quarantine Motivation

[northie]

6 minutes ago, Dodger said:

It's odd because it seems to be the more free time I have the less I get done

I've had elements of this but 3 days each week are work, thank goodness. As I've said elsewhere, I am finally getting my writing focus back so more time is being used productively. There's still plenty left though. I find a routine helps.

[Carlos Hazday]

9 minutes ago, Dodger said:

He was no more than 10 yards away from me,  so we didn't need to speak by phone

A friend came by yesterday and we shook hands. Considering I'm single and live alone, I'm starved for human touch. I' a hugger. I'll continue social distancing but am at a point that if I catch the stupid virus, I catch it. The only reason I'm not out there doing anything stupid is my 89yo father.

[Dodger]

3 hours ago, Carlos Hazday said:

I'm single and live alone, I'm starved for human touch

This is me also. I'm usually good on my own. I've been self-isolating out of choice for years and never had a problem, but now I'm forced to do it 24 hours a day, I'm climbing the walls. I've noticed the people who are telling me to stay indoors all the time aren't on their own. It's a lot easier for them because having just one other person to talk to makes a huge difference. It's difficult for me to concentrate on anything productive because I'm so stressed. This comes not from fear of the virus but from the harsh consequences employed to defeat it.

Amnesty International has always considered solitary confinement a torture and an abuse of human rights. My sanity has taken a real bashing lately.

 

Having read this again, perhaps I shouldn't moan. I don't mean to seem ungrateful for what I've got. My house is quite comfortable and does not resemble a prison cell in any way. I can also go out for a walk whenever I feel the need, so it's hardly solitary confinement. I understand my hardship is nothing compared with the many thousands of front-line workers who are risking their lives daily to keep us safe, healthy and fed. Big, big, thanks to all of them.

Edited April 14, 2020 by Dodger
too hash

[Carlos Hazday]

10 minutes ago, Dodger said:

This is me also. I'm usually good on my own. I've been self-isolating out of choice for years and never had a problem, but now I'm forced to do it 24 hours a day, I'm climbing the walls. I've noticed the people who are telling me to stay indoors all the time aren't on their own. It's a lot easier for them because having just one other person to talk to makes a huge difference. It's difficult for me to concentrate on anything productive because I'm so stressed. This comes not from fear of the virus but from the harsh consequences employed to defeat it.

Amnesty International has always considered solitary confinement a torture and an abuse of human rights. My sanity has taken a real bashing lately.

I frequently call myself a hermit. I rarely go to bars any longer so when people see me around they're surprised. I barely drink but plan on getting sloshed when they reopen.

 

[Brayon]

Perhaps we need to start a "Single Authors Support Club" here at GA?

[Backwoods Boy]

I find myself immersed in writing (elsewhere) and editing and beta reading (here).  It's an escape thing.  I also find I don't want to let go of a story yet because maybe I can waste some more time tweaking it. 

I also find myself formally abandoning all volunteer activities, whether or not they are currently active.  Introspection is resulting in permanent frustration elimination. 

But there are other escapes now that it's warming up.  My lawn has never been so free of dandelions or so well-mowed.    

[Mikiesboy]

On 4/14/2020 at 1:56 PM, Dodger said:

This is me also. I'm usually good on my own. I've been self-isolating out of choice for years and never had a problem, but now I'm forced to do it 24 hours a day, I'm climbing the walls. I've noticed the people who are telling me to stay indoors all the time aren't on their own. It's a lot easier for them because having just one other person to talk to makes a huge difference. It's difficult for me to concentrate on anything productive because I'm so stressed. This comes not from fear of the virus but from the harsh consequences employed to defeat it.

Amnesty International has always considered solitary confinement a torture and an abuse of human rights. My sanity has taken a real bashing lately.

 

Having read this again, perhaps I shouldn't moan. I don't mean to seem ungrateful for what I've got. My house is quite comfortable and does not resemble a prison cell in any way. I can also go out for a walk whenever I feel the need, so it's hardly solitary confinement. I understand my hardship is nothing compared with the many thousands of front-line workers who are risking their lives daily to keep us safe, healthy and fed. Big, big, thanks to all of them.

it's hard and i have Michael here. not sure how i'd cope on my own.  i understand we have to do this and am grateful i have someone to talk to. hang in there.

[Myr]

I may or may not have been 3d printing up a storm of things while working remotely colocated next to my 3d printer.

Next up... painting.  Then after that.... writing stories where these things would look great at the start of the chapter.

[Brayon]

39 minutes ago, Myr said:

Next up... painting.  Then after that.... writing stories where these things would look great at the start of the chapter.

Reminds me of an old D&D module about a lost dwarven layer to Undermountain. But, I can see this as part of your King's Ranger series.

[Myr]

37 minutes ago, Brayon said:

But, I can see this as part of your King's Ranger series.

Yup.  Part of Ryn's backstory.

the 3d printing and watching YouTube on paint has been a big strategy for me coping with this madness as well as a way to keep myself motivated.  For people interactions... I've visited the neighbor, keeping distance etc.  Mother lives with me... so that's enough.

Weeks alone with the family... what could possibly go wrong?

 

[BKWildenberg]

I’ve definitely been having issues getting words down, but my writing habits have always been rather “feast or famine”. 

Most of the stuff I’m posting is from an old first draft. I’m editing/reworking as necessary, but I have moved past the more “solid” first chapters. The stuff coming up has required more work, and my brain is just a little frazzled. 

It’s getting better, though. I’ve been working from home since March 13 (which seems like aaaaaages ago!), and it feels like the company has finally adjusted to that. I am doing my best to carve out definite work/off time but that’s had mixed results. 

A lot of what I’ve written outside of edits has been notes/ideas. Also a few thousand words on a completely different story (I know, I know). Now that I am more settled in I’d like to make the habit of formally setting aside time to write. 

Animal Crossing and the FF7 Remake are getting in the way a bit... 

[Headstall]

1 hour ago, BKWildenberg said:

I’ve definitely been having issues getting words down, but my writing habits have always been rather “feast or famine”. 

Most of the stuff I’m posting is from an old first draft. I’m editing/reworking as necessary, but I have moved past the more “solid” first chapters. The stuff coming up has required more work, and my brain is just a little frazzled. 

It’s getting better, though. I’ve been working from home since March 13 (which seems like aaaaaages ago!), and it feels like the company has finally adjusted to that. I am doing my best to carve out definite work/off time but that’s had mixed results. 

A lot of what I’ve written outside of edits has been notes/ideas. Also a few thousand words on a completely different story (I know, I know). Now that I am more settled in I’d like to make the habit of formally setting aside time to write. 

Animal Crossing and the FF7 Remake are getting in the way a bit... 

I laughed at your "I know, I know" because I did the same thing. I was trying hard to motivate myself to work on a story I've had in the works for over a year... possibly two... and just when I was getting somewhere, I began a short story out of the blue that may end up in the spring anthology (still deciding). And then, instead of going back to my original story, I began writing another one. Fifty-one hundred words in, I'm wondering what the hell I'm doing. It was originally going to be a sci-fi epic, my first in that genre and requiring a lot of research, and now I've taken a completely different approach from what was in my head. I am all over the place since this pandemic began. Famine to feast? I guess the main thing is we are writing, right?  Cheers! 

 

[Brayon]

1 hour ago, BKWildenberg said:

Animal Crossing and the FF7 Remake are getting in the way a bit... 

My college course work, mainly for me, then some Beta Reading for friends, followed by The SIMS 4 and Final Fantasy XIV, for me. The video games can be distracting.

[Myr]

44 minutes ago, Brayon said:

The video games can be distracting.

That's what's been stopping me from play Outer Worlds, I get into it and disappear for hours on end. lol

[Talo Segura]

I guess you make the choice between living in a world created for you or creating it yourself, which depends on the moment and how you feel, where inspiration and imagination lie.

[Caz Pedroso]

Anyone had a  'where do I start' moment?

I decided to start a to do list; sort the house out, finish half written stories, make a few clothing items I've had planned for a while, do some batch cooking, and more.

Then i stood and looked at the list thinking "Help! Where do i start?" 

I've done a bit of it, but since I've now started a new job too the list isn't shrinking as fast as i want it to. 

[Talo Segura]

20 hours ago, Caz Pedroso said:

the list isn't shrinking as fast as i want it to. 

A philosophical question. The list never shrinks, exactly the same as forever being confronted with problems. There are always things that need doing and problems to resolve. Recognise that and get on with life. I don't pay too much attention to either the things that need doing or my problems, but I don't ignored them either 

[Carlos Hazday]

Keeping my fingers crossed.

After a month of not feeling like writing, I decided to try putting down 250 words a day. It took me 4 days to write a scene and the first two 250 word installments had to be heavily revised.

But it's a start and today I did 303 words. LOL

[northie]

2 hours ago, Carlos Hazday said:

first two 250 word installments had to be heavily revised.

Yeah, that's what I do when brain and pencil are having trouble connecting. Get something down then rewrite it as I type up. 

 

[Ashi]

On 4/14/2020 at 10:56 AM, Dodger said:

This is me also. I'm usually good on my own. I've been self-isolating out of choice for years and never had a problem, but now I'm forced to do it 24 hours a day, I'm climbing the walls. I've noticed the people who are telling me to stay indoors all the time aren't on their own. It's a lot easier for them because having just one other person to talk to makes a huge difference. It's difficult for me to concentrate on anything productive because I'm so stressed. This comes not from fear of the virus but from the harsh consequences employed to defeat it.

Oh, so I am not alone in this....  I am not well-known to be the most extraordinarily extroverted person, but now I am locked in, I need to talk to people....  LOL.  Weird.

I have these friends called cameras, but now I can't go out on a date with my cameras (one camera at a time, of course.  Gotta be sensible). 

Anyways.  I am surprisingly productive though.  That's my coping mechanism, but everyone copes differently....  But it makes me starved for long term companion....  So weird.  I am hangry!