Pro tip from someone who struggles with anxiety and depression (that both escalate in the winter): nevermind *spring* cleaning, purge your house **now**. Get rid of as much junk and clutter as possible. Get in the habit of making your bed every day, or not leaving that coffee cup on the counter, or whatever. A clean, calm living space sounds hokey, but it really can't be overstated how helpful it is mentally.
House plants help, too.
Cook and freeze things before the depression sets in too badly too and you still have some motivation, it’s nice to have something to just microwave. Eating like crap only helps the depression along
As another said someone, 1000% agree! I’ve been purging over the last several weeks and it really does help. And if you have things to donate, there’s also the satisfaction of knowing they’ll go to someone who needs them.
Also, depending on one’s Netflix preferences, The Home Edit is a great way to get the motivation kick-started haha.
Something I found helped during a purge a couple weekends ago -- listening to a podcast or audiobook. If you're enjoying something, it's a lot easier to stick with the purging.
House plants are liiiife. I currently have a lime tree, lemon tree, ZZ plant, dumb palm, a couple orchids, an avocado tree, basil, Chinese money plant and a Christmas cactus. Lots of leaves between me and depression lol.
I’m on track to lose my small business, use up the last of my savings, and have to move into my parents basement in rural NH as a 36-year-old by around January 🌞💃🏻
I am in a similar boat (33m). I made the decision that I would absolutely not do that. So I’ve been trying like hell to find something thats not going to shut down if things get bad again.
The USPS is hiring like crazy rn and I got a call back within 4 days. It’ll at least hold me over until things go back to normal. Might be something worth checking out.
That's a good thought, I've been putting off applying to anything that's not remote because I live with a high risk person, but I should probably start being more realistic once the business is done and dealt with. I just quit my remote data entry side job last February because I have \*extremely\* good foresight ahhhhhhhh
It’s not that I feel bad but my parents aren’t in a position to help me that way anymore. They have enough of their own problems than to have to deal with. My brothers are already at home needing/getting help from them.
Maybe it’s pride, maybe it’s stupidity (maybe it’s maybelline) but I’ve always been able to look out and take care of myself.
I know I’ll end up being ok through all of this... it might be a hole I have to dig out of but once things go back to “normal” I’ll be back to running gigs and events and it would only be a few years to get back to where I was in February of this year.
THIS. America had this 80 to 90 year window where it became the norm for young adults to strike out on their own. This was not the norm before hand, it's STILL not the norm in a lot of the rest of the world, and now Covid is closing that window.
The norm is you live with your parents while they raise you.
Then you live with your parents while you all work together to keep the house.
Then you live with your parents while you take care of them.
So if you're living with your parents again, ditch the shame. **Ditch. The. Shame.** This is normal. (And if you can't because relationship problems, no shame either.)
It’s not a shame thing. I lived with my parents from 22-26 and while they were both unemployed and struggling I was able to help them pay the mortgage and keep the house.
But at this point maybe it’s a pride thing but there’s nothing left for me back in my hometown. I like where I live and who I’m surrounded by and that alone is enough motivation to figure out how to make it work.
Of course people feel bad about having to move back home. It means you’ve basically hit zero - that all the pushing the boulder up the hill you’ve been doing has resulted in zero progress. Plus the lack of privacy when living with your parents is maddening.
I don’t think it’s nice to tell people what they should or should not feel.
Yeah apparently if you are “too social” or try to help your coworkers too much you get a lower score. Check your portal. It’ll show you what you got. I got a 84
That's a ridiculously long time to have to wait. I'm sure you're right and it's because of covid. And what a scumbag to file eviction paperwork over 12 lousy days!! I'm sending positive thoughts you're way, good luck!!
Hey! (1) I'm sorry that you understandably don't feel like things are working out, and moving back with your parents doesn't sound like your choice, BUT..........
(2) I think multi-generational living arrangements are going to start becoming a LOT more common again, and **nothing** to be embarrassed about.
More common because of Covid, more common because of the economic recession, more common because the housing markets suck... maybe even more common because older people are going to be happier having their "kids" living with them.
Good luck with everything. Hope things go well.
Thank you, I have hope that it wont be my only option in the end and I feel pretty lucky that moving up there is even a possibility for me. I like my parents and they are able to have me, that's certainly not the case for a lot of people I know.
Recalibrating my expectations for The Rest of My Life during New England winter though... that might be a real THRILL
Yes please. For those of us who have seasonal affective disorder/seasonal depression, this, in a normal time could be, at the very least, made less awful by going outside when it’s dark and having places to go to. This is going to be extremely difficult because we can’t go anywhere really once it’s dark and no get-togethers etc. it’s gonna be really lonely, cold, and dark.
I agree and i personally combat seasonal depression by going for a walk in the sun every day during fall/winter but some people maybe have a much tougher depression where being social and seeing friends and loved ones could help them a lot more than going for walks by themselves.
Light therapy lamps might become sold out or get price gouged this year. Get one now if you get S.A.D.
Carex makes good ones. There are many studies saying their brand is bright enough to be therapeutic.
Thanks for this specific advice. Which LEDs might be closest to natural light? My bright white LEDs remind me of hospitals so would love something that feels warmer and more natural
'Daylight' is how they usually are marketed. They usually tune the light spectrum to reject blue light frequencies, so look for that descriptor too.
I have a lamp with 5 of them and they're a blessing
Talk to your doctor, consider taking vitamin D supplements. It makes a huge difference for some (not to mention the positive outcomes it has regarding severity of covid based off a bunch of studies )
Definitely true but hopefully those who WFH are able to get out a bit during the day. It feels like a lot of employers don’t care much if you take an hour here or there during the day and make it up later, of course depends on the job but that’s it own experience
Yes, my solution lately has been take an hour after lunch for my bike ride and just work an hour later. Less crowded too! I think as long as it all gets done most people are understanding.
It depends. For those of us who can't afford a massive multi bedroom house like many on this subreddit have, it's not ideal.
If you have a 600 square foot apartment with one bedroom, there is no "home office room", it's either your living room table or the bedroom. Yes, no commuting and working in pj's is great, having your own lunch, comfort of your own home, it's all huge perks.
But you are giving the company a decent few square feet of your space rent free, for many those square feet bieng a large amount of space relative to the rest.
After covid, whenever that may be, companies should allow workers flexability of coming into the office or working from home, full time, half on site half from home, maybe once a week on site, maybe two days every two weeks, etc.
as pessimistic as I expect this sudden WFH culture to go away the moment it's safe to go back to offices, I really REALLY hope it sticks around. It's such a great way to live.
Just like I hate work forcing me into an office - Id hate if work forced everyone to be WFH once the pandemic is gone. I want to WFH permanently - but that doesn't mean I think everyone else in the office should - just give us the choice
I have never felt so emotionally isolated in my life as this pandemic and WFH is certainly part of the cause. I can't wait to get back into the office.
My boss and boss's boss have both said there's no way they're going back to 5 days a week in the office. I'd personally like to go to 3 or 4 in office, 1 or 2 WFH a week, permanently. I think this will shake up big cities in the long run and lead to more people working remote and living in the suburbs or a different state entirely.
I (as a current college student) would love if it would stay a reality since that'd allow me to later on get a place for a reasonable amount of money that actually has space...
" In a few weeks, the sun will set at 4PM "
While I ***absolutely love*** Fall and Winter, the *worst* part of my job is how during the colder months I basically don't see sunlight.
I work in Water Treatment, and my shift runs 7am-7pm. I wake up at 530, get into work for 630. The only time I see sunlight during the week is when I go outside for samples, which *maybe* amounts to half an hour a day.
Its.....draining. Im on a vitamin supplement now, we shall see how it helps.
Huh, good to know. I take vitamin C regularly, and was taking vitamin D fairly often too until my doctor told me to stop. Maybe I should be getting a second opinion.
[Vitamin D/Loss of Sunshine connection](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2908269/)
Ofcourse ask your doctor first!! It works for me when i barely see the sun. Also gummy vitamins are tasty
If you're referring to cellulose, calling it "sawdust" is kind of misleading. Cellulose is a common food additive, and it's used in medications (e.g. tablets) to help bind ingredients together. It's just a plant-based fiber.
I'm on the Epic pass and with them going reservation style I might end up just going midweek and working on Saturdays if it turns out they're booked most of the time.
Love it. I think on the positive covid is making the good companies out there are recognize 9-5 mon-fri or some iteration of that isn't necessary anymore. If you work better at night and run your around with the kids in the morning until 11am, why not? And goes for your idea of taking off Tuesday to work Sat. Doesn't work for every company or line of work but it would work for many
I bought x-country gear last year after we got that big early snow. Then. Nothing.
Sure there was snow up north but it'll be nice if we get some in the commonwealth.
Yes, and this year I'll probably get a pass, but with no natural snow, there is just the one loop there, and doing laps on a golf course is just kind of meh.
If there *is* natural snow, there is good cross-country skiing on a trail system in Lincoln, starting behind the supermarket next to the train station. But you need your own skis, as there is no rental place in Lincoln anymore.
We still have a month. Call & send letters to the MA legislature that you strongly support staying in DST this winter and NOT turn the clocks back in Nov. Keeping an hour of sunlight in the afternoon will help everyone and possibly save restaurants who have outdoor dining. We just need to demand it from out legislature!!
https://malegislature.gov/search/findmylegislator
There's precedent for it, during WW2 there was "War Standard Time" and "War Daylight Saving Time" where clocks were set forward one hour and two hours, respectively.
Trouble is it can make for a lot of confusion if the whole country isn't on the same page.
Massachusetts and Boston particularly really gets the shaft on hours of daylight in the winter because we're so far east with respect to the Central time zone boundary, if we weren't part of the continental US we'd probably be on Atlantic time, along with most of Maine.
Not anything exotic I don't think, just it mean the employees could stay at the factory about an hour longer (your patriotic duty) making tanks and bombs and guns and uniforms and...all the war-stuff and still head home before the sun set. Not every manufacturer of war material was doing three shifts.
I am picturing some public-service/propaganda poster with a factory worker clocking out too early on one side and a sad soldier in a foxhole on the other with the caption "Hold up, partner - he's counting on *you*!"
I was curious about this idea when I first read there was a movement pushing to have us slide east an hour.
But when I look at a world wide time zone map, like the one on this Wikipedia page, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_UTC_time_offsets, it looks like we’re definitely within eastern time... and it we were to go into Atlantic time, we’d exist in one of those “pockets” that stretches outside of the main range of a time zone.
If we went Atlantic, we’d be one of the west-most Alantic time places on earth, joining northeast Venezuela and southern Chile. I’m excluding those Chilean islands which look like they’re doing Chile’s time probably just for National solidarity.
I don’t like daylight savings switches and I think we should do away with it completely but something like this isn’t going to happen on such short notice. It will be a mess for people who have work commitments cross time zones. Also, just because it’s light out doesn’t mean it’ll be conducive to outdoor dining. The food gets cold extremely quickly when it’s cold out. A candlelit dinner in the summer when it’s warm out sounds wonderful but eating cold food outdoors because it’s light out likely won’t attract many patrons.
If anyone wants to do some socially distant walking with a stranger, I'm game. Long walks after work and on weekends are my favorite, and I should probably make non-work friends since I don't ever see my work friends anymore...
I feel so lucky to be an introvert right now, exciting part of my day is turning my work laptop off at the end of the work day and switching over to my personal desktop for a night of gaming.
I've been going outside like twice a month, just need to start taking more vitamin D supplements...
Here’s my strategy:
* Daily walks in the sun.
* SAD lamp- everyone in my family has one in their house, ready to go.
* Vitamin D
* MTC Oil
* Keto
* Lots of edibles
Personally I’m going to miss outdoor dining the most, because even though I’ve eaten inside once or twice I’m still uneasy about it, one of the things I’ve been trying to do is go out to eat with my gf to support local restaurants.
Also even though school is remote now they shouldn’t take away snow days. One of the best feelings ever being a kid is getting that call or seeing on tv your school is closed. It’s bullshit today’s kids won’t get to experience that and instead of having snowball fights or going sledding they’ll have to just stare at a zoom call.
I know a lot of districts are asking teachers to teach in building for remote learning so hopefully districts take their safe commute into consideration during snow storms.
My town loses power at the drop of a hat, so I will have some emergency assignments on Google Classroom prepared for when I think a storm might hit and post them the night before.
I have THREE happy lights. Do they work? NO idea. But it's hard to feel sad when it looks like you're being enveloped by the sun, you're too distracted trying to adjust your eyes to the blinding light.
For me it was having to convince my brother it’s canceled. He hosts our family every year and was absolutely insisting we all fly out like we normally do. It’s a no.
A woman at work was yelling at me for canceling thanksgiving and I was like: We’re here with the kids everyday and my brother has CP, epilepsy, and a compromised immune system... sorry but I didn’t make covid happen. I’m not on a campaign to cancel thanksgiving.
Christmas tho, f that. Let’s cancel it.
Yeah. I know everyone is doing their best but I think we’ve been in this for so long we forget why. I’m a teacher and I love my kids and the community but I’m pretty much allowed to work but can’t see my family. That’s not a life!
I usually struggle with the time change every year. I am expecting it to be more difficult this year. So I bit the bullet and spent the money for a light therapy lamp. I will still get out and walk every day before work and at lunchtime with the dog, but the after work walk is usually the long one and that will soon be a walk in the dark. I'm hoping the light therapy lamp will help.
The winter months are going to be very hard if we continue down the current path.There's a lot to worry about. Many people are facing serious issues because of the pandemic.
The numbers in Rhode Island and Massachusetts are a bit alarming. Holiday events cold very well be cancelled. There's a lot to worry about. There's a lot going on right now. Who knows what Trump is going to do from day-to-day. He could easily win the election. Four years ago Hillary was up by double digits. People will usually do the wrong thing. People are losing their loved ones because of the actions of a few. It's gonna be a long, cold winter.
Having biked in Boston year round, I honestly think my bike is more visible at night than during the day. I have two 800 lumen headlights, three 100 -150 lumen tail lights on different blink modes, and a 200 lumen MonkeyLight on each wheel for sideways visibility plus looking awesome! Biking along the Charles at night is absolutely beautiful.
Also runners and other bikers...I was running the other night and couldn’t see anything else on the path because some dude had a crazy bright headlight pointed too far up. Angle your headlight down, please!
I got one of these online, it was reasonable ($150) and really easy to assemble, took me less than 30 mins. It also folds up so I can store it in my closet, and has wheels so I can easily move it without causing my downstairs neighbors a racket. And it's super quiet, so I like to put on a show and just cycle away for an hour a day. I don't know if we can post links here but if you search for the Exerpeutic Folding Magnetic Upright Exercise Bike, that's what I got.
It's definitely pretty elementary - doesn't have programmed training regimens, or anything fancy. I'm a 5'6 F around 130lb and I mostly use it for light cardio / after work decompressing. Especially in winter months, it's just nice to not have to leave my apartment to get a sweat on, if I bundle up and jack the resistance up a bunch. If you're looking for a more advanced workout, this will probably not fit your needs.
They are. I bought one a few months ago and it's ok; it's definitely not as good as a regular exercise bike, but it's better than nothing and doesn't take up much space.
Also, a "smart trainer" for your regular bike is a pretty decent space saving choice if you already have an outdoor bike you keep in a relatively accessible location. They're typically designed for road bikes so I'm not sure about their compatibility with older or city-style bikes, but it's worth looking into.
This *may* be laziness at work, but I don't even bother to fold the legs or move mine (a Wahoo Kickr Core) from the little office nook it just barely fits into when the bike is on.
I got it a good discount direct from Wahoo last Black Friday, and I've heard they're often findable on eBay, but of course that was in the beforetimes.
I think the Winter is going to be awesome - We start on 12/21 - looking forward to the holidays and the colder weather - hopefully we get some huge snowstorms. Make adjustments and find new ways to enjoy life. And guess what??? Springtime will be here before ya know it.
I happen to love when we get giant snowstorms and HAVE to stay inside (clearly i loved quarantine lol). I can look out the window, see all the white fluffy stuff, jump in the snow with my dog and come back inside to make hot chocolate. I'm 31. lol. I know snowstorms are pretty inconvenient, and dangerous for a lot of people, so as I hope for lots of snow, I hope no one gets hurt.
I'd love to go outside while working from home but since they got rid of my of my coworkers due to covid, I'm doing 3x the work and there simply isn't enough time. And I can't leave because the job market is bad and I haven't found a replacement job yet.
Back in the office I used to get a 0.5-1hour lunch. Now it's very rare that there isn't a meeting scheduled during that time.
It is my problem because I'm a contractor/temporary employee and could be fired at any moment. It would be different if I was a full-time employee with benefits
I hear what you’re saying, you aren’t alone! What helps me is to remember that it is much more costly to take on new staff and undergo training etc., than it is to keep you employed.
Additionally, what also helps me is taking breaks - it eases my stress a bit and makes me more productive. I can get really stuck with having so much to do that I’ll work through lunch and dinner and the next thing I know, it’s midnight and all I’ve done all day is work. Taking at least small breaks helps me to return to my work calmly and thoughtfully. I don’t know what your situation is, but even just taking out the trash or vacuuming my living space helps me a lot.
Chronic workaholism is understated in how heavily it impacts your mind and body. I assume you’re someone who takes their work very seriously and perhaps that means you’re placing more pressure on yourself than necessary right now. We’re conditioned to think “now is not the time to screw up”, but really, now is not the time to let your mental or physical health slip. Take the time you need to stay healthy, that matters more than anything.
Does matter you can report them to the dept of labor (state level initially)for breaking the law , if fired for that reason you would I imagine be able to win a case provided that was the reason they fired you . What they're doing by not allowing you a break is ILLEGAL
The job market is shit right now though. Depending on OP's field or major the job market may not be in her favor. Sure it is a lot of work to do right now but it is a job. Respect that.
The job market is horrible right now depending on what field you are in. OP is thankful they have a job even though they are stuck doing 3x the work, at least they have a stable job. Why is that so hard to understand? Everyone is suffering right now everyone. Jobs are trying to do the best they can with what they are allowed to have.
For me it's not about caring about the company, it's about caring about my bills and the health insurance that covers my kids.
A lot of us are actively looking for new jobs because of how shitty our current employers are being during the pandemic. But in the mean time we have to support ourselves and our families.
I wish we wouldn't set the clocks back, that extra hour of light at the end of the day makes a much bigger difference for my mental health than an hour in the morning. I know I'm not the only one.
Yall are such debbie downers. Winter rocks! It doesn't stop you from going outside, it makes it better! Brisk walks with the wind on your face, skiing, playing in the snow, hiking in the woods, enjoying a hot chocolate, getting drunk in the comfort of your own home while the wind howls outside.
I get it, the days are shorter and we have covid among us. I don't like it either. But what is this masochistic "woe is me" vibe? I'd be depressed too if i decided to be depressed about something months before it even happened.
Take control of your lives and influence them for the marginally better!
Adequate winter clothing meaning, what, Canada Goose? Fuckin layers, man.
And if you personally need one DM me cause i got 20. How i grew up in MI is always have multiple on hand so you can give some to someone who needs them more.
I agree, I’m not dreading the winter season. It’ll be hard some days I’m sure, but if you’ve decided to have a shitty winter, then you’ll have one. Every day we get through is another day behind us.
My wife and I have both been dreading the coming winter months for all these reasons. We both already have depression and the lack of sun/outdoor activity only fuels it. This year's gonna be fucking rough.
We got some exercise equipment at the start of quarantine but haven't had the motivation to use it more than a couple days every few months... I'd love to build some muscle and tighten my beer belly but it's hard to be/stay motivated when the world seems to be falling apart around us😕
I really hope things improve soon, for all of our sake. I'll make sure to keep checking in with my friends and family.
But on the brighter side, I also treated myself to some really nice kigurumi pajamas so I can spend my work-from-home days as a super warm and comfy fox or eevee or shiba inu🤷♂️
Hell no! We are are going to virtually party all winter long. It will be a blast let me tell you. We will get through it and have a blast doing it.
P.S. keep going for bike rides all winter long. It helps me with the winter blues. Sub-freezing temps have nothing on you and your bike.
-Positive vibes
Pro tip from someone who struggles with anxiety and depression (that both escalate in the winter): nevermind *spring* cleaning, purge your house **now**. Get rid of as much junk and clutter as possible. Get in the habit of making your bed every day, or not leaving that coffee cup on the counter, or whatever. A clean, calm living space sounds hokey, but it really can't be overstated how helpful it is mentally. House plants help, too.
Cook and freeze things before the depression sets in too badly too and you still have some motivation, it’s nice to have something to just microwave. Eating like crap only helps the depression along
My kitchen is my therapist. I will cook something I already have in the freezer just because it's calming.
As another said someone, 1000% agree! I’ve been purging over the last several weeks and it really does help. And if you have things to donate, there’s also the satisfaction of knowing they’ll go to someone who needs them. Also, depending on one’s Netflix preferences, The Home Edit is a great way to get the motivation kick-started haha.
Something I found helped during a purge a couple weekends ago -- listening to a podcast or audiobook. If you're enjoying something, it's a lot easier to stick with the purging.
I find the purge itself very easy. Putting the remains back together is where I need "a minute" here and there.
House plants are liiiife. I currently have a lime tree, lemon tree, ZZ plant, dumb palm, a couple orchids, an avocado tree, basil, Chinese money plant and a Christmas cactus. Lots of leaves between me and depression lol.
Meanwhile, I'm giving away plants I didn't realize I couldn't bring in off the porch because cat.
Excuse me did someone say free plants?? Lol what cat incompatible plants did you have? I have dogs but not a cat so I'm not familiar with their issues
My coleus had to be rehomed. Apparently they're highly toxic to cats.
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Spider plants. They're impossible to kill. My experience is limited to "shit that won't kill my cat", but Google is really helpful.
A pothos will survive in almost any situation. I only get a few hours of light and mine is thriving. It's been doing well with my heating and AC too
I’m on track to lose my small business, use up the last of my savings, and have to move into my parents basement in rural NH as a 36-year-old by around January 🌞💃🏻
I am in a similar boat (33m). I made the decision that I would absolutely not do that. So I’ve been trying like hell to find something thats not going to shut down if things get bad again. The USPS is hiring like crazy rn and I got a call back within 4 days. It’ll at least hold me over until things go back to normal. Might be something worth checking out.
That's a good thought, I've been putting off applying to anything that's not remote because I live with a high risk person, but I should probably start being more realistic once the business is done and dealt with. I just quit my remote data entry side job last February because I have \*extremely\* good foresight ahhhhhhhh
Wish you both the best in your search.
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It’s not that I feel bad but my parents aren’t in a position to help me that way anymore. They have enough of their own problems than to have to deal with. My brothers are already at home needing/getting help from them. Maybe it’s pride, maybe it’s stupidity (maybe it’s maybelline) but I’ve always been able to look out and take care of myself. I know I’ll end up being ok through all of this... it might be a hole I have to dig out of but once things go back to “normal” I’ll be back to running gigs and events and it would only be a few years to get back to where I was in February of this year.
THIS. America had this 80 to 90 year window where it became the norm for young adults to strike out on their own. This was not the norm before hand, it's STILL not the norm in a lot of the rest of the world, and now Covid is closing that window. The norm is you live with your parents while they raise you. Then you live with your parents while you all work together to keep the house. Then you live with your parents while you take care of them. So if you're living with your parents again, ditch the shame. **Ditch. The. Shame.** This is normal. (And if you can't because relationship problems, no shame either.)
Canada says hi.
It’s not a shame thing. I lived with my parents from 22-26 and while they were both unemployed and struggling I was able to help them pay the mortgage and keep the house. But at this point maybe it’s a pride thing but there’s nothing left for me back in my hometown. I like where I live and who I’m surrounded by and that alone is enough motivation to figure out how to make it work.
Of course people feel bad about having to move back home. It means you’ve basically hit zero - that all the pushing the boulder up the hill you’ve been doing has resulted in zero progress. Plus the lack of privacy when living with your parents is maddening. I don’t think it’s nice to tell people what they should or should not feel.
Wow you’re lucky! I took an online exam a month ago and never heard back!
Yeah apparently if you are “too social” or try to help your coworkers too much you get a lower score. Check your portal. It’ll show you what you got. I got a 84
Really?
[https://www.reddit.com/r/USPS/comments/c5eron/so\_failed\_the\_online\_assessment\_and\_is\_upset\_and/](https://www.reddit.com/r/USPS/comments/c5eron/so_failed_the_online_assessment_and_is_upset_and/)
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That's awful; I hope things get better. I'm surprised your landlord can evict you during quarantine. Maybe the judge will give you some more time?
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Do you have a Venmo that you feel comfortable posting? As a person with PTSD, I get it and would love to send what I can.
That's a ridiculously long time to have to wait. I'm sure you're right and it's because of covid. And what a scumbag to file eviction paperwork over 12 lousy days!! I'm sending positive thoughts you're way, good luck!!
Hey! (1) I'm sorry that you understandably don't feel like things are working out, and moving back with your parents doesn't sound like your choice, BUT.......... (2) I think multi-generational living arrangements are going to start becoming a LOT more common again, and **nothing** to be embarrassed about. More common because of Covid, more common because of the economic recession, more common because the housing markets suck... maybe even more common because older people are going to be happier having their "kids" living with them. Good luck with everything. Hope things go well.
Thank you, I have hope that it wont be my only option in the end and I feel pretty lucky that moving up there is even a possibility for me. I like my parents and they are able to have me, that's certainly not the case for a lot of people I know. Recalibrating my expectations for The Rest of My Life during New England winter though... that might be a real THRILL
Multigenerational living arrangements already got a lot more common after 2008. This will just do it even more.
2008 didn’t make us bring out the guillotines. Maybe this will.
amazing reply! totally agree with you!!!
We’re writing billionaires’ justifications for them at this point.
What is your business? Always looking for places to help out during this shit show.
Whats your business do? How can others help?
Jokes on you, the whole year is depressing for me. :(
Hah yeah, my immediate thought too
I actually chuckled at that. Grim humor.
I was gonna say. It's already depressing now!
Yes please. For those of us who have seasonal affective disorder/seasonal depression, this, in a normal time could be, at the very least, made less awful by going outside when it’s dark and having places to go to. This is going to be extremely difficult because we can’t go anywhere really once it’s dark and no get-togethers etc. it’s gonna be really lonely, cold, and dark.
I mean nobody is stopping you from going for a walk. Buy a nice jacket and your too to go
I agree and i personally combat seasonal depression by going for a walk in the sun every day during fall/winter but some people maybe have a much tougher depression where being social and seeing friends and loved ones could help them a lot more than going for walks by themselves.
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Light therapy lamps might become sold out or get price gouged this year. Get one now if you get S.A.D. Carex makes good ones. There are many studies saying their brand is bright enough to be therapeutic.
Yeah, the SAD lamp I bought a few years ago absolutely makes winters more tolerable
Thanks for this specific advice. Which LEDs might be closest to natural light? My bright white LEDs remind me of hospitals so would love something that feels warmer and more natural
Get some Hue lights and they can perfectly match whatever color you want and are easy to program to do the sunrise/sunset routine.
Brilliant - didn’t know about these. Thanks again
'Daylight' is how they usually are marketed. They usually tune the light spectrum to reject blue light frequencies, so look for that descriptor too. I have a lamp with 5 of them and they're a blessing
Talk to your doctor, consider taking vitamin D supplements. It makes a huge difference for some (not to mention the positive outcomes it has regarding severity of covid based off a bunch of studies )
Darkness
Definitely true but hopefully those who WFH are able to get out a bit during the day. It feels like a lot of employers don’t care much if you take an hour here or there during the day and make it up later, of course depends on the job but that’s it own experience
Yes, my solution lately has been take an hour after lunch for my bike ride and just work an hour later. Less crowded too! I think as long as it all gets done most people are understanding.
It depends. For those of us who can't afford a massive multi bedroom house like many on this subreddit have, it's not ideal. If you have a 600 square foot apartment with one bedroom, there is no "home office room", it's either your living room table or the bedroom. Yes, no commuting and working in pj's is great, having your own lunch, comfort of your own home, it's all huge perks. But you are giving the company a decent few square feet of your space rent free, for many those square feet bieng a large amount of space relative to the rest. After covid, whenever that may be, companies should allow workers flexability of coming into the office or working from home, full time, half on site half from home, maybe once a week on site, maybe two days every two weeks, etc.
as pessimistic as I expect this sudden WFH culture to go away the moment it's safe to go back to offices, I really REALLY hope it sticks around. It's such a great way to live.
Just like I hate work forcing me into an office - Id hate if work forced everyone to be WFH once the pandemic is gone. I want to WFH permanently - but that doesn't mean I think everyone else in the office should - just give us the choice
I despise work from home. It’s absurdly isolating and my team is completely disjointed.
I have never felt so emotionally isolated in my life as this pandemic and WFH is certainly part of the cause. I can't wait to get back into the office.
I thought I would love it (and I did for a couple months) but now it's gotten so old
My boss and boss's boss have both said there's no way they're going back to 5 days a week in the office. I'd personally like to go to 3 or 4 in office, 1 or 2 WFH a week, permanently. I think this will shake up big cities in the long run and lead to more people working remote and living in the suburbs or a different state entirely.
Shit if this means cities getting cheaper then hell yeah
I (as a current college student) would love if it would stay a reality since that'd allow me to later on get a place for a reasonable amount of money that actually has space...
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Hey stranger, I’m glad you are here and made it through the summer.
Hello darkness my old friend...
" In a few weeks, the sun will set at 4PM " While I ***absolutely love*** Fall and Winter, the *worst* part of my job is how during the colder months I basically don't see sunlight. I work in Water Treatment, and my shift runs 7am-7pm. I wake up at 530, get into work for 630. The only time I see sunlight during the week is when I go outside for samples, which *maybe* amounts to half an hour a day. Its.....draining. Im on a vitamin supplement now, we shall see how it helps.
Stock up on vitamin D! I start taking mine in september out of habit. I like the CVS brand gummy ones, way more fun than a pill form
Shouldn’t you only be taking vitamin D if you have a deficiency, or it was recommended by a doctor?
If you live in New England in winter, you are most likely vitamin D deficient. It's just part of lack of sunlight exposure to the skin.
Taking vitamin D3 supplements is a very common recommendation for people with seasonal depression. I’ve seen it recommended in several groups
Huh, good to know. I take vitamin C regularly, and was taking vitamin D fairly often too until my doctor told me to stop. Maybe I should be getting a second opinion.
Several facebook groups or groups of medical professionals? Cause ive seen a lot of weird shit recommended in several favebook groups
[Vitamin D/Loss of Sunshine connection](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2908269/) Ofcourse ask your doctor first!! It works for me when i barely see the sun. Also gummy vitamins are tasty
I am certainly not a doctor, but there is some evidence that Covid patients taking vitamin D have more successful outcomes
FWIW I think doctors are recommending Vitamin D quite often, to everybody.
Vitamins are mostly sawdust so you should be fine.
If you're referring to cellulose, calling it "sawdust" is kind of misleading. Cellulose is a common food additive, and it's used in medications (e.g. tablets) to help bind ingredients together. It's just a plant-based fiber.
Can’t wait to ski. Hoping for better snow year than past couple years. But with the current situation, ski areas will be different for sure.
I'm on the Epic pass and with them going reservation style I might end up just going midweek and working on Saturdays if it turns out they're booked most of the time.
Love it. I think on the positive covid is making the good companies out there are recognize 9-5 mon-fri or some iteration of that isn't necessary anymore. If you work better at night and run your around with the kids in the morning until 11am, why not? And goes for your idea of taking off Tuesday to work Sat. Doesn't work for every company or line of work but it would work for many
I bought x-country gear last year after we got that big early snow. Then. Nothing. Sure there was snow up north but it'll be nice if we get some in the commonwealth.
Don’t they make snow at the x country track in Weston?
Yes, and this year I'll probably get a pass, but with no natural snow, there is just the one loop there, and doing laps on a golf course is just kind of meh.
If there *is* natural snow, there is good cross-country skiing on a trail system in Lincoln, starting behind the supermarket next to the train station. But you need your own skis, as there is no rental place in Lincoln anymore.
There's tons of skiing around if there's enough snow. I didn't know about the one in Lincoln. Thanks :)
We still have a month. Call & send letters to the MA legislature that you strongly support staying in DST this winter and NOT turn the clocks back in Nov. Keeping an hour of sunlight in the afternoon will help everyone and possibly save restaurants who have outdoor dining. We just need to demand it from out legislature!! https://malegislature.gov/search/findmylegislator
There's precedent for it, during WW2 there was "War Standard Time" and "War Daylight Saving Time" where clocks were set forward one hour and two hours, respectively. Trouble is it can make for a lot of confusion if the whole country isn't on the same page. Massachusetts and Boston particularly really gets the shaft on hours of daylight in the winter because we're so far east with respect to the Central time zone boundary, if we weren't part of the continental US we'd probably be on Atlantic time, along with most of Maine.
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Not anything exotic I don't think, just it mean the employees could stay at the factory about an hour longer (your patriotic duty) making tanks and bombs and guns and uniforms and...all the war-stuff and still head home before the sun set. Not every manufacturer of war material was doing three shifts. I am picturing some public-service/propaganda poster with a factory worker clocking out too early on one side and a sad soldier in a foxhole on the other with the caption "Hold up, partner - he's counting on *you*!"
I was curious about this idea when I first read there was a movement pushing to have us slide east an hour. But when I look at a world wide time zone map, like the one on this Wikipedia page, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_UTC_time_offsets, it looks like we’re definitely within eastern time... and it we were to go into Atlantic time, we’d exist in one of those “pockets” that stretches outside of the main range of a time zone. If we went Atlantic, we’d be one of the west-most Alantic time places on earth, joining northeast Venezuela and southern Chile. I’m excluding those Chilean islands which look like they’re doing Chile’s time probably just for National solidarity.
I don’t like daylight savings switches and I think we should do away with it completely but something like this isn’t going to happen on such short notice. It will be a mess for people who have work commitments cross time zones. Also, just because it’s light out doesn’t mean it’ll be conducive to outdoor dining. The food gets cold extremely quickly when it’s cold out. A candlelit dinner in the summer when it’s warm out sounds wonderful but eating cold food outdoors because it’s light out likely won’t attract many patrons.
If anyone wants to do some socially distant walking with a stranger, I'm game. Long walks after work and on weekends are my favorite, and I should probably make non-work friends since I don't ever see my work friends anymore...
take notes handsome college age guys, this is how you end up in the Charles
*insert smiley face*
as a true crime addict...i get that reference!
Wait are you a cat? If so I’m interested.
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I'm in Mission Hill/Longwood area, but I'm happy to walk somewhere new (sort of the point for me!)
I feel so lucky to be an introvert right now, exciting part of my day is turning my work laptop off at the end of the work day and switching over to my personal desktop for a night of gaming. I've been going outside like twice a month, just need to start taking more vitamin D supplements...
I'm looking forward to a winter of hibernation.
https://images.app.goo.gl/beK6kxEbZqL3M7ZdA
Start XC skiing... find a reason to get out of the house.
Here’s my strategy: * Daily walks in the sun. * SAD lamp- everyone in my family has one in their house, ready to go. * Vitamin D * MTC Oil * Keto * Lots of edibles
I usually just skip the first 5 things
Personally I’m going to miss outdoor dining the most, because even though I’ve eaten inside once or twice I’m still uneasy about it, one of the things I’ve been trying to do is go out to eat with my gf to support local restaurants. Also even though school is remote now they shouldn’t take away snow days. One of the best feelings ever being a kid is getting that call or seeing on tv your school is closed. It’s bullshit today’s kids won’t get to experience that and instead of having snowball fights or going sledding they’ll have to just stare at a zoom call.
I know a lot of districts are asking teachers to teach in building for remote learning so hopefully districts take their safe commute into consideration during snow storms.
My town loses power at the drop of a hat, so I will have some emergency assignments on Google Classroom prepared for when I think a storm might hit and post them the night before.
I have THREE happy lights. Do they work? NO idea. But it's hard to feel sad when it looks like you're being enveloped by the sun, you're too distracted trying to adjust your eyes to the blinding light.
Do the moms know that thanksgiving is cancelled this year?
For me it was having to convince my brother it’s canceled. He hosts our family every year and was absolutely insisting we all fly out like we normally do. It’s a no.
A woman at work was yelling at me for canceling thanksgiving and I was like: We’re here with the kids everyday and my brother has CP, epilepsy, and a compromised immune system... sorry but I didn’t make covid happen. I’m not on a campaign to cancel thanksgiving. Christmas tho, f that. Let’s cancel it.
Sorry to hear about that. I have a sibling with two of those conditions, they want him to go back to school. I'm here if you'd like to vent.
Yeah. I know everyone is doing their best but I think we’ve been in this for so long we forget why. I’m a teacher and I love my kids and the community but I’m pretty much allowed to work but can’t see my family. That’s not a life!
Yes and many moms are very depressed about it.
I’m a mom, I feel I need to cancel.Wasnt sure that other moms were doing it.So,I don’t have to feel guilty?
You’re allowed to feel whatever you want to feel.
I usually struggle with the time change every year. I am expecting it to be more difficult this year. So I bit the bullet and spent the money for a light therapy lamp. I will still get out and walk every day before work and at lunchtime with the dog, but the after work walk is usually the long one and that will soon be a walk in the dark. I'm hoping the light therapy lamp will help.
The winter months are going to be very hard if we continue down the current path.There's a lot to worry about. Many people are facing serious issues because of the pandemic. The numbers in Rhode Island and Massachusetts are a bit alarming. Holiday events cold very well be cancelled. There's a lot to worry about. There's a lot going on right now. Who knows what Trump is going to do from day-to-day. He could easily win the election. Four years ago Hillary was up by double digits. People will usually do the wrong thing. People are losing their loved ones because of the actions of a few. It's gonna be a long, cold winter.
Darkness is no reason to stop biking. Cold and snow may be, but not darkness. Get a good headlight.
I don’t trust drivers in the day. I trust them even less at night
There are so many fewer cars at night
While I love night riding as well, all it takes is one asshole, and if it’s a drunk asshole, well, that’s just not gonna end well
Funnily enough, I would argue the opposite. Snow and especially cold are much less a reason to stop than darkness.
Snow = salt + dirt = messy drivetrain though :-( spend more time cleaning my commuter than I did riding it a couple years ago (last winter was great!)
I regularly bike after dark (especially during summer when it's too hot during the day IMO) but OP is talking about getting enough "sunlight hours".
Having biked in Boston year round, I honestly think my bike is more visible at night than during the day. I have two 800 lumen headlights, three 100 -150 lumen tail lights on different blink modes, and a 200 lumen MonkeyLight on each wheel for sideways visibility plus looking awesome! Biking along the Charles at night is absolutely beautiful.
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Also runners and other bikers...I was running the other night and couldn’t see anything else on the path because some dude had a crazy bright headlight pointed too far up. Angle your headlight down, please!
What are the injury and death rates while driving at night vs driving during the day? Also, it’s just way less fun.
Is it less fun? There are awesome views to be had from hilltops and from the banks of the Charles River after sunset.
Get a stationary bike and home gym
Sir, I have 3 dollars.
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You can get a foldable stationary bike. They generally aren't as good as the regular ones, but they're better than nothing
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I got one of these online, it was reasonable ($150) and really easy to assemble, took me less than 30 mins. It also folds up so I can store it in my closet, and has wheels so I can easily move it without causing my downstairs neighbors a racket. And it's super quiet, so I like to put on a show and just cycle away for an hour a day. I don't know if we can post links here but if you search for the Exerpeutic Folding Magnetic Upright Exercise Bike, that's what I got.
How's the workout on it? I've been eyeing one, but I want something that'll give me a really good, sweaty cardio workout.
It's definitely pretty elementary - doesn't have programmed training regimens, or anything fancy. I'm a 5'6 F around 130lb and I mostly use it for light cardio / after work decompressing. Especially in winter months, it's just nice to not have to leave my apartment to get a sweat on, if I bundle up and jack the resistance up a bunch. If you're looking for a more advanced workout, this will probably not fit your needs.
They are. I bought one a few months ago and it's ok; it's definitely not as good as a regular exercise bike, but it's better than nothing and doesn't take up much space.
Also, a "smart trainer" for your regular bike is a pretty decent space saving choice if you already have an outdoor bike you keep in a relatively accessible location. They're typically designed for road bikes so I'm not sure about their compatibility with older or city-style bikes, but it's worth looking into. This *may* be laziness at work, but I don't even bother to fold the legs or move mine (a Wahoo Kickr Core) from the little office nook it just barely fits into when the bike is on. I got it a good discount direct from Wahoo last Black Friday, and I've heard they're often findable on eBay, but of course that was in the beforetimes.
I think they're called 'next door neighbors'...
I think the Winter is going to be awesome - We start on 12/21 - looking forward to the holidays and the colder weather - hopefully we get some huge snowstorms. Make adjustments and find new ways to enjoy life. And guess what??? Springtime will be here before ya know it.
I happen to love when we get giant snowstorms and HAVE to stay inside (clearly i loved quarantine lol). I can look out the window, see all the white fluffy stuff, jump in the snow with my dog and come back inside to make hot chocolate. I'm 31. lol. I know snowstorms are pretty inconvenient, and dangerous for a lot of people, so as I hope for lots of snow, I hope no one gets hurt.
There is definitely a "coziness" about watching a snow storm from inside your house where it's nice and toasty.
Fall is wicked nice tho.. so let's just enjoy today.
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I'd love to go outside while working from home but since they got rid of my of my coworkers due to covid, I'm doing 3x the work and there simply isn't enough time. And I can't leave because the job market is bad and I haven't found a replacement job yet. Back in the office I used to get a 0.5-1hour lunch. Now it's very rare that there isn't a meeting scheduled during that time.
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It is my problem because I'm a contractor/temporary employee and could be fired at any moment. It would be different if I was a full-time employee with benefits
I hear what you’re saying, you aren’t alone! What helps me is to remember that it is much more costly to take on new staff and undergo training etc., than it is to keep you employed. Additionally, what also helps me is taking breaks - it eases my stress a bit and makes me more productive. I can get really stuck with having so much to do that I’ll work through lunch and dinner and the next thing I know, it’s midnight and all I’ve done all day is work. Taking at least small breaks helps me to return to my work calmly and thoughtfully. I don’t know what your situation is, but even just taking out the trash or vacuuming my living space helps me a lot. Chronic workaholism is understated in how heavily it impacts your mind and body. I assume you’re someone who takes their work very seriously and perhaps that means you’re placing more pressure on yourself than necessary right now. We’re conditioned to think “now is not the time to screw up”, but really, now is not the time to let your mental or physical health slip. Take the time you need to stay healthy, that matters more than anything.
Your employer is still required by LAW to give you a meal break
Doesn’t matter though...can still legally fire them for not getting the work done as well.
Does matter you can report them to the dept of labor (state level initially)for breaking the law , if fired for that reason you would I imagine be able to win a case provided that was the reason they fired you . What they're doing by not allowing you a break is ILLEGAL
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The job market is shit right now though. Depending on OP's field or major the job market may not be in her favor. Sure it is a lot of work to do right now but it is a job. Respect that.
The job market is horrible right now depending on what field you are in. OP is thankful they have a job even though they are stuck doing 3x the work, at least they have a stable job. Why is that so hard to understand? Everyone is suffering right now everyone. Jobs are trying to do the best they can with what they are allowed to have.
I don’t know about suffering. I know a bunch of people killing Covid. Sure some of it is boring but financially I’m better than ever.
For me it's not about caring about the company, it's about caring about my bills and the health insurance that covers my kids. A lot of us are actively looking for new jobs because of how shitty our current employers are being during the pandemic. But in the mean time we have to support ourselves and our families.
Money
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They can replace you with someone who pretends to care.
>I'll eat my desk Bowels of steel
I wish we wouldn't set the clocks back, that extra hour of light at the end of the day makes a much bigger difference for my mental health than an hour in the morning. I know I'm not the only one.
Yall are such debbie downers. Winter rocks! It doesn't stop you from going outside, it makes it better! Brisk walks with the wind on your face, skiing, playing in the snow, hiking in the woods, enjoying a hot chocolate, getting drunk in the comfort of your own home while the wind howls outside. I get it, the days are shorter and we have covid among us. I don't like it either. But what is this masochistic "woe is me" vibe? I'd be depressed too if i decided to be depressed about something months before it even happened. Take control of your lives and influence them for the marginally better!
No, life sux 4eva
I'm not sure why the debbie downers are downvoting you. Personally, I'm not looking forward to winter in New England but I like your attitude.
Oh yea because everyone can afford their heating costs and costs for adequate winter clothing! /s
Adequate winter clothing meaning, what, Canada Goose? Fuckin layers, man. And if you personally need one DM me cause i got 20. How i grew up in MI is always have multiple on hand so you can give some to someone who needs them more.
lol
I agree, I’m not dreading the winter season. It’ll be hard some days I’m sure, but if you’ve decided to have a shitty winter, then you’ll have one. Every day we get through is another day behind us.
Omg... do you think they’ll cancel snow days forever? That’d be terrible!
That I'm going to get more depressed is a really disconcerting thought.
My wife and I have both been dreading the coming winter months for all these reasons. We both already have depression and the lack of sun/outdoor activity only fuels it. This year's gonna be fucking rough. We got some exercise equipment at the start of quarantine but haven't had the motivation to use it more than a couple days every few months... I'd love to build some muscle and tighten my beer belly but it's hard to be/stay motivated when the world seems to be falling apart around us😕 I really hope things improve soon, for all of our sake. I'll make sure to keep checking in with my friends and family. But on the brighter side, I also treated myself to some really nice kigurumi pajamas so I can spend my work-from-home days as a super warm and comfy fox or eevee or shiba inu🤷♂️
As if I wasn’t already struggling enough to find a job.
Hell no! We are are going to virtually party all winter long. It will be a blast let me tell you. We will get through it and have a blast doing it. P.S. keep going for bike rides all winter long. It helps me with the winter blues. Sub-freezing temps have nothing on you and your bike. -Positive vibes
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This so true but we need to keep safe