LFW 2017, wearing Joanne Hynes
(I originally only wanted to write one post - the one I published last week - about the coronavirus but it is something that has, in some cases literally so, taken (over) our lives wherever we are on this planet, so there is more to say. Our daily lives have changed. Therefore I am numbering the posts that talk, one way or another, about living with the virus.)
Having to be at home all the time is a novelty for most people and not always a welcome one. In some places it is mandatory to be indoors, in others eg in the UK, it is left very much to the individual, even though there are stringent measures for those who break their quarantine (if they have been asked to be in quarantine ) - someone was arrested on the Isle of Man for this reason. But most (rational) people do understand that being at home is a necessity and try to comply. And now pubs, gyms and restaurants will be closing, we are waiting for the official announcement.
Personally, I enjoy being at home, I am a homebody. I write, do online research, I read (my personal library is well stocked and so is my Kindle), exercise doing Sleek ( taught online; I have been a Sleek member since 2014), I knit and crochet.
I had a real scare thanks to some beautiful lilies I was given last weekend. I am allergic to their pollen and started coughing and sneezing the moment the buds opened up. I had completely forgotten about their nefarious effect on my respiratory system and I thought I had caught the virus. But once I realised mine was an allergy, I moved the lilies to another room and removed all the pollen; now I am well again.
Lilies still with pollen
As I am not ill, I go food-shopping, though not every day. I do not venture out of my area and avoid supermarkets - what's the point of being in a queue if you are social-distancing? I have always favoured local shops, anyway, and continue to do so.
I am totally bewildered by the panic-buying phenomenon that has taken hold throughout the country, it is a very despicable practice, which demonstrates selfishness, and shows little regard for the community. Is this what ten years of Tory government have done to people? Turned them into contemptible hoarders?
The major change in my life is not doing any modelling, absolutely nicht, zilch. Bookings have been cancelled, my agency has closed for a month (for now), there are no castings to attend. My last shoot was last Thursday for Knit with Attitude who is bringing out a book to celebrate their tenth anniversary. I am one of two models appearing in it and can't wait for the book to be out. Representing Knit with Attitude was perfect for me, given my interest in knitting.
A friend from Italy, where they have been so badly hit by the virus and people have been ordered to stay at home, sent a message saying that this is a time of sacrifices and time to engage in reflection, while waiting for things to be normal again. Normal, yes, but never 'as they were', that is wishful thinking.
Whether I will be able to go back to modelling and if so, when, remains a question mark and it has financial implications. At this point in time, we are waiting to hear about measures taken by our government to protect small businesses and self-employed people. Will models, who are self-employed, be able to avail of any subsidy?
International travel is not likely to resume soon, therefore even if things go back to some kind of normality next month - which I seriously doubt - jobs will only be in the UK for local brands and for local talent and likely to be paid a pittance. Modelling is entwined with the fashion industry, models are necessary, yet models are by and large, and with exceptions, treated as disposable.
Meanwhile, I am looking at alternatives. This is indeed a time of reflection...
Another thing that has changed for me is that I am not going to my favourite galleries - they are all closed. I did not even realise how much gallery visiting I usually do, not to mention going to the theatre - you would often find me at Sadler's Wells, which is relatively local to where I live. On a lovely day, I would probably be at Kew Gardens. The Gardens are still open to visitors but most of the glasshouses are not open to the public, nor are its restaurants and galleries. The Gardens also would require me using the tube or the overground train to get there, since I live in a different area, and I do not feel confident enough to travel around London.
Yet being at home has had some positive outcomes. It has helped me to reconnect with friends, some of whom live very far away. I talk to my sister even more regularly than I did before - she is in Italy and I want to know what is going on there and how they are coping. She is one of the few people allowed to go out to work, because of her job at the Justice of the Peace office. Only the other day, I spoke with an Indonesian friend for nearly four hours - yes four hours. I put her on speakers and while talking, I also puttered around. It was great, we discussed so many different things, it felt as if I were visiting. I plan to catch up with people online, beyond the trite WhatsApp message 'how are you' and 'stay safe'.
In the midst of it all, I miss my gorgeous granddaughter, even though she is in the same city. But visiting is out of the question, for now. We will have to arrange video-calls. I am terrified she might forget me altogether, she is only three months old! One of my last shoots was actually with her, for Rixo. She was really good in front of the camera and I love looking at her photos.
I do not plan to write regular accounts of life in the time of coronavirus, but when I do they will be numbered, as they will all have the same title. We cannot focus 24/7 on what the virus is doing to us, though keeping informed is crucial. But there are sites for that, such as BBC News and NHS UK. As for posts like the ones that are regularly appearing on social media or even emails from various companies beginning with 'In these troubled times' I do not propose to be writing yet another one. I will go back to writing and commenting about other things, perhaps because, perversely I believe that life does go on and there is going to be an end to the pandemic. And no, I do not believe that people will rediscover kindness and togetherness, that Covid-19 will allow people to reconsider and reimagine a more just society - I wish! After a while, people will get tired, as they do of their New Year's resolutions and we will see more blatant selfishness...shall we bet?
A bientôt!
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