The Miscellaneous Goings On Of Tom - Fighting Off Cabin Fever

I Need A Change Of Scenery But Would Rather Stay Home And Save Lives

Cabin Fever (noun) - irritability, and similar symptoms resulting from long confinement or isolation indoors

I don't know about you but I think lockdown might be starting to get to me a little bit. I've started feeling a bit restless and easily irritated by little things. Just going back to work would be a small consolation to get rid of this claustrophobic situation. It's starting to prove a bit difficult as apathy and lethargy start to creep into my daily routine. The other problem I have is online shopping, mainly for craft beer as our independent breweries will need us more than ever at this moment in time (more on that below). Whilst I'd really like to go out for the day somewhere nice and eat in a restaurant (I've been clean eating for the most part of this lockdown and I am craving something greasy and dirty), staying at home is saving lives. I could rant and rave about the lackadaisical attitude of the general British public and how they think they know better than the guidelines and have consistently gone out and interacted with people not in their household, but frankly I am done with them. It is however very  irritating for those who are sticking to the rules and struggling. Anyway, at least the sun is out and I can sit in the garden with a cup of tea and just chill. A positive that has come from lockdown is that I am the least stressed that I have ever been, I feel like I am thinking more clearly and some of my more abstract creative ideas have been deciphered in the flow. With this new level of understanding I have gotten an insight into where some of my previous problems came from, now I plan on finding a good solution and acting up on it in the proper manner. Hopefully, you have all been on these new found positive journeys of self-discovery and tapped into your bundled wires, untangled them and given yourself a positive vibe field. Hang in there folks, we can do this!

What I'm Listening To At This Very Moment

It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that it's more doom/stoner. I've been on a doom/stoner binge for a couple of weeks now, the fuzz of the guitars chilling out my soul. Saying that though, I've been like a pendulum, going from one extreme to the other. Going from the slow, plodding riffs of doom to the hectic chaos of black and death metal, its quite a strange time for my Spotify at the moment!

What I've Been Jamming To This Week

I've been enjoying quite a few things this week, I love the new The Black Dahlia Murder album, and my Spotify daily mixes have been absolutely on fire recently. One album that has stood out to me the most is Black Curse's Endless Wound. Black Curse is a subgroup formed of members from Blood Incantation, Spectral Voice, Primitive Man and Khemmis and it is a chaotic beast of an album! Filled to the brim with mayhem and distortion it is definitely an album worth listening to if you need something loud and noisy. 

Supporting Local Businesses

As I mentioned earlier, online shopping has become a regular thing for me in the last week and a half.  It's mainly been beer, because I'm a bit of a craft beer enthusiast and with smaller independent breweries, in my opinion, making the best and most creative and experimental beer, now is the time to support them. My personal favourite at the moment is Northern Monk, based in Leeds they have created some wacky yet amazingly tasty beers that I have enjoyed. I love beer as much as I do tea if you can't tell at this point. Anyway, the message is to support these guys and your local businesses, with this uncertain future they will need the help more than the big corporations. The same goes with your local bands and artists, keep the arts alive! That one delivery order could be the difference in their lives, I know money is tight for some but those that can afford to treat themselves go to a local supplier or order from an independent store, I'd hate to see these guys go out of business, so help me help them!

Hang In There Guys

With more uncertainty on the horizon, it is imperative that we are looking out for each other, things may be starting to get claustrophobic but the longer we stay in, the quicker we can get out and be free. Keep rockin' 🤘