New Years, The Omicron Beginning

 Woah, it's been a hard slog over the silly season. If you hadn't seen my last posts, I'm documenting the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since last time, we've had a big lockdown in the ACT, and we finally got off it. I studied during it, and got passes. It took a bloody smart hombre to get a pass online. We did practical assessments in person, because lockdown finished in early November, 2021.

The reason why I blog is that we have a new mutation. It's called Omicron. It's 30/12/21, the day before NYE, and Sydney recorded 12000 cases. We thought it was bad during Delta strain, when we got in the high 2000s of cases. The weird thing is how fast this has happened, and how it's bowled us all over because it's Christmas. It's damn-well happened in a fortnight! I really think the world is on the back foot. They aren't locking us down yet. They have lots of us vaccinated.

Do you know what I thought was nice about their message? I liked how they said it was a very hard time for much of us. Life is hard for me at the best of times, so I don't know if it's COVID or my life, but it's been increased, the hardness of my life, in the last two years. COVID-19 has the nineteen in it because it started in 2019. It's 22 one day away!

I'm a little scared about catching COVID. I seem to always be sick and I don't know how I'll take COVID. I made a booking for a Vaccination, but I have heard nothing about it lately. I've just seen astronomical increases in case numbers. I am socially isolated. My friends seem caught unaware too, but they are not accurate cross-sections of population.

It is a worry, because with the fast spreading variant, it might develop resistance to the vaccine. I actually think you might be at an advantage to catch the disease now, too, because it might mutate, and then if you get the new strain without catching Omicron it might be more severe.

It happened at Christmas. I think everyone has got over the honeymoon period, and we are getting complacent. I definitely have. I wore a mask for the first time at the Small Shops today, because I couldn't get the messaging about masks, and get around to putting them in my car. It's bloody killing me, life. I got a little card that they take a photograph of this little grid, they call a QR square. It will ultra quick give the database my details, by just taking a photo.

I resolve from now on to have good practices with COVID. You can only do your best!!!!

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An Belated Update, in January 2021

 Hi guys, Australia is doing quite well with the Corona Virus. There was a big lock down in Victoria, and it stamped out the virus. I think they had 2000 cases in one day, and after 2 months of lock down they had it fully under control.

Today, I went to Canberra Connect or the Roads and Traffic Authority, and they made us wait in a line. The Government take it very seriously, but at the cafes it is almost the same. They have seats far apart, and there is a limit to how many people can be in the cafe at one time.

I don't know if it is just me, but times are tougher since the start of Corona Virus. There was no New Years celebrations. But it is not as bad as at the start. All my friends stopped visiting. One friend said I couldn't come around her house, and another stopped visiting me, because his mum was a busy body.

In America it is bad. My pen pal is a teacher and he has to wear a mask all day long. That would piss you right off. Let's hope they get a vaccine up. In Britain they have started rolling it out, and they're also doing it in America, but because Australia is going so well they've decided to wait until March here. It's the start of January, right now.

I hope that America get it under control, and I hope not one more person gets sick of Corona Virus. I know they will, but let's all chip in and get this vaccine going. Everyone will have their jab and everyone will be safe & happy again.

The State of Victoria: Rise in Cases

Victoria has had some bad luck. They are averaging 350 - 400 new cases a day. We've seen a couple of new cases in ACT... Sydney has seen 15 or 20 rise of cases each day. It is an important time...

COVID-19 Details

The cafes are back open. Victoria have huge rises in cases. I have a sort throat. I haven't got tested. The real issue is fluctuations in the numbers killing the world economy. Obviously, the leaders are going to look after us. I hope we don't go into some situation our people aren't prepared for.

I was thinking the other day of how much the media is a unreliable communication tool. They are still talking about lock-down finally being over, and not that Melbourne has lock-down again. It is also evident in the fact that I had a sore throat and didn't get tested.

I think most people have moved on... I mean, they've completely moved on; there is not even a remnant of memory or thought left. I know I am exactly how it was. I know that might be insensitive. There are business owners who are going under.

Let's hope we all return to normal next year. The time they gave us was end of February until we get back to normal. What I want is to know it's over. The Black Lives Matters protests scared me too. It was like Armageddon for a while there; everywhere you turned there was another bit of violence. Oh, I'm glad that's changed. Let's hope for good news, eh, not another bout of horror, which may well happen?

Um, we'll be glad when Donald Trump gets thrown out. God, he's scary. I think you should stand down, mate. You're not the right guy right now. You'll have a good life from now on. You'll have a big house, good food, and every need provided for and people will like you.

Um, but there was one thing, people. Donald Trump's wife was blue in a photo shoot. I don't think it was what she signed up for. She didn't sign up for President's wife. I'd be like that if I were Donald's wife. I'd hate the cameras, and being seen as a fool, and being seen as a sex toy or whatever. She probably saw reserved life, and non-events from now on. I'd love to not be going crazy. Is everyone crazy, and in pain? Losing face is the worst pain of all... It causes shame. No one should be forced into toxic shame. Anyway, I'm breaking the male code and the "emotion taboo"... so I'll leave it there...

But good times are ahead on the TV... There'll be a new Christmas song or something... Or they'll surprise us by saying that fucking Maria Carey song has been lost for good... or banned. My God, I'd die a seriously happy man!

Well, It Turns Out Aussies Are Being Let Off

How lucky are we? Corona Virus is in the news still, but we are all back at work, and going like usual. I'm pretty sure people are back at work, because the roads have returned to normal. The cafes are still closed. But how lucky are we? Corona Virus has skipped Aussies. There'll be economic impact still. Also, Donald Trump is so unsympathetic. He'll forget our two country's long-time alliance, and if the economy fails, he'll ignore us. That is not that we need help. Australia are rocking it. We've got a hell-strong economy. Oh, and it's in the news Donald Trump might have been exposed to it. He's like seventy, so I thought I'd mention this. Who knows, he may get sick, and it might turn out badly. Let's hope that doesn't happen, because he's OK. It spreads ultra easy. They are going overkill on testing. It's possibly a verifiable bit of science the testing. It just seems crazy, and wasteful.

103 A.C.T Cases - 5 Days Straight

We are still on full lock down, but Australia's curve has plateaued. They are getting 5 or 6 new cases a day in Sydney, and everything looks fine. They are starting to talk about relaxing the lock down, in four weeks. I have been going to KFC more often than I did even before Corona Virus. I don't know if I've said it in my other posts, but doing my bit means I shouldn't go to KFC, because I know that food handling is a way to pick up the virus, and I have vulnerable friends. Well, that proves me pretty unscrupulous, doesn't it?

I think it's fizzled. Any enthusiasm I had for doing my bit and staying at home is gone. I stay at home anyway. I've been at home today. Yesterday, I went to another friend's house, but this person did not let me in their house. I did some work for them.

Australia has managed to control the virus, but I think Australia will have some issues with economy. I think that the people who need to pay off houses, and who earn millions, will have troubled, stressful times. The Prime Minister talked about mortgage and tenancy agreements, but the dialogue can change. Soon they'll be talking about economic responsibility and survival of the fittest. Fuck, I shouldn't say it, because I actually predicted a pandemic. I didn't predict that everything would close down. I just thought we'd have lines going out of the grocery store and people would wear masks. This is weird, I suppose. I read it in a book.

You have to understand, nothing really has changed for me. There's more people exercising outside, because the gyms are closed, but I just stay at home. There is the fact I'm studying from home, which is a change. However, with university holidays, half the year I am at home too.

When this all started, I was sure it was only a matter of time before everyone was going to catch COVID-19, and I'd get it, and I'd stay at home, and if things got bad, I'd call for a ambulance. However, Australia is not going to have that, it somewhat looks like.

It's a blessing, because who wants a city where everyone is walking around knowing, "I have no mum now." "I lost a young work colleague." Or "I have to be careful with him, because he lost a work colleague." It's not a good thing to have, people with that burden.

Oh, probably the worst thing about this is the painful ads. They are of these gimps humiliating themselves on national television, by saying, "Oh, this is a hard time." You are soft, have soft lives, and you have to advertise it? I wouldn't show my face in a public forum, if I were you.

The worst ads are the Telcos, and Insurance Agencies, though. These ads are sentimental and designed to be affronting, insensitive, and self-serving, commercial, and sedating (unscrupulous in these times, hey?) - in the face of what could have potentially been terrible. A sound clip of mockery to suffering. I'd say these people should get what they deserve, but they already have. Enjoy what you have, with your Trump worldliness and equally Trump intelligence, Lord knows you understand very little, and will die understanding very little. Be comfortable. Be blind.

I'm just chilling though. I did that work yesterday for that friend. My other friend distanced from me, but still he goes through a drive thru a million times a week. You aren't going to catch it from this old soldier. You will pick it up from Joe Slop with his adolescence and grease-exacerbated acne wrapping your burger. However, people did discriminate against me just a touch.

Do you know what I like? That girl that talked to me yesterday with that dog just bloody up in my face like normal. Truthfully, anyone with any sense would ignore the shit, and socialise as normal. There's no use being a ballerina, especially when you're under fifty. The same people wearing and hogging the masks, and acting like it's Armageddon - they're the ones, that in peacetime, show up at the same tute as me with the cold, loudly proclaim they have the cold, and you dread for the rest of the tute. And leave bloody tissues in shopping baskets. 

Two Sides of Me - A Blacker than Usual COVID-19 Blog Entry

Everyone is still driving around. You see hundreds of cars out. I wish everyone would lock down. It'd make things easier if there weren't mixed signals. Last night, I had a dream that a politician was talking to me, and he was saying, "It's over, Australia can go back to normal." That's all I remember of the dream. I sort of hope Australia gets it as bad as everyone else. It'd be a let down if we didn't. Of course, it'd be better if we didn't let it run away from us. Maybe we have avoided it. We've only had 52 deaths. US has had 16,000.

We've had many people working from home, and the unemployment has skyrocketed. I am not even sure if everyone is doing there bit. There's no community spirit, and I just do not feel inclined to stay at home. They need to do road blocks. The sooner the better. They should be doing 'stops', like the Random Breath Testing stops, but asking people, "What is essential about this travel?" Everyone is out, just soaking up the feeling they are getting paid without going to work.

But everyone is still driving around.

I was thinking of calling Lifeline the other day. I just want to check if I'm doing the right thing. I want to tell them I went and visited my mate, and we went shopping, like we would have before. I need to explain something before we go any further. I spend 50% of my waking hours reading. Before this COVID-19, I spent 90% of time at home, which is greater than the average person does. It makes it so now I am probably home more than the average person post Corona, but I haven't changed much about social distancing. Sometimes, I just have to have human contact. You need an interaction every 5 days, I believe.

When I was going to call Lifeline, I was going to say, "This is pretty shitty. I am single and lonely, and I need all the contact with girls I can get, and now they say, 'Stay 1.5 meters away from each other.' It isn't that staying 1.5 meters away is bad for a while, it's the habit it teaches me over a whole year. I seriously don't think I'm coming back from this. If I have to wait 1 year of not approaching girls... not even having the option to approach girls... it ends it for me. One year will be wasted. I am 37, I can't waste a year. I still have a nagging feeling, I could approach girls, but this is wrong. We need to keep 1.5 meters away. It's law, and it's courteous and polite in these times. A year will put me under."

So, I was going to say all that to Lifeline.

It's Easter, and I need a chocolate. I'm going out for a chocolate egg on whatever day the Easter bunny's supposed to come. People aren't allowed to travel. I don't celebrate Easter, anyway, in poor, or good times, or indifferent times. Enjoy your Easter. Thanks for the ads. They really added something to my life, and just made it that little bit better. I know you're flattered that I mentioned your ads. They're a real compass for the people, and you telling us your happy family are still making one hundred thousand from home is so great to see... NOT! Fuck Easter, and fuck off your crappy TV. (Note to self and notice to Blog of a Dog readers: avoid the TV like the plague.)

I like the sound of the TV. It's soothing and reassuring. I suppose that DVDs would be better. However, it gets kooky without the ads. I just wish they weren't so insipid. I visited one of my friends, and there was 1,000,001 ways I could have come into contact with COVID-19. I am going to another vulnerable friend too. I'll live with myself if I pass it on to these people, but I'll remember it, till death.

This isn't World War II yet, but there might be issues, you never know. I'll keep you posted.

96 Cases ACT, Visiting Friend

I am going to visit Tommy when he gets his advance. I've promised. I need to visit one friend, and that should be Sam. I've said, "This is the last time. We both have to work on this." We've got 96 cases in Canberra. Canberra is 350,000 population town, so it's not worry stations yet. To tell the truth, it's become normal for me.

At first, I thought that things were going to change a lot, but they haven't really. I never really visited anyone anyway. I think I need to watch the whole news tonight, to get informed, and reaffirm the gravity of the situation. I never really got on the road often, but many people are still on the roads.

One very important thing to note is that the media haven't said where we are headed. They haven't said that we will have 1,000,000 (a million) cases, 100,000 (one hundred thousand) cases, or what we can expect in one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight months, or next year, 'cos there are 8 months left in the year.

One annoying thing is it's just another thing to fuss and shop over. They aren't being frank; they are putting reasonably intelligent people on the TV acting like all we need are soft and cuddly words, and kids drawing rainbows. Each to their own, but this irritates me. It is the reason why I've been not watching the news. I might just be traipsing over to my fate - a grumpy old man. It's elitist, and not helping. If that's the propaganda that will make or break us, it'll break us.

I badly need to do a grocery shop. I might do it first thing tomorrow. I'll tell you how it went.

Something I am Disappointed with the System For

Quickly, I will tell you how seething I am about something in particular. We are four weeks into this pandemic in Australia, and they do not have hand sanitizer when you go into the grocery store to shop. It is fundamental that they get the basics going. I am venomous about this culpable lack of foresight.

Back Home, Feeling Like I Haven't Done My Bit

Last night they had a party. They slept like puppies in a basket. I stayed in my room, and laughed at their jokes about the virus, and how one of them had the cold. There is altruism, but it's nuanced, and subtle. What has really disappointed me about myself today, is I was hungry and went through the drive thru. That puts me at risk. Baggage handlers, and department store workers have contracted it, and I'm going to KFC??? As far as I can tell the incubation time is 7 days. I'm going to do my bit with a full lock down for 7 days. Then, I'll visit my friend again, the day after today next week. I'm not going to visit one of my other friends either, even for gardening, in that next 8 days. I watched something on the news saying, "Young people, take this seriously." I need to do penance for the whole adventure I had over the last four days, culminating in KFC. Take it seriously, young people. That's the message from the U.S.A, who are looking at 250,000 deaths. Time to lock down!