The Extreme Staycation

Location: London, UK COVID-19 / Coronavirus Outbreak Lockdown I think we Brits don't really like to be told what to do.  However, we get quite annoyed when everyone else doesn't do what they've been told to do either.  I mean, just try to jump a queue at a bus stop and you'll find British people very much adhere to this socially embedded rule. I've seen many examples of people in groups which I am sure are not family groups - people flouting the goverment guidelines.   Why do these people think they are unaffected by the rules?  And the number of times I've walked in the road because of a walking couple who just take up the entire footpath is a huge number.  Why do these people not think about their actions when I am capapable of thinking outside my space and keep my distance? This is the kind of thing that can lead to one getting angry, twitching curtains and considering calling 101 and reporting behaviour.  I've not gone down that route ...

Location: London, UK COVID-19 / Coronavirus Outbreak Lockdown Should have been flying to the USA today. I was finally going to be able to explore LA (I went once when I was 10 but the only exploring on that occassion was of Disneyland) and also do some research for something I'm writing.  But that will all have to wait for now. More sadly, I was also going for a wedding.  That wedding, like many thousands of others has now been postponed or cancelled entirely. My heart breaks for those couples and families who are now not able to celebrate their love for one another in the way or at the time they chose. It also got me thinking about people who are having birthdays at the moment.  If you are self-isolating and really on your own, this must be pretty pants.  On a "Government Sanctioned" walk I saw a man standing on the street, shouting to his friend who was in his doorway holding a pint glass.  He told me it was his birthday and his friend had p...

Location: London, UK COVID-19 / Coronavirus Outbreak Self-Isolation Life is now all about being online.  In the last couple of days, I have had conversations over Zoom with family members across the country and abroad and a seven way chat with friends on Google Hangouts which was super fun!  I've also taken a playwriting workshop with a teacher from Standford University and have plans for a jazz class on Monday night. We are in touch with each other more than ever in a world of social media, WhatsApp and the capability that the internet gives us to call anyone anywhere in the world.  But in the last few days I have found this increasing as my WhatsApp groups are all the more active - and I love it. I have plans to write some letters too Today was Mothering Sunday in the UK.  I popped over to see my mum - put flowers on her doorstep, rang the bell, then stood behind the gate, over a meter away.  It felt bizarre but I truly believe we should all do ou...