In these harsh times I can no longer rest on my blogging laurels! I can no longer withhold the wisdom so badly needed in this period of crisis! I must be there for my readers! In a word,
DB is Back!
The country - along with much of the rest of Europe - is in lock-down. We can look forward to months and months of staying at home, minding our own business.
I am beginning to be an old hand with this. Last year I was in self-isolation except for a weekly walk to the nearby shop for about two months because I had shingles, a highly infectious viral disease.
And only two month or so ago I caught some sort of bug, was left utterly exhausted, and was put on short hours by my doctor for six weeks. Since it is a bit pointless to commute for two+ hours each way every day I worked mostly from home for these six weeks.
And now here we are again. The difference is that the whole country - nay world - has decided to join me!
While I can't advise about the coronavirus, I can advise on being cooped up at home, alone, for a months or two.
I am happy to report that it isn't all bad!
When I was at home with shingles last year it was more difficult than now, partly because it was the middle of Summer and lovely outside, partly because I was, well, you know, sick.
Shingles involves being covered - in my case about 20% of my body - by nasty itchy hurting viruswater-filled pustules. Have a google, it isn't nice! And contrary to popular belief, the virus does not content itself with being difficult in those be-pustuled areas. It also affects your digestive system, for example, and often creates the sort of situation that causes havoc with your toilet paper stash. Then there are headaches, and an overall feeling of being unwell. And clothes become a problem - even the flimsiest covering over those pustules is excruciatingly painful!
Of course being sick, rather than just cooped up, has advantages! It is a unique opportunity for self study, and for those of you who are interested in and fascinated by our microbial friends, this is an excellent opportunity to do some heavy duty research into viruses, bacteria, and whatever other little critters captured your interest - or body!
That can be difficult if you are not connected to the WWW, and although obviously all my readers already are, spare a though for those few remaining computer refuseniks who are not!
This is the time to be firm with aged older relatives and friends, set them up with one of your discarded laptops, and get them to start skyping!!!
You would have thought that people who rarely leave the house, have lost many of their old friends and relatives to death, and don't have the distraction of work, would welcome the opportunity to not only remain in touch with the life out there they are missing out on, but also the chance to revel in the past by digitally re-visiting the places, memories, and people of their youth.
My father, for example, who was once a radio officer on various ships, spent some of his downtime researching one of his old rust buckets, which had been decommissioned in South America and was being restored by some enthusiasts. They were looking for information about it, and he got in touch and shared his history. I am not one to jump on every technology band-waggon, but I do love the internet!
So open the floodgates of your loquacity, and talk, browbeat, or convince those internet-refusers into getting connected! They'll thank you, eventually.
Love & Good Connection!
DB
