Blogpost no. 5: March 15th 2020. Corona craziness:
In these corona-crisis times, everybody seems to have something on their minds. And, of course, that includes me, so here comes a long one:
Some things haven’t changed at all. Here on week what-seems-like-9-million after the Danish government decided to close down the country, we still have to deal with the same challenges as usual with the kids:
- My youngest has fluid in her ears, and can’t hear a thing we say. Which also means she yells absolutely everything: CAN I HAVE AN APPLE???? DO YOU WANT TO PLAY LEGO????? WHAT IS ELSA’S LAST NAME??????!!!!!! So right about now, I’m seriously considering ear-plugs….
- My middle child has headlice. Which we of course found out after the pharmacy was closed….
- My oldest is grumpy as ever, because he isn’t allowed to play FIFA, Roblox or Minecraft every second of every minute of every hour of the day.
Same ol’ same ol’.
But the main thing that has changed around here, is that society has changed. Some people apparently feel the need to stockpile loads of hand sanitizer, toilet paper, yeast and milk. That they somehow are more important that the rest of Denmark, the rest of the world. Gathering in lines, breathing up-and-down each others’ necks, as soon as the Danish prime minister explicitly told everybody not to. Not to gather in large groups, and that there is food enough for everybody. I seriously hope these people feel extreme guilt and extremely stupid, since two days later, the supermarkets yet again are stocked with toilet paper and other goods that people have hoarded bunches of just days ago.
But what’s worse, is that people have started to steal facemasks, hand sanitizer and other protective gear from hospitals – from the people in the front-line, who are working their asses off to save the lives of patients infected with coronavirus! How can people without conscience STEAL these vital and fundamental tools for keeping the staff safe?! How DARE people be so egoistic, careless and fucking stupid??!! It has also happened at my job as well, where a box of facemasks disappeared, resulting in the need to keep this vital gear locked up, and my boss only handing out small amounts at a time.
And speaking of my work: even though I am pregnant, I work in the social sector, in a housing for people suffering from mental illness. I am not working in an acute function, but I am still needed as a nurse since the vulnerable people who live here rely on help 24/7. Because even though society, the borders and schools have shut down, my job continues to function, and we are told that “we are needed now more than ever”. We are working on with only emergency response, lower staff, and exposing ourselves daily to the corona-threat, because we are needed. And even though I don’t work with patients at a hospital, the people who live where I work are some of those who are especially exposed to getting extremely sick if they get infected with coronavirus.
And at home, my husband gets to stay with our three kids, of three different ages, and therefore with three totally different needs. And if it sounds like I’m jealous, that’s a mistake; because I am totally not! Since the kids have to stay home from school, they still need to keep somewhat up with their education, basic needs like food and water, help with handling conflicts between each other, and stimulating their different needs with different tasks. And my youngest isn’t even a school child, but usually goes to an out-doors kindergarten, so her energy-level is off the roof! Plus, she’s really good at teasing her two older siblings. So meanwhile, my husband has to stay at home and considering their every needs, he is also one of the people who is sent home still to do his work! He has to do fulltime work WHILST taking care of our kids, at a home office. So, like I said, I’m totally not jealous! I go to work to relax…
But what makes me fucking angry, is other people! Other people stocking up on toilet paper. Other people gathering in supermarkets, only thinking of themselves. Other people stealing the necessary protective gear. And other people who are sent home for weeks, WITH PAY for your information, who keep shopping, keep gathering with family and friends, keep partying and keep pretending like nothing has changed. People who behave like they now have unnumbered weeks paid “vacation”, free to do as they please, and not taking the threat of coronavirus seriously. I fucking loath this attitude! It is so disrespectful to the people, people like pregnant-me still going to work, disrespectful to people who have no choice but to stay in the front-line of the field, and especially disrespectful towards the elderly, the chronically sick, the people with weakened immune system - people where corona-virus is a serious threat to their heath and lives.
So even though things haven’t changed at my home, my kids still tease each other, my husband is still annoying and doesn’t do the dishes the way I want, my house is still filled with laundry (both dirty and clean), the kids’ toys are spread out everywhere, and my fruit bowl is now empty – I will go to work tomorrow, keep my safety precautions, and hope that when all this is over, we will all be more united – because right now it feels more like “every man for himself”. When all this is over, then comes the aftermath which none of us are immune from.
So please, think about what you do and how you do it, because in the end it could end up affecting lives – even your own.
And what the fuck does all this have to do with art, you say? Well, being a full-time mom, full-time nurse, full-time human being living in a society affected my covid-19, I barely have any time to myself. Even when I come home from work, there are kids everywhere (my own mind you), and since both my husband and kids are all at home 24/7, they leave little time for me when I get home to be alone, or be in a creative space. I, of course, also want to be together with them after I get home from work, but since no playdates are allowed, no icehockey, no social interaction and no hanging-out, we are forced to be together as a family all day every day. I can’t even go to the toilet by myself!! So the time and space for being creative is not now, I admire (and am a bit jealous) of the artists who are home and can do nothing except create art and be in a mindfull and peacefull state of creativeness. Me, I’m right now more in a state of craziness…