“I have worked for 20 years in advertising. I earn a six-figure salary. I have a fuck off car, beautiful home, good marriage – BUT – it’s time for a change.” We were talking about how the past 3 months has altered the way we view life. I am not going to reveal who this person is yet as he hasn’t told his colleagues but as I mentioned yesterday, I suspect life is not going to go back to how it used to be before COVID19 for many people. This particular person said this last 3 months has given him something very precious – time. And he doesn’t want to lose this again.
A recent Sky News Poll shows my ad man is not alone. “The world will never be the same again after Coronavirus, and a majority of Britons wouldn’t want to go back to the way things were before,” revealed the Poll.
I get this I really do but the problem here is that this is ok for the privileged few who can afford to be choosy, who can afford to give up a six figure salary, who can afford to have an about lifestyle turn. There are millions who do not have this luxury but for those who do it just may be an opportunity. On hindsight – that wonderful word again – I wish that Tod had given up his large salary and lived a more leisurely life which would have suited him much better. I feel that probably I am partly to blame here as I got caught up in the rat race of wanting the very best for us and the children when the very best was not necessary. If I had my time again this is something I would change. We had often talked about what we would do when Tod retired in a few years’ time – and high on our list was moving to live somewhere near the sea, but we left it too late. So, making life work is incredibly important.
I am hopeful that employers and companies will also be changed by this virus. That they can see that business can work while its employees still have an acceptable work/life balance. That is, of course if there are many businesses still operating. But only time will tell.
As you can see, I am incapacitated with a sprained ankle and I have even more time than normal to muse over life and bore you with my pontifications. .
So with this enforced relaxation I finished off a David Sedaris Masterclass. I love the way this brilliant author/comedian/performer takes mundanity and medicority on a journey of discovery. I was listening to Sedaris reading one of his essays on The Spirit World something which has always intrigued me – the what if’s. I am still contemplating visiting one. Sedaris was conversing with his sister who had just seen a psychic and apparently one of their sisters who had committed suicide, had been in contact. Sedaris is sceptical and says, “if they are watching over us at all times what is to stop them from watching us on the the toilet.” Well I had wondered that too. If for example Tod or my brother or my parents are watching over me – can they see everything I am doing? I would have to change a few of my activities – toilet being one of them. His sister replied, “I’m guessing that certain places are just off limits”. “Then who would make them off limits” says Sedaris “maybe God,” she says. Check him out that’s Sedaris not God. But of course you can check God out too if you feel so inclined.
And now to my blackbird saga – the bird that built 3 nests in the same place over the past week and which I had to remove. Ok so blackbirds can’t read. Today I found a fourth nest – even bigger than the other 3 on the same fence. She is one determined bird – perhaps she knows something that I don’t about this particular fence, but I certainly know something that she doesn’t about my four-legged furry friend. And there would be carnage if any baby birds were to be born in the vicinity of our terrace.
See – I just left the nest on the chair for a short time while I looked for a place to put it and when I returned our killer Main Coon was already there!
“Let’s be careful out there”
Serendipity Me 