Location: London, UK COVID-19 / Coronavirus Outbreak Lockdown Pinch and a (socially distanced) punch for the first of the month. I am very aware that I started this blog in March and it is now May... wow Today the weather has been mildly apocalyptic - sunshine followed by hail - going outside even briefly seems like a fool's errand. In Couch to 5k news, we have reached the point when it's all running - 5 minute warm up walk followed by 30 minutes of running (or jogging in my case). Managed our second run of the week yesterday before being drowned although I did feel I was almost going backwards at one point, I was going so slowly. And in digital-Freeview-box-recording-capacity news - we are at 17%. I am pleased.
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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 Like many people, we have a digital Freeview box - it can record two programmes at once and we can watch a third. I remember when these first came into existence and we waved goodbye to the worn out workhorse VHS's. We no longer needed to understand how to programme a video recorder (which were all different from one another and somewhat tempermental). Now all one had to do was browse the digital tv guide and press one button, usually red, and bingo, RECORD. They were even smart enough to series link the recordings so you didn't have to remember to do it each week. Genius. Except if you're like me and don't want to miss out on any TV, you end up with a very full box, very fast. Ours has been coasting at 9% for sometime. Yes that means that it has already been filled to 81% with recorded stuff. It is occassionally quite amusing "Oh look, we must have recorded this in December - C...
Location: London, UK COVID-19 / Coronavirus Outbreak Lockdown Good Friday The weather has been absolutely beautiful recently. I find that in the UK, the Easter weekend is either gorgeous like this or flipping cold and miserable - one extreme or the other! However, the good weather has not helped encourage people to stay inside and there have been ridiculous reports of the police having to break up hundreds of house parties. I truly don't get it - literally thousands of people have died and are unwell - if there has ever been a time to be unselfish and think about our personal impact on society and the world, it's now. The best analogy I've heard is this (it's a little crude, apologies): Imagine the world is a swimming pool. Someone pees in the pool. Do you still want to risk getting in the pool? On a more positive note, here is a BAFTA winning filmmaker doing his bit: https://www.theguardian.com/news/2020/apr/08/bafta-winning-film-ma...
Location: London, UK COVID-19 / Coronavirus Outbreak Lockdown Today is usually the first part of a busy Easter time for me. I sing with my church choir and so normally spend many hours in my church over the next three days. I think overall, I have adjusted quickly and well to lockdown. In many ways, it's not much different to normal for me - I often work from home (applying for work, audition prep, writing) and of late, I haven't had an office based job so my "work" has taken me all over the place. So Easter is the first big annual event that is markedly different for me. Churches and other places of worship provide community, continuity and a safe and sacred space and I imagine I am not the only person to be missing this. However, thanks to the power of the internet masses are being streamed online from all over the world. I know from other friends and family that synagogues and temples are doing similar. This is a lovely story of a very dedicated...
Location: London, UK COVID-19 / Coronavirus Outbreak Lockdown I've got long hair and have had for all my adult life. As it's curly, I can get away with quite a lot with it, including getting it cut about twice a year... I know, terrible. I was very much due a cut when "all this" happened so I took matters literally into my own hands and chopped off a couple of inches. I don't think I've done the best job, but again, as it's curly, my hair hides a multitude of sins/poor cutting. When I do eventually get to see my hairdresser again, I'm hoping he'll forgive whatever it is I've done. In other hair news, many of my male friends and family's hair is getting comically longer and shaggier as the weekly video calls go on. I wonder how many hair clippers Amazon has sold recently... Let's have some music - Hair Broadway Cast performing "Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In" [LIVE @ The Late Show] ht...
Location: London, UK COVID-19 / Coronavirus Outbreak Lockdown Motivation I think everyone struggles to be motivated on occasion. During this weird time we now find ourselves in, I think that people will be experiencing conflicting feelings. Firstly, a feeling of abundance. As a creative, you've almost been gifted time. Time is the thing we all wish we had more of. Time to write, time to work on those monologues, practice tap, perfect your guitar chords. And now it's all we have. Secondly, pressure. I've got time, I have to use it. Why aren't I using this time better? What else can I do? Thirdly, being overwhelmed. There are almost too many options. I have a calendar full of activities - calls, quizzes, writing and acting groups. And what am I missing out on? So many things to watch on tv, theatre being streamed, free books to read or listen to, free exercise classes... And then it becomes too much an...
Location: London, UK COVID-19 / Coronavirus Outbreak Lockdown I am a Londoner born and raised. As an actor, I have travelled to pretty much every corner of the city for auditions, rehearsals, performances etc so I feel I know this sprawling metropolis pretty well. One of my favourite things to do, is to walk through London with no particular place to be. It's the best way to explore any city. I love all the sights and sounds and smells you get to experience when wandering along. And London is so immense that there is never going to be a shortage of places to explore, of new discoveries to be made, new views to be seen. One of my favourite quotes is this well known one: 'Sir, when a man is tired of London , he is tired of life ; for there is in London all that life can afford.' ... Samuel Johnson, to which I totally agree. And right now, I miss my city. It's b...
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 Lockdown As of Monday night we, the UK, are on lockdown. Like a lot of people, I was relieved that this was finally being enforced. It seems that this is the only way to beat this thing, so let's start now so we can get past it. I've been heartened by many people's responses - Adam Garcia giving beginners tap classes on Instagram , Davina McCall making her website free for 30 days, Audible giving 30 days free access to children's books and many more. I have three predictions: 1. There will be a baby boom in December 2. There will be a large number of divorce petitions by June 3. Home burglary rates will dramatically decrease (probably the opposite for businesses sadly) For my part, I'm going to follow the government's advise, I think it is the socially responsible thing to do.
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...