COVID hobbies?

[Ultralight]

During COVID I have been locked down, really staying in my apartment most of the time. And working from home.

And I intend to be very strict about this all fall and winter while it is cold and the infection rates are surging.

So back in April, after I have watched every episode of Star Trek (Original and Next Generation) I decided I needed a covid hobby.

I bought a guitar, a cheap telecaster. Now, I played a little in high school and a fair amount in college, mostly acoustic. So I kinda remembered the chords and scales, but it had been like 15 years since I played.

Each day I practice for a couple hours or so -- learning some folk rock and some blues.

It has been fun and challenging and I am sure I have annoyed my neighbors a couple times, but hey... if its too loud, you're too old! haha

What have you all been doing to pass the time during COVID?

[iris lilies]

Working on real estate improvement projects and gardens.

Our retired lives slowed down with Covid, and our regular hobby groups stopped meeting. I toyed with the idea of taking this opportunity to drive to the east coast to sight see and to also visit graves of ancient relatives, but instead a bought a condo and we are now doing work on it.

[SteveinMN]

Just laying low here. Our dancing stopped, our volunteer activities stopped, visits to our grandkids (largely) stopped (they're in too big a bubble). DW retired in May and is tackling little projects that just got pushed back while she was working. I'd like to look back on these past months and say I got a good start on some new project or skill, but about all I've got is a newfound discipline in being able to do two weeks worth of grocery shopping without breathing all the time I'm in the store (j/k).

[pinkytoe]

I have become an ardent seed collector and now have little bags everywhere to go through this winter. I enjoy researching what plant they came from (if I don't know) and how best to plant and grow. Cooking, gardening, redecorating, reading and walking. I intend to get back to artwork when the snow flies.

[catherine]

Sewing... I guess. After making my DD's wedding dress, I had the "muscle memory" return in terms of how relaxing and absorbing and creative sewing is. So I'm on my quest to find my next sewing machine, and I'm looking forward to taking on my next project. I've joined a couture club online.

[Tradd]

I was permanently laid off from a long term job at the end of March. Didn’t find a new one until July. Started mid-August. I did a lot of reading. Wrote letters to friends. Searched for a job. Got a spare bike someone had for free and rode in the nearby nature preserve as weather allowed. Kept up my scuba diving. Went to WI, MI, OH, as well as my local diving hole in IL.

[rosarugosa]

I don't think I would say I have developed any new hobbies, but rather lifestyle practices. I took a wonderful online course "The Science of Well-Being," and I think I would go so far as to say that course can be life-changing. I have meditated every day for the past 5 months and I think my mindfulness "muscles" are becoming more well-developed. I push myself to speak up when I have something nice to say and to execute on acts of kindness rather than pondering them into oblivion.
We didn't go away this year, but we challenged ourselves to find and enjoy local destinations. We visited 3 estates with amazing gardens that were new to us, as well as visited some old favorites like the Gloucester waterfront gardens and the bird sanctuary on Plum Island.
DH took 6 months off work, so we got the wonderful opportunity to be together all the time, and we actually loved it.
We spent a fair bit of time and money on gardening and bird food and really enjoyed our own backyard more than ever.

[ToomuchStuff]

Hobbies, who has time for hobbies?
Shutdown was announced on my day off, and the owner working at the time, shut down the business, wondering what the restrictions were. We are exempt/essential.
Business went down to 90% for around ten days and one company came in and spent thousands to give to their employee's.
Then we were in the paper (online), Local news spotted it before print and put us on. Covid hours were going to be shorter, but between all the above, business increased to 200% and we didn't even make it to covid hours (running out of stuff, daily, no extra storage room)
I am the go get guy, and with our hours, what ended up happening, is I went shopping at some places that both work and parents go, and my parents went to the grocery store for me and we swapped stuff. While some of our help, worked less hours, they were paid the same. My hours, slightly increased. Between the closure and first of June, and extra $8K.
Sometime between March and April, a friend who moved for wife's job, went into the doctor for not feeling well. Diagnosed with Cancer with at best a couple months, he lived days. Family couldn't have a service.
Late June, early July, I walk out, as the owner from earlier, has been taking off without saying anything, going home, drinking and comes back, only long enough for me to eat. I have no idea where he is and there are things he is needed for. The brothers and business partners, talk and the other starts dialysis.
August hits and the first one goes in for surgery. Two days after surgery, I go in early and we are trying to get in touch with someone else to go in early as partner two received the call he can go in early. We get the call that partner one is dead, we leave, I lock up and still beat partner two in the house. Paramedics are working, but the body is cold, he is gone. We started making the phone calls.
The next day, five other people we knew, passed.
I've taken over, bill paying, been working with the accountant and tax man (quarterly's) and trying to find things that have disappeared, due to the owners not keeping on top of things (diabetes affecting mind).
Been asked to move into Partner ones house, and taken care of the pet. The gal that was living there, taking care of him, can't handle staying in the house, overnight. His brother has been coming down, before of after dialysis. I've been helping clear out the house as well.
There are several things up in the air, I am becoming an owner of the business, I may be buying the house, and have a whole new set of responsibilities. (trying to change the style of management, from Crisis management, or organized).
Who has time for hobbies?

[Teacher Terry]

Wow what a mess. I hope things work out well TMS.

[catherine]

TMS, so sorry! That is terrible. I hope you get some relief.