National Forum

Battling Lockdown

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Hi everyone. I hope you and your families are keeping well in these difficult times. I thought I'd set up a separate thread away from the Covid Impact to Gaelic Games thread. It's getting a bit serious in there! I include myself in contributing to that. I suppose, like everyone I'm trying to stay optimistic but there are bad days as well when I really miss visiting my parents and friends.

Maybe we could use this thread to help each other out? I know everyone has different situations in terms of their work, family life etc. I'm extremely lucky that I am still working at full capacity from home and my wife is an essential worker. It's a challenge having the kids at home (both pre-school) but one we've just had to adapt to it.

In terms of staying stimulated I've been doing a lot of reading. Read a great book about the history of African dictators post-colonialism! What a shower of cowboys! It's absolutely despicable what the poor people of that continent have been subjected to over the years.

I've also been doing a lot of running by myself and walks with the wife and kids (something we never usually did unless on holidays). The kids have gone stone mad baking. Muffins, apple crumble and Rice Krispie Buns with a bit of help from Mammy. Just as well we're doing so much running and walking! Also like a lot of other people doing a lot of Zoom quizzes. If anyone has any ideas to add some novelty to these quizzes please let me know as I am up next as Quizmaster!

On Netflix, I've been watching the Michael Jordan documentary. A brilliant insight into that made one of the best ever sportsperson tick. For comedy we've been watching a bit of After Life, very poignant and sad in places but also very funny. I would also recommend Fauda - it's a brilliant drama about the Mossad/Shin Bet's constant battle with the Palestinian freedom fighters.

Anyways, stay safe everyone and maybe if we can contribute some tips and advice here we might just help each other out.

Tabhair aire mo chairde.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9136 - 15/05/2020 09:59:13    2278209

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I'm making a massive effort to improve my Irish and get fluent at it if at all possible. I'm working on expanding my vocabulary...systematically studying the O'Donaill dictionary going from "A" to "Z" and getting pronunciations of words I'm unsure of on teanglann.ie or focloir. Also writing down every seanfhocal I come across in the dictionary! If/when I finish at Irish I will move onto Russian!

Apart from that I'm doing more exercise than I've done In years. Doing daily walks.....make sure I do a minimum 10k steps per day (usually do a lot more)

PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 1903 - 15/05/2020 13:01:29    2278228

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Replying To Lockjaw:  "Hi everyone. I hope you and your families are keeping well in these difficult times. I thought I'd set up a separate thread away from the Covid Impact to Gaelic Games thread. It's getting a bit serious in there! I include myself in contributing to that. I suppose, like everyone I'm trying to stay optimistic but there are bad days as well when I really miss visiting my parents and friends.

Maybe we could use this thread to help each other out? I know everyone has different situations in terms of their work, family life etc. I'm extremely lucky that I am still working at full capacity from home and my wife is an essential worker. It's a challenge having the kids at home (both pre-school) but one we've just had to adapt to it.

In terms of staying stimulated I've been doing a lot of reading. Read a great book about the history of African dictators post-colonialism! What a shower of cowboys! It's absolutely despicable what the poor people of that continent have been subjected to over the years.

I've also been doing a lot of running by myself and walks with the wife and kids (something we never usually did unless on holidays). The kids have gone stone mad baking. Muffins, apple crumble and Rice Krispie Buns with a bit of help from Mammy. Just as well we're doing so much running and walking! Also like a lot of other people doing a lot of Zoom quizzes. If anyone has any ideas to add some novelty to these quizzes please let me know as I am up next as Quizmaster!

On Netflix, I've been watching the Michael Jordan documentary. A brilliant insight into that made one of the best ever sportsperson tick. For comedy we've been watching a bit of After Life, very poignant and sad in places but also very funny. I would also recommend Fauda - it's a brilliant drama about the Mossad/Shin Bet's constant battle with the Palestinian freedom fighters.

Anyways, stay safe everyone and maybe if we can contribute some tips and advice here we might just help each other out.

Tabhair aire mo chairde."
Lockjaw I love quizzes myself. Every weekend the family all get together over messenger on do a quiz. It's great craic and it keeps the family together.

Ollie2 (Louth) - Posts: 785 - 15/05/2020 14:19:54    2278239

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Replying To PoolSturgeon:  "I'm making a massive effort to improve my Irish and get fluent at it if at all possible. I'm working on expanding my vocabulary...systematically studying the O'Donaill dictionary going from "A" to "Z" and getting pronunciations of words I'm unsure of on teanglann.ie or focloir. Also writing down every seanfhocal I come across in the dictionary! If/when I finish at Irish I will move onto Russian!

Apart from that I'm doing more exercise than I've done In years. Doing daily walks.....make sure I do a minimum 10k steps per day (usually do a lot more)"
Maith thú.
An bfhfuil an Duolingo app agat? Tá an app sin an-mhaith do dhaoine atá ag foghlaim teanga nua.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9136 - 15/05/2020 15:04:49    2278244

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Replying To Ollie2:  "Lockjaw I love quizzes myself. Every weekend the family all get together over messenger on do a quiz. It's great craic and it keeps the family together."
Good man Ollie! Yeah I like a good quiz too. But I've found people getting a bit bored of them after 4 weeks in a row. Some 'novelty' rounds I've decided to use in the one I'm hosting are.

- opening lines of films - Name the film
- random lyrics from songs - Name the song

Also throwing a wild card or two in e.g. the first person/team to fetch a hair dryer and show me on Zoom gets 10 points!

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9136 - 15/05/2020 15:13:09    2278245

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Replying To PoolSturgeon:  "I'm making a massive effort to improve my Irish and get fluent at it if at all possible. I'm working on expanding my vocabulary...systematically studying the O'Donaill dictionary going from "A" to "Z" and getting pronunciations of words I'm unsure of on teanglann.ie or focloir. Also writing down every seanfhocal I come across in the dictionary! If/when I finish at Irish I will move onto Russian!

Apart from that I'm doing more exercise than I've done In years. Doing daily walks.....make sure I do a minimum 10k steps per day (usually do a lot more)"
Togh fir! Tá sé iontach é sin a chloisteáil.
Quick tip. You won't have to go as far as "Z", as Gaeilge. ;)

WanPintWin (Galway) - Posts: 2042 - 15/05/2020 15:25:06    2278247

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Replying To PoolSturgeon:  "I'm making a massive effort to improve my Irish and get fluent at it if at all possible. I'm working on expanding my vocabulary...systematically studying the O'Donaill dictionary going from "A" to "Z" and getting pronunciations of words I'm unsure of on teanglann.ie or focloir. Also writing down every seanfhocal I come across in the dictionary! If/when I finish at Irish I will move onto Russian!

Apart from that I'm doing more exercise than I've done In years. Doing daily walks.....make sure I do a minimum 10k steps per day (usually do a lot more)"
Go n-éirí leat. Ádh mór.

Cuirfidh sé ionadh ort an méid teanga atá i do chloigeann cheana féin!

Is as an Ghaeltacht mo bhean chéile agus bhí orm an teanga a athfhoghlaim nuair a tháinig na páistí toisc go raibh sí ag iarraidh na páistí a thógáil trí Ghaeilge.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13707 - 15/05/2020 16:13:55    2278257

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Replying To Lockjaw:  "Hi everyone. I hope you and your families are keeping well in these difficult times. I thought I'd set up a separate thread away from the Covid Impact to Gaelic Games thread. It's getting a bit serious in there! I include myself in contributing to that. I suppose, like everyone I'm trying to stay optimistic but there are bad days as well when I really miss visiting my parents and friends.

Maybe we could use this thread to help each other out? I know everyone has different situations in terms of their work, family life etc. I'm extremely lucky that I am still working at full capacity from home and my wife is an essential worker. It's a challenge having the kids at home (both pre-school) but one we've just had to adapt to it.

In terms of staying stimulated I've been doing a lot of reading. Read a great book about the history of African dictators post-colonialism! What a shower of cowboys! It's absolutely despicable what the poor people of that continent have been subjected to over the years.

I've also been doing a lot of running by myself and walks with the wife and kids (something we never usually did unless on holidays). The kids have gone stone mad baking. Muffins, apple crumble and Rice Krispie Buns with a bit of help from Mammy. Just as well we're doing so much running and walking! Also like a lot of other people doing a lot of Zoom quizzes. If anyone has any ideas to add some novelty to these quizzes please let me know as I am up next as Quizmaster!

On Netflix, I've been watching the Michael Jordan documentary. A brilliant insight into that made one of the best ever sportsperson tick. For comedy we've been watching a bit of After Life, very poignant and sad in places but also very funny. I would also recommend Fauda - it's a brilliant drama about the Mossad/Shin Bet's constant battle with the Palestinian freedom fighters.

Anyways, stay safe everyone and maybe if we can contribute some tips and advice here we might just help each other out.

Tabhair aire mo chairde."
Fair play Lockjaw.

What's the name of that book about the African dictators? I've just finished re-reading Adam Zamoyski's '1812: Napoleon's Fatal March on Moscow'. I'd highly recommend it to anyone interested in that period of history.

Also halfway through Ken Burns Vietnam documentary series. Excellent stuff and on Netflix. They're my current Lockdown recommendations in anyways!

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13707 - 15/05/2020 16:17:48    2278259

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Replying To WanPintWin:  "Togh fir! Tá sé iontach é sin a chloisteáil.
Quick tip. You won't have to go as far as "Z", as Gaeilge. ;)"
[chuckle]

lionofludesch (Down) - Posts: 475 - 15/05/2020 16:35:29    2278263

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Replying To MesAmis:  "Go n-éirí leat. Ádh mór.

Cuirfidh sé ionadh ort an méid teanga atá i do chloigeann cheana féin!

Is as an Ghaeltacht mo bhean chéile agus bhí orm an teanga a athfhoghlaim nuair a tháinig na páistí toisc go raibh sí ag iarraidh na páistí a thógáil trí Ghaeilge."
Ach - I wouldn't mind a tutor on tap 24/7.

lionofludesch (Down) - Posts: 475 - 15/05/2020 16:41:35    2278264

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Me and my missus have invented some new positions.

Dec82 (Clare) - Posts: 242 - 15/05/2020 17:14:26    2278267

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Replying To Dec82:  "Me and my missus have invented some new positions."
What ? Like Quarter Back or Ruck Rover ?

lionofludesch (Down) - Posts: 475 - 15/05/2020 17:44:02    2278274

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Replying To lionofludesch:  "Ach - I wouldn't mind a tutor on tap 24/7."
It did give an advantage I suppose!

I reckon I'm the first person in my family to ever speak Irish to any degree of proficiency. Go back far enough in my family tree and it's Danish we were speaking rather than Irish ;)

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13707 - 15/05/2020 17:53:02    2278276

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Replying To Lockjaw:  "Good man Ollie! Yeah I like a good quiz too. But I've found people getting a bit bored of them after 4 weeks in a row. Some 'novelty' rounds I've decided to use in the one I'm hosting are.

- opening lines of films - Name the film
- random lyrics from songs - Name the song

Also throwing a wild card or two in e.g. the first person/team to fetch a hair dryer and show me on Zoom gets 10 points!"
Ah Lockjaw I could never get bored of quizzes. A good one is guess the year a bit like reeling in the years.

Ollie2 (Louth) - Posts: 785 - 15/05/2020 18:26:00    2278282

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https://youtu.be/KxUAtZgcDg4

A virtual musical collaboration by all County Down GAA clubs.

REDANDBLACK30 (Down) - Posts: 1617 - 15/05/2020 18:28:27    2278284

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Replying To lionofludesch:  "What ? Like Quarter Back or Ruck Rover ?"
I don't like to put names on them, I just do what I'm told.

Dec82 (Clare) - Posts: 242 - 15/05/2020 18:31:18    2278285

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https://youtu.be/KxUAtZgcDg4[url=]link

REDANDBLACK30 (Down) - Posts: 1617 - 15/05/2020 18:49:19    2278289

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link

REDANDBLACK30 (Down) - Posts: 1617 - 15/05/2020 20:07:49    2278298

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Replying To MesAmis:  "Fair play Lockjaw.

What's the name of that book about the African dictators? I've just finished re-reading Adam Zamoyski's '1812: Napoleon's Fatal March on Moscow'. I'd highly recommend it to anyone interested in that period of history.

Also halfway through Ken Burns Vietnam documentary series. Excellent stuff and on Netflix. They're my current Lockdown recommendations in anyways!"
It's called Dictatorland: The Men who Stole Africa.

Covers most of the head bangers like Mugabe, Gaddafi, Mobutu etc.

It's simply diabolical what went on in that continent in terms of exploitation. Human rights atrocities on a par with the genocide in Europe during WW2. A shocking read.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9136 - 15/05/2020 20:15:20    2278301

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Replying To Lockjaw:  "It's called Dictatorland: The Men who Stole Africa.

Covers most of the head bangers like Mugabe, Gaddafi, Mobutu etc.

It's simply diabolical what went on in that continent in terms of exploitation. Human rights atrocities on a par with the genocide in Europe during WW2. A shocking read."
Cheers for that I'll put it on the list.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13707 - 15/05/2020 20:42:22    2278305

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