The Koonzt/Camus Thread (for writerly solidarity during a time of plague)

[Robinne Weiss]

Honest to goodness! I and my dog had to slither down an embankment to maintain social distance because 3 somewhat rotund women walked side by side along the wide path. I squeezed myself and dog against a tree expecting them to move to the other side and walk in file for just a few feet, but no. I may be less than half the size of any one of them but I'm not invisible. As I don't want to catch this plague, there was only one escape and down the embankment we went. Was it a lack of common sense? A lack of respect?

How rude! I had a guy's dog come up to me, put his muddy paws on my leg and lick my face the other day--dog not on a leash, man 'walking' it by driving alongside the over-friendly animal and not bothering to try to keep it under control. Cute dog, to be sure, but really?

 

[Hannah F]

And now the antithesis to my last post: I opened the front door to clap for carers and found that a guardian angel had left a shopping bag of food on my mat - someone who knows I'm vegetarian and knows I like porridge and little oranges. Despite these clues, I've no idea who but I'm very grateful and looking forward to trying to make packet falafels (which I can't spell) tomorrow.

 

[KateESal]

"Always look for the helpers...there are always people helping..."

Classic advice in a time of disaster.

All being well, the angels outnumber the idiots.

 

[Robinne Weiss]

All being well, the angels outnumber the idiots.

Indeed. Lots of lovely people doing lovely things for others right now!

 

[E G Logan]

What do they know that I don't?

I just opened my sitting-room window to see what large vehicle was making its way along the lane, a pedestrians-only street -- and received a faceful of disinfectant. (That'll teach me.)
It was a health authority vehicle, white with a flashing yellow light, followed by a person on foot, wearing a white astronaut-type hazmat suit and spraying the flagstones of the lane and the first few feet of the walls of the houses.
I thought things were gradually tailing off here (Italy), but perhaps there is something I don't know...

 

[KateESal]

I was reading a report in The Guardian from a scientific study which said the virus seems to spread most efficiently when people physcially get together, especially in larger, sociable groups (all that chatting, laughing, singing, kissing etc.) and experts think there have been relatively (stressing the word relatively) few infections contracted through contact with contaminated surfaces. That said, it's better to keep any risks to as close to zero as possible at the moment, I would have thought.

Face full of disinfectant? Ew!

 

[E G Logan]

Very moving -- and I'm not religious at all -- Andrea Bocelli singing Easter arias, with only an organist, in the massive, completely empty Milan cathedral. (Something he volunteered to do.)

Sadly, though, all the stadium concerts have taken their toll, and he now has the voice of a man 15 years older. Oddly, that only made it more moving.

 

[E G Logan]

The concert can be viewed at Andrea Bocelli's YouTube channel.

 

[Leonora]

What do they know that I don't?

I just opened my sitting-room window to see what large vehicle was making its way along the lane, a pedestrians-only street -- and received a faceful of disinfectant. (That'll teach me.)
It was a health authority vehicle, white with a flashing yellow light, followed by a person on foot, wearing a white astronaut-type hazmat suit and spraying the flagstones of the lane and the first few feet of the walls of the houses.
I thought things were gradually tailing off here (Italy), but perhaps there is something I don't know...

Maybe it's preparatory to letting you all run into the street singing and dancing and hugging.

 

[E G Logan]

Maybe it's preparatory to letting you all run into the street singing and dancing and hugging.

Now that would be good. Though certain of my neighbours might wait a while for the hugging...

 

[Rich.]

Ah, lists. People do seem to love them. They confer the illusion of order on a chaotic world, I suspect.

1. Get up (increasingly later it seems).
2. Cope with day (increasingly pale of face it seems).
3. Sleep (increasingly).

Sorted. No chaos here.

Aah! My little (10-y-o) next door neighbour has discovered the joy of playing football on their roof terrace.

I'm expecting our downstairs neighbour, who also happens to be our landlord, to evict us any day now. My boys are like elephants, football-playing, banshee-wailing elephants.

If I were my landlord, I would evict us.



(that was a joke)

Hi everyone, I've been quiet for a couple of weeks. Lockdown social-media saturation was melting my brain, so I unplugged for a bit (which to be fair is a disservice to Litopia as this place is a haven rather than a noise).

We're sucking it up. There's not much else to say. The boys are now into their fifth week without a trip outside, and our flat is small. In other circumstances you'd call that child abuse. Don't get me wrong, we fully understand and support the lockdown, but it's tough on the little ones.

It looks like we've had the virus (wife's a flight attendant, as many of you know), mild symptoms, luckily, but of course we can't know for sure without testing.

This morning a friend's father-in-law died in hospital of covid-19.

I suppose one reason I've been quiet is that I like to be cheerful. And I am. But some days the cheer is harder to come by.

There's a lake near us (a reservoir actually). It's 60-odd kilometres around. When this is over, I think I'll run round it!

 

[KateESal]

Ah, @Rich. It can be tough and I REALLY don't envy you with the two little boys cooped up inside. Our two are old enough that they can often amuse themselves, but the thought of being in this situation with them five years ago....cripes....

Is your landlord Spanish? They're usually very tolerant of small children, even when they're sounding like a herd of elephants...

Sorry to hear you've had the bug, but thankful it's only been a mild dose.

Don't blame you for unhitching yourself from social media. I find it comforting, infuriating, entertaining, informative and distracting by turns. In other words, the same as usual, but more so.

I'm finally managing to do a bit of writing, although it's in fits and starts. It helps, though. And I'm reading more, which also helps. Hopefully you'll carve yourself a small space for some creativity too. xx

Solidarity, Bro'

 

[Rich.]

Ah, @Rich. It can be tough and I REALLY don't envy you with the two little boys cooped up inside. Our two are old enough that they can often amuse themselves, but the thought of being in this situation with them five years ago....cripes....

It's not so bad (sometimes it feels terrible, but that's just me losing perspective!). Mine have periods when they amuse themselves, but they do it expansively. The flat is very much theirs.

Is your landlord Spanish?

He is, and he's cool. My British worry is much bigger than his Spanish annoyance.

I'm finally managing to do a bit of writing, although it's in fits and starts. It helps, though. And I'm reading more, which also helps. Hopefully you'll carve yourself a small space for some creativity too. xx

Good for you. Getting some words down always helps. My funk is lifting, and I shall definitely be carving out a little space on Saturday for the Litfest.

Solidarity, Bro'

*raises fist* Always!

 

[Steve C]

I am beginning to panic. There was a local gov. edict banning sales of alcohol over the Thai New Year up until the 20th April. 'Songkran' is normally a crazy time when everyone gets drunk and throws water over each other but is now 'dry' in more than one sense. The reason for my panic is that my stock of booze would have taken me to the 20th but my wife now informs me the ban has been extended to the 30th. now that's what I call bloody mean, announcing a ban to the 20th then once the ban has come into place extending it!!
On top of that, the local governor has called a village meeting. What on earth does he think he is doing holding meetings during a pandemic. I bet his stock of booze doesn't run out on the 20th

 

[Robinne Weiss]

1. Get up (increasingly later it seems).
2. Cope with day (increasingly pale of face it seems).
3. Sleep (increasingly).

Sorted. No chaos here.


I'm expecting our downstairs neighbour, who also happens to be our landlord, to evict us any day now. My boys are like elephants, football-playing, banshee-wailing elephants.

If I were my landlord, I would evict us.



(that was a joke)

Hi everyone, I've been quiet for a couple of weeks. Lockdown social-media saturation was melting my brain, so I unplugged for a bit (which to be fair is a disservice to Litopia as this place is a haven rather than a noise).

We're sucking it up. There's not much else to say. The boys are now into their fifth week without a trip outside, and our flat is small. In other circumstances you'd call that child abuse. Don't get me wrong, we fully understand and support the lockdown, but it's tough on the little ones.

It looks like we've had the virus (wife's a flight attendant, as many of you know), mild symptoms, luckily, but of course we can't know for sure without testing.

This morning a friend's father-in-law died in hospital of covid-19.

I suppose one reason I've been quiet is that I like to be cheerful. And I am. But some days the cheer is harder to come by.

There's a lake near us (a reservoir actually). It's 60-odd kilometres around. When this is over, I think I'll run round it!

Hang in there @Rich. I can't imagine how difficult it must be. Our lockdown, by virtue of being a largely rural country that acted quickly and decisively, is much more forgiving to kids. We're allowed outdoors, provided we do nothing stupid (like, you know, walk after dark on the main highway wearing black ... don't know anyone who would do that though ... ) and we stay close to home and away from others. You're not allowed to stop and chat with the neighbours, but at least you can stretch your legs and breathe some fresh air.

Here in NZ the school holiday was over today, and we all went back (virtually of course) to school/work. It was naturally full of technical difficulties, but at least kids and teachers had things to do. My school already used a virtual platform to share work between families and school, so it was reasonably smooth for us, and lots of the students I teach did a good day of schoolwork. So there are little positives ... And the neighbours continue to read my poems aloud every day--lots of laughter coming from the front fence, and kids clamouring for mum to read to them, and it truly makes my day. Who'd have thought a bunch of bad poetry could cheer so many people?

 

[Paul Whybrow]

Hang in there @Rich. I can't imagine how difficult it must be. Our lockdown, by virtue of being a largely rural country that acted quickly and decisively, is much more forgiving to kids. We're allowed outdoors, provided we do nothing stupid (like, you know, walk after dark on the main highway wearing black ... don't know anyone who would do that though ... ) and we stay close to home and away from others. You're not allowed to stop and chat with the neighbours, but at least you can stretch your legs and breathe some fresh air.

Here in NZ the school holiday was over today, and we all went back (virtually of course) to school/work. It was naturally full of technical difficulties, but at least kids and teachers had things to do. My school already used a virtual platform to share work between families and school, so it was reasonably smooth for us, and lots of the students I teach did a good day of schoolwork. So there are little positives ... And the neighbours continue to read my poems aloud every day--lots of laughter coming from the front fence, and kids clamouring for mum to read to them, and it truly makes my day. Who'd have thought a bunch of bad poetry could cheer so many people?

Do you intend to self-publish your poems, Robinne? In a normal-sized book, I mean!

 

[KateESal]

My British worry is much bigger than his Spanish annoyance.

Haha, yes, exactly! We Brits are way more uptight about children's behaviour than Spaniards are! I've spoken to a few Spanish landlords and they tell me Brits are among their favourite tenants, because in general we are well-behaved and reliable about paying our rent (in comparison with others). I'm not sure if the reputation is entirely well-deserved, but it can come in handy!!

The reason for my panic is that my stock of booze would have taken me to the 20th but my wife now informs me the ban has been extended to the 30th. now that's what I call bloody mean, announcing a ban to the 20th then once the ban has come into place extending it!!

NO...!!!

I'm wondering if some governments might now legalise cannabis, given that they're going to be scrabbling for tax income in the coming economic depression. If we're going to have rolling lockdowns until they sort out widespread vaccination for covid-19, people will want some form of self-administered anasthetic for the general situation, I suspect....
(Slightly tongue-in-cheek, the above comment)

the neighbours continue to read my poems aloud every day--lots of laughter coming from the front fence, and kids clamouring for mum to read to them, and it truly makes my day. Who'd have thought a bunch of bad poetry could cheer so many people?

Oooh.....I think we need an anthology of your lockdown poems, Robinne!!

 

[Steve C]

I'm wondering if some governments might now legalise cannabis

They are already doing that here and with a doctors note you can smoke the stuff. Mind you in the villages it's readily available anyway but it is not great quality. Makes a decent tea though It's even worse for your lungs than tobacco I think so tea is a sensible option.

 

[KateESal]

It's even worse for your lungs than tobacco

Yes it is. Although I have a friend who vapes his (he lives in California...cannabis is a bit more legal there).

One of our friends (different one) gave us some space butter...no harm to the lungs at all, but blimey...

You wouldn't want to put that stuff on your crumpets by mistake. Especially if you had the vicar over to tea.

 

[Nikky Lee]

I'm wondering if some governments might now legalise cannabis, given that they're going to be scrabbling for tax income in the coming economic depression

Legal or not, I got a good whiff of it this evening while I was out walking the dog. Someone (or several someones) was having a grand time.

I think we need an anthology of your lockdown poems, Robinne!!

Seconded!

 

[Steve C]

You wouldn't want to put that stuff on your crumpets by mistake. Especially if you had the vicar over to tea.

Made me laugh
Talking of food I lived in a guest house in Phon Phen for a while and once a week we'd cook up a pot of stew and throw in a bit of ganja. It's used as a herb there and you can buy it by the kilo in the markets. Suffice it to say a few unwitting guests left with a smile on their face but no vicars that I saw.

 

[Andy D]

I am, to put it mildly, bored. I may have to hoover

 

[KateESal]

I am, to put it mildly, bored. I may have to hoover

Either that, or you've got some writing you need to get on with. That's why most of us do the vacuuming.

 

[Robinne Weiss]

Do you intend to self-publish your poems, Robinne? In a normal-sized book, I mean!

No. They're mostly drivel, as far as I'm concerned. LOL! And so very time and place dependent--they'll be dated within a few months.

 

[Robinne Weiss]

Oooh.....I think we need an anthology of your lockdown poems, Robinne!!

Not sure they'd go over well to a general audience. It was only ever my intent to make the neighbours smile. They're getting a little attention on my blog, but I suspect it's not worth taking the time to do anything formal with them. And I'm really not taking them seriously ... they're pathetic as poetry goes ...

 

[CageSage]

as poetry goes

They do the job intended, and after ten years or so (when people aren't in the middle of the fear) they will make a wonderful reminiscence. I'm thoroughly enjoying them, and read them over the phone to several elderly women in the hospice.

 

[Hannah F]

The health board say they can't explain the dramatic drop in A&E and GP surgery admissions other than people too afraid to go . . . I could hazard a fair few guesses: sports injuries, road traffic accidents, bar room brawls, gang to gang combat to name but a few.

 

[Robinne Weiss]

The health board say they can't explain the dramatic drop in A&E and GP surgery admissions other than people too afraid to go . . . I could hazard a fair few guesses: sports injuries, road traffic accidents, bar room brawls, gang to gang combat to name but a few.

Yeah, there's a call here for the auto insurers to lower premiums because no one's driving, hence no one's putting in claims. And our road toll has been 0 for a month.

 

[Rich.]

So, a little freedom is on the horizon...

BBC News - Coronavirus: Spanish PM promises to ease confinement of children

Coronavirus: Spanish PM promises to ease confinement of children

Their confinement will soon be eased, as the latest death toll from coronavirus shows a dip.

www.bbc.co.uk

Yay. Yay. And thrice Yay.

 

[Rich.]

Just saw this photo-doc project, thought provoking and very cool:

BBC News - Coronavirus: The view from my window

Coronavirus: The view from my window

Jemima Yong's pictures record the comings and goings on a patch of land outside her London home.

www.bbc.co.uk

I can't compete with the depth of her project, but I can share my view. Empty...



What's yours?