Covid Lockdown

I hated it. The first was put in place too suddenly, with no time for me to plan for it. I had previously been working from paper documents in an office using a desktop computer - I had to change to using my own laptop at home and working out how to manage documents electronically. I also had to work in my living room (as I don't have any spare space anywhere else) and so my home - my sanctuary - also became my workplace. I also got a very painful "frozen" shoulder from  working on a laptop on the sofa and then had to try to procure a small desk and office chair and reclaim the cost from my employer. I hated taking work phone calls at home, but not being able to talk to anyone about work was extremely isolating.

I couldn't get our usual weekly shopping delivery and we were having to walk miles to different local shops looking for things that were scarce like loo rolls, pasta, etc. But going to the shops was also anxiety inducing because we were unable to wear masks and I was scared we were going to be bullied or attacked, even wearing an exemption badge. My mental health was so bad at one point I felt I'd rather die of the virus than carry on like that.

For me, it was horrific. 

I agree - I had to get more tech savvy and I had to buy this iPad Pro and my first iPhone 12 Pro - tech problems became ever more frustrating as I was doing an online course - because some parts of Rural Ireland where I’m originally from did not have Rural Broaband fully set up, at some points I dreaded having to have Zoom Calls with family in Ireland - I think that here in the U.K. if Labour had been in charge they would have had armed police and Milltary on the streets rigidly enforcing the Covid rules as other countries were, but with the Tories in power we got off lightly, as the Gardai in Ireland were arresting old people for going to Daily Mass as for most elderly Irish people in Rural Ireland, their Catholic faith is hugely important to them - people in Ireland kept referring to lockdown as being “strange” but the most bizarre aspect of lockdown had to be the World Gay Pride Event that went on online in June 2020 with DJ’s posting footage of gay anthems from previous years and on Irish TV (RTÉ) they had Gardai and other emergency personnel doing weird “Jerusalema” dances - but the way that some countries were enforcing the restrictions was heartbreaking 

I agree - I had to get more tech savvy and I had to buy this iPad Pro and my first iPhone 12 Pro - tech problems became ever more frustrating as I was doing an online course - because some parts of Rural Ireland where I’m originally from did not have Rural Broaband fully set up, at some points I dreaded having to have Zoom Calls with family in Ireland - I think that here in the U.K. if Labour had been in charge they would have had armed police and Milltary on the streets rigidly enforcing the Covid rules as other countries were, but with the Tories in power we got off lightly, as the Gardai in Ireland were arresting old people for going to Daily Mass as for most elderly Irish people in Rural Ireland, their Catholic faith is hugely important to them - people in Ireland kept referring to lockdown as being “strange” but the most bizarre aspect of lockdown had to be the World Gay Pride Event that went on online in June 2020 with DJ’s posting footage of gay anthems from previous years and on Irish TV (RTÉ) they had Gardai and other emergency personnel doing weird “Jerusalema” dances - but the way that some countries were enforcing the restrictions was heartbreaking