Melbourne, I Love You!
Hello from stage 4 lockdown!
I realise this is my first blog post in well over a year. My intentions are always so grand, my execution doesn't always hit the mark. During round 1 iso, I was all like 'I am going to write blogs every week on all things love', but truth be told, this time has been crazier than a string on Kanye tweets and I have just taken to focusing on each day as it comes.
I have, however, been keeping little mental notes of all the things I have loved during lockdown, to remind myself that this great city will flourish again before too long.
It's hard to wrap your brain around nearly a whole year spent pretty much in the confines of your own home and surrounds. It's devastating to think I might not be able to see my family in person until 2021. But what do you do, hey? Life gives you lemons and you make homebrew, sourdough and make more pasta than you care to think about.
But here's a little list of my #isoloves. Things I have been delighted with, things that have made the mundane the marvellous and turned dark to light. So with half of iso v.2 down, I share with you what I have loved thus far.
When your husband becomes your colleague
NEVER in my wildest dreams did I think for nearly one full year, Andrew and I would work across from each other on our dining room table and it's been glorious. I feel like I have had a bit of the Chandler Bings about me in Andrew's mind. He kinda knows what I do, but not really.
In return he has become a critique of great profoundness. He only ever hears one side of my conversations because I am in a perpetual state of talking with my hands with earbuds in and every so often he'll say stuff like 'sounded a bit internally focussed?' or 'you say some funny things', this is in respect to workplace speak like 'mobilise', 'run it up the chain', 'optimise' which makes me hyper aware of not sounding too much like a complete finger bun. He's been a good colleague and with no HR, it means smooches and foul language when technology fails us, is something we partake in often.*
*comments endorsed only be me and not by the great company in which I work.
Daryl Braithwaite has a song in the Top 40 charts
2020 has been a dumpster fire, for most people, not for Daz though. After reaping the royalties of every time Horses has played at a wedding or Australian music festival, he's risen like a phoenix from the ashes with his song, Love Songs. Maybe it's the isolation speaking, but TUUUUNNNNNE! Let us give a swooping big BRAVO to Daryl for this little slither of 2020 goodness and the 2022 Australian pub crawl tour.
Bogan chic for the win!
I try to wear a pair of pants that I need to actually do up 3 times a week, because carbs and COVID iso seem to be best mates. That said, I have bloody relished in buying 'lounge suits', really just a fancy way of people flogging you trackie sets. Where once I would buy clothes that would take me from a day at work to dinner and drinks, I now shop for clothes that take me from the kitchen table to the bike to the backyard. I miss heels and makeup and my proper grown-up clothes, but I'd be lying if I said trackie sets were a downer, frankly.
Melbourne Restaurants UNITE!
Seeing the Melbourne restaurant landscape flip the bird to COVID and rally like never before, to offer us up some of their best dishes at home, at the most reasonable of prices, has been a game changer.
Those that know me, know I am a Sydney born and bred kinda gal, but I gave up that passport in 2016 when one Andrew O'Meara stole my heart and in turn, I became fiercely loyal to Melbourne.
This became very apparent when Merivale made an attempt to enter Victoria as it sat on its knees with the weight of unknowing devastation due to COVID, and the people spoke – no farking way, José. I felt a great sense of pride, albeit a slight pang of longing for a Mr Wong hit, but I digress!
Us Melbournites have the luxury of looking up sites like Providoor and the amazing producers around us (Prahran Market another stand out delivery service!) to feed our bellies and warm our souls in the stage 4 lockdown. Bravo to our Melbourne hospo industry.
The bravery of our frontliners
Way back when in iso, I watched with tear brimmed eyes, the videos of frontline workers in the UK and US being cheered at 7pm or whatever time their change of shifts would happen to signal appreciation for the great work they do.
I never had the joy of seeing this replicated on our shores, BUT, I am a friend of many frontline workers and I want to take the time here to say to them.. I AM SO FLIPPING PROUD OF YOU. They know who they are and they are also the first ones to point out that they are just doing their jobs, but it’s a big thing to get up, head out and front the public to make people feel safe. To each of you, I say THANK YOU.
Zoom Connections
Don't get me wrong, sometimes I curse to the high heavens the days I spend talking to faces on the other end of a WebEx or zoom call. The inevitable awkward meeting exits, all waves and no teeth smiles, scrambling for the leave meeting button and constant 'I think you're on mute?' lines of questioning are part and parcel to a day at work now really.
However, all that seems to dissipate when I see someone I love at the end of the call. I'm a proud aunty, it's my favourite role. I miss kissing my niece and nephew's sweet little faces in person (they don't enjoy this as much as me) or laughing hysterically at their silly jokes.
As days tick on in isolation and the reality dawns on how long it might actually be until I see them in person, my online time becomes more and more precious. I am thankful I live in a home and time that lets me connect with them as often as I need or like to, regardless of whether they feel like talking to me or not.
In closing, don't feel too bad for people like me in lockdown. I have all I need to keep me sane, loved and busy. Turn your mind to those that aren't as lucky and how you might do your bit to help them through these dark days.
Melbourne, I love you. You have given me the love and life I could only have imagined. What is now, will soon pass too and we can only rely on the great foundations that we stand on to see us through.
To my family, friends and love ones around the world. We will see you soon.
