ISOLATION DISTRACTIONS
A few ideas to help you get through the lockdown
So you’ve tidied up the garden and cleaned the house. You’ve either bought a bike or started getting out on runs or you’ve been sleeping in and staying up late drinking too much. Or like me, you’ve done a fair bit of all of the above…
What next? Whilst we are drip-fed our freedoms back slowly one drop at a time, what can we do to ease the strain of this isolation?
Time for change?
Whatever industry you might be in for work, you can be sure that the impact of this global shutdown will take its toll at some point. You might work in retail or the travel sector and be feeling like your world is pretty precarious at the moment.
There’s never been a better time to reskill or change your career path. All this volatility does potentially also lead to opportunities, it might be a great time to start a business and capitalise on the misfortune of others.
There will be plenty of well-positioned business units or retail outlets coming on the market once the furlough scheme stops subsidising salaries, so if you time it right it could be a great time to start a new venture.
Reconnect with old friends
I’m sure you’ve all spent plenty of time chatting with your friends or hosting quiz nights on Zoom. You’ve probably kept in touch with many close friends and family, but what about your old friends.
While you’re now a Zoom expert and have taken your digital communication to the next level this is the perfect time to reconnect with old friends. Challenge yourself to reach out to five people you haven’t spoken to in over a year, I guarantee you (and them) will feel much better afterwards.
Spice up your life
You might not be able to travel to far-flung destinations right now, but that doesn’t mean you can’t experience some of the tastes of the exotic. Here’s a great recipe I picked up in Mauritius before the world shut down. It’s a really simple mild curry. Feel free to throw in some chilli if you want a bit of a kick.
Mauritian Curry
Marinate chicken in ginger, garlic, salt, chilli powder and lemon juice for as long as you can in advance, 1-2 hours. Grind roasted coconut, lightly braised shallots, cloves, cinnamon sticks and fennel into a fine paste. Heat oil in a frying pan, add the chopped onions and the chicken and it’s marinade, and cook until the chicken is cooked through. Add water if necessary. Add the Garam Massala and let it simmer until fat is released. Serve with rice or chapati and garnish with slices of tomato and chopped coriander.
500g Chicken or Tofu (cut into pieces)
100g grated and roasted coconut
100g chopped shallots (braised)
100g chopped onions
2 tbsp Fennel seeds
1 tbsp Ginger
1 large clove of garlic
0.5 tbsp chilli powder
1 tbsp salt
3 tbsp oil
5 cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp garam massala
Fresh coriander
Spice up your love life at home!
If your fortunate enough to be in lockdown with your partner, then you really have no excuses not to be putting in some good quality time in the bedroom. Our friends at thumbsup.com have the perfect addition to your nighttime routine. The 50 ways to lay scratch-off poster, is a modern incarnation of the karma sutra with it’s scratch to reveal panels which hide an inspiring position to try out. There’s 50 to choose from so unless you’re a relative of Ron Jeremy this should see you through a few nights of activities. https://www.thumbsup.com/collections/gifts-from-10-20/products/50-ways-to-lay-scratch-reveal-poster
Spice up your long distance love life
If your not lucky enough to be shacked up with the love of your life, then fear not, there’s plenty of ways to get in on the action. Here are a few ideas for starters –
- Get a remote control sex toy. The guys at We-Vibe have loads of app-controlled devices so it doesn’t matter how physically far from each other you might be. (https://uk.we-vibe.com/en/)
- Shoot a porn movie together. You might not be in the same location but there’s nothing stopping you getting creative with a camera and sharing videos with each other. I guarantee there’s nothing that will brighten up the day of a loved one than a saucy video turning up while you’re in the middle of a company zoom call. Boy’s try to come up with something more creative than just sending a dick pic… Also be sure to keep those videos safe from prying eyes – https://mashable.com/2017/03/25/sexting-photo-security-apps/?europe=true
Listen to as much music as you can
We’ve put a few ideas down in our lockdown album reviews, so hopefully, you’ll find something that inspires you there. Music is one of the best ways to distract yourself from all this madness, so invest in a decent set of headphones or speakers and delve into some feel-good music.
http://digitaledition.tntmagazine.com/lockdown-album-reviews
Stare at the TV!
If all else is lost and you just need to zone out, here are our top picks from the leading streaming platforms which will be sure entertain –
Amazon Prime
Upload – Imagine you could upload your consciousness to the afterlife right before you die and then your loved ones could still keep in touch. It’s a pretty messed up concept and well thought out series that’s worth a watch. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Upload/dp/B0859GV6QN/ref=pd_ys_iyr7
We featured the Global Convoy when they were travelling the world. They also shot a film of their shenanigans which is available to watch. If this doesn’t inspire you to do something spontaneous and travel to more remote destinations I don’t know what will! https://www.amazon.co.uk/Global-Convoy-Rebecca-Marsh/dp/B07W5Y21K5/ref=pd_ys_iyr9
“Boy” this is a great little film from New Zealand. As the name suggests it’s about a boy, and let’s just say his life is pretty colourful and this film gives you an insight into it. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Boy-James-Rolleston/dp/B0767LG8PD/ref=pd_ys_iyr14
Pirates of Somalia – Al Pacino features in this raw insight into the plight of Somali pirates and gives you a view from an aspiring journalist determined to share their story. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pirates-Somalia-Al-Pacino/dp/B078N6SPPT/ref=pd_ys_iyr27
Netflix
Street food Asia – If you can get past the rather dry American narration this is is well worth a watch. Some of the street food vendors stories are simply astounding. https://www.netflix.com/title/80988021
The Dawn Wall – I challenge you to find a more inspirational documentary on Netflix. The sheer determination and focus that pushes two young men to climb one of the most technical slabs of rock in the world. https://www.netflix.com/title/8100427
Downsizing – Matt Damon the size of a mouse. What’s not to like about that! https://www.netflix.com/title/80192836
We hope this little guide has given you some inspiration to make the remains of the lockdown more bearable. We hope you all stay safe and sane!
See you on the other side!
