Constructive COVID-19 activities....learn some new skills

[OldHoosier62]

You can only "netflix & chill", clean, eat, complain, argue on the 'net, get intoxicated, etc...so much before boredom is driving you insane. What is everyone doing to either learn or hone a skill that you are lacking in?? I've been working on new BBQ rub, sauce and dish ideas over the weekend.

Other ideas for skills you can learn that often prove very useful.....(not intended as a comprehensive list, PLEASE add your own ideas below.)

1) Lockpicking- I use this skill very often in my work as an appraiser as many families have no idea where Grandpa hid the keys to his "good stuff". Easy to learn, pick sets are inexpensive, very practical skill for anyone who has ever locked themselves out of the house.

2) Specialty cooking- baking, BBQ, grilling, canning, jelly/jam making, and a plethora of other areas of the kitchen arts.

3) Learn how to play an instrument- I have a mandolin that I've been trying to play for years....now might be my time to actually figure it out.

4) Gardening- Goes very well with learning to cook also....and could be handy during the quarantine for getting fresh veggies.

5) Freehand sharpening- Sharpmakers, Edge-Pro, Work Sharp, KME...are all great but freehand works when you are away from all your other tools....


What are your thoughts?????

[Tdog]

Been working hard getting a garden in. 8 different varieties of tomatoes, bush and pole beans, summer and zucchini, lots'o beets (love the greens) cukes, eggplant, green, red, and jalapeno peppers. Jubilee melons and cantaloupe. Glad it's mostly done, our county just went on lock-down except for necessary visits to town. We've been lying low for the past 10 days. Got some collards almost ready to pick. mmm good. Learned the scout motto early.

[Naperville]

Unless things rapidly change we will probably be planting a small garden for food to cut costs.

- chives
- carrots
- potatoes
- tomatoes
- green peppers

We live just outside of Chicago, same Latitude, so if you know anything else that we can plant, let me know.

Thankx!

[Wartstein]

.....

5) Freehand sharpening- Sharpmakers, Edge-Pro, Work Sharp, KME...are all great but freehand works when you are away from all your other tools....

... great ideas!

As for freehand sharpening: Most will know it, but for the (probably few) who don´t: If you "only" have a sharpmaker, you can put the rods on the backside of the base and actually have a freehand sharpening device by that. Works just fine.

[Wartstein]

- Knife related:
+ Learning Balisong tricks. It´s fun, you can get Balisongs (or better trainers) for rather little money online and there are tons of instructional vids out there

- Get into some exercising (since I can´t go climbing right now, I shifted do doing that quite a bit) - also many vids out there (and there is a lot more stuff than pushups and the like you could do. Keeps you healthier too).

- Not only LEARN how to play an instrument but also START playing one again... I played the guitar (and bass guitar) a lot, both acoustic and electric, but not so much lately. Started to do so again in the last couple of days... (get headphones when you play the Electric over an amplifier...your neighbours are on a lockdown too... :D )

[Bloke]

Learning Balisong tricks. It´s fun

since I can´t go climbing right now

I played the guitar (and bass guitar) a lot

[Wartstein]

Learning Balisong tricks. It´s fun

Alex, my friend, you´re pure gold!! THANKS for the laugh, it is so great to have you around here!! :)

Hope all is well with you and your family, greetings from Austria to Australia,

Gernot

[bearfacedkiller]

This is going to sound harsh but, I am the only one who is not going to get a vacation out of this? I wish I had some free time to catch up on chores/projects! I NEED a week off but that ain’t gonna happen.

[ThomC]

This is going to sound harsh but, I am the only one who is not going to get a vacation out of this? I wish I had some free time to catch up on chores/projects! I NEED a week off but that ain’t gonna happen.

The store I work at is part of the "essentials" category, so while we've shortened our opening hours a little I still go to work 5 days a week. The hardest part is the wait between customers, we're down to half of what we usually get.
That said I try to keep busy at home reading, learning Japanese, perusing knives and selling some. Not much exercise for me as I walk to and back from work and once there there's always things to move around.
Maybe I should work on my core strength again, I miss my judo days that helped keep everything toned.
The week-end is the hardest part because my S.O. and I like to go out for a hike or a day-long walk when possible, so we resorted to reading on the balcony and bask in the sun, and cook, as usual. I'd like to pick up wood carving but every place I could buy some wood from is closed for now...

[soc_monki]

This is going to sound harsh but, I am the only one who is not going to get a vacation out of this? I wish I had some free time to catch up on chores/projects! I NEED a week off but that ain’t gonna happen.

I still haven't got one. They're trying to decide right now if they're going to give us our next shut down (starts Thursday) and make us work 12s to get more done faster (hahaha!) or make us stay home. We'll probably know Thursday. Or not. I don't know. You know government and decision-making.

[bearfacedkiller]

This is going to sound harsh but, I am the only one who is not going to get a vacation out of this? I wish I had some free time to catch up on chores/projects! I NEED a week off but that ain’t gonna happen.

The store I work at is part of the "essentials" category, so while we've shortened our opening hours a little I still go to work 5 days a week. The hardest part is the wait between customers, we're down to half of what we usually get.
That said I try to keep busy at home reading, learning Japanese, perusing knives and selling some. Not much exercise for me as I walk to and back from work and once there there's always things to move around.
Maybe I should work on my core strength again, I miss my judo days that helped keep everything toned.
The week-end is the hardest part because my S.O. and I like to go out for a hike or a day-long walk when possible, so we resorted to reading on the balcony and bask in the sun, and cook, as usual. I'd like to pick up wood carving but every place I could buy some wood from is closed for now...

You can’t go hiking? We went for a nice hike on Sunday.

[ThomC]

You can’t go hiking? We went for a nice hike on Sunday.

Unfortunately not. Here in France you're supposed to stay at home and go out for work, grocery shopping, mild exercise, pets and medical emergencies only. And you must carry a paper everyday stating why you're out, or risk a fine ranging from 135 to 3000€ and possible jail time for repeat offenders.
There are spot checks in the streets and on the roads, and I've had people tell me they were sent back home while on their way out of town to a secondary home or a walk out of town. You're basically not allowed to be more than a couple of miles from home if you're not working.
It's understandable considering the rapid spread of the virus, but I just can't imagine staying in for that long, and I wonder how all the families with home-schooled children (for now) do it.

[bearfacedkiller]

Sorry to hear that Thom. I live in the woods in a small town. You couldn’t keep me inside if you tried but I can also hike all day and never see another soul.

Hang in there brother. This will pass with time and life will be normal again. :)

[The Meat man]

This is going to sound harsh but, I am the only one who is not going to get a vacation out of this? I wish I had some free time to catch up on chores/projects! I NEED a week off but that ain’t gonna happen.

We haven't slowed down a bit. No vacation for me either. :p

[VooDooChild]

Im still going to work and I would rather be off.

[Bloke]

Alex, my friend, you´re pure gold!! THANKS for the laugh, it is so great to have you around here!! :)

Hope all is well with you and your family, greetings from Austria to Australia,

Gernot

Many Thanks Gernot. :o

We’re as well as can be for now as I hope you and everyone else is.

Here of late, Fires, Floods, Pestilence … you’d have to wonder what’s next? :eek:

[Mike Blue]

Dr. Peter Venkman: This city is headed for a disaster of biblical proportions.
Mayor: What do you mean, “biblical”?
Dr Ray Stantz: What he means is Old Testament, Mr. Mayor, real wrath-of-God type stuff.
Dr. Peter Venkman: Exactly.
Dr Ray Stantz: Fire and brimstone coming down from the skies. Rivers and seas boiling.
Dr. Egon Spengler: Forty years of darkness. Earthquakes, volcanoes…
Winston Zeddemore: The dead rising from the grave.
Dr. Peter Venkman: Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together – mass hysteria.

[Tdog]

Unless things rapidly change we will probably be planting a small garden for food to cut costs.

- chives
- carrots
- potatoes
- tomatoes
- green peppers

We live just outside of Chicago, same Latitude, so if you know anything else that we can plant, let me know.

Thankx!

Squash (both yellow and zucchini) give good yields and grow easily and quickly. Same for bush and pole beans. Funny you mention chives, I put some seed in pots today. Also did another 50 sweet onion sets. My carrot tops are about an inch high now. Will need to thin before long. I really need to cut down a couple trees to get more sunlight in. Have a bunch of small tomato plants (cherry and beefsteak) and will likely give them to family and friends. I used to raise a large garden but my citrus trees have taken over the space. Look forward to the mater's. Green zebra and mortgage lifter are two new ones for me this year.

[wrdwrght]

Working on a Technician license, then onward to a General, for Ham Radio. Too busy in past decades.

[bearfacedkiller]

This is going to sound harsh but, I am the only one who is not going to get a vacation out of this? I wish I had some free time to catch up on chores/projects! I NEED a week off but that ain’t gonna happen.

We haven't slowed down a bit. No vacation for me either. :p