2020 - Air Your Grievances

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by urbandreamer

^Ha I can relate but as I passed a church in Guelph today I had a thought: in the past our ancestors mostly met through church connections maybe it's time to give it a try even though I am not a Christian?

Dating apps worked for me. I got married this August - Yes, during the pandemic.

[niwell]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

Dating apps worked for me. I got married this August - Yes, during the pandemic.

I think I said this in a previous thread but congrats!!!

I met my wife (married last November) on tinder, so can attest for dating apps as well. Ditto my best friends.

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by niwell

I think I said this in a previous thread but congrats!!!

I met my wife (married last November) on tinder, so can attest for dating apps as well. Ditto my best friends.

Thanks.

Ironically, I used that app and instead of getting a hook up, I got a wife....

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by manny_santos

Ontario officials spend too much time being indecisive, then when things get bad they throw spaghetti at the wall to see if it sticks. Here in BC Dr. Henry has been generally proactive, though I do wonder what she has planned as BC has seen some recent increase in cases (though per capita still well below Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba and Alberta).

How are officials in Ontario indecisive? I've never heard anybody here saying that. Although Ontario has a tradition of playing it safe, erring on the side of caution. Is that what you mean?

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by begratto

No need to go as far as Seoul, just here in Quebec, hugs make people uncomfortable too. We either shake ends or give the kisses on the cheeks. Hugs are too... intimate? We usually keep them for very close friends or family.

Born and raised in BC an not a hugger and I don't think its that common at all here outside of very good personal friednships and even then I think its not the norm. More amongst females perhaps. Younger generations are probably more into it.

[le calmar]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

Dating apps worked for me. I got married this August - Yes, during the pandemic.

Sounds like me, except mine was July. We had the best excuse ever to organize something small and simple which was pretty convenient.

[acottawa]

"Red Tide"

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/a...tka-peninsula/

[esquire]

Originally Posted by manny_santos

2020 has not been my worst year - that prize goes to 2016 (for reasons unrelated to the US president).

But if there’s one thing that has suffered severely in this pandemic for me, it’s my social and dating life - I’m going on 35 and I’ve been alone for a very long time. My circle of friends is also extremely spread out geographically, both within Canada and internationally. I’m cut off from one of my closest friends because of US border restrictions. I have a limited local social life that has come back, but I wouldn’t even know where to begin with dating. I deeply dislike online dating and I have tried it during the pandemic, but zero leads whatsoever. It’s so much harder to meet people when you’re my age, and even harder during a pandemic. (I’ve dated before but have always met organically in real life and have never met anyone online; online just doesn’t work for some people.)

The loneliness is definitely feeling progressively worse as time goes on. I know people here but almost everyone I know is married now and they have their own lives. Almost everyone I know has someone to keep them company during this pandemic, they have their families, they have things to do without having to go out. I live in a bachelor apartment and have almost no one.

I refuse to pretend to be happy single. I pretended that for a few years prior to the pandemic but I can’t keep pretending I’m happy single. I’m not.

I think everyone is feeling loneliness to some extent, but there is no question to my mind that single people, generally speaking, have it exceptionally rough. My mom is a widow and so many of her avenues for social contact have been cut off... there was a stretch in the summer when she felt safe enough to venture out, but lately with the rising case counts in Winnipeg it has just been the occasional coffee date with a couple of her close friends and that's pretty much it. Otherwise it's just her at her house for the most part with phone chats, books and TV to keep her busy. It's one thing to do that for a couple of months but we're past a half year of this and there is no way it can't start taking a bit of a toll mentally.

I'm not sure what the answer here is. I wonder if people who may have been content to live on their own and be single might feel a little more receptive to entering relationships with others? As time goes on, I'm sure quite a few single people are getting tired of spending time alone by themselves.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by esquire

I'm not sure what the answer here is. I wonder if people who may have been content to live on their own and be single might feel a little more receptive to entering relationships with others? As time goes on, I'm sure quite a few single people are getting tired of spending time alone by themselves.

As i'm sure most of us are aware, it's not as simple as simply choosing not to be single anymore - entering a relationship still takes a lot of work, outward social actions, and general effort to find someone. For people who are single, not only are they having difficulty being even more alone than they otherwise would have been, but dating and meeting new people is now more difficult than ever. I have a few friends who are still very hesitant to use dating apps because they're worried about contracting COVID from strangers. Bars/restos aren't open, all public places are socially distanced, and generally talking and meeting up with strangers is discouraged.

Quite a few single people I know have either gone to visit their parents long-term or have spent long periods with family during 2020.

[esquire]

^ True. But some people are being creative... I have read some stories in the papers about people meeting others online (I realize it's not everyone's cup of tea, but it is probably the only game in town for a lot of people now that so many avenues of social contact have been cut off... so people who may have been reluctant to try it before may be more inclined to give it a try now), and going for outdoors/socially distanced dates. Again, not 100% ideal but it's an option.

And let's face it, if you go on a non-socially distanced second or third date with someone, how much of a covid risk are you really taking on as compared to everyday, routine stuff like going to work, taking transit, going into a store, etc.? I mean, I get it if you're immunocompromised and can't take any chances, but for someone who is generally healthy I would think going on an occasional date that leads to close contact is OK provided you take basic steps like not going out while sick/symptomatic.

[MonkeyRonin]

On the spectrum of risk & reward, I think dating would qualify as a fairly low-risk, potentially high-reward activity. I'm not single, but if I were I certainly wouldn't stop doing it because of Covid.

Now orgies on the other hand...

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by MonkeyRonin

On the spectrum of risk & reward, I think dating would qualify as a fairly low-risk, potentially high-reward activity. I'm not single, but if I were I certainly wouldn't stop doing it because of Covid.

Now orgies on the other hand...

You know, they make things that can make that even safe.....

[MonkeyRonin]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

You know, they make things that can make that even safe.....

Glory holes?

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by MonkeyRonin

Glory holes?

I was more thinking of masks and other associated stuff......

[CityTech]

Mask on, ass up, don't touch me (not with hands, anyway). And who says romance is dead.

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by manny_santos

2020 has not been my worst year - that prize goes to 2016 (for reasons unrelated to the US president).

Same here.

But if there’s one thing that has suffered severely in this pandemic for me, it’s my social and dating life - I’m going on 35 and I’ve been alone for a very long time. My circle of friends is also extremely spread out geographically, both within Canada and internationally. I’m cut off from one of my closest friends because of US border restrictions. I have a limited local social life that has come back, but I wouldn’t even know where to begin with dating. I deeply dislike online dating and I have tried it during the pandemic, but zero leads whatsoever. It’s so much harder to meet people when you’re my age, and even harder during a pandemic. (I’ve dated before but have always met organically in real life and have never met anyone online; online just doesn’t work for some people.)

The loneliness is definitely feeling progressively worse as time goes on. I know people here but almost everyone I know is married now and they have their own lives. Almost everyone I know has someone to keep them company during this pandemic, they have their families, they have things to do without having to go out. I live in a bachelor apartment and have almost no one.

I refuse to pretend to be happy single. I pretended that for a few years prior to the pandemic but I can’t keep pretending I’m happy single. I’m not.

Sorry to hear that. As someone who fits in the category of your friends (37, married with a 16 mth old) I have a lot of sympathy for those who live alone. In some ways I’m super jealous as I’d kill for 2 hours of alone time without interruption. I can see how loneliness and boredom would be crushing in a different way than never having any personal space though.

[GeneralLeeTPHLS]

Well, 2016 was also my worst year, for reasons unrelated to global or south-of-the-border events.

This is definitely going to be a time which'll take a toll on many of us. Many of us have done many things since March, but are probably getting tired of the same old acticities at home.
I like to keep up with night walks every so often, and unfortunately it'll be too cold soon to do them for very far. It's already getting a bit iffy with the temperature dropping (damn you asthma), but I gather another month is acceptable. That said, I'm not looking forward to exercise outdoors in winter time. At least I'll have to deal with construction less do to this virus...although the local streetcar line is continually in a state of delay....so there's no real silver lining there.
I do live with two others, and one of them had a girlfriend, so as much as its nice to have some social interaction daily...it gets very dry fast.
As someone who works in the restaurant, I actually wasn't far from striking a relationship with someone....that is until the restrictions come back. Just how it is sometimes.