A little light humour

In a week when it feels like the world as we know it is starting to fall apart, I appreciate that it can be difficult to get the tone right while persevering with some level of normality. This blog has never aimed to be a purely fact-based information share; the aim has always been to put a lighter spin, particularly on issues that can otherwise be quite challenging as they present themselves. Nobody writes about allergic reactions, endometriosis and food shopping challenges for laughs, right? However, we recorded this latest podcast before it was perhaps fully appreciated how big the scale of the Covid-19 virus in the UK had become and, anyway, it was a little light entertainment for ourselves while exercising some social distancing. If you could do with the distraction of the pure, simple innocence of a 3-year old talking about the things they love, this this could be for you.

I write this on a laptop on my sofa; the place I’ve been sitting, off and on, for the best part of the last two days. I’m lucky, I suppose, that I have the kind of job where my office location is partially optional. I have various meetings and interactions through the working week but for the large part it doesn’t really matter whether I’m sat at my desk, on my sofa, or on a beach in Bali. That said, I am definitely the kind of person who works better with some sort of interaction to move things along. I’m starting to climb the walls already and it’s only been two days. The wonders of modern technology means that I can have regular video conferences from my laptop which helps immensely, but I’m already wondering how long we’ll be asked to work from home for.

My wife’s school is still operational and so she is out for the day and working twice as hard to plan lessons for those at home and teach those in the classrooms. Piglet is also still in nursery and will likely continue to go until they are forced to close or it feels unnecessarily risky. The situation is unnerving, but I’m very aware of the fact that we are the lucky ones. All three of us are in reasonable health with no immediate risks from catching the illness. But beyond that, we both have (reasonably) secure salaried jobs that will provide sick leave if we’re unable to work, or asked not to. My heart goes out to those I know who are self-employed or work from contract to contract, especially in the entertainment/leisure/services sectors.

I suspect this won’t be the last time I write about this. Something tells me it’s not going to disappear anytime soon. Look after yourselves and each other. The best and worst of behaviours come out of society in times like these; I imagine you’ve seen some of both already. Hopefully it’s more of the former and less of the latter. Or if not, think about how you could help to tip the balance back, if you’re in a position to.

For any of you self-isolating, or just finding yourself at home much more than usual, I hope this podcast and the others in the series can serve as some light respite from everything else that’s going on. At very least, if you’d tell me that I would be rapping, voluntarily, on a podcast 6 months ago – I’d have never believed you. Shame was so 2019, right?

Please do get involved and leave comments/suggestions/requests going forward. I suspect digital interaction will have to fill some of the space of physical interaction for at the least the few weeks. Let me know how you’re getting on and what life is currently like for you; whether you’re confined and isolated at home or fighting on the front line.

Be good to each other.

Toodlepips x