Feelings in the time of COVID-19
Mar. 27th, 2020 11:52 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
melodyofmysoulJust typing out this entry feels like a chore, but maybe an articulation of feelings would do me good even if it isn't at all inspiring.
It has been 12 days since I last stepped out of the house, after the national government imposed an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) on the country's capital, which was then extended to the entire Luzon area. Work-related communications require me to use ECQ which is the government-mandated term, but personally it really feels like a lockdown.
I'm still in a relatively alright state, all things considered. I'm still able to work from home, I'm well-fed as I still live with my family, and working from home with my sister has been far more interesting than I expected. (Maybe it's because it's been years since we worked in the same area.) It's a better situation than others. Unfortunately, there are days when trying to stay positive and grateful feels like a fucking lie.
It's especially frustrating knowing what our government hasn't been doing, when people who are supposed to uphold the law are the first to break it. A senator who tested positive for COVID-19 gets away with irresponsibly going out exposing his sick self to others in a hospital, while a frontliner who just needs to get to work gets fined for riding at the back of a motorcycle. Politicians are given VIP treatment for testing even when they're asymptomatic, while ordinary people who suffer and die from the disease get their results as late as a week after they're already dead. Where's the justice in that?!
Before someone says that I should just tune it out, my work requires me to be updated on current events. So no, this is something that I couldn't avoid even if I wanted to. And even if I could, I'll still choose not to avoid the news. I've toned down on my social media usage and don't chime in as much as I used to, but I still share posts of people whose opinions match mine. I'll be damned if I stop altogether. Social justice won't thrive if people don't speak up.
Personally, what's telling about the impact of COVID-19 is that it is probably the only force that has permeated all aspects of my life. Even my fangirl life is affected, what with the concert cancellations and delayed deliveries of goods. My sister and I were supposed to watch two concerts this May (Johnny's WEST in Saitama and Seventeen in Fukuoka) but we have both decided to forego these. I hold on to whatever good news and good vibes I can get (WEST's 200K first week sales for wtrouble and PapaJani's move to terrestrial television come to mind). For the most part, though, it's been a struggle to look at things in a positive light.
We can all only hope that this comes to pass sooner than later. My thoughts are with my friends in various places.
And to whoever is reading this, please allow yourself to feel things as necessary. It's not a bad thing to not be positive or cheery in these unpredictable times. Please stay at home whenever possible, and please stay healthy.
It has been 12 days since I last stepped out of the house, after the national government imposed an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) on the country's capital, which was then extended to the entire Luzon area. Work-related communications require me to use ECQ which is the government-mandated term, but personally it really feels like a lockdown.
I'm still in a relatively alright state, all things considered. I'm still able to work from home, I'm well-fed as I still live with my family, and working from home with my sister has been far more interesting than I expected. (Maybe it's because it's been years since we worked in the same area.) It's a better situation than others. Unfortunately, there are days when trying to stay positive and grateful feels like a fucking lie.
It's especially frustrating knowing what our government hasn't been doing, when people who are supposed to uphold the law are the first to break it. A senator who tested positive for COVID-19 gets away with irresponsibly going out exposing his sick self to others in a hospital, while a frontliner who just needs to get to work gets fined for riding at the back of a motorcycle. Politicians are given VIP treatment for testing even when they're asymptomatic, while ordinary people who suffer and die from the disease get their results as late as a week after they're already dead. Where's the justice in that?!
Before someone says that I should just tune it out, my work requires me to be updated on current events. So no, this is something that I couldn't avoid even if I wanted to. And even if I could, I'll still choose not to avoid the news. I've toned down on my social media usage and don't chime in as much as I used to, but I still share posts of people whose opinions match mine. I'll be damned if I stop altogether. Social justice won't thrive if people don't speak up.
Personally, what's telling about the impact of COVID-19 is that it is probably the only force that has permeated all aspects of my life. Even my fangirl life is affected, what with the concert cancellations and delayed deliveries of goods. My sister and I were supposed to watch two concerts this May (Johnny's WEST in Saitama and Seventeen in Fukuoka) but we have both decided to forego these. I hold on to whatever good news and good vibes I can get (WEST's 200K first week sales for wtrouble and PapaJani's move to terrestrial television come to mind). For the most part, though, it's been a struggle to look at things in a positive light.
We can all only hope that this comes to pass sooner than later. My thoughts are with my friends in various places.
And to whoever is reading this, please allow yourself to feel things as necessary. It's not a bad thing to not be positive or cheery in these unpredictable times. Please stay at home whenever possible, and please stay healthy.
