Postcard from Lockdown

[indigohex2]

END OF DAY 1: 41 DAYS TO GO...AT LEAST
Cases In Victoria In Past 24 Hours: 165 (932 active cases)

Well, it is the end of Day 1 of lockdown here in Melbourne. Some good news for people in eight of the nine towers that had been in lockdown since Saturday, with eight of the towers set to be out of hard lockdown as of 23:59 tonight (as mentioned in the thread about coronavirus). Today, I have been reading an article from the latest edition of Australian Foreign Affairs that came in the mail today (yes, I am a current affairs junkie), and listened to a podcast that I downloaded last night (again, current affairs). I mostly been listening to the radio (mostly either PBS or RRR - both community radio stations here in Melbourne. I am currently listening to Son of Crawdaddy on RRR) or watching television (mostly focusing on coronavirus, although I also looked into the news around the world as well as watching 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown on SBS Viceland). I also done putting some text into a book that I am writing (about multilateralism forums in the world).

I have also begun subscribing to online news sites to keep up to date with whats happening in the world. I also checked out some sites, and there are interesting happenings throughout the world (such as the deteriorating relations between Australia and China; and talks of a summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un. Some sad news today with rapper Kanye West announcing he is throwing his hat in the race to be US President (and you thought you couldn't get worse than Trump).

What's happening tomorrow? I doing volunteer work at a homework club (their holidays program is running tomorrow) via Zoom, and despite school holidays being extended by one week here in Victoria (except for Years 11 and 12 and those who go to specialist schools), it's back to normal next week, even though like last term, it will be via Zoom. And more reading.

See you tomorrow.

The news about the public housing towers can be viewed at the following link: Department of Health and Human Services Victoria | Stage 3 restrictions for Flemington and North Melbourne estates

 

[indigohex2]

END OF DAY 2: 40 DAYS TO GO...AT LEAST
Cases in Victoria In Past 24 Hours: 288 (1172 active cases)

Day 2 of our lockdown, and the largest one-day increase in Australia since the start of the pandemic. Today I went for a walk around the neighbourhood (exercise is one of the four reasons to leave your home, so it is okay), but I had to take my glasses off several times as I was wearing a face mask and my glasses were falling off (the Chief Health Officer here in Victoria now recommends that adults living in the Melbourne metropolitan area or Mitchell Shire Council to wear a face mask when outside the home if it is difficult to keep 1.5 metres apart from other people, Department of Health and Human Services Victoria | Face masks). Apart from that, I remained at home for most of the day. I am currently listening to the radio (3RRR to be exact). And I have been looking at short courses at the CAE (Centre for Adult Education), which are running via Zoom (probably looking at the Cold War).

With school holidays finishing, it is back to normal for me on a Monday as I volunteer at a homework club which is currently running via Zoom (most of the students will still be on holidays due to it being extended by a week); but there are also several public seminars that I will be attending via Zoom next week.

Plans for tomorrow: Start learning a new language (Korean) as I am hoping to teach English in Korea as soon as we are over coronavirus and do a lot of reading.

See you tomorrow.

 

[indigohex2]

END OF DAY 3: 39 DAYS TO GO...AT LEAST
Cases in Victoria in the Past 24 Hours: 216 (1249 active cases)

Day 3 has come and gone. I didn't get around to start learning Korean, but I will tomorrow night. It was mostly rain today here in Melbourne and mostly listened to the radio. I watched a bit of the AFL on the television (Essendon vs North Melbourne at Carrara Stadium on the Gold Coast, the main stadium from the 2018 Commonwealth Games), but the team I go for (North Melbourne) lost. As a North Melbourne supporter, I couldn't notice the irony of North Melbourne relocating to the Gold Coast hub as a few years back, the AFL tried to force North Melbourne to relocate to the Gold Coast. We play Richmond next week, again at Carrara.

In case you don't know, the AFL is continuing throughout the crisis here in Victoria, but the Victorian teams have relocated to hubs in other areas (Victorian teams are below, teams from South Australia and Western Australia are in the process of heading back home).

Carlton: Gold Coast
Collingwood: Perth
Essendon: Gold Coast
Geelong: Perth
Hawthorn: Sydney
Melbourne: Sydney
North Melbourne: Gold Coast
Richmond: Gold Coast
St. Kilda: Sunshine Coast
Western Bulldogs: Gold Coast

I did some work on my book about multilateralism. I am about a quarter of the way there. I also got new material for said book. I am also working on something on bilateral relations (which has been a major issue in recent weeks, especially with our relationship with China in regards to Hong Kong).

I am now also entertaining the idea that I could be forced to stay home on New Years' Eve this year. Normally, I head out to Docklands for New Years' Eve, but it might not happen this year due to coronavirus. Live gigs and that might not return for a long time due to coronavirus. I don't think anything will be back to normal for a few years.

Tomorrow, I will get around to start learning Korean and do some reading. I won't go outside for some exercise as more rain is expected here in Melbourne; as well as the issues with wearing a face mask and glasses at the same time.

See you tomorrow.

 

[indigohex2]

END OF DAY 4: 38 DAYS TO GO...AT LEAST
Cases in Victoria in the Past 24 Hours: 273 (1484 active cases)

End of Day 4. Firstly, thank to Enzap for the encouragement for my endeavour to learn a new language above, which I started today. I will be doing a lot of it over the next couple of weeks, and beyond.

I went for a walk today, luckily because it was bucketing down this afternoon. I listened to the radio a lot today, as well as watching the latest on the coronavirus. What disgusts me is that people are going to these coronavirus parties (and there has been examples around the world of people throwing parties after being given a positive result for coronavirus); and there are people who believe all these conspiracy theories about coronavirus and people in the United States of America who think they have a right to make other people sick by not wearing a mask (I wore a mask on my walk today). To these people, people have actually died from coronavirus and yet you are making light of it, thinking that you are more important than the community at large. But at least Donald Trump is wearing a mask....but is it for show?

Seriously, enough of my rant about people who only care for themselves. Apart from watching television and listening to the radio (and studyign Korean), not much has happened today (I had trouble picking up ABC today due to the rain here in Melbourne, which is pretty much normal in rain. First World problem).

Tomorrow, I start volunteering again, and the kids who attend homework club will be doing remote learning again...at least until mid-August when lockdown is expected to end (at least). And I will continue learning Korean (I will be doing it before homework club).

See you tomorrow.