Just as the cockroach is adapted to survive nuclear apocalypse, so my blog limps on through this third lockdown.
Yes, it’s been a few months of silence for my fans* on our isolated patch of the web. In agricultural terms a fallow period has passed. But now we can rejoice and plant turnips once more, as I have resolved to post here more regularly – partly to give myself some structure in my life, partly to get over the fear of writing anything at all.
Do I have any wisdom to share? Not really. (that’s that then.) Generally, I alternate between imitation of a 1930s gentleman-novelist on a private income (Bach, books, records, red wine) and an overwrought hamster (5k runs, twitching, sense of being trapped in a cage). Both seem to be working fine for me, but I wouldn’t endorse the combination. As for hobbies, I’ve become a semi-professional researcher into Korean skincare, and in the evenings I have exchanged the very last twisted remnants of my soul to study Google’s ‘Fundamentals of Digital Marketing’ course, in the hopeful belief this might, somehow, inch me one step closer to A Career. (twitches). I also allow myself to stare into the void at regular intervals, usually while making spearmint tea. Sometimes I make arch and roguish comments about The State of Our Government ! And wait for Private Eye to hand over the editorship to me; then I reel back, and realise that I actually just hissed Boris Johnson quite loudly, in a shop, and now everyone is looking at me. Oh, and I also got an offer to study journalism with News Associates, an event which has reduced the existentialist dread by at least a third.
A balanced life, I’m sure you’ll agree. I also do work for university, which is 25% working, and 75% complaining about the sheer insanity of having to do anything but run on my hamster wheel and drink red wine. (Possibly not at the same time).
Anyway. Hope you’re all well, and see you in a few days time, when my turnips / writing have sprouted.
*My ‘fans’ = my dad, two of my great-aunts, and my friend Hannah, who boosted my ego by signing up for e-mail updates (unlike, for example, my boyfriend).
florabowen 