coronavirus – don't confuse the narrator

back in touch

While coronavirus continues to disrupt life across the world and “the Indian variant” gives particular cause for concern here in the UK, pandemic restrictions are beginning to be lifted.

Monday will see a major change in the things we are allowed to do, with pubs and restaurants being allowed to serve customers seated indoors and the size of groups permitted to meet outdoors being raised to 30.

I’m slightly bemused by the fact that the number of guests allowed at weddings, receptions and other “life events” is still restricted to 30, while the number allowed to attend a funeral is no longer limited. Continue reading “back in touch”

let’s not talk about it

I’ve mentioned before that, despite the restrictions to normal life, I’ve been doing quite a lot of travelling on public transport recently. I’ve waited quietly at the station, keeping as far away as possible from other travellers and felt very much like Dick Turpin about to waylay a stagecoach or a highwayman about to hold up the mailtrain as I’ve pulled my mask over my face when the train approaches.

I don’t particularly like wearing a face mask, but I think it probably makes sense to do so, not just because it’s a legal requirement.
Continue reading “let’s not talk about it”

a change of title

Some writers seem to be full of ideas and inspiration; they write every day and always have new work to share. And they think it’s a jolly poor show when you admit that you aren’t working on anything new.

I write every day, but it’s not usually creative writing: most of my ideas and imagination get used up on emails to family and clients, on articles for the business or client projects, and on social media posts and interactions. That said, I think I’ve written more poetry in the last few months than I had in the last couple of years put together.
Continue reading “a change of title”

variations on a theme

Once more, I missed updating the blog last Sunday as I was out and about, travelling on public transport and risking contagion.

Back in late March, at the start of the lockdown, the government’s message was clear: we were told to “stay home; save lives.” Then, in mid May, the message changed and we were told to “stay alert”. Although both “stay home” and “stay alert” are simple phrases, the former is a straightforward instruction that was easy to follow, while the latter is vague and unclear.
Continue reading “variations on a theme”

staying safe

Yesterday I wrote about the experience of travelling on public transport during the pandemic and about how inconvenient it is to wear a face mask.

Of course any rational human can listen to the arguments and understand how important face masks are, both for our own protection and for the protection of others. And, when I travelled last weekend, most people seemed to have accepted the official advice and be abiding by the recommendations.
Continue reading “staying safe”