Covid19 Spare time

KARNUT · February 16, 2022

My mother in law is a very capable person. She walks her dog around her subdivision to get exercise. She used to sing in church and backed up piano player. She would go swimming with my wife at the rec center and grocery shopping. Since Covid she gave up driving, going to church and swimming. We did get her to come to our house for Christmas. Even though we told her we had Covid and found out one day later. She didn’t get it. She chooses to be alone. Makes me wonder how many people became shut ins or change their lifestyle over the fear of dying. It’s amazing how people forfeit their freedom over that fear. I don’t fear death. Incomplete living is my fear. My mother in law is slowly reverting and becoming depressed. My mother in law was a army wife and traveled the world with no fear. She’s lived in potentially dangerous places. This rattled her. It’s a shame.

customboss · February 16, 2022

1 hour ago, Donstar said:

This pandemic has exemplified or exposed considerably diverse thinking amongst the general population! These differences serve as fodder for media. Yesterday, significant restrictions were lifted in our Province and the news showed interviews of citizens for and those against relaxing the rules. Both sides have valid opinions. It is these differences in our thinking that creates the need for "mandates" and I suspect these restrictions are being relaxed for the same reason. Covid didn't go away. I found a significant increase in my free-time when we first started responding to the threat of Covid. For example, I didn't or couldn't make unnecessary trips to stores or public venues. The extra time and money saved is noticeable and I don't anticipate going back to my old routines!

I would argue less diverse but more miss-informed. Virus's are not fought well by consensus. They move and change too quick. Thats where authoritarian rulers have a speed edge on democracies.

In democratic republics the majority rules by LAW. Internet and manipulated digital media allow the lying authoritarian to enable and outrun the rule of law and consensus.

The internet and social media have been hijacked by the same authoritarian leaning minority that has always been there. They just never had this kind of bullhorn to be manipulated.

The authoritarians in history and now with internet speed use THE OTHER to drive an agenda.

The stuff going on about vax mandates is a small minority over amplified by social media speed and influence. 98% of truckers in Canada were vaxxed. They also were unionized. Fringe getting attention by throwing a fit and disrupting rule of law. Thats not good. Especially long term if the majority allows it.

The authoritarians love to use that to have the minority misinformed and angry about THE OTHER get up and do their bidding for them.

As we saw on Jan 6 2021 in Washington Capitol the rabble got left behind arrested and the authoritarians skate away to pop up somewhere else to try to control from a minority point of view.

Putin is a great example of authoritarian control and with the economy of Texas driven solely by oil and gas sales, wants to restore the control of the soviet block. I am amazed the democratic republics of Europe and US have stood their ground so far so we don't have a WWII style takeover of eastern Europe that is free right now.

Crimea was a willing participant in their rape since Russia planted so many there over the years but Ukraine is standing pretty tall so far.

All to say Covid is symptom of the difficulty of free and rule of law governments to actually govern. The trains run on time in authoritarian nations but god help you if you ever stand in the way of the ruler. Democracies have grown lazy and relaxed in the face of tyranny and I hope it doesn't take blood to wake up the spoiled entitled who have lived well off the sacrifices of the WWII generation who are now mostly gone.

Canadians fought and died at a much higher rate than many other countries in WWII and I bet many of those demonstrators combat vet grandpa's would kick their asses for what they did disrupting so much commerce and torturing the people in Ottawa and elsewhere with their horns and exhaust.

Just an opinion.

Donstar · February 17, 2022

21 hours ago, KARNUT said:

I don’t fear death. Incomplete living is my fear.

I sort of live by this logic and is a version of my mantra during Covid. Instead of getting depressed or searching for flaws in government response to the threat, I chose to make a lot of lemonade. If or when, my Dr. advises to, "Have your affairs in order", I won't have much to do or many regrets. However, saying I don't fear death will only be true when I've done everything in my control to maintain a reasonable quality of life.

I have a neighbour who has a horrible time navigating through Covid restrictions and depends heavily on others for motivation. I can't remember a time when I haven't been eager to get out of bed in the morning! (Obvious exceptions ;-)) I remember my father telling me to "look busy" when working with him on a jobsite or even at home. I quickly discovered that finding my own activities was preferable to him finding them. To this day, I can't lay or sit idly.

KARNUT · February 17, 2022

9 minutes ago, Donstar said:

I sort of live by this logic and is a version of my mantra during Covid. Instead of getting depressed or searching for flaws in government response to the threat, I chose to make a lot of lemonade. If or when, my Dr. advises to, "Have your affairs in order", I won't have much to do or many regrets. However, saying I don't fear death will only be true when I've done everything in my control to maintain a reasonable quality of life.

I have a neighbour who has a horrible time navigating through Covid restrictions and depends heavily on others for motivation. I can't remember a time when I haven't been eager to get out of bed in the morning! (Obvious exceptions ;-)) I remember my father telling me to "look busy" when working with him on a jobsite or even at home. I quickly discovered that finding my own activities was preferable to him finding them. To this day, I can't lay or sit idly.

I worked for and with my father most of my life. Learned a lot, something’s I had to take with a grain of salt. One comes to mind from my youth when I was under foot. Go play on the white line. We lived in the country a long way from stripe roads. We always thought he was kidding, I think.

Donstar · February 19, 2022

When time is limited and household income is generous, purchase decisions can be made quickly. When time is abundant and income is limited, major purchases usually come after exhaustive research or are abandoned. Last December we bought a new mattress after a lot of shopping and research. The deal was great! Yesterday, two months after making this decision, we replaced this mistake! My wife typically makes big decisions with greater speed and confidence than I do but will usually wait for me to catch up. I overheard her reporting this bed fiasco to her sister. She quipped, "Who knew you'd get a better bed if you pay three times as much?" I suspect she intended for me to hear!

KARNUT · February 19, 2022

I’m in a TV war with myself for the last 6 months. My living room TV is 9 years old, I’ve been researching. I don’t mind spending the money but of course I want bang for the buck. My first big screen 20 years ago was twice as much as my last one now there’re half again. The first one was rear projection then plasma next led. Now qled. Of course smart. I don’t have a smart TV. I have Ruku, fire, and DIRECTV stream with it own box. I’ll probably leave the smart part off if I can. The problem is going to the box store there’re all together and it buzzes the brain. Nows the time they go on sale after super bowl. Just saw an ad for a 50 inch Vizio for 249$. The real battle is I want a 65 we have a 47, down from a 55. My mistake is I included the wife. I should have followed the rule it’s better to ask for forgiveness.

txab · February 19, 2022

59 minutes ago, Donstar said:

When time is limited and household income is generous, purchase decisions can be made quickly. When time is abundant and income is limited, major purchases usually come after exhaustive research or are abandoned. Last December we bought a new mattress after a lot of shopping and research. The deal was great! Yesterday, two months after making this decision, we replaced this mistake! My wife typically makes big decisions with greater speed and confidence than I do but will usually wait for me to catch up. I overheard her reporting this bed fiasco to her sister. She quipped, "Who knew you'd get a better bed if you pay three times as much?" I suspect she intended for me to hear!

I hate buying mattresses

KARNUT · February 19, 2022

10 minutes ago, txab said:

I hate buying mattresses

That’s my wife’s job, I can sleep anywhere. She only buys where there’s a return policy for at least 30 days. And has delivery and pickup. Three try outs the last time.

diyer2 · February 19, 2022

Air bed, last forever.

txab · February 19, 2022

7 minutes ago, KARNUT said:

I’m in a TV war with myself for the last 6 months. My living room TV is 9 years old, I’ve been researching. I don’t mind spending the money but of course I want bang for the buck. My first big screen 20 years ago was twice as much as my last one now there’re half again. The first one was rear projection then plasma next led. Now qled. Of course smart. I don’t have a smart TV. I have Ruku, fire, and DIRECTV stream with it own box. I’ll probably leave the smart part off if I can. The problem is going to the box store there’re all together and it buzzes the brain. Nows the time they go on sale after super bowl. Just saw an ad for a 50 inch Vizio for 249$. The real battle is I want a 65 we have a 47, down from a 55. My mistake is I included the wife. I should have followed the rule it’s better to ask for forgiveness.

Doubt if you'll find a "dumb" TV anymore. I, like you, don't need my TV to do everything. Apple TV, Roku boxes handle apps better than any TV. Many of the apps you load onto smart TVs may not have all the features available compared to separate boxes.

I'd suggest 65" as minimum. As a side business, i've done home theater and home automation. If it's in a room of decent size, 65" is the smallest I suggest. Can't tell you how many people think they'll be ok with a 55" or maybe 48", until they get it home and use it for awhile. The farther away you sit from the screen the larger you go, especially as you get older. Too many channels running the scrawls across the screen nowadays. Also if you're doing sports, action stuff, stay with the 120Hz. a 60Hz juiced up to 120Hz through electronics isn't that great. Also suggest a sound bar and sub woofer at minimum too. Generally TV speakers are pretty crappy. I use a receiver amp running a surround sound setup

Donstar · February 20, 2022

We also made sure we had a 30 day trial for this bed. The store gave us "credit" for our previous mistake but told us it failed because of our mismatched box spring. This is all BS, I know, but I went as far with the dispute as I was willing. I don't doubt that the "credit" was equal to how much I overpaid for the replacement. We also bought new box springs (2 for a king) and now the bed is too high for the dog. We aren't too delighted with the height either but will try it for awhile. I am curious how a customer knows if the bed that is delivered has not already been subjected to a 30 day trial in someone else's home? TV's are a far more enjoyable shopping experience, imo! Karnut, 65" plus. - We have a 55" as our second and the difference is significant. The prices and quality are always improving. If I was buying today, it would be a 75"!

KARNUT · February 20, 2022

We had one of those high mattresses, it didn’t stay around long. We ended up with a 55 up from a 47. We figured at that price a floor model at 238$ it could go in a bedroom. So far 1 day the clarity of the QLED makes it seem much bigger. It took awhile to get the old sound bar not modulate the volume, all is well now. A new sound bar is next, big advancements there too.

diyer2 · February 20, 2022

65 inch TV if you are more than 8-10 feet away IMO.

Our setup. For TV and music.

Donstar · February 21, 2022

22 hours ago, diyer2 said:

65 inch TV if you are more than 8-10 feet away IMO.

Our setup. For TV and music.

Nice setup. It is often difficult to arrange a room suitable for visiting and remaining comfortable for big screen viewing. You've accomplished this. Remember when TV's were furniture pieces?