How's everyone holding up?

mikyok

mikyok

Platinum Member
We're heading into a 3rd month of lockdown in the UK, not sure of the situation across the rest of the world.

How we all coping out there? I sincerely hope anyone who relies on their drumming for their sole source of income is going to come out of this on the other side.

P.S. if anyone finds the remote can they unpause life, feels like I'm living to work at the moment, stuck in groundhog day!
 
Hi mikyok.....yeah mate, I'm doing well, hope you are too my friend.

Life hasn't changed for me very much in all honesty.

I've invested recently in a few beautiful little practice pads and really going back to basics with solid, simple rudiment drills.

Love going over some Rob Beatdown Brown's YouTube videos and working on stuff.

Australia has been very lucky with this Coronavirus. We are slowly opening things back up......not sure about NSW or Victoria, but W.A is doing well.

We kinda hid under the radar here.
 
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Hi Mikyok, doing OK here (Sheffield). I hope you're ok - Midlands isnt it?

I've had 3 weeks furlough from the day job and the company may do that again if govt. support still available. I can do quite a lot of work at home too which eases the distancing issues. If I'm honest then (providing I stay disease free) the situation so far is bearable.

All the bands and musician friends I'm involved with are having a go at Facebook collage videos - which is fun and has sharpened up my click playing - but of course gig revenue has dried right up. Boo hiss!

All the best to you mate.

Richard
 
Groundhog Day the movie is one my favorites-watching Bill Murray go through all his phases and come out a better person is inspiring. I think about that movie ending when I get some crazy idea like driving my truck off a cliff with a ground hog LOL. How am I doing-well I titter totter bouncing from being with Tootles and losing my marbles to actually getting something productive done. Lately I've been more productive-so I found my marbles after all. Whew-that was close.
 
Highway Child said:
Hi Mikyok, doing OK here (Sheffield). I hope you're ok - Midlands isnt it?

I've had 3 weeks furlough from the day job and the company may do that again if govt. support still available. I can do quite a lot of work at home too which eases the distancing issues. If I'm honest then (providing I stay disease free) the situation so far is bearable.

All the bands and musician friends I'm involved with are having a go at Facebook collage videos - which is fun and has sharpened up my click playing - but of course gig revenue has dried right up. Boo hiss!

All the best to you mate.

Richard
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Yep about as Midlands as you can get.

The furlough thing is something I haven't had to contemplate, I'm an office worker in the NHS, I can work from home but home and office shouldn't mix!

A lot of muso friends have started a facebook jam page, my 12 string might have to get dusted off, fingertips are too soft to do any kind of playing anymore mind. Loss of gig income is a bit of a ballache but hopefully they'll be postponed until Autumn time.

All the best to you too bud!

mike
 
Hey there in the UK
We are doing fine here in OK

I think we will be doing our first ever gig cancellation this coming weekend. There are a few underlying health concerns in our band.
 
Venues that host artists are still on a lock-down in California, restaurants aren't even open for dining in. But various businesses are gradually re-opening, including music stores, clothing, shoes, etc. But they have to operate on a curbside pickup only basis (I suppose you could walk up to the store as well.) But imagine trying to buy a pair of shoes by having someone make multiple trips in and out of the store, or trying on pants, or buying a cymbal!

So, still a bit weird here, but at least shopping for groceries has become a little easier and availability has improved. Although now there's a meat shortage looming. :(

Luckily for me, we weren't touring this year anyway, so no lost income there. That is to say, I wasn't going to make any money anyway, and I'm still not. But I certainly miss getting out to play locally with my bands, I'm hoping things get back on track in the next month or two. Unfortunately, music venues & clubs are last on the list to re-open.

Bermuda
 
GetAgrippa said:
Groundhog Day the movie is one my favorites-watching Bill Murray go through all his phases and come out a better person is inspiring. I think about that movie ending when I get some crazy idea like driving my truck off a cliff with a ground hog LOL. How am I doing-well I titter totter bouncing from being with Tootles and losing my marbles to actually getting something productive done. Lately I've been more productive-so I found my marbles after all. Whew-that was close.
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I know the feeling, ended up gardening and cleaning of my own free will, I really hate both so there's something not quite right but at least the wife was happy when she got back from work
 
mikyok said:
We're heading into a 3rd month of lockdown in the UK, not sure of the situation across the rest of the world.

How we all coping out there? I sincerely hope anyone who relies on their drumming for their sole source of income is going to come out of this on the other side.

P.S. if anyone finds the remote can they unpause life, feels like I'm living to work at the moment, stuck in groundhog day!
Click to expand...

Heyo - this was a break out year for our band - we like 6 performances planned in NYC and some hefty venues as well lots of performing arts centers all over the country - we'd hired a whole team of people to help with the accouting and marketing, etc. so it's been a bit of a disaster to be honest and just morale wise it's been hard to keep my band mates positive during all of this. My bass player basically just sits in his house and constantly tells us that not only is the end of the band but the end of the world haha - so relative to him I'm great.

It's been wonderful being home with the family and I've enjoyed helping with home school and cooking some solid meals - however I live in an area where our curve is just now starting - we had something like a 60% increase in cases last week - it's been on the news lately for having like martial law and curfews imposed haha.

So taking it day by day.
 
Many jobs on my docket were cancelled. In December I submitted a few dozen quotes, all were accepted, then cancelled by early March. They were all on-site, photographing activities, people and groups at various locations for businesses and universities. Fortunately, I have a couple clients who ship me products to photograph, and their business (garden related, and personal protection gear related) are still going strong. So, while my biz is down 60%, I have the time to build out an office in my new studio, garden with Wifey, and hassle y’all on this block.
 
No Way Jose said:
A couple days ago, I bought the last package of toilet paper on the shelf.
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Thankfully, that stupidity has passed here.

They converted the restaurant into a shop for hospital workers here which sells all the essentials
 
Trying to hang in there. Between anxiety and being a hypochondriac, the stress of this crap is really playing with my comfort levels. I stay home, so that's a plus and helps, but my wife and kid are personal shoppers at grocery stores. That eats away at me and I worry about them.

In general I cant complain. Food, utilities, trash, and insurance are the only bills we have. The house and cars are paid for. So we wont be homeless again. I find much comfort in that, and feel horrible for the folks this is destroying financially. The recession did this to me, I know how they feel. There are lots of people right now that dont know what to do, and are mentally losing it but wont say anything. I worry about them.

I try to stay busy to keep my mind distracted. Lots of projects are getting done, and I'm finding others that need doing. It's a day by day thing. As long as I'm busy I feel good.

Staying home doesnt bother me at all. I like being home. It's where everyone/everything I love is. I cant understand how staying home eats at people, unless it's for financial reasons. That I understand.

bermuda said:
Although now there's a meat shortage looming. :(
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Really? We had that here back in mid march, ground beef was in short supply and limited. It's not now, but is $6 a pound.

Rice, beans, potatoes, and pasta are what is in shortage here right now. I'm surprised about rice, we are the largest producer of rice in the US. Tyson never shut down, chicken should be okay.
 
In South Australia we’ve only had one new case in the last three weeks, so they’re easing restrictions in stages. All the kids are back at school, so as a teacher its almost life as usual, but no sports or music ensembles or whole school assemblies. National standardised tests have been cancelled, as have parent teacher evenings, so that has been a bonus. The students are so happy to be back with their friends and doing ‘normal’ school work again.

Shops have restocked all the essentials. Cafes and churches can now have ten customers, but pubs, bars and theatres are still closed.

Personally, I’ve missed six drumming gigs plus four sound mixing gigs so far. No idea when gigs will start. Some say September, some say next year. I miss the performing and going out to do fun stuff. Every day I go to work then come home and just sit in the house. Feels strange, quite empty. But at least I get to go out each day, so it could be much worse.
 
All good here, bit bored of being stuck in the house but getting lots of time with our 3 month old daughter so there’s a positive and I’ve been furloughed for about 3 weeks now.

I’ve had a moustache and now I have a Mohawk, trying new things and looking ridiculous in the process. Spending way too much time looking at drum gear on eBay though!

The daily dog walks are keeping me sane, that’s for sure.
 
I've been employed full-time from home for many years now. Nothing has changed on that front.

I do, under "normal" circumstances, generate income from drumming as well, both from gigging and recording. Obviously, that's on hold at the moment and might be for quite some time. No worries. I'm getting a lot of quality practice in and will be ready to hit the scene again with renewed enthusiasm.
 
Still good here in upstate NY. Still employed. TP is back on the shelves. The kids have been playing outdoors a lot. Been plighting a fair bit of troth with the spouse. I'm still trying to reconcile the fact that things are going to potentially stay like this for a year or more.

A number of my local social circle are in the "unemployed, trapped in an apartment they can no longer afford with their kids, and are living on credit cards" situation. One couple was just beginning divorce and are pseudo-forced to continue cohabitating due to the restrictions, financial implications, etc. It's a calamity.

So I think about them while I'm taking walks on the 27-hole golf course bordering my property.
 
Playing by the rules here in PA. Staying home except for groceries, Rx's, and outside exercise. When things get a bit "close" We, or I, go for a no outside contact ride in my car. I have a car that I really enjoy driving and there are a lot of scenic drives in western PA and WV. Wishing you all good health and happiness.
 
All good here in "Dela-Where"
being self employed has its ups and downs but been managing a few bucks to keep things going.
Miss not being able to go to GC and checking out new stuff looking to buy some more cymbals but want to hear them first.
Hope things get back to normal soon for all involved
 
We/re something like 53 days since "lockdown" in California .... and 58 days since the "Great Toilet Paper Buyout"!!!! Other than I don't shop at Trader Joe's any more (always a line, always) .... my other usual spots keep me supplied. 2 times a week, I go out, usually.

Got drums, amps, guitar, bass, keys, loopers upstairs in the drum room, so that's always available during reasonable waking hours.

The yard (just shy 1/2 acre) has never looked so good.

Wife and I get along very well, so no hurdles there.

Right after this all started, my '97 Geo Tracker took a dump on me (auto tranny), and the shop actually had to make a part to fix it. They had it over a month. It's back home now, but in the interim, I picked up a "back up vehicle" .... '89 Suzuki Sidekick. 5 spd. manual 4x4. So now I have twins, of sorts. A street ride and a dirt toy.

All in all ...... doin' OK.
 

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