more chaotic. I will agree that is an arguable point.
I have limited my TV news intake for years. TV is good for updates on immediate emergencies but not so much for the type of long form analysis that you really need to understand complicated situations. I love my local newspaper.
Staying busy at work. Not an issue since I can work from home. The problem is learning to disengage to get some downtime.
Home projects. A common theme.
Trying to get back to studying for my FAA written test.
Life goes on. My daughter left this week for a new job in Boston. She is smart and tough and she will do fine but that's still 1500 miles away from home. :'(
^I think about my daughters leaving when they are older. Right now they are 12 and 14 but it seems like just yesterday that they were 2 and 4. I don't know how I will stop crying when they go.
^We have had some practice... She went to school at Kansas State which is about three hours from here. She also did an internship in Orlando, FL.
Since I don't have any actual friends, I have 3 Emotional Support Drinking Dummies I set-up around the table at pool-side and we discuss non-stressful topics while we get plastered. I try not to argue with them because it upsets me, and because they usually win. The bastards never buy either. Oh, I also drink a lot. Did I already mention that?
^My daughters have done some sleep away camp and long trips with other families for about a week. When they're here, which is all the time for the last four months, they usually drive me nuts 4-5 times a day. When they're gone, the house is lonely. Same for all parents and families, I would hope.
It's called fatherhood. O0
I am having a good time. Nothing really changed for us as we are retired. We do not eat out as much. The news is not really any more depressing than it has been for years. It's just that now people are trapped at home and are being subjected to a constant bombardment of newsworthy (alarming, depressing) stories...same stuff my retired b-tt has been hearing for years. Nothing new, the threatening clouds just wear different skins. Remember, it is rarely as bad as the hysterical talking heads make it out to be and things take longer to fall apart than they theorize. I have been watching the country fall apart in slow motion since the Johnson Administration. For a long time our spirits have been lifted by doing as others have mentioned - limit news intake, read the news rather than listen to it, stockpile some food and other supplies and be helpful and cheerful. It's just as easy to be happy as it is to be fearful. And I am cheerfully looking into body armor. Odd that JH would mention that. Shopping is Fun!
^Wow two great sig-worthy quotes in just one post:
'I have been watching the country fall apart in slow motion since the Johnson Administration.'
I am cheerfully looking into body armor.
:notworthy:
My wife tells me my body doesn't need armor, more like fortifying she says. Not really sure what she means by this. ??? Must be something good though because she laughs when she says it.
Quote from: solops on July 27, 2020, 02:14:37 PM
And I am cheerfully looking into body armor. Odd that JH would mention that. Shopping is Fun!
Let me know if you want any feedback or advice. I researched the $hit out of the various plates available on the market before I committed to mine. I am happy to report that I'm thrilled with the set I settled on, although admittedly, I have not been shot while wearing them.
yet
Quote from: Sir Slash on July 27, 2020, 11:53:35 AM
Since I don't have any actual friends, I have 3 Emotional Support Drinking Dummies I set-up around the table at pool-side and we discuss non-stressful topics while we get plastered. I try not to argue with them because it upsets me, and because they usually win. The bastards never buy either. Oh, I also drink a lot. Did I already mention that?
I have dogs at home. I never drink alone - even when the wife is out of town.
Quote from: DoctorQuest on July 27, 2020, 10:08:42 AM
Quote from: Lotti Fuehrscheim on July 27, 2020, 08:30:43 AM
I find it all pretty fascinating.
Parts of it remind me of the reformation in Europe in the 16th century.
It reminds me of 1968. Which having lived through it seemed more chaotic. I will agree that is an arguable point.
I have limited my TV news intake for years. TV is good for updates on immediate emergencies but not so much for the type of long form analysis that you really need to understand complicated situations. I love my local newspaper.
Staying busy at work. Not an issue since I can work from home. The problem is learning to disengage to get some downtime.
Home projects. A common theme.
Trying to get back to studying for my FAA written test.
Life goes on. My daughter left this week for a new job in Boston. She is smart and tough and she will do fine but that's still 1500 miles away from home. :'(
Dr. Quest:
Congratulations on you and Ms. Quest on successfully raising a productive daughter who moved out of the house!
Although perhaps a little sad at this moment, the alternative is far, far worse.
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on July 27, 2020, 03:52:39 PM
Quote from: solops on July 27, 2020, 02:14:37 PM
And I am cheerfully looking into body armor. Odd that JH would mention that. Shopping is Fun!
Let me know if you want any feedback or advice. I researched the $hit out of the various plates available on the market before I committed to mine. I am happy to report that I'm thrilled with the set I settled on, although admittedly, I have not been shot while wearing them.
Just out of curiosity, what model/brand of body armor did you get?
Quote from: airboy on July 27, 2020, 06:09:44 PM
Quote from: DoctorQuest on July 27, 2020, 10:08:42 AM
Quote from: Lotti Fuehrscheim on July 27, 2020, 08:30:43 AM
I find it all pretty fascinating.
Parts of it remind me of the reformation in Europe in the 16th century.
It reminds me of 1968. Which having lived through it seemed more chaotic. I will agree that is an arguable point.
I have limited my TV news intake for years. TV is good for updates on immediate emergencies but not so much for the type of long form analysis that you really need to understand complicated situations. I love my local newspaper.
Staying busy at work. Not an issue since I can work from home. The problem is learning to disengage to get some downtime.
Home projects. A common theme.
Trying to get back to studying for my FAA written test.
Life goes on. My daughter left this week for a new job in Boston. She is smart and tough and she will do fine but that's still 1500 miles away from home. :'(
Dr. Quest:
Congratulations on you and Ms. Quest on successfully raising a productive daughter who moved out of the house!
Although perhaps a little sad at this moment, the alternative is far, far worse.
O0
I have neuropathy caused by my lifelong battle with TMJD, and have finally been ordered by my doctor not to drink for.....a long while.
So....lots of more game whoring and getting into restoring my Kenner Star Wars collection with original parts. Not collecting new carded or loose, but taking what I had from the 70's on and trying to find original accessories ect.
It's going to be a fun but expensive side hobby. Might get me into collecting missing pieces.
Damn that's tough Sir Andrew but your health is priceless and so has to be priority one.
Yeah, not happy about it but it is what it is.
It's hopefully not permanent. The pain's pretty sucky, numbness in the extremities and pins and needles everywhere else.
If we can get it under control I can drink occasionally again. I told my Doc I'm having Scotch on the holidays and he said, on our remote call, that's fine but be careful.
I'll fill it with other game/hobby related vices.
I'll probably cheat here and there too. >:D
I fought my doctor for a couple of years when he told me I was diabetic and needed insulin. Not me I told him, you must mean somebody else. And I tried giving-up damned near everything I love to eat to no avail. So I gave up and did it his way and now my numbers are all great. And have been for quite awhile now. Doctors are a pain in the ass and a lot of times it's because they're right. Hang in there man, if getting old was easy any asshole could do it. It takes Real Men to do it and make it look easy so the rest of them will have somebody to follow behind. :-"
Yeah, I get it.
I mean, I always knew this was the end game with my TMJ. I needed surgeries in my 20's I didn't have and I knew I'd pay the piper later. I didn't want my jaw removed, shaved down and reset.
My drinking didn't help and sped it along. I wasn't absurd, but the nights I did drink, boy did I. As a fun drunk it wasn't anything anyone worried about.
He's right. When I spend a lot of nights eating right, taking vitamins, not drinking, avoiding nice things like sugar...I feel fine. After a few days I feel fine enough I cheat and then it sucks.
So, learning my lesson. I'll manage it. I'm just petulant and annoyed. I like booze, football, porno and books about war. I get to keep most of those.
I understand your pain as a thin person who took care of themselves with diet and exercise my entire life and became diabetic.
The neuropathy was scary. To me it felt like a bee sting on a toe randomly when sleeping. I would throw off the covers and look for the spider or scorpion.
Quote from: Tripoli on July 27, 2020, 08:44:36 PM
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on July 27, 2020, 03:52:39 PM
Quote from: solops on July 27, 2020, 02:14:37 PM
And I am cheerfully looking into body armor. Odd that JH would mention that. Shopping is Fun!
Let me know if you want any feedback or advice. I researched the $hit out of the various plates available on the market before I committed to mine. I am happy to report that I'm thrilled with the set I settled on, although admittedly, I have not been shot while wearing them.
Just out of curiosity, what model/brand of body armor did you get?
I got Tactical Scorpion Level III+ Extreme PE Body Armor 11x14 Plates. Each plate cost about $300, which is exceptional value for the weight...only 96 ounces each. Now, they are fully tested by independent labs to exceed NIJ standards, but are not NIJ certified. This bothers some people, but the plates have reviewed very well by pros I trust, so I went with them. I also had to get a new carrier since the one I had only fit 10x12 plates, which are a little undersized for me.
Quote from: airboy on July 27, 2020, 11:13:44 PM
I understand your pain as a thin person who took care of themselves with diet and exercise my entire life and became diabetic.
The neuropathy was scary. To me it felt like a bee sting on a toe randomly when sleeping. I would throw off the covers and look for the spider or scorpion.
Man...yep....that's what I'm dealing with.
I'm the same way, not thin but fairly fit and not overweight. I used to be highly active. Gosh, the stings are the worst, just random and one night not there, the next night keeping me up till I pass out at daybreak.
After the virus passes I'm getting a much more in depth look at treatment. Right now I'm doing remote and catch as chatch can.
With all the talk of guns I went shopping for a CV9035 and / or a Leopard 2A6, but they are pretty rare on the second hand market I've found. That's a bummer.
The reasoning was that I wouldn't need body armor or small potato guns if the shit really hits the fan here. But it looks like I need to reconsider and perhaps contact Jarhead afterall.
Good luck Yskonyn. I contacted JH with a PM myself.
And good luck to D and Slash. My mother in law has both diabetes and neuropathy. If she were born 50 or even 25 years earlier she would not have made it to the age she's at now (75).
While everything else seems to be going to hell, 21st century medicine is pretty incredible.
Quote from: Gusington on July 28, 2020, 08:53:47 AM
Good luck Yskonyn. I contacted JH with a PM myself.
Speaking of my recommendations, I went to two gun shops over the weekend and was shocked by what I saw. The shelves are still virtually bare. There are no Mossberg 500 or Remington 870 pump-action type shotguns to be found anywhere. Ammo is also in extremely short supply. I heard shortages are expected to continue through November. It literally looked like the toilet paper aisles a few weeks ago.
I love the irony that there are so many anti-gun NY liberals scrambling to get their hands on a firearm now.
Gus, have you been to any gun shops in your area? What does the supply situation look like?
"Invest in reloadinig," sounds like a good follow-up to someone if they ever express interest in purchasing a firearm in the first place nowadays.
Or, go bold and go black powder.
As a matter of fact I have, and wait lists are 2-3 months long for the models you mentioned. No ammo. I may borrow something from a well-armed neighbor.
Quote from: Gusington on July 28, 2020, 09:45:04 AM
As a matter of fact I have, and wait lists are 2-3 months long for the models you mentioned. No ammo. I may borrow something from a well-armed neighbor.
Check out www.gunbroker.com. It is like ebay, but for guns and gun parts. I directed a friend there and he scored a nice Mossberg 500 riot gun. Prices are a bit premium, but I guess that is to be expected.
Could you post a picture of your collection JH? If you rather not I understand. Just curious.
Quote from: Yskonyn on July 28, 2020, 10:14:30 AM
Could you post a picture of your collection JH? If you rather not I understand. Just curious.
Collection of what? Firearms? That would take up way too much bandwidth and might crash the forum. Sorry. :crazy2:
I always picture Jar as the guy in, 'Tremors' with all the guns and ammo-- remember the, 'In Case of Emergency' container with the Elephant Gun in it-- kind of crazy.... until he turns out to be right. :hide:
JH does that site sell ammo? I don't want to resort to using the weapon like a baseball bat...already got one of those.
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on July 28, 2020, 08:59:57 AM
Quote from: Gusington on July 28, 2020, 08:53:47 AM
Good luck Yskonyn. I contacted JH with a PM myself.
Speaking of my recommendations, I went to two gun shops over the weekend and was shocked by what I saw. The shelves are still virtually bare. There are no Mossberg 500 or Remington 870 pump-action type shotguns to be found anywhere. Ammo is also in extremely short supply. I heard shortages are expected to continue through November. It literally looked like the toilet paper aisles a few weeks ago.
I love the irony that there are so many anti-gun NY liberals scrambling to get their hands on a firearm now.
Gus, have you been to any gun shops in your area? What does the supply situation look like?
I have found this out as well in my search for some home defense. Those 2 shotguns were at the top of my list...may have to expand my list :-\. Also just read that Remington filed (again) for bankruptcy (https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/remington-arms-bankruptcy-surging-gun-demand).
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on July 28, 2020, 10:31:37 AM
Quote from: Yskonyn on July 28, 2020, 10:14:30 AM
Could you post a picture of your collection JH? If you rather not I understand. Just curious.
Collection of what? Firearms? That would take up way too much bandwidth and might crash the forum. Sorry. :crazy2:
Lol. We don't want that, no. 😅
That's crazy that Remington filed for bankruptcy...if a weapon manufacturer can't make it in this new age we are truly doomed.
Quote from: Gusington on July 28, 2020, 10:47:40 AM
JH does that site sell ammo? I don't want to resort to using the weapon like a baseball bat...already got one of those.
Probably, but there are better sources for online sales. Just be careful, many will not ship bulk ammo directly to your door in light of some confusion over the provisions in the NY SAFE Act. However, there is a list of online retailers who will send direct, rather than going through an FFL. Let me know if you want that list.
Quote from: Gusington on July 28, 2020, 11:51:40 AM
That's crazy that Remington filed for bankruptcy...if a weapon manufacturer can't make it in this new age we are truly doomed.
They have been hit hard by litigation, but the reality is they just haven't adapted to the demands of gun owners in this day and age and they have been mismanaged. I think it would have been ironic if Remington had been sold to the Navajo Nation, as they were in talks.
Regardless, there are plenty of other manufacturers in the market providing better products. If Remington dies, it dies...something else will take its place.
Navajo Nation?? :o
Yep - I've been following the current Remington bankruptcy story in the Wall St. Journal. The Navahos buying them would have had a lot of irony.
I had (and sold) a Remington 1100. It was an inferior semi-auto compared to my Benelli's. The 1100 was reliable. A spring broke on the ejection mechanism after probably 20,000 rounds. Never had a lick of trouble before that - and the gunsmith said it was an easy repair.
I'd always thought about buying a pump action, but never did since the semi-auto technology today is so reliable and I would have to learn to shoot with a totally different type of sight picture after the first shot.
What depressing news? So far it's been one of my best years....never spent so much time with my kids, watching movies, playing great games and my favorite artist is releasing a new cd this fall. Stop watching the news and reading newspapers...life's much better.
It's funny, I was discussing my new hobby of restoring my Kenner Star Wars figures, of which I really only have a tiny portion of my original lot surviving, around 30 display quality.
While looking for original accessories in my boxes of ancient things, I found a TON of GI Joes. Some the original first run straight armed versions. I also found a lot of G1 and G2 Transformers complete with weapons and accessories.
Sadly limited Star Wars, but yeah, I spent the afternoon between work sorting through it. My wife was suitably impressed and amused. Looks like I've got a lot of material to enhance my man cave for the post pandemic.
Quote from: SirAndrewD on July 28, 2020, 09:36:12 PM
It's funny, I was discussing my new hobby of restoring my Kenner Star Wars figures, of which I really only have a tiny portion of my original lot surviving, around 30 display quality.
While looking for original accessories in my boxes of ancient things, I found a TON of GI Joes. Some the original first run straight armed versions. I also found a lot of G1 and G2 Transformers complete with weapons and accessories.
Sadly limited Star Wars, but yeah, I spent the afternoon between work sorting through it. My wife was suitably impressed and amused. Looks like I've got a lot of material to enhance my man cave for the post pandemic.
Funny you mention this. My mom just sold her house and moved and when she was cleaning her stuff out, she came across a big bag with all my old favorite action figures. She's going to ship it to me. Can't wait to see what is in there.
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on July 28, 2020, 10:45:47 PM
Funny you mention this. My mom just sold her house and moved and when she was cleaning her stuff out, she came across a big bag with all my old favorite action figures. She's going to ship it to me. Can't wait to see what is in there.
Awesome. It is fun going down the nostalgia road and restoring some of those things. I really wish when I was a kid my parents recognized the future value and hadn't convinced me to give so much away to charity when I was in my early teens.
I would never want to sell any of the stuff I have, but it does have monetary and nostalgic value. It's a good addition to a display case.
Quote from: Gusington on July 28, 2020, 11:51:40 AM
That's crazy that Remington filed for bankruptcy...if a weapon manufacturer can't make it in this new age we are truly doomed.
Sandy Hook