COVID-19 Journal: Day 2

Today's my first scruffy day. I got up, yoga-d, showered, dressed etc. But am scruffy. I thought about how much of what we do when we get ready is for everyone else. I'm not wearing my big silver friend-engagement ring from Sophie, which most people I know would never have seen me without. A few friends are saying they're wearing no makeup etc. I'm making jokes about when nudity will emerge. Perhaps at my front window, for extra fun.

Actually, I love a procedure, and perhaps what's so strange is that they're being rearranged by pandemic need. That's obviously bound to be weird, but, actually, I like routine, so am curious to build new ones. I'm also one of those slightly morbid people who is curious about what it must be like to be incarcerated, and how well I'd survive there. Perhaps I'll get to explore that in detail, but with pets. And a backyard.

A few things I've set up:

  • A daily call with my far-flung immediate family. This is proving stressful, because of differences in national rules about it all. And the vast distance. And the fact that my sister is still working at her music shop, where the public are scrambling to rent trumpets and clarinets for the apocalypse.
  • A WiFi extender for my new "home office". It was shit before, and now it isn't.
  • A good chair for my bum and back to work from. I sat on a shit one the other day and nearly got a posterior injury, I'm sure of it.
  • Joined neighbourhood help WhatsApp.

For the last several months, perhaps years, I've been conscious of a lack of concentration in my daily work. You know, that ability to sit and think and chew on something you want to do deeply and well. And today, for the first time in ages, I got a ton of stuff done, not to any great depth, but, I was mostly undisturbed, or at least, the interruptions I got were welcome in a way they probably never have been before. It's making me look forward to how all this shit might change us for the good. And if it's something to do with either stronger, closer social connection or more solitary work that feels deep and good, I'm all for it. IF I SURVIVE.

Many but not all of us apparently are trying to read lots of things on the internet about the shit and its obviously overwhelming and all you want are more facts and to be told what's happening and what's going to happen and what you're supposed to do, and that's why I've chosen this as my one morsel for you for today. It's a piece by a favourite Scot called Janey Godley, whose protest against Drumpf's appearance at St. Andrews was a handmade sign that said TRUMP IS A CUNT. Apparently she's selling postcards with it on.

Here are some pictures I took:

This was my lunch. That halloumi is from Lynsey.

We're trying to stay open at work, and try to work out how to help the 4 billion new home educators we have now.

This was my dinner.

This is Sixty in my new home office

This is a prototype about object-based learning we're dusting off.

These are two books I want to read for work.