Coffee catch-ups and kicking the footy: What celebs are missing during shutdown
Experts say we will come out of this crisis with a different society and people’s values will change. Household names reveal what they miss most, how it’s changed their perspective and we ask - do you see the world differently?
Fiona Byrne
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The coronavirus crisis is making people reassess what is important in their lives and could create a more thankful society.
Leading psychologist Dr Michael Carr-Gregg said the COVID-19 shut down would ultimately change people’s values and result in more gratitude and awareness of simple things such as nature, family, friends, personal time and communication.
How has life in lockdown changed your perspective on the world? Share your views in the comments box at the end of this article
“We are pack animals but we also value our autonomy, our independence, being able to make decisions and choosing your own pathways and I think a lot of people have lost that under the coronavirus,” Dr Carr-Gregg said.
“It is really important that we divide our time up into me time and we time, that we respect each other’s need for space physically.
“It is going to leave people with a deeper understanding of what I call the pillars of well being which are exercise, diet and sleep.
“The psychological silver lining will be that our values will change and the things that we took for granted before we will no longer take for granted.
“I think people will shift to a more gratitude orientation, they will be more grateful for what they have, they will savour what they have.”
Channel 7 newspresenter Jacqueline Felgate said she and her family missed their outdoor activities like horse riding.
“Maddie and I go horse riding each week and sadly that isn’t happening now. It was a great switch off and I just miss being around the horses, the fresh air and the open space,” she said.
“I feel for all the grandparents out there who are missing their grandchildren so much.
“I also miss footy. I always felt AFL was what got us through the winter.”
The Sunday Herald Sun has spoken to a number of prominent Victorians about what they miss.
Catriona Rowntree
Getaway presenter and travel blogger
“I miss the joy you feel when you first book your holiday, or in my case, taking the phone call from Getaway that says where my next location is. I miss taking a bushwalk in the You Yangs with a group of buddies, brushing past other hikers on the narrow track, stopping randomly to admire the view and chat to whoever’s listening. It’s just not the same on your own. I miss a full diary and chatting to the mums in the school car park. I miss the thrill of walking into a buzzing Melbourne restaurant, dressing up just to show off, complimenting the chef, and that feeling of ‘wow, I’m so lucky to live here and experience this’. I miss sitting in a crowd, applauding the dancers of The Australian Ballet, cheering on my sporting team, being an embarrassing Mum on the sidelines, having the meat pie sauce drip down my chin at the footy and flying my soccer team’s flag like a lunatic. I miss feeling homesick, as I now never leave home.”
Bert and Patti Newton
TV legends
“We miss seeing our grandchildren, Sam, Eva, Lola, Monty and Perla. We live close by and before this shut down not a day would go by without the children coming to play, us going to visit them or organising to take them on an adventure. We miss that precious family time and the joy being with them brings. Once all this is over we know, like so many, we will never take for granted the simple pleasures of life.”
Nadia Bartel
Fashion designer and influencer
“It’s all the simple things we took for granted before, like the freedom of walking out of the house and catching up with friends and family over a coffee or going for a walk. I miss taking my boys to our local playground. I really miss human interaction so isolation is hard.
Australia will be changed forever. We are very resilient and a lot of businesses have had to change and adapt the way they operate already. The positive is that I think we will all appreciate the little things more once we come out of this”
Fifi Box
Co-host Fifi, Fev and Byron, Fox FM Breakfast.
“I miss spontaneously leaving the house. A crisis like this really exposes people like me who don’t plan or think more than a day ahead. Usually when I cook a meal it’s interrupted by one or two trips to the supermarket for random ingredients, so in isolation I am improvising in the kitchen which has not proved successful. I’ve discovered that sour cream is not a good substitute for Greek yoghurt and in the absence of cinnamon don’t rely on paprika. I will never laugh at doomsday preppers again.”
Olivia Anderson
Owner Flat Out Mum and mum of 4.
“I have an amazing ‘Mum Tribe’ and even though our interactions are often fleeting at school pick-up, I am really missing the daily interaction, support and just general eye rolling moments we share. Secondly, the boys love their sports and footy season had just started.
I’m missing watching them enjoy their passions and trying to be their best (but not missing being Mum’s taxi!).”
Peter Hitchener
Newsreader, 9 News
“I miss catching up with friends, especially those who are doing it tough in lockdown at home. I also miss going out to cafes for a coffee. I miss hitting the ball at tennis and golf.
Oh and I miss all the community events because I loved being a part of all of them.”
Anthony Callea
Singer
“I knew I loved my job, but during this lockdown, I’ve realised how much I really do and how much I miss it. I miss structure, purpose and I can’t believe I’m saying this, but a proper exercising regimen. However, my arms are getting a great workout from raising the wine glass from the table to my mouth and I seem to always have the vacuum in my hand. By the end of this, I’ll be lucky to have any hair left as I nearly burnt my hair off in my first bleach attempt and I’ll be lucky to still have a husband as I’m sure I’m driving Tim up the wall. Seriously though, I miss my family and my friends just being able to just come over and hang and vice versa.”
Andy Dinan
MARS Gallery director and public art curator
“I miss those moments that I least expected. I miss the workmen from across the road with mystified sheepish grins staring horrified at the art, the homeless woman who comes in and heads straight to the video room to stay warm, the giggly young VCE arts students and the husbands dragged in to buy art by their wives. I miss the look on an artists face when I tell them they had a sale or a curator enquired about their work.
I only ever wanted to build a place to show art I believed in and what the virus has made me realise is what a part of a community we have become.”
Eleanor Baillieu
Empty Esky Founder
“There are many things I miss like all of us do, one of those being the footy on the weekend. But the big one for me is travel, around Australia in particular. In February I started my Empty Esky trips around Australia visiting fire impacted towns that were hit hard during the summer (they’re now being hit even harder by COVID-19). I can’t wait to eventually hit the road again and see more amazing places. One of the fundamental changes I believe we will all see when we come out of this, is the way we communicate. We will put our phones down and have actual conversations, more in-depth conversations.”
Lana Wilkinson
Stylist and shoe designer
“The biggest thing I miss is the physical human interaction. My business is based around people; styling them, seeing new designer ranges, attending events, and working with my team on my shoe brand. It (shut down) is tough … but it’s allowed me to think differently and to connect with everyone in different ways so we can navigate this new normal. Never again will I take a dinner with friends, a drink at a local bar, or styling some of my favourite people for granted.”
Bonnie Anderson
Actor and singer, Neighbours
“What I am missing most in these times is connecting with people I love, even people in restaurants and at work. I never realised how much of an affectionate person I really am. I love hugs. I’m missing that free feeling. It’s a tough time and my love and strength goes out to everybody, but like a storm, it will eventually end. “
Sophie Storen
Founder Cookes Food, event caterer
“Hospitality and events have been momentarily levelled. I really feel that I can’t look back right now. There is great struggle ahead and focusing on what is lost or missed makes me immovable; I find it hard to maintain my enthusiasm, so I focus on the small wins. I’m quite moved by particular patrons of mine that are ordering food in bulk that they want us to donate to charity. It’s extremely humbling and moves the focus to people in the worst possible situations.”
Stefan Dennis
Neighbours
“Tactile contact with friends and family is the most noticeable difference this virus has brought into my life but the upside to it is that it has also given me the golden opportunity that we all secretly crave … time. Time to concentrate on my immediate family, time to cook with the kids, time to do those odd jobs and gardening … or not, time to read that book, time to sleep, time to have long phone conversations with people I haven’t spoken to for ages, time to relax, do nothing. So after hearing so much about the evil dangers this virus brings, I’m looking at the glass half full and realise I’m not missing much at all. I do also have time to reflect on how tough others are doing it … I hope you’re all going to be okay.”
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