Dear All~

Motivation is somethng we all seem to lack. I guess when there are physical appointments to keep, things one arranged to do and so on they helped supply that motivation. Now however there many not be so many and one does tend to just stop or do something like read.

Elizabeth I think your psych's recommendation was a pretty good one, accept it rather than judging by pre-covid standards, and a list to pick from if the mood takes you.

You post made me feel better too (nothing worse than a lazy walrus:)

======================================

One more trivial thing one can do is try and have a few friends or acquaintances on video for some sort of regular game, cards, trivial pursuit, scrabble, whatever you all like. It helps to give structure and less a sense of isolation to have something like that even once a week. The friendships strengthened that way during adversity are likely to last.

Croix (who is searching for diet-approved wagon wheels and waiting to see what happened to the princess and crowd:)

Hi Croix and everyone.

Croix your last post reminded me that I am actually doing a study with my sister over the phone once a week. I use to drive to her place and do it with her once a week.

Also if anyone else is interested The University of Tasmania is offering a free course in gardening and a couple of other ones. One that sounded real good to me was a unit called The Science of Gardening. I really do want to start my own vegetable garden. And grow things well and my goal is organic vegetables.

The idea of eventually eating yummy home grown tomatoes sounds heavenly. And also knowing that I did it myself sounds good.

Just thought I would share that incase anyone else is interested to do the course as well.

It starts in June.

Dear All and Shell~

Been on enforced silence for a day thanks to NBN:(

I think your study shared with your sister is very good idea, something useful plus companionship - may I ask what you both are studying? Is it the gardening course or something else. Family history might be good.

For anyone interested the courses are mentioned here - though I do not know if they are pre-covid. As far as I know these foundation units have a hex free scholarship (better find out more)

https://www.utas.edu.au/short-courses

Well I suppose if nobody else will I'll have to take up the tale, but don't blame me for the plot:)

--------------------------------

In the morning they all bleared up with a hangover, the little dog, the elephants, the walrus, princess (even her hair) and the singer, together with the old man who was realy a travel worn but somewhat younger prince. (Have I forgotten anyone? Oh yes the singer's horse, who fortunately was a tea total thoroughbred)

The princess staggered aloft and immediacy tripped over something shiny. On picking it up she was it was that oddest of implements, a runcible spoon. This was a bit of a puzzle until they say, drawn up on the shore a pea-green boat.

"Let's all see if a relaxing time on the river will ameliorate these horrible hangovers" she said (whch was pretty silly as nobody there was called Amelia or even knew of anyone called Amelia.

Never the less they all (except elephants, horse and walrus) slumped aboard , tossed out a pot of honey that was taking up too much room and cast off.

They were just gently drifting peacefully with the current when bursting out of the bushes emerged a very irate couple waving ....

--------------------------------------------

Hello everyone...🤗..

I sat outside and coloured in today..for around an couple of hours..It’s a beautiful picture of a water well with bucket and trees, flowers, leaves..(wow so many leaves)..pebbles and a lady bug....It should like nice once it’s finished...I hope it will..

————————————————————————————

A loaf of bread..They saw the jar of honey go flying through the air and tried to catch it...They weren’t quick enough as a giraffe with its long neck caught it and ate it all...

The princess stopped the boat and went to meet them, and felt sorry for them, so they all went in search of a bee hive to get the irate couple some honey...They searched high and low for hours, when they finally found one..

They all sat down to work out the easiest and safest way to get some honey..The bees nowhere in sight they decided Now was the right time..They slowly headed over to the bee hive..when all of a sudden they could hear the loud buzzing of bees, to their astonishment the bees where large, yes very big bees..They all took off except for the singer took off to hide behind a tree..The singer thought he could calm them with his singing...Instead he made them more angry, and poor singer trying to get away from them jumped into the bushes, and started rolling down a steep hill..with princess and the others, including elephant, walrus, the little dog, the old man, the irate couple with their loaf of bread, all running after the singer....With the very big bees in hot pursuit..Down the slope they all ran, some tumbling, some rolling over, some sliding..Watching the bottom of the slope come closer and closer to them they all tried to turn their direction but alas they could and they all ended up in a......

Dear All and Grandy~

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......they all ended up in a... bowl of alphabet soup put there by one of the elephant's girlfriend (sorry forgot her name, Fatmia?). The all fell in and were followed by the very big bee's who immediately turned into Capital Bs, which are of course harmless.

As luck would have it the princess was still clutching the runcible spoon, and so they took turns using it to drink up all the soup until there was only a pile of alphabets in the bottom of the bowl. Selecting characters carefully they made a LADDER and all climbed out.

In case you are wondering large quantities of alphabet soup do not sit well with hangovers, however as they had left the letter V inside the bowl they were able to omit any unpleasant side effects. They did however bring out letters TSADE which when sorted out they gave to the giraffe to eat as a reward. With great forethought they also brought out the letters OYHEN which formed exactly what they ...

=====================

Talking of alphabet soup, which can come straight out of a can to be heated, or painstakingly made letter by pastry letter, cooked and combined with the soup of your own making. This presents an ideal opportunity to teach kids to cook. There is a delight in making silly words and this can lead on in time to the mysteries of pastry, soups and further still.

To be dependent throughout one's life on another for wholesome and tasty food (rather than just a do-it-yourself Tuna sandwich) is a terrible fate, and the sooner kids find the enjoyment of producing an (edible) meal the better.

Croix

Dear All~

A short one tonight, at the moment for many there is a cessation of all the usual pressures of life, even if there are new ones instead.

What would happen if you wrote down or journaled the effects of the old pressures going, the effects of the new ones, and as life resumes its original state (in so far as it can) you try to avoid the old ills and take the best out of your experience.

An example might might be always being preoccupied and maybe not in the best of temper after a day's work, now you find you actually enjoy just sitting with your partner talking of this and that. No agenda, no pressure.

Once you identify a benefit such as this, how would you both ensure it continued? (Yes I know, kids should live permanently with grandparents:) Seriously as they grow they may enjoy being part of it too.

Croix (who is hoping someone else will pop in and say something:)

One good thing with all that has happened recently, my husband has lost his job so he is cooking dinner again now and then.

I praise him for making us a meal, thank him for doing all the work and appreciate the fact I have not needed to think of what we will eat.

Sometimes this leads me to other thoughts of thankfulness. He is actually helping with the dishes now and then as well.

I'm trying to use that time for pleasant conversation!

Not sure if this is what you are getting at Croix.

Cheers from Dools

Dear All and Mrs Dools~
Yes that is exactly what I'm getting at. Hopefully your husband's behavior is something that, with encouragement of course, may remain beyong the isolation period. I've no idea if it occurred to him while working, that he could work with you in the kitchen too.

Some see a sharp division of labor. Maybe this will become a pleasant habit even if work returns.

=============================

I'm now talking generally, not about you Mrs D. If isolation can put people back together, learning the habits that please each other and needing their company more, even in a confined and stress filled space, then it is time well spent.

Shell~ You mentioned you were unfamiliar with Inspector Rex. This is an Austrian TV series about a homicide squad and a dog (Inspector Rex). It only has subtitles in English but is most enjoyable, definitely not a kids show despite the dog, dealing with all sorts of matters, but basically a feel-good program. Went for years. If you ever got the chance you might well enjoy it

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inspector_Rex

Croix

Hi Croix,

I had a bit of a laugh to myself about working together in the kitchen with my husband! That doesn't always work so well, we are both used to having space and the kitchen design is a little poor when it comes to functionality. Some times I do help him with preparing the food before he cooks.

You are right though, this is the time to try harder and make the most of this time together. He has no job at present so we do have time to chat more and maybe come up with ways to spend time together constructively.

Due to his current high pain levels he is unable to help with any physical jobs. Maybe we could play board games or do a jigsaw puzzle together.

Cheers all from Dools

Dear All and Mrs Dools~

It sounds as if the game 'Twister" is out then:(

=========================================

Wanting to make a lasting impression is no bad thing. Every generation leaves behind a fraction of the knowledge they knew. It is sometimes captured a bit in old TV and movies, which are not realy a faithful representation, and keeping a diary can be hard work, and the written word does not come easily to all.

Often it is the ordinary day to day matters that tend to be omitted, and this is a pity. It lends perspective to younger persons to realise for example what a 'meat safe' was and the way it changed shopping habits.

Most major museums have an Oral History department and collect the reminiscences of the older person. Sometimes these are targeted at specific events -but other times it is simply lifestyle.

The site:

https://www.oralhistoryaustralia.org.au/

Pulls together all the organizations -mostly voluntary - that gather and store this material.

It may well be a fascinating hobby, not just your own life, but recording that of others too.

In most cases a simple recording on a smartphone is quite good enough for human speech.

Croix

Dear all~

I'm stuck with the princess aren't I? Ah well

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... they also brought out the letters OYHEN which formed exactly what they ... needed, HONEY to go with toast. As it so happened a jailkeeper's daughter was passing, laden down with a huge basket of hot buttered toast, some of which she gave to our troop on the principal she did not want the normal recipient to gain too much weight for what she had planned, though how you gain weight in a jail beats me.

So they all sat down and had a feast, all except the Giraffe who after eating all the original honey followed by by DATES was full.

Where are you going jailkeeper's daughter?" asked the princess, "and who was all that toast for?"

-------------------------------------------------

I guess I'm showing my age when it comes to fairy tales and childrens literature. Still it had stood me in good stead all my life. My grandson has moved on to the Wings of Fire Series–Tui T. Sutherland, foreign territory to me.

Still encouraging your kids to read along with you (now you have time) and then branch out on their own as my grandchild has, leads to all sorts of lifelong advantages.

Croix

i haven't read wof but i did have some friends who i remember liking it. i saw the dragons and comics they'd all draw up and i'd be so stunned by it... tui t sutherland wrote for warrior cats which is a book series i did read all the time. shitty gratuitously-violent feral cat soap operas and they're made by two ghostwriters taking turns writing out what the publishers tell them to but there's some other ghostwriters who write side-books. one time in 2017 i spent a night counting all the books with the help of the (extremely overly detailed) warriors wiki and i got like 80 but that number's absolutely gone up since then. sutherland wrote one of the field guides but most of the side-ghostwriters write novellas. for some reason there's always new drama over it ranging from "this novella dramatically alters a character's backstory" to "this novella rewrote a major plot point making it make zero sense" to "a new novella came out and its about a villain cat people defend a lot grooming a basically-teenage character". i haven't read those books in years and i've definitely outgrown them but it also stirs in me like a sleeper agent. whenever i go anywhere nature-y my brain ticks "ah! this'd be a good place for a fanclan." and immediately starts coming up with names for the warriors. it stirs in me like a sleeper agent

--

"Le prisonnier de Nantes," says la fille du geôlier, but the princess is not a very Français sort of noble. She stares at la fille like she's there was meant to be a french idiom here that'd mean something similar to "like she's grown three heads" but im spending too much time researching french idioms and finding nothing. The princess replies 「me não hablo Französisch bello です。" la fille is crying. how did she nail all those accents within one sentence. how did she switch from corner brackets to quotation marks. how did she make the sounds of a corner bracket and a quotation mark with her mouth. she was originally going to use guillemets instead of quotation marks but that defeats the purpose of not knowing french doesn't it

Dear Eight

You are right, Dans les prisons de Nantes features a kind hearted jailer's daughter too, though I had been thinking of somethng very much more English.

I'm afraid that I'm not entirely certain of the meaning of the rest of your post, as I mentioned, my brain is not as fast. I can see you used polyglot to say you do not speak French Swiss well, but how the ASCII characters become involved beats me.

As for ghostwriters, do you mean fanfic? There is certainly a huge body of it for most famous books TV and movies. In such a crew there are bound to be discrepancies. I guess going for the quality of the writing may be the best approach.

Come to think of it fanfic (writing stories about characters in someone else's work) is a good way to pass the time and may even lead to fame and fortune (and notoriety) , I can think of one that went down that path , writing in the "Twilight" universe.

Croix

explaining wc is the funniest  but

1. warrior cats is as said badly written gratuitously-violent feral cat soap opera book series
2. it is too many books as mentioned before. the main arc books are written by two writers taking turns. they also write super editions, books about 500 pages compared to regular 300 focusing on a single character
3. they were overseen by an editor for 9 years up until 2012, the fourth arc, where her plans ended. she was one lady and she conceived the series/got the ghostwriters to write em
4. tui t sutherland wrote a field guide generally overviewing areas and history for the series. that's the only one she's written i think
5. the said editor in point 3 stuck around to write some side novellas (similar to super editions in zeroing in on a specific character but 1/3 of main book's length) but stopped overseeing the storyline. some other ghostwriters make them too
6. publisher harpercollins passes the story off to an editing firm around this time. they now come up with all the plots when they revive the series in 2016.
7. said editor is diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2017 and retires from the series to focus on recovery. actual condolences to vicky, mate
8. an entirely different group of ghostwriters also write two other talking animal fantasy books one about bears and one about dogs. they are nearly not as popular as warriors so i do not name them
9. ghostwriters struggle a lot with the editing team. they've caused a few continuity errors that they don't correct even when ghostwriters point them out. its not exactly an error but something that comes to mind was the twigbranch drama of april 2018 when fans were Upset over a major character being named twigbranch mostly because. its a really stupid name. twigs and branches are the same thing. when grilled over it on her blog one of the main ghostwriters explained she was begging editors to name her twigshade. the editors went for twigbranch instead so she justifies it as "i didn't even want the name" i think she should've been named twigheart its more symbolic whatever. cat names are serious business
10. the pseud for this distressingly complex web of ghostwriters is erin hunter which was chosen bc cat... hunt and to put them near the redwall series which is a similar gratuitously violent talking animal fantasy book series by brain jacques. fans collectively call writers "erins"
11. why in the living hell does a shitty gratuitously violent feral cat soap opera for ten year olds have so much to it

Dear All and eight!

I certainly can't complain at the clarity of your last post, it is a model of organization. One thing I find very interesting is the amount of time you spend on the details of how stories are produced, the authors, publishing houses and all the rest. This is as well as a critique of the content.

Continuity is important, and not always adhered to as you have outlined.

I find a similar fascination wiht movie productions and the books they originated from, TV shows too. for instance I think I have seven or eight scripts for the original Blade-Runner, each vastly different from the last (with a mix of authors too.)

This can develop into a life-long habit, giving many hours of occupation in research and pleasure too, I'd recommend it as something to be considered if one's natural interests run that way.

Incidentally is that a glimpse of part of Neku's headphones above your head in your avatar? I guess that makes you game controller.

Croix

Back to the princess -sigh

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... asked the princess, "and who was all that toast for?". The jailer's daughter replied "For a Toad of course, don't you know anything?" "Poop Poop"?

-----------------------

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wind_in_the_Willows

may assist user's memory

- In the next exciting episode we will see if Mr Toad escapes (having eaten the buttered toast of course)

Croix

I have actually been working the whole time through this isolation, so I've been very blessed to have a job to go to to keep me occupied most days. Most days.

But yeah, for someone like me who LOVES shopping and having no shops open ......... I have engaged in online shopping for clothes, and buying things for my garden.

I'm also a motorbike rider, so any day that has been warm and clear enough to ride my motorbike to and from work, is a great day!

Isolation and staying home though (not shopping!) has meant playing Solitaire on the computer, and Wordscapes and Toon Blast on my phone ....... over and over and over!

Having a plan for the days I don't work has also helped; I write lists of things I can do in the day, such as housework things, going for a walk, having a nap ........ napping is so important! But also writing and crafting.

Oh, and listening to music. I think if it weren't for music and the radio, I would need to be locked up in one of those special rooms with a special kind of 'hug yourself' jacket! And if that day does come, please note that I would like my jacket to be a blue one with white polka-dots!

Most of the time I try to remember how blessed I am with all the things that I have in my life; not only the food clothing and shelter, but people I am still connected with, the job I still have, the health I have, the education that I had that has brought to where I am in life ....... I really am so very blessed.

A gratitude list a day, keeps the Iso blues away.

I love this thread! It's so great to hear what everyone is up to. Besides doing my best to work from home and get moving a bit, like everyone else I've really come to value escapism even more than usual.

I've spent a lot of my time watching movies, reading and listening to audiobooks/podcasts, and doing an online live trivia that a lovely guy from Brisbane does over facebook. This week I started making my own trivia to do with my friends.

Probably the most absorbing thing has been playing around with a piece of software that lets you make music. I don't have any skill in music and don't really understand it, but the software makes it fairly easy anyway. I love just opening up a new project and getting lost in making a track, or loading in a song that I already know and screwing it up and taking samples.

A couple of one-off things I've enjoyed have been getting really absorbed in building a LEGO set and some logic puzzles. But most of all I would just recommend getting really into a good film or podcast! There's a separate thread here (https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/online-forums/bb-social-zone/social-distancing-film-club/) to discuss what everyone's been watching during all this :)

Dear All~
It's been a few days since I posted and no, you don't get more of the Princess story this time:(

I was reading on my computer and realized that there is a source I'd been tapping for years, not even thinking about it. Now the particular item was a forum about the sort of motorcycle I used up until a few years ago and was packed with information, mostly of a technical nature, that allowed me to do simple maintenance tasks with ease.

This got me thinking, on the web are forums of all sorts from needlework to keeping goats, not to mention cooking and timber-work.

If you can use spare some time now to search though I'm sure you would find other forums of people who shared the same interests and became a fount of information.
Just Google:

Forum needlework

Or whatever is your interest, you will be surprised at the choice

Croix

I want to echo Croix's point about the meditative potential of handiwork (literally working with your hands). While I struggle with mindfulness and guided meditation, I find that exactly the kind of manual activities Croix is mentioned (mechanical repair, handicrafts) are very soothing and just the right level of engaging.

Gems

Nine characters.... just trying to save this thread to my threads so I can come back later.

Thankyou for this thread Croix! I enjoyed reading the first 2 pages and I can't join the Princess story until I've read through it all lol.

I also echo uncut_gem's echo of Croix's by saying there is a wonderful meditative quality to ALL things we can do with our hands.... well probably not all but you know what I mean.

My HAPPY meditative handywork things include raking... and raking... and raking against the Brush turkey's garden design in my garden. I do feed them after all.
Also sweeping and sweeping and sweeping.

But I'm trying to learn more crochet. I can knit almost anything but I'm tired of doing that.

It's the spark of the challenge of learning something new that I crave right now (trying to replace chocolate lol).

Be back later - gotta go

EM

Dear Ecomama

I'm very pleased to see you here and look forward maybe to seeing you again.

I have to confess I'm also pleased you did not employ a single set of initials, something tha makes me loose my train of of thought and wonder "XX - now who/what was that?

I came to the conclusion you are a fast thinker (and probably talker too) and naturally gravitate towards the speed of abbreviations.

G O Croix

Croix where has the time gone. I dropped by at the beginning of this thread,

just saying hello.
I must confess I have baskets full of bits and pieces that I have been collecting over the months for collages. Soon I am attending a online Collage as therapy class . So wish me luck.

OK Quircky~

I'm wishing you luck, I think you might be very good at it, you certainly have enough ideas floating in your head.

Is htere any particular image you really would like to portray with this medium?

Croix

Hi BBers

Thankyou for your welcome Croix. I'll do my very best NOT to abbreviate lolol, not in your threads anyway. You realise my posts will increase in length now?

I love your collage idea quirky, how beautiful! I wonder if you would enjoy watching "Between the Folds"... it's a pretty amazing thing to watch in wonder. I'd love to see your finished work lol.

I think when we're really stressed it's VERY difficult to learn a new skill. I only want to learn about MH then and what I can do to help it. Since I've had PTSD it's been hard to learn anything else BUT this.

Past times with too many materials or tools are too difficult for me when stressed also.

Atm I like the rote physical tasks; raking, sweeping, cleaning, filling pots with soil etc. Things I can do by rote, repetitive, not challenging.

Last night I began drawing plans for my back garden rejuvenation. I enjoyed doing this. It's something I can do at night or when I'm too tired to garden or do much else. Draw, design, research, reflect. It's relaxing and hope filled too.

I want to talk about the Zone Of Proximal Development lol (ZPD)... but it's hard to explain what I mean... it's about only having the skill you want to learn a TAD higher than your current skill level. I think if everyone understood this then they would have a think about what they KNOW about a skill... then do just a bit more learning. Not take on the world at once, then get disappointed in their efforts. Then sadly give up.

Incremental steps help. Learning bit by bit.

I'm hoping to learn HOW to build some garden steps, mostly with materials I already have. I spent some time designing those last night and I'm pretty excited to begin. Being a Permaculture devotee means we use and reuse and upcycle and redesign materials we already have for purposeful uses.

This is a practical advantage of social isolation for me.

I hope everyone is well.

EM

"Incremental steps ..."

"...HOW to build some garden steps ..."

Oh dear

-C

Lol sure! Why not...

If the new Handyman works out well, I may even get him to help me build the steps.
Or I just watch HIM do the steps lol.
IDK yet, I'm a little protective of my design, so I think it's gonna be me. He might just wreck the mondo grass growing on each side - you know how Builders can be lol.

Handyman is coming today to see if he can put up extensive shelving downstairs.

I HOPE SO!

In response to your thread topic, I've tried to use the isolation time to get more specific help for PTSD which has been very good for me.
Also to organise, plan and create better spaces for us all at home.

Even in the garden. It's gone from lantana's paradise lol to a cleared almost clear palette.

It's been a marvellous opportunity for us to do these things this year.

I'd always prefer to look at the cup overflowing than even half empty.

How are you doin' Uncle Croix?

EM