Re-emergence

Between lockdowns

By Thomas Feng

November 29^th, 2020

Re-emerging... the first time

It is hard to write when you're busy during a pandemic. Sorry it has been truly a while since I have written words on here. My brain has had zero capacity for creativity or for any sort of intelligent musing on the world.

Melbourne has started to re-emerge from an arduous, harsh lockdown. No travel limits. No restrictions on activities. No curfews. I have been cautious with the "return to normal"; I am still unsure of what the new social protocols are post-lockdown. Hugs? Elbow bump? A wave? A bow? An air hug? It shouldn't be this hard.

Yet this is actually the second time in 2020 that we are circumnavigating these social dilemmas. For a brief few weeks in June, we went outside of our 5km bubbles to briefly experience the world again.

The first place I went to? My barber Chaz. He has been cutting my hair for five years and I hope that streak continues for as long as until he's willing to do so. He has never let me down. Everybody needs at least one person in their life who you can trust, and I'm glad that my barber is on my list.

Reunions

A global pandemic is an unlikely scenario to catch up with people you haven't seen properly in seven years, but that's what I found myself with high school friends Jack and Ishane on a sunny afternoon in Fitxroy North. We spoke about where life had taken us, our ambitions, work, politics and dabbled in some high school gossip.

Our mini-reunion helped me gain perspective on COVID-19 and our lives. We had each grown so much in seven years, from when we were 18 to where we are now in our mid-twenties. And this pandemic was a microcosm of those years, for we have all changed this year, regardless of whether we wanted to or not.

Close friends

This year has been especially rough for two of my close friends, Nathan and Chris. Nathan fractured his foot from running too much, which he ironically started doing when all other sports stopped for the corona. Chris has been in and out of endless blood tests, home quarantine and hospital visits, waiting for some certainty on the fierce battle his body has been waging.

We caught up for coffee in Footscray, where we ended up lying down on the footpath chatting for a few hours. We didn't know it then, but this would be one of the last times we would see each other together in person. I am itching to see them again, or at least be able to do more than send them a message as restrictions ease.

We should never take our health or our friends for granted.

Reflections from an unexpected hiatus

So what have I been up to in this hiatus? Predominantly three things. Sitting in front of my laptop working too much which you're probably tired of hearing about, lining up at various local upmarket coffee establishments to get my fix of batch brew filter coffees, and spending too much time on the internet watching YouTube and TikTok.

This has all come at the expense of reading, writing, photography and creative projects. I had already told myself that the end of November would likely bring a period of quiet and calm to work, and I intend to stick to that.

So as we re-emerge again, I want to re-prioritise and strive to spend time on the things I actually want to do. And I want to find a way for my creative pursuits to endure.