Journal Buddies

Lockdown: Day 3

Mood: Middling - the cat is being a git. 

Today I am looking forward to the following: 

• Using my designated 2 hour exercise period to go collect my mail in the city
• Catherine Deveny's Write Here, Write Now session
• Cleaning the floors
• Doing some reading and writing
• Talking to the cat

Hopefully this lockdown will be over on Thursday night - there are no promises as nearly 15000 people are in 14 day quarantine, this isn't a certainly. But at least this is getting the vaccination rates up. But that is another story.

Questions, as always, courtesy of Bev at Sunday Stealing. 

1. When do you feel the world will stop?

Will the world ever really stop? I'm not sure what they mean by this. When will the world disappear? Well, environmentally, if we don't do something soon we probably have a couple of hundred years if we beleive the scientists and if we are lucky. On a more existential level, I think the world will end for me when I die - I'll have no concept of the world after that. Oh, there's a thought. 

2. What is your personal motto?

JFDI. Just F*cking Do It. Gets you through things . 

3. What is the greatest gift you ever received?

I'm not really into material things, but I do reckon  my god given sense of humour and intelligence have been the greatest gifts ever bestowed on me. 

4. Who ist a leader who inspires you?

Jacinda Ardern (New Zealand Prime Minister) and Angela Merkel (German Prime Minister) are both women who I have a hell of a lot of time for. Ordinary women doing great things, leading countries with humility, dignity and strength. We need more of them. 

5. What irrationally annoys you more than anything else?

The words awesome and ulilise. They get used far, far too much at work (and I only use awesome ironically). 

6. What small thing can always bring you a bit of joy?

Dogs and cats. Love both of them. If they aren't around, the ice cream will do the trick. 

7. What is your favorite thing to do on a lazy day?

Read, write, watch movies - in no particular order. I'm having one of those days today. 

8. How often do you take risks?

Fairly regularly. They're calculated risks, but I don't mind making quick decisions and acting on them. 

9. Write about your happiest memory.

I remember walking through the doors of Allen and Unwin at the start of the Faber course last year - and I felt an incredible sense of deja vu.  I hope I feel that again. 

10. How long do you think it will be before we see a female president?

Well, in Australia we've already had  female Prime Minister and in my opinion she was one of the best we've ever had. As for America, the sooner you get a woman president the better I believe. Will it happen, I do not know, but some gentler, kinder energy wouldn't go astray (though it is very nice opening a newspaper and not having to wonder what Trump has done now...)

11. Do you think it’s important to be part of a community?  Why? Why not?

Absolutely. Even if it's in a limited capacity, it's good to be a part of a community. It keeps you connected with the people around you. You don't have to be in each other's pockets, but just to be able to say hello to people makes the world a better place. 

12. What piece of modern technology are you most grateful to have.

Probably my phone. Love my phone. 

13. Do you feel anonymous on line?

No. 

14. What is something you’ve always wanted to try but have never gotten around to.

Oh, there are a lot of things I'd love to try. This includes:

• Skydiving
• Finishing Ulysses
• Travelling through every continent
• Learning the piano
• Taking singing lessons
• Getting a novel published

15. What would life be like without the internet?

Oh, I don't like to think about that. I think I'd be on the phone forever. 

Today's song: