Don’t mention the V word
We need to talk about something else, a friend insists as we walk two arm-lengths apart along an esplanade that has never been so loved.
We need to talk about something else, a friend insists as we walk two arm-lengths apart along an esplanade that has never been so loved. We used to talk about a lot of things, she adds, it’s not like nothing else matters. Please don’t mention the V word again.
Challenge accepted. We’ll start with the weather. Hey, it’s almost winter. That crept up, didn’t it, it’s like we were preoccupied. Clear skies, clearer than usual. Birds still active, or are we just hearing them better? How about fashion? The hottest sellers at the moment are leisure wear, jumpers, pyjamas, track pants that are now called lounge wear and you wear them when you drink your home-delivered cocktails. Memory foam pillows, wearable rugs, Ugg boots. It’s less catwalk, more crash pad but we won’t go there.
Property; a perennial. Are prices going up or are they about to crash? The experts don’t seem to have any idea. Regions should do well except those without good hospitals. The coastal home might be discounted, except if it’s suitable for survivalists. Gee, we should just get out there and have a look, except …
Let’s talk about travel. We’re not going far with that subject, are we? News. OK, international news is out, except for the release of a new Bob Dylan record (online), national news is out except for Nationals who are still providing entertainment for dinner parties (of your closest friends only) but local news is huge. Share a box of fruit with a neighbour, trade second-hand furniture, we’re really expanding our horizons.
Why don’t we whinge about the education system? That’s a favourite, except, gee, it’s hard getting kids to learn something. Or get them to sit down at a desk. Without a screen. For more than 10 minutes. And, really, I’m good at balancing bills but Year 4 maths is impossible. The teachers are brilliant, right?
Technology. Oh yes, we love catching up with the latest gee-wizardry. There’s a cool video app, Zoom, which is evidently used for … well, almost everything. There’s a boom in tracing apps, evidently. Oh, yes, AI is being used to create pop songs, country tunes and possibly Dylan-esque songs. Those who aren’t playing Animal Crossing are doing jigsaws. Lonely, yes. Speaking of mental health. This is not going so well, is it?
Exercise regimens. Always an entree for a boast. Kettle bells, you’ve probably seen them being thrown around in the park. Running, in the park again. Walking, everyone’s doing it, mostly in the park. Online yoga, pilates and dance. Bikes are everywhere. Are we really getting fit or just running from something?
Gardening. So glad you asked. The winter vegies are in but it will be a while til they’re in the soup tureen. We’d mow again but it doesn’t really need it. The bonsai is getting daily haircuts, which is more than we can say about our coifs. The indoor plants — gee, there’s a lot of them now — are a perfect backdrop for Zoom.
What we’re watching. Movies, on TV. Football practice, on TV. Home-made movies. How-to videos, how-not-to videos. Zoom bloopers.
Books. Oh yes, as I was telling our Zoom club, so many titles, so little bandwidth to download. But been reading a lot. Too much, perhaps.
Hobbies. Who knew so many friends have hobbies? Knitting, quilting, a friend is making whisky, fermenting those home-delivered vegetables that didn’t make it to the plate, aforementioned jigsaw, and that’s just the blokes I know. Woodwork, homemade hand balm, murals on bathroom walls, kids decorating front fences with chalk drawings, is that a hobby or a cry for help? So, what’s happening in your life?
Macken.deirdre@gmail.com
RELATED: Why the elbow bump is the most ridiculous greeting in history | Can the hairdresser do my colour yet? How corona-recovery looks