It’s been five weeks of social isolation measures and working from home for so many of us now. I wish I could say that for me, there’s been an acceptance of the situation and a slotting into a routine. Unfortunately that’s not the case.
To work, write and study from a living room while only really having trips to the supermarket or long walks for ‘exercise purposes’ (mainly, I just get out to look at other people’s dogs) is tough physically, mentally and professionally on me and I’m sure others are similarly struggling.
If there is one thing I have noticed though, at least from the social media communications so many of us are now reliant on for contact, is that people are being a little more tolerant of how people are processing this lockdown individually. The policing of people’s movements online (let’s say nothing about the fining rates of Victoria Police at this juncture) and yelling at everyone to ‘stay home’ seems to have eased off, giving way to quizzes, cooking types and a celebration of the mundane.
Perhaps this is partly due to the fact that we’re all watching the infection numbers in the media reports declining and can tell from these that most people are doing their bit. It has been welcome news the past few days to see that some relaxing of ‘the rules’ in certain jurisdictions is going to happen due to the COVID-19 infection curve flattening. Though Victoria appears to be taking a more cautious approach, I am looking forward to welcoming back so many of the things I have missed during this time into my life.
Possibly the thing I have missed the most is Melbourne’s live music scene. It’s been hard knowing I can’t just go to the pub, or eat at a restaurant, or do so many of the other things I generally take for granted in this city. But the removal of being able to go to a venue and admire the sheer volume of talent this city produces — not to mention the talent we also get in from other states and territories — has hit me hard.
Considering how many of the venues have had to close and how many planned gigs bands have been postponed, and also considering how many hospitality staff have had to be stood down, I do wonder what the other end of isolation is going to look like