5 ms·

How much of this is fixable though if you could have a normal social calendar? I don't think current circumstances offer a fair comparison.

Ancalagon 5y ago
true but I mean its been a year and a half since the first lockdowns...this kind of seems like it is the new normal, right?
- chrismcb 5y ago
  No. It isn't. It will take another six months or a year but things will return to much like they were before. With the exception of the office. I don't think the office will ever be the same
- munificent 5y ago
  The Spanish Flu was about three years, but it did end. We're not going to be like this forever.
closeparen 5y ago
A normal social calendar provides a few hours of interaction per week. That's important and healthy, but it's still a lot less than 40 hours of ambient presence. I think only sharing a household can substitute for that.
tomtheelder 5y ago
My social calendar is almost back to normal. I see friends most nights, I do all of my favorite hobbies again. The only things I don't do that I used to really are going to large events (concerts/sports events) and I travel less frequently on planes. WFH is still incredibly isolating for me. I feel disconnected from my work and from my peers. I was remote once before the pandemic and felt exactly the same way. I think most people would describe me as highly extroverted. I just don't get enough/diverse enough person to person contact to be happy when I'm at home working all day.
pvarangot 5y ago
I have a normal social calendar, but using the same desk and having to share space between work stuff and hobby stuff is getting to me. I could move to a bigger place but that's basically taking a paycut, or if it's a cheaper place it will mess up my social calendar again. I don't dislike WFH and I think it has a place. I work on embedded devices and now I'm working at Apple on phone stuff. That place is not my job, I don't think WFH is any good for the teams I'm at and for the stuff I do. Even if I just go to the office once per week, that usually involves moving multiple devices and cables and tearing down/setting up my development setup somewhere else or having to maintain duplicate setups. Don't get me started on if I forget or don't think I'll need X measuring device or Y adapter cable or tool and then I have to hunt for a second one in the office or buy one for home.

Ancalagon 5y ago

true but I mean its been a year and a half since the first lockdowns...this kind of seems like it is the new normal, right?

chrismcb 5y ago
No. It isn't. It will take another six months or a year but things will return to much like they were before. With the exception of the office. I don't think the office will ever be the same
munificent 5y ago
The Spanish Flu was about three years, but it did end. We're not going to be like this forever.

closeparen 5y ago

A normal social calendar provides a few hours of interaction per week. That's important and healthy, but it's still a lot less than 40 hours of ambient presence. I think only sharing a household can substitute for that.

tomtheelder 5y ago

My social calendar is almost back to normal. I see friends most nights, I do all of my favorite hobbies again. The only things I don't do that I used to really are going to large events (concerts/sports events) and I travel less frequently on planes. WFH is still incredibly isolating for me. I feel disconnected from my work and from my peers. I was remote once before the pandemic and felt exactly the same way. I think most people would describe me as highly extroverted. I just don't get enough/diverse enough person to person contact to be happy when I'm at home working all day.

pvarangot 5y ago

I have a normal social calendar, but using the same desk and having to share space between work stuff and hobby stuff is getting to me. I could move to a bigger place but that's basically taking a paycut, or if it's a cheaper place it will mess up my social calendar again. I don't dislike WFH and I think it has a place. I work on embedded devices and now I'm working at Apple on phone stuff. That place is not my job, I don't think WFH is any good for the teams I'm at and for the stuff I do. Even if I just go to the office once per week, that usually involves moving multiple devices and cables and tearing down/setting up my development setup somewhere else or having to maintain duplicate setups. Don't get me started on if I forget or don't think I'll need X measuring device or Y adapter cable or tool and then I have to hunt for a second one in the office or buy one for home.