Five years ago today - the shut down started

[BillsPride12]

23 hours ago, Draconator said:

My wife has noticed this, I have noticed this. Being in bands before Covid, no matter the bar you played at, the room was on a slow night, half full. More times than not the bar was packed with people. After Covid, you're lucky to get 10 people to see you play. It's a totally different vibe playing live before and after the lockdown. 

This point kinda goes in hand with what some of us were talking about in another thread...the bar and restaurant scene has never truly recovered post Covid.  I know there are some other issues at play and drinking seems to be down in general amongst the younger generation but it makes you wonder if you will ever see a thriving bar and nightlife scene again 

[Shamrock]

12 hours ago, Augie said:

 

Never have been tested for Whooping Cough. I’ve had Covid multiple times but only tested positive once. My wife kept testing negative and I kept telling her she had it. Eventually she did test positive, but it took several days. I don’t put a lot of faith in the tests, but if I feel sick I stay away from people. Fortunately, I’m retired so I don’t have to be around people when I’m not feeling great. 

 

That is rough! I have a buddy who got throat cancer and lost his sense of taste due to radiation. He had a terrible time for years because he couln’t force enough calories into his body to keep him going. Best wishes for you and the wife going forward. 

 

I still have this lingering cough that hits me pretty much every morning. I don’t know how many months it’s been. I’ve got a lingering something, as does my wife. It’s really strange! You’d think we are 3 pack a day smokers! 

Sleep smoking? 
open bbq pit in bedroom?

 

whooping cough did the rounds at the hospital here in 2019, just before.

[Ted Striker]

4 hours ago, Shamrock said:

whooping cough did the rounds at the hospital here in 2019, just before.

 

A hospital! What is it?

[Just Jack]

1 hour ago, Ted Striker said:

 

A hospital! What is it?

 

It's a big building with patients, but that's not important right now.

[RichStadiumGuy]

17 hours ago, Just Jack said:

 

 

I had a link/video from TikTok that was auto playing, maybe that is why.  I went back and changed it to a link only, so give it another try.  

Bingo... page 2 is now functioning properly here!

 

Thanks Augie and Just Jack for your assistance here... greatly appreciated!

[BringBackFlutie]

The beginning of the end. The neurosis that overtook corporate culture after that hasn't subsided. I had to take a 20% paycut last year, and it's not going to get better.

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

2 hours ago, RichStadiumGuy said:

Bingo

 

[Albany,n.y.]

I remember not wanting to go out to watch Bills games in a public place.  I was able to find a few bootleg sites to watch the games at home on the computer.  I think the NFL was a little more lenient letting those sites operate that year because a year later they were all shut down.  

[Mark Vader]

I went to work the whole time. FEDEX & UPS and every other carrier was still working, so I had to show up.

 

It was odd working in a big building with very few people in it, but it was great working with no one to distract me.

 

Definitely a weird time. I remember being outside at a shopping center, and this mother & daughter walking together, and a car driveS by them and this woman yells out to them....."YOU'RE NOT SOCIAL DISTANCING!!!" Yikes!

 

One good thing was that whenever I would go to the grocery store, nobody would crowd you at the checkout aisle. If they did I would fake a sneeze and everyone would scatter like cockroaches under a bright light.

[Augie]

23 minutes ago, Mark Vader said:

I went to work the whole time. FEDEX & UPS and every other carrier was still working, so I had to show up.

 

It was odd working in a big building with very few people in it, but it was great working with no one to distract me.

 

Definitely a weird time. I remember being outside at a shopping center, and this mother & daughter walking together, and a car driveS by them and this woman yells out to them....."YOU'RE NOT SOCIAL DISTANCING!!!" Yikes!

 

One good thing was that whenever I would go to the grocery store, nobody would crowd you at the checkout aisle. If they did I would fake a sneeze and everyone would scatter like cockroaches under a bright light.

 

I was properly spaced when I swallowed my ice tea wrong at lunch and started coughing. I couldn’t shake it, and it kept going.  OH MY!!! If looks could kill! I’m holding up my glass and pointing to it. 😂 

 

It was strange to see roads and certain places practically vacant. Right in the heart of all this we had to fly somewhere for something. We are thinking traffic would be light….for Atlanta at least. Boy were we wrong! My wife had flown almost weekly out of ATL before Covid, but DURING Covid was the first time ever that both parking garages were 100% full and we had to find a new place to park. EVERYBODY was traveling! We were shocked. 

[Fleezoid]

I thought it was funny seeing a car drive by, only person in it was the driver, windows up, wearing a mask.

[Albany,n.y.]

56 minutes ago, Fleezoid said:

I thought it was funny seeing a car drive by, only person in it was the driver, windows up, wearing a mask.

I agree, but sometimes if I was going from one place to another that were a minute or 2 apart, I just left the mask on.  

[Augie]

On 3/12/2025 at 10:49 PM, Draconator said:

My wife has noticed this, I have noticed this. Being in bands before Covid, no matter the bar you played at, the room was on a slow night, half full. More times than not the bar was packed with people. After Covid, you're lucky to get 10 people to see you play. It's a totally different vibe playing live before and after the lockdown. 

 

Did it ever occur to you that they sat at home alone and read music reviews while locked down???  😊

 

You know I kid, my friend. Things are different, in a lot of ways. And it’s just going to keep going faster and faster. 

 

 

.

Edited March 14 by Augie

[Shamrock]

On 3/14/2025 at 10:41 PM, Just Jack said:

 

It's a big building with patients, but that's not important right now.

Where patients need patience and play patience.

[ExiledInIllinois]

On 3/14/2025 at 3:08 PM, Mark Vader said:

I went to work the whole time. FEDEX & UPS and every other carrier was still working, so I had to show up.

 

It was odd working in a big building with very few people in it, but it was great working with no one to distract me.

 

Definitely a weird time. I remember being outside at a shopping center, and this mother & daughter walking together, and a car driveS by them and this woman yells out to them....."YOU'RE NOT SOCIAL DISTANCING!!!" Yikes!

 

One good thing was that whenever I would go to the grocery store, nobody would crowd you at the checkout aisle. If they did I would fake a sneeze and everyone would scatter like cockroaches under a bright light.

Traffic was great... I would go to the grocery store at 0600 when it opened when I was coming home from working 1800-0600.

[Logic]

On 3/11/2025 at 8:12 PM, Bad Things said:

I actually look back at the Covid years fondly.  It was a really pleasant experience to have New Zealand (and the Cook Islands) all to ourselves without any of the international tourists here.

 

Tourism was beginning to get a little out of hand with the number of people coming here to visit.  Covid squashed that, but the numbers are already beginning to rise again.

 

Being home with my teenage kids was really good too.  (Mrs Things was an essential worker so had to go in each day.)

I thought my wife and I were the only ones.

Obviously, with so many deaths and so much uncertainty, people out of work, etc, it was an awful and tense time in many ways.

On the other hand, I got an extended paid vacation at home with my wife. Her and I were both on furlough for an unusually long period of time. For several months straight, we were at home together every single day, getting paid enough in unemployment and government kickers to make rent, pay bills, and save some money. We got to cook together, watch movies, spend time with our pets, go on walks. And we reasoned that being in nature was the best kind of "social distancing" available, so we camped, hiked, and explored parts of our state we had never had the chance to explore before.

While I have always felt some sense of guilt for "enjoying" much of the COVID period, the fact remains: It was the only time in my adult life that I got to spend so much uninterrupted time with my wife, got to pause, got to take a long break, got to THINK...without the hustle and bustle of usual every day life and jobs.

What a strange, awful, beautiful, terrible, memorable time.

[Augie]

4 hours ago, Logic said:

I thought my wife and I were the only ones.

Obviously, with so many deaths and so much uncertainty, people out of work, etc, it was an awful and tense time in many ways.

On the other hand, I got an extended paid vacation at home with my wife. Her and I were both on furlough for an unusually long period of time. For several months straight, we were at home together every single day, getting paid enough in unemployment and government kickers to make rent, pay bills, and save some money. We got to cook together, watch movies, spend time with our pets, go on walks. And we reasoned that being in nature was the best kind of "social distancing" available, so we camped, hiked, and explored parts of our state we had never had the chance to explore before.

While I have always felt some sense of guilt for "enjoying" much of the COVID period, the fact remains: It was the only time in my adult life that I got to spend so much uninterrupted time with my wife, got to pause, got to take a long break, got to THINK...without the hustle and bustle of usual every day life and jobs.

What a strange, awful, beautiful, terrible, memorable time.

 

It’s strange, but after decades together I learned a LOT about my wife during the lock down. To see and hear her in action was very different from what I always imagined her work life was like. She’s the person who tries to be upbeat as much as possible, the person you feel better after talking to.  It’s often very different from her actual mood that I get when she takes a break, but that’s OK. Oh, and it’s true…..the boss is a B word! Let it out! 

 

It was also a nice time for us to add a puppy to our household. It was perfect timing, and we were not alone. A LOT of people we knew got a dog during that time. Our breeder told me “If I had 200 puppies, I could sell them all this weekend.” 

 

It was tragic, but not all bad at the same time. 

 

 

.

Edited March 17 by Augie

[Royale with Cheese]

I wear glasses so wearing a mask sucked because breathing fogs up my lenses.

[Logic]

1 hour ago, Augie said:

 

It’s strange, but after decades together I learned a LOT about my wife during the lock down. To see and hear her in action was very different from what I always imagined her work life was like. She’s the person who tries to be upbeat as much as possible, the person you feel better after talking to.  It’s often very different from her actual mood that I get when she takes a break, but that’s OK. Oh, and it’s true…..the boss is a B word! Let it out! 

 

It was also a nice time for us to add a puppy to our household. It was perfect timing, and we were not alone. A LOT of people we knew got a dog during that time. Our breeder told me “If I had 200 puppies, I could sell them all this weekend.” 

 

It was tragic, but not all bad at the same time. 

 

One thing I treasure from that time is that I learned definitively that my wife and I actually like each other. We enjoy being around each other. Haha that sounds like a joke, but it's not.

I know of a few marriages who -- once the couple was forced to spend all day, every day together in a house for a few months under stressful circumstances -- decided they didn't really enjoy each other's company all that much. In many cases, COVID lockdown was a marriage ender.

My wife and I passed the test. Many couples weren't so lucky. Sounds like you and your wife passed the test, as well.

And hey, by the way... just outta curiosity...how's that puppy doing now? Name? Breed? Behavioral quirk worth mentioning? I love dogs. Just trying to bring a little joy into this weird world.

[Augie]

29 minutes ago, Logic said:

One thing I treasure from that time is that I learned definitively that my wife and I actually like each other. We enjoy being around each other. Haha that sounds like a joke, but it's not.

I know of a few marriages who -- once the couple was forced to spend all day, every day together in a house for a few months under stressful circumstances -- decided they didn't really enjoy each other's company all that much. In many cases, COVID lockdown was a marriage ender.

My wife and I passed the test. Many couples weren't so lucky. Sounds like you and your wife passed the test, as well.

And hey, by the way... just outta curiosity...how's that puppy doing now? Name? Breed? Behavioral quirk worth mentioning? I love dogs. Just trying to bring a little joy into this weird world.

 

Scout is a female Golden Retriever and currently at my feet. Along with the younger Bella. Waiting for dinner. They’re following my wife in the mornings for breakfast. Fickle little creatures!

 

The last fun thing we did before Covid shut things down was add a long weekend after my wife’s work in NYC and we saw To Kill A Mockingbird. That is where we got her name. She’s sweet, and normal. Something may be up with Bella, my 8th and final Golden. Sweet as can be, but a slooooow learner and the tiniest Golden I’ve ever seen. Tremendous breeder, but never a guarantee. Last visit she was 52lbs and she was almost 18 months. Tiny head and pointy nose. But she wins with sweetness!  The vet even mention she didn’t think it was genetic like Downs Syndrome for dogs, but she wasn’t very convincing. Extremely sweet, once she learned that she’s here for people pleasing. She can snuggle now, where she used to flinch if you touched her leg. All good!  Sorry, you opened the door. 😂 😂.    

 

EDIT: Bella also appears to be bow legged/chested up front unlike other dogs, but she sure is sweet.  

 

Yes indeed, spending so much time together can shock a relationship. I saw it when my FIL retired. “How dare you question the detergent I’ve been washing your clothes with for the last forty years!” Little things like that. I’m retired and my wife is not too far away. She’s worried about how to spend her time. 

 

It is 5:02pm, and I think they know it’s late for dinner but they are trained NOT to get up and beg. You will NEVER be fed while begging. 

Edited March 17 by Augie