Lockdown has undoubtedly changed the way we have lived over the last five months, from not seeing friends and loved ones to hoarding toilet roll to watching dubbed Scandinavian dramas on Netflix as we have watched everything else on every other channel. I had a think about the biggest changes for myself and found a few surprises.
Wearing shorts - Lets start with a silly one, I’ve never worn shorts as much in my life! As soon as the lockdown was touted I was sent home to work and basically haven’t been back since which means I haven’t worn a shirt/tie/dress kecks for almost half a year - the longest time since I left Uni in 1998. My smart dress has been replaced with an outfit designed for comfort and that starts with shorts.
If you remember, when all this started, Mother Nature/God (delete as applicable depending on your faith) decided to play a massive trick on Britain by providing the hottest, sunniest Spring since records began. A friend of mine is a farmer and he kept mentioning a drought, at first I thought it was just hyperbole but after checking he was dead right! The weather was glorious, we have no air conditioning in the house so it was a case of digging out my holiday clobber and getting comfy.
I found I had the most comfortable shorts ever so immediately went out and bought another four pairs. Now, shorts are my uniform along with all manner of old band t-shirts, random golf polos and the odd long sleeve PJ top if it gets a bit chilly. As I write this, I look an absolute babe in my marl grey Converse shorts, white trainer socks and a Mongolian Football Federation t-shirt.
The Seldom Used Office Becoming The Command Centre - The small room in the front of my house that, before all this nonsense, had been a place to store books, magazines, sports memorabilia and old computer bits is suddenly the main room in the house for me. Formally a child's bedroom, it is now the beating heart of my work from home endeavour.
I already had the basics in there (a desk, monitor, desk lamp and a printer) but now I have monitor stands, desk organisers, an external webcam, two laptops, headsets, wireless signal boosters, Post-It notes, pads, coasters and the obligatory bright yellow Superlambanana (it is the law that if you live in Merseyside you must have at least on Superlambanana in your house - FACT)
So, was it all necessary? In a word, yes. I have adapted so well to working from home in my little space that I’ve asked for it to be a permanent solution (to be fair, I think the option might be foisted upon me). I’ve even put nice pictures on the wall behind me to make it look a bit more office-like. Admittedly they are pictures of James Bond but every little helps I reckon!!!
40 Miles To The Month - My car has been filled up once in the last five months. Admittedly, it is a plug-in hybrid so I get electric miles too, but still, £50s worth of petrol since March is ridiculous. I’m not complaining, it is better for the environment and I’m putting less money in the pockets of middle east dictatorships.
How are companies still charging so much for petrol? There was a report the other week that the Petrochemicals companies were having to PAY to take barrels of oil from them, they couldn’t even give it away! And yet the prices are still (goes away and checks prices) 109p/litre. How? How are the independent garages charging even more?!
I’m taking this as the win it is, less cost for me, less time spent on the road with idiots, the car stays clean (if you ignore all the bird laird), fuel prices will have to come down, more green transport initiatives are being investigated by the government, hell, I might even get mike bike out of the garage, who knows!?!?!
I’ve thought of loads more ways lockdown has impacted me but I’ll save them for another day. Look out for Tales Of Lockdown Part 2 - Judgement Day!!!
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