Feeling ambivalent!

[JackSaint]

My last punt was the Friday before lockdown in March, over the last 20 plus years I've punted once or twice a week, the first few weeks were a nightmare, thinking about fucking hot, naked girls. As things eased I thought I'd be gagging to get back out there.

But, I'm not, the lingering fear that any SP working now has been active in the most dangerous time, worries about hygiene, the lack of new, enticing talent in my area, concern that the first punt back will be underwhelming and the feeling that it's not going to anywhere near safe until September has left me feeling ambivalent to the whole thing. I'm shocked.

How do you guys feel?

[Bonker]

Bemused

[latecomer]

Everyone makes their own personal risk assessment and I respect their decision but I'm interested why you consider it may be "safe" in September.  Why not in August or not until October, for example?

[winkywanky]

A bit scared, truth be told, not just for myself but for others who I necessarily have contact with  .

Don't think I'll have any trouble performing, I'm as pervy and gagging for it as usual  .

I do have a punt arranged though, in a couple of weeks' time, and I've arranged to have no contact with others for around 10 days afterwards.

[Kev40ish]

I have stopped for a bit as I was taking care of my mother and wouldn’t want to put her at risk.
I do what I want anyway, so don’t really care what happens to me, but would not want to risk my family as they always come first...

I have always taken risks in life... it adds to the excitement of life in general!!!

[Thephoenix]

Everyone makes their own personal risk assessment and I respect their decision but I'm interested why you consider it may be "safe" in September.  Why not in August or not until October, for example?

Of course there are risks associated with COVID and punting.
I'm not sure if the risks will be much less in September.
I can understand anyone thinking that maybe now or in the next couple of months could be a window of opportunity,  as the situation may deteriorate again when the colder weather comes.

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[Malvolio]

I don't have the issue in finding WGs I'd like to punt as I live in London and there's a big supply.  My reasoning about safety is that I'm in my forties and don't have any underlying health conditions, so am most unlikely to be struck down badly if I did pick up COVID-19.  I live on my own and am working from home for the forseeable future, so my chances of passing it on to someone else if I got it aren't high either.

The combination of these things has led me to resume punting.  However, the OP is not me and needs to make his own decision about risk/reward - I'm not about to encourage anyone to resume punting just because I have.

[JackSaint]

Everyone makes their own personal risk assessment and I respect their decision but I'm interested why you consider it may be "safe" in September.  Why not in August or not until October, for example?

I said "anywhere near safe until September" on the premiss that the infection and death numbers will hopefully be very low by then.

[JackSaint]

I don't have the issue in finding WGs I'd like to punt as I live in London and there's a big supply.  My reasoning about safety is that I'm in my forties and don't have any underlying health conditions, so am most unlikely to be struck down badly if I did pick up COVID-19.  I live on my own and am working from home for the forseeable future, so my chances of passing it on to someone else if I got it aren't high either.

The combination of these things has led me to resume punting.  However, the OP is not me and needs to make his own decision about risk/reward - I'm not about to encourage anyone to resume punting just because I have.

I can't believe I'm feeling so meh about resuming, thought I'd be absolutely desperate by now, it's very strange.

[Plan R]

I can't believe I'm feeling so meh about resuming, thought I'd be absolutely desperate by now, it's very strange.

+1 
Thought I'd be sweating by now but I'm not.
Kind of proves what an addictive behaviour punting is in that after 6 months enforced cold turkey, many of us are feeling 'meh'
(emphasis on addictive behaviour as opposed to addictive substance).

After a couple of punts I'm sure I'll be as addicted as ever - trouble is when will it be safe to do those 1st few punts ??

[Home Alone]

Everyone makes their own personal risk assessment and I respect their decision but I'm interested why you consider it may be "safe" in September.  Why not in August or not until October, for example?

Well, Dr. Jenny Harries, Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England said on yesterday's 'This morning' on ITV that she and her colleagues were, "very, very concerned about looking out for a potential second peak as we move into the autumn."

So, while accepting that everyone has the right to make their own personal risk assessment, mine will factor in advice such as this. Especially as the Sunday Times published a graph some - 5 or 6 - weeks ago, showing that for virtually all pandemics, of whatever nature, it's the second wave that takes out more victims than the first.

[tynetunnel]

You’re extra cheery today HA ! 

[S.X. MacHine]

You’re extra cheery today HA ! 

Yeah, Home Alone is a ray of bloody sunshine today.
Seriously, it is not a given that there will be the much discussed ‘ second wave’. There was in 1920 a second wave of Spanish Flu. Perhaps folk are basing their fears on this.
Many of the health measures now in place would, hopefully, blunt the effect of any resurgence of Covid.

[Home Alone]

You’re extra cheery today HA ! 

It's being so cheerful as keeps me going!  

[Digby232]

This I a very well behaved virus so we won’t get a second wave. Funny how the government know weeks ahead sometimes on the date they can lift restrictions for certain things? July 4th for shops was mentioned weeks before and low and behold they opened. Local lockdowns are a joke. Just get in a taxi, bus or drive to the next town to do shopping or get pissed.

[GingerNuts]

This I a very well behaved virus so we won’t get a second wave. Funny how the government know weeks ahead sometimes on the date they can lift restrictions for certain things? July 4th for shops was mentioned weeks before and low and behold they opened. Local lockdowns are a joke. Just get in a taxi, bus or drive to the next town to do shopping or get pissed.

What about punting? It's been nearly two years, are you planning on starting in the near future?

[threechilliman]

Even now restrictions are being lifted I haven't any inclination to punt.

[peter.witless]

I'm planning on having a good long HE massage the moment I can start travelling to work & back again.

No-one I live with is high-risk and if I do get it I will be happy to get it over & done with (unless they come up with a vaccine we'll all get it EVENTUALLY, just like the common cold). Also, I travel using public transport, so if I do get it, I can blame it on that!

[tynetunnel]

What about punting? It's been nearly two years, are you planning on starting in the near future?

It seems he knows more about micro biology and disease control than punting 

[Slymon]

Yes, ambivalent is the perfect way to describe my feelings too!
Not seen my 'regular' WG since December though I believe she's started again now hotels are reopen.

Problem for me is how little we know about this virus and I have higher risk relatives. I had a lingering bad 'flu-like' illness in Feb/March which could have been it. But I don't know as I haven't had an antibody test. And even then I don't know if I'm immune or can still pass on to others.
One of my parents has an autoimmune condition and a grandparent has had pneumonia. I really couldn't live with passing it on to one of them if it became serious.
I've been number crunching and making estimates and chances are it may be OK to punt but it is akways a chance and not one I want to take yet.

On the other side there may never be a vaccine or a fully effective treatment. We can't live in this psychological trap for ever, so it's a judgement call. And things were perhaps more risky when we were all wandering round as normal 4 months ago than they are now. But I'm no expert and could be talking bollocks.

I'm gagging to see my regular and have added a couple of promising looking locals to my HL. But I'm not comfortable to do so yet. Maybe a couple of months if the numbers remain on the decrease. If it was just me and my health I'm sure I'd have been fucking her brains out this week. But it isn't. So I'll wait.

[rubric]

I'm not really in a high risk group, but if I have to get the virus I'd rather be among the last people to get it because by then care will have improved and there'd be less chance of ending up with complications.

On that last bit, I really don't fancy spending the rest of my life with respiratory problems or worse (some evidence recently of neurological issues caused by the virus).

So for now not seeing girls or jumping on milfs on dating sites.

[Thephoenix]

After the initial dismay at the thought of no sex at the beginning of the virus scare,  a few months went by and I was getting used to the idea and realising how much money I could save.
Then as there seemed to be an opportunity to punt with the change in risk factors, my Dick Brain has persuaded me to test the water again with two punts in the last fortnight.

After such a long break I thought I'd be  elated,  but in a way I was disappointed I couldn't have held out longer.

Well Hey Ho!.....I guess that's punting.

[Adoniron]

I had the opportunity to punt yesterday for the first time since March and thought about it but no more than that. It was nothing to do with the virus, I just couldn't be bothered.

[Ali Katt]

Going to wait until the madness dies down.

[Jeffe]

Fair play for saying this op, kind of feel similar. Had a few times when I could have punted in the last fortnight but just couldn’t quite get myself in the mood so deferred them. Ambivalence is the right word, yes I have some concerns about the virus but I think if I really wanted to punt I’d overcome them. I expect the urge will return just not sure when 

[Daffodil]

Kind of agree. I didn’t miss it. My punting reduced and then petered out and I’m in no rush to get back to it. I check in here now and then to see if something really special turns up to lure me back in, but mostly I’m quite happy without.

[pewpewpew]

I punted a few weeks back. No review as I've reviewed her before and was the same so nothing to add. While there I asked about the whole Covid lockdown thing and she said that she was just as busy now and during lockdown as before. Enlightening but not sure how I feel about her willing to carry on despite a pandemic. Money I suppose but a bit risky and made me wonder about any other risks she may take for the money. I don't mean bare back but just generally. If the guy before me came in coughing and wheezing would she kick him out?

[Malvolio]

I punted a few weeks back. No review as I've reviewed her before and was the same so nothing to add. While there I asked about the whole Covid lockdown thing and she said that she was just as busy now and during lockdown as before. Enlightening but not sure how I feel about her willing to carry on despite a pandemic. Money I suppose but a bit risky and made me wonder about any other risks she may take for the money. I don't mean bare back but just generally. If the guy before me came in coughing and wheezing would she kick him out?

My guess is that she would, as getting sick means a total loss of earnings for a WG during the period of illness.

[Plan R]

TLDR; 'Because we know none of us are getting any punts - each individual finds it easier to resist the urge'

This thread got me thinking about studies showing that absolute wealth is only one aspect of happiness and satisfaction.
Another influence on happiness is relative wealth - ie if your neighbour has much more than you you feel bad.
If everybody around you is poor then you don't feel as bad as you would if you were the only poor one.

My point being, because we know most, if not all of our fellow punters have no punts these days,
perhaps means we (individually) don't feel that bad about continuing to miss out on tits and fanny ?
This could be misinterpreted as feeling ambivalent.
 

Here is an example from the Torygraph of such a study
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"The implications of this work is that we are trapped on a "hedonic treadmill", as one sociologist put it, which means an endless effort to "keep up with the Joneses" to stay happy."

[JackSaint]

TLDR; 'Because we know none of us are getting any punts - each individual finds it easier to resist the urge'

This thread got me thinking about studies showing that absolute wealth is only one aspect of happiness and satisfaction.
Another influence on happiness is relative wealth - ie if your neighbour has much more than you you feel bad.
If everybody around you is poor then you don't feel as bad as you would if you were the only poor one.

My point being, because we know most, if not all of our fellow punters have no punts these days,
perhaps means we (individually) don't feel that bad about continuing to miss out on tits and fanny ?
This could be misinterpreted as feeling ambivalent.
 

Here is an example from the Torygraph of such a study
External Link/Members Only

"The implications of this work is that we are trapped on a "hedonic treadmill", as one sociologist put it, which means an endless effort to "keep up with the Joneses" to stay happy."

Very true, reckon I was trapped on that treadmill, not to keep up with others but to satisfy myself that I was punting all I could while still able, so no regrets later. The ambivalence is starting to wear off since a positive antibody test this week.

[Plan R]

Very true, reckon I was trapped on that treadmill, not to keep up with others but to satisfy myself that I was punting all I could while still able, so no regrets later. The ambivalence is starting to wear off since a positive antibody test this week.

Strongly considering getting tested.