Covid-19 – Week fifteen: beginning 15/06/2020
I have always wanted to be a writer, well okay maybe not always. When I was little, I wanted to be a ballerina and I was always quite a good dancer, even if I say so myself. So those that know me, maybe can jump in here. But we all grow up and accept reality, the dog needs fed. So it isn’t that I don’t like my job, because the fact is, I love it. But I also love to write, to escape into a world of my creation.
Becca, a close friend from university corrected me, not so long ago by saying.
“Do you write?”
“Yes,” I said trying not to roll my eyes.
“Then you are a writer!”
Of course, I know she is right. But having my work finally up on my blog has sealed the deal for me. I feel like I am finally sharing my world with others to enjoy – I hope.
I mean I know I could have blogged before now, but I chose to focus on short story competitions in the hope of getting some recognition that my writing is not sh**! It isn’t like I have never been encouraged either. A teaching friend started a blog a few years ago and encouraged me to do the same. But I didn’t feel ready, didn’t know what to write about and didn’t know if I could face the criticism. Now I am all the above, but I don’t care. As for this blog, I feel like or is writing itself and I just let myself be me. I am singing my own kind of music and loving it for what it is.
This week I brave the shops once more. This is after all, the week the high street is being unlocked. However, I don’t mean that type of shopping. It’s not because I’m scared, but rather the need. If lockdown has taught me anything it is that what I think I need and what is essential are quite different. And right now, I don’t really need anything but food. However, with such good deals online I may do a small perusal – I am only human.
I wish I had shopped online for cards as well. My Mam’s list tickled me. It reads 2 x 8 year old, 39 year old man, 1 year old, 4 x anniversary cards for people; I didn’t know you got cards for 39 year old’s or non-people. Yet could I get an anniversary card to a couple? Nope, not a single one in sight. Well I don’t expect to get everything on the shopping list these days anyway.
But I don’t need to worry about not getting fresh meat. Even I have fallen into line and scroll daily through social media. My motivation boredom, break of monotony, longing for social contact? You choose. But time seems to be running at a faster pace these days. My social media browsing seems an acquired unconscious action. Yet a positive is that we found a butcher with a great reputation for quality, good value for money and even free delivery. When it arrives, I am blown away by the fact that social media was true. Better than true, I am salivating over raw meet while unpacking. Sorry to any vegetarian, I’ll not be converting any time soon and am looking forward to chomping through thick prime cuts of meat.
The meat box has it all (lean: chicken, beef, beef mine, gammon, steaks). The lean mince gives me an idea for lasagne. We make up a bolognaise as normal, then we both stop.
“What are you doing?”
“Preparing the lasagne sheets”
“Why”
And so, the discussion began to the point of realisation. We have never made a lasagne together before! I mean we have eaten it many times, at his Mam and Dads, at restaurants and cafes. But in our years together, this is the first, best, tastiest, most memorable meal we have had in a while.
I continue the week making memories, sticking with the food theme but taking up a comical thread: I attend a weights class using bottles of pop. You and my friends can laugh, but it is a good work out. The videos, provided as part of Slimming Worlds current body magic campaign, have me inspired to try new exercise classes. I am more of a cardio fan, a bit of dancing, stepping, jogging and why not pop lifting? I am tempted by the fizzy drinks a few times throughout the class but stick to the plain water. I wouldn’t want to drink my weights away after all.
I also attend a virtual step class. It feels so normal copying along from the video. And well it is as close as I am going to get to attending a fitness class with others. And it was fun, with the added bonus that I am home and free to move without judgement. If anything, it made me more energetic and enthusiastic in my movements. I even found myself giggling at points.
My fun and posting in my Slimming World group gains me slimmer of the week and I think lockdown exercise is just another memory I will look back on and giggle at in the future.
A lot of new memories will have and are being forged this week as people form protective ‘bubbles’. Even as I talk today, I can hear it when I refer to ‘my bubble’ peoples ‘bubbles’. And so, a new phrase has been born. One of many for sure.
An explosion of new vocabulary and phrases that without current context would make literally no sense. And bubble is just the start. You remember a few I’ve mentioned already of path rage and –
• Self isolating, staying home because you have or might have coronavirus
• Shielding, people at high risk stay home to avoid getting the virus
• Social distancing, staying the recommended 2 meters away from people outside of your household
• Living in lockdown, government-imposed measures shutting down elements of society to curb the spread of the virus
• Key workers, critical workers who are still going to work rather than being furloughed or working from home
• WFH, acronym for working from home
- Upperwear and infits, clothes worn at home for work video calls
• Furlough, a paid leave from work where the government pay 80% wages to help businesses without employees being made redundant
• Blursday, lockdowns disorientation of time making everyday blur into one
• New normal, society emerging through and out of Covid-19
• Riding cornacoaster, the rollercoaster of emotions experienced during Covid-19
Some interesting ones I have heard recently:
• Covidiot, to describe someone not following public health advice
• Covideo, to announce online parties on platforms like zoom
• Covexit, the plan to exit lockdown
Then there are the war parallels and metaphors used by politicians and the media to describe the pandemic. Talk of a deadly enemy we can beat. Not so keen on these last ones, but recently the government has moved into journey language. One thing is certain we have all fallen foul of using the new language.
I even enjoyed a bit of toddler talk this week. I have always thought language was led by trends lived by teens. However, today in a video meeting, an almost ‘terrible’ two year old corrected me.
” Gombie!” He yelled.
This in fact, I later found out, is a demand for the garden. This exploration of language led us into a discussion about other great words the youngster had changed/ struggled to say.
“Tit,”
On paper I know, intriguing. But pause, say it slowly and you can sort of hear how a toddler might be trying to say cake. Not sure all these sayings will take off. But I wish I had a gombie and would love a tit. Hehe, I feel so naughty writing this. Language has always been developing and in fascinating ways, responding to the world around us. And kids are so entertaining.
I have kept the entertainment going this week and listen to music in the background to my daily routine. Today the music slipped into a meeting when my boss said 99, I said 99 red balloons. And so, an ear worm led to me dancing around the house while chasing the dog at lunch time. In the afternoon the ear worm settled in and I let the song carry me to signing off time – when ninety-nine red balloons go by.
Although I couldn’t buy Dad 99 red balloons for Father’s Day. I am able to get him tools, beer, and chocolate. A more normal celebration, as lockdown has been eased, we are able to visit our Dads outdoors while social distancing. A considerable improvement from the drop and run approach to Mother’s Day. The weekend weather is on our side and I think I am even going to tan, finally not from the fridge light. Then 99 red balloons go by.
