When I started these posts, I had absolutely no idea I’d still be writing them now. I thought of them as a combination of placeholder and diary. Something I could look back on in the future as some crazy time in my past. You know, a sort of ‘remember when…’.
Now I kind of like them. I’m hoping when things are back to ‘normal’ I can continue them, but more on a monthly rather than weekly basis. Though I’ll admit, that feels so far into the future at the moment. Work have released details of when building will open to ‘essential’ staff, and mine is in the fifth stage. Added to being able to even when things are normal, being able to do the majority of my work from home, and I can’t see me being rushed back any time soon. The lab staff and PhD students who need to complete their research are way ahead of me in the line of people to go back to the building.
And I’ve got two weeks of furlough left. I’m trying to get back to the working routine. Work want me to use the furlough time to do some training in work related subjects, so that kind of fits. I’ll spend this week and next, starting around my normal time, fitting my walks and exercise around working hours, so it feels more ‘normal’.
As normal as this is now I guess. Nothing feels normal.
Not least the events of the last week. I’ve done a lot of talking with people. People sharing experiences, feelings. I’ve spent a lot of time trying to get other white people to understand that their experience of the world is not that of the BAME community.
I mean Facebook is a mess. We’re all discovering who the racists are – whether it’s by them being vocal, or by contrast, saying nothing. In this case silence really does speak volumes. I mean I’m not asking them to join a march, but, you know, share something, say something. Anything.
Don’t even get me started on the Facebook groups. Yes, people who were protesting were aware of the pandemic. Yes, they took precautions – masks, hand sanitiser, distancing. But what they, and I, are talking about, and pushing for is something that is beyond the life of the pandemic. People of BAME communities are more likely to die from this as a direct result of racism and the discrimination throughout the systems in our country. Surely that’s something worth the risk?
Also, I had no idea we still had a statue to a slave trader anywhere in the country – that’s a piece of white privilege right there (plus a bit of ‘only been to Bristol once’). Sorry, I can’t be sad that particular piece of bronze was sunk. Do we have any more that need to join it? Alongside this bit of gin related trash from the same city (seriously, their whole marketing plan is racist, homophobic and tone deaf as fuck. Get in the bin and stay there.
Away from world events, things have been pretty mundane. A small panic early in the week when one of the cats decided to be poorly again. Very messily poorly. I had to take her to the vets for a self distanced check up. Yes that’s the cat in her carrier in the cage, waiting for the vet.
She handily provided proof of her illness by throwing up and pooing on the vet. Poor puss was cleaned up, given some injections and sent home with me. After charging me handsomely for the privilege of course.
It was the first bus journey I’d been on in months. I never thought I’d miss bus journeys – even the dull daily commute to work, but I do.
Thankfully the cat is now fine, and as I write this, demanding I stop and cuddle her.
I finally got on with it, and ordered hair dye from Sally Beauty. Since lockdown, ginger hair dye has been rarer than a non racist Tory. All those who normally get their hair done at the hairdressers are on the box dye, and here I am ordering professional dye to do at home. As an aside, if anyone needs help or advice on ordering from Sally’s and or doing their hair at home, drop me a message. I did a lot of research before I dived in.
We had a catnip delivery – which was promptly opened by the cats, and a loo roll delivery from The Good Roll. Whilst a lot of the toilet roll subscriptions import from China, The Good Roll import from The Netherlands, meaning it’s a lot greener. So we can feel a little bit smug whilst, um yeah.
See, I told you it’s been a mundane kind of week.
With World Gin Day on the cards at the weekend, plus finally some booze reviewing (I’ve been struggling to get my mitts on tonic now everyone’s drinking at home) this looks to be a little bit more interesting.
OK,boozy. This week looks distinctly more boozy.