There's a weird collective hallucination about exercise times in lockdown. I remember noticing it at the time, and it's persisted. There was no time limit to how long you were allowed to be outdoors. Not half an hour; not a hour (which is the length I more often hear cited). The government guidance was 'once a day', and the law that was passed didn't even say that, it just said that exercise was a 'reasonable excuse' for leaving the house. I don't know where the one-hour thing came from (or why it's half an hour for you) but I do hope you weren't actually restricting yourself to 30 minutes back in 2020.
Holy crap! Well that is absolutely fascinating - and I was at first, yes, for about a month. I can't remember what I read that convinced me I could be out longer, but I assumed at the time the guidelines had changed, not that I'd misunderstood them! Thanks for this. My mind is a bit blown.
Have you written about this? It feels like such an interesting rabbit-hole to scurry down - how collective anxiety addles our reasoning, perhaps to the point we're hunting for certainties ("30 minutes and no longer") where there are ambiguities ("once a day")...
I haven’t. You should! I’m sure there are loads of other examples of the Mandela Effect. There’s the Walkers crisps one, though that involves significantly less anxiety.
I read this while sitting in the San Diego sun and found myself laughing so hard I wished it would rain. Thank you. You'll never know how much I needed that laugh today and the reminder of the release that comes when the sky has a good cry.
Mike, if you like "rain writing" (which I didn't realize was its own genre until you mentioned it), you need to check out Chasing the Monsoon by Alexander Frater - it's a fascinating travelogue about moving through India along with the monsoon, and I found it fascinating how differently rain is experienced in various parts of the world.
On the positive side Mike, at least you didn’t have to do the “crawled through a river of shit and came out clean” part (said in my best Morgan Freeman voice).
There's a weird collective hallucination about exercise times in lockdown. I remember noticing it at the time, and it's persisted. There was no time limit to how long you were allowed to be outdoors. Not half an hour; not a hour (which is the length I more often hear cited). The government guidance was 'once a day', and the law that was passed didn't even say that, it just said that exercise was a 'reasonable excuse' for leaving the house. I don't know where the one-hour thing came from (or why it's half an hour for you) but I do hope you weren't actually restricting yourself to 30 minutes back in 2020.
Holy crap! Well that is absolutely fascinating - and I was at first, yes, for about a month. I can't remember what I read that convinced me I could be out longer, but I assumed at the time the guidelines had changed, not that I'd misunderstood them! Thanks for this. My mind is a bit blown.
It’s such a weird thing, and so widespread!
Have you written about this? It feels like such an interesting rabbit-hole to scurry down - how collective anxiety addles our reasoning, perhaps to the point we're hunting for certainties ("30 minutes and no longer") where there are ambiguities ("once a day")...
I haven’t. You should! I’m sure there are loads of other examples of the Mandela Effect. There’s the Walkers crisps one, though that involves significantly less anxiety.
I read this while sitting in the San Diego sun and found myself laughing so hard I wished it would rain. Thank you. You'll never know how much I needed that laugh today and the reminder of the release that comes when the sky has a good cry.
That Titt's video isn't nearly as funny as your article! Thanks for sharing.
You are too kind, thank you. But I can't accept that at all. 😂
Apparently, the rain didn't wash away all your modesty.
This was super. Thanks!
Amazing. It's funny how even familiar landscapes can go from idyllic to terrifying in just moments. Especially in heavy rain.
That video. I laughed so hard, and I can't wait to show it to my husband when he gets home. That's some brilliant humor.
Oh, dude, you *must* use Anna Brones's drawing!
Mike, if you like "rain writing" (which I didn't realize was its own genre until you mentioned it), you need to check out Chasing the Monsoon by Alexander Frater - it's a fascinating travelogue about moving through India along with the monsoon, and I found it fascinating how differently rain is experienced in various parts of the world.
Absolutely delightful, Mike!
On the positive side Mike, at least you didn’t have to do the “crawled through a river of shit and came out clean” part (said in my best Morgan Freeman voice).
Reading this in 34 degree heat has made me want a cold shower. Very funny read Mike.