There’s plenty to be pessimistic about. We’re all locked up in our homes, many of us have been “temporarily” laid-off, and the NHS front-line staff still has no PPE and have not been treated against coronavirus.
But, as I said earlier, 2020 is going to be a POSITIVE year for me, even if it kills me ….. no wait, that came out all wrong!
I’m used to social distancing. So are many IT, home based, freelance workers. It’s getting out and actually meeting a person that’s weird! So the last couple of weeks have been no different for me. I’ve been focused on helping a couple of local businesses get their shit online. It doesn’t matter what that shit is, everyone seems to be getting it done online …. especially using zoom or pre-recorded videos.
I’ve been blown away by the way in which businesses (and customers) have risen to this challenge. Older people (yes, even people older than me!) are busy zooming into to their Swoove, Zumba, Fitsteps, Yoga or Pilates classes. They are doing stuff with websites that I did not think possible and my regular get together of Swoovers is just as strong online via Zoom, WhatsApp and other social media tools.
Instructors have been recording videos in their lounges, kitchen and bedrooms for their students … in their lounges, kitchen and bedrooms, and it’s all been tickety boo!
I’m loving being part of this creativity and (hopefully) doing my bit to make it happen! It’s been a blast!
Twitter is alive with the notion that “we will never be the same again” and although I’m still mightily pessimistic about this I do believe it’s clarifies the important people in our society: NHS workers, Bin Men, Delivery drivers, Supermarket staff to name but four. These people are worth far more than they are paid – far more than Bankers, Lousy Chief Executives, Politicians or City Traders. What will happen when this is all over? Pessimistically, I suspect we’ll go back to normal, but I HOPE I’m wrong.
We’re even being kind to the homeless for once. OK it may be in our self interest to protect our own species, but at least people now recognise they are the same species!
On the home front I’m becoming adept at the “what can I cook with this…?” shopping model. Dammit my son’s partner has gone vegetarian and he’s joining in! These are incredible times.
Sadly we still have The Daily Mail spouting filth. This week they’ve blaming foreigners for infecting us: Michel Barnier for infecting Boris Johnson, or the entire Chinese nation for infecting everybody! We need to see through this bullshit.
Some things will never be the same until this time next year: My usual festival, The Great Escape, like many others has been cancelled; My usual holiday to the sun will be cancelled soon. But 2021 will be upon us soon and we will recover. At least I’m going for a virtual pint with some mates this evening. I wonder what a virtual hangover feels like?
Stay safe peeps!
