* What has changed for you?
This time two years go I was 4 days into redundancy. Managed to pick up a lead on a job the same day and started in May 20 and which is what I'm doing now. Whether I'll still be doing it by the end of the year is doubtful, it's become increasingly stressful and is playing merry hell with my brain. That's about it, everything else is much the same.
* What hasn’t changed?
Everything else. Same car, same house, same bike.
* Do you miss anything from the lockdowns?
I know it's been said but the quiet was amazing. Those couple of months where I wasn't working through the first lockdown we had great weather and I rode the bike a lot (for me). Baking, I did a lot of baking, it was very cathartic.
* Is there anything you’ve learned from all of this and will take forward with you?
Don't just go jumping into the first job you get offered without thinking it through.
* What has changed for you?
I've learnt how to use Teams. I've spent a load of time working with my colleague in Singapore, which has been brilliant - she sent me a food parcel in June last year just after my mum died with really nice and interesting food stuffs. We've broken into a new market as part of all that work. My workload has been higher. I've discovered a number of people I thought were good friends, err, aren't and I no longer have much contact with them except for being hugely and ridiculously polite when I meet them. My partner and I have lost 7 members of our immediate family in the last 2 years.
* What hasn’t changed?
Work. It's incessant. Actually that's not true - it's even more incessant.
* Do you miss anything from the lockdowns?
The quiet.
* Is there anything you’ve learned from all of this and will take forward with you?
Try not to rely too much on other people, but there are some people who really come through for you.
Business as usual for me. Miss how everything slowed-TF-down during the first lockdown though, that was nice.
* What has changed for you?
I'm no longer Vegan, it's just awful. Even when go Gregg's earlier
* What hasn’t changed?
The cat is still a ****
* Do you miss anything from the lockdowns?
The slower pace of life (at least when not working)
* Is there anything you’ve learned from all of this and will take forward with you?
Nope
Two years ago roughly I remember having to build up the courage to start the car to drive to work as I thought I was going to catch COVID and die leaving my wife and kids, and even if I didn’t die myself, I was going to lose friends and colleagues.
Ironically it turned out that working in intensive care was probably the safest place to be, as we had all the gear on.
Now, I’m sat at home self isolating as I finally caught the bloody thing…
For me, a couple of months before lockdown I was diagnosed with MS so many things have changed for me and continue to change. I'm working fewer hours now (Yay) but I'll never walk in the hills again. I also discuvered that being in an office evironment is good for my overall well being. I would never have guessed that.
The M25 at 11.26 Sunday April 26th 2020.
The trails were busier!
First, what a superb post.
What has changed for you?
I was instructed to work from home - no more leaving the home at 0700 and getting home at 1945. I gained work/life balance again.
My mental health improved.
My relationship with my family improved (I actually saw them when not tired and grumpy)
My wife was instructed to work from home
I learn new skills: built a summer house (cedar clad, double glazed, SIPs, AC) - wife moved into the summer house
I lost two aunts: not through covid.
Both daughters started at a new school (amazing new school)
Daughter no 2 diagnosed with dyslexic
Work completed the first round of re-organisation that resulted in a down size of resources and just finishing the second round of re-organisation resulting in further loss of staff (I work for Network Rail)
What hasn’t changed?
Brexit is still a cluster ****
Do you miss anything from the lockdowns?
The oh so quiet and peaceful roads
The sudden kindness that descended on the country.
The lack of air pollution which benefited by asthma
Is there anything you’ve learned from all of this and will take forward with you?
The disappointment in the minority who saw Covid as an opportunity to make massive financial gains at cost to the tax payer. And worse still, they were endorsed and supported by those in power.
My confidence in Tories has never been lower.
Don't sell your mountain bike 4weeks before an international lockdown, even more so when the new bike isn't in my hands.
* What has changed for you?
Mental Health, I became a lot more uncertain of the future and suddenly an old 50 something. Large parts of the Highlands are screwed forever as I don't want to return to them because of the dirty camping. Educating kids who have had little socialisation or routine for 2 years is brutal. My Mum has Dementia, Covid took the last months she recognised me.
* What hasn’t changed?
I still prefer my own company but appreciate the friends I have.
* Do you miss anything from the lockdowns?
The 2 years of my life I will never get back. My climbing/hill mate since we were wee boys who died (slowly) of Covid. On a positive my son moving in full time.
* Is there anything you’ve learned from all of this and will take forward with you?
People are selfish, too many break rule one, we weren't all in this together; obviously. The desire to kick the shit out your ex brother in law who calls mask wearers/anybody jabbed "sheeple" dissipates if you walk away from him.
M4, Newport, Saturday, 18th April 2020, 3.30pm.
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2 years to the very day that I was the most relieved ever to come home from a foreign trip. 2 days earlier the ski resort in which we were staying went to instant quarantine and we had to hitch hike (with my wife and then 6 year old) in an italian girls car back to Innsbruck passing police road blocks, then wait it out for another 2 days for our flight as the borders locked down around Europe. Interestingly got back to the UK and it was still like there was no pandemic on the horizon for at least another week and a bit.
What has changed for you?
My eyesight as a result of permanent screen work! And also now moving to a hybrid work model. That said I have grown quite fond of working remotely and even managed to change job during that time. Met my team for the first time in person a couple of months ago after a year and a half of working with them!
* What hasn’t changed?
The biking never went away, but it did become a massive part of keeping me sane.
* Do you miss anything from the lockdowns?
The long hot summer! I really enjoyed 2020 and exploring the UK. Went to the IOW for the first time in about 35 years and also to the Lakes for the first time. I miss the little family walks that we used to do every tea time too. Also one of my friends is a musician and did a number of lockdown gigs on social media. So I sat in the garden with a beer on a wednesday afternoon while WFH.
* Is there anything you’ve learned from all of this and will take forward with you?
How to make the most of what is on your own doorstep. And to strip back life's chaos and enjoy a nice simple time, not permanently rushing from a to b...although that is starting to creep back a little.
