30 seconds of survival during tough times: what is yours today?

[Peppermintbach]

Hi everyone,

I have a little survival idea that want to run by you all:

I’m not asking for 30 hours or even 30 minutes. I’m only asking:

If you have been going through a hard time or struggling with something (whatever that may be) what were 30 seconds of respite, reprieve or relief that you experienced today? What were you doing in those 30 seconds?

You can write as often as you like or as infrequently as you like. It also doesn’t have to be 30 seconds either. That’s just a number that I chose, because I thought it would be doable for most people. It can be more or less than 30 seconds of survival.

I would love to hear from you 🙂

I’ll start:

On my way to work, I spotted some Christmas decorations, and instantly thought “oh, that’s so pretty!”

30 seconds of relief from my troubles. 30 seconds of survival.

Background/inspiration for this thread:

I was inspired by a book that I’ve been reading. It’s based on real life events where a woman lost her husband unexpectedly, and was left both a widow & single parent overnight.

As you can imagine, she struggled with immense grief and loss, and was unsure when she would be able to see beyond it...reminders of him were everywhere, and she wasn’t sure when the pain would ever subside.

But during a work meeting, while giving a presentation (or maybe she was chairing a meeting?), in that brief period, she forgot about her loss as she was immersed in her work. Sure, of course, her grief returned (as it often does). But in that brief moment, she felt a sense of “normalcy”, if there ever was such a thing.

Okay, so maybe work won’t be your “thing” and maybe it’s not grief that you’re struggling with. Maybe it’s something else (that’s okay and valid).

What I’m getting at is recognising our capacity to survive by recalling brief moments of survival. It all adds up...

Moments when either your pain, heartbreak, loss, disappointment (whatever you’re going through) was temporarily forgotten or even subsided a little. Moments, however fleeting but nonetheless important, of survival 🙂

[quirkywords]

my 30 seconds was starting something then being discouraged but then kept going to finish it.

I was not pleased with the finished end but was happy I stuck with it and persevered.

[Padfoot02]

HI EVERYONE!!

It's so good to see you're all back again. I'm glad my jacket story got at least one laugh :D.

So today I slept in and missed half of my chemistry lesson so I had 20 minutes to get some work done. But my 30 seconds today would've been hanging the clothes on the line. Granted, dad asked me to do it last night, but it was honestly quite relaxing.

I'm also working on writing a new song which is as fun as always.

Anyway, I hope you all stay safe and healthy.

from Padfoot

[felix mendelssohn]

Hiya guys,

Feeling awful right now but I see that this has been inactive for a bit so I'm gonna post. Really enjoyed your words about the seeds Phoebewings; I reckon there's so much therapeutic stuff in the natural world.

What you said Gambit about the coffee is so gooooooood, really restores one's faith in the world and other people.

Quirkywords, very relatable, this is my attitude and experience with uni assignments at the moment.

Padfoot, I can see you post here a lot. Please continue to do so. Believe it or not I really enjoy hearing how your life is going. I'm a musician too, though more into the classical stuff if I'm honest. I wonder whether you've explored much of this kind of music? Fine if you haven't.

If I've got to give another 30seconds, I would say it's waking up and always, without fail, finding my cat sleeping next to me. Lately it's been a real help to me, makes me feel like someone both actually knows me and has some faith in me, even if it's an animal. Sets up my day on the right note too.

Hope everyone is well,

Felix.

[Padfoot02]

Hi everyone.

I hope you're all doing well. and staying safe.

So yesterday was kinda weird because it basically ended with me wrapping most of the toes on my left foot with electrical tape because (I'm pretty sure) I've got warts on them which is great. But in all fairness, the tape does actually make them less sore and they looked a lot better when I took the tape off this morning to re-apply tape.

I also drew a Fabulous Killjoy of yesterday which I'm really happy with (for those who are unfamiliar with My Chemical Romance, the Fabulous Killjoys are the personas the band took on for the duration of their fourth album "Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys")

I've also been working on another song I wrote, I needed a better bass line than just following the root note so yeh. And (for Felix) no I haven't really delved into classical music, my musical "training" is heavily based around punk rock. So it's a lot of power chords and distortion XD but Death Day is actually an acoustic song with open chords 😄

My 30 seconds for the last day or two is listening to more music, I recently downloaded MCR's first album on my computer. I also found a new (to me) band called Palaye Royale, they're really good too.

Anyway, I hope you all stay safe and warm during the winter, it's freezing where I live XD

from Padfoot

[Padfoot02]

Hey again everyone.

I hope you're doing good and staying safe.

My 30 seconds today was waking up with Rhiannon in my arms because she stayed at my house for the night. It was fricken awesome. So the loophole I found was that my dad went on a fishing trip with his mates yesterday so yeh. He also left me $10 to buy food from aldi which was pretty cool as well.

20 days until Death Day is released and I'm still super excited!!

Other than that, not a lot has happened over the last two days. So stay safe and warm

from Padfoot

[Gambit87]

My 30 seconds yesterday was getting out and doing the washing haha!

I don't have a washer/dryer so I just go to the laundromat! I use it as an opportunity to have a bit of me time. Normally I would have something to eat or a pint of beer while I wait.

The foodcourt was open for takeaway! So i had some keow teow and took a walk to a near by park.

[Padfoot02]

Hey everyone,

As always, I hope you're doing well.

My 30 seconds yesterday was seeing my friend when she came and picked me up for school. It was good seeing her again after about a month and a half, we went to Maccas and got coffee (I got hot chocolate because I don't like the coffees from Maccas). My 30 seconds today is going to see Rhiannon after school is done, should be great. And some other good news is that Rhiannon basically has a new house and they should be moving in by the end of this week/start of next week!!

I also accidentally started writing a song the other night. I was watching a video analysing 21 pilots cover of cancer by mcr and it got me thinking about death and stuff. So I grabbed a book and started writing stuff down, it then started turning into lyrics. While I was writing I realised that I was talking about the fact that my band would be there for the people who need us, I then realised that it was a general statement but it was also aimed sorta aimed at our drummer. She lives in an unhealthy environment and feels like she can't escape it, so the song started turning into me telling her that the band can be her escape. The thing that got me to start writing the guitar for it was when I realised that this song is basically the "Famous Last Words" of my album

Anyway, that's my rambling for today, I hope it brought a smile to at least one person :).

I hope you all stay safe and warm during the winter.

from Padfoot

[PhoebeWings]

Hi Padfoot,

I feel like I’m old Aunty Phoebe trying to reply to your fresh and lovely updates .....😊

I love that you are writing songs and making music from your life’s observations and experiences.

I actually composed some music a couple of years ago. Just an abstract string of sounds that seems to have no finite moment.

Keep us smiling matey!!!

[PhoebeWings]

Hi Gambit,

A couple of years ago, our washing machine died and we were just weeks from moving.

So we used the laundromat rather than buy a new machine - it was pointless buying and transporting and thought we’d wait...

Anyway, I discovered the pleasure of using a laundromat. I loved it!

It was kind of satisfying to get it all done, all dried, all folded in one easy outing.

And that was it for the week.

👍

[PhoebeWings]

Hi Felix,

I always wake up to my lovely cat, her purring and weight against or actually on me is my daily morning joy.

She stretches out her soft velvety paws and pats my face. Bliss. Truly bliss 🙂