It’s my father-in-law’s 73rd birthday today, so we organised a family Zoom party to celebrate. With a son in the UK, and a daughter who lives 15 minutes away but can’t come over because of the lockdown, this was the best possible celebration we could arrange where everyone would be together. We baked a brownie cake and sang him a birthday ditty, with his near and dear ones looking on. Though we weren’t together in physical form, we definitely were in spirit.
It’s strange that a month ago we viewed our world so differently- as one large globalised unit. My husband is pursuing his Master’s Degree from the University of Cambridge in the UK, for which he attended lessons at the University for a week, every three months over a period of two years. Having submitted his dissertation recently, he was due to graduate this July.
We booked our hotel in Cambridge well in advance of the seasonal rush, since the entire family planned to travel to be with my husband on this momentous occasion. Unfortunately, the graduation ceremony has been indefinitely postponed, and I worry that even if the situation begins resembling normalcy soon, we may not go for fear of falling ill with the coronavirus abroad.
The same goes for other plans we made earlier this year. International and domestic travel for weddings and other special occasions, have been put on tentative hold.
Are we gearing up to return to the life that existed before ready cash allowed a large populace to zip around the world at will? Are we set to usher in a world where online connections must suffice for all operations- business and personal?
Honestly, at this point I’m unable to fathom the long-term scenario. I’m sure the world is set to change drastically, but I can’t predict how and to what degree. Many will argue this is a blessing in disguise- we are finally being forced to reduce our massive carbon footprint that harms the Earth tremendously. Perhaps it is a blessing, but one that makes me sad.
With nations shutting down their borders, airlines going bankrupt due to loss of business, and a huge economic downturn set to affect the disposable income of many, un-globalisation seems a grim reality of the future. Anyhow, we must weather whatever is in store for us, to the best of our ability.
On similar lines, here’s my book recommendation for the letter G:
“Gone With The Wind” by Margaret Mitchell is set in the deep South, during and after the American Civil War. The protagonists are slave-owners that have to adjust to a rapidly changing world after their side loses the war. Some of the astute observations in the book ring strangely true to our current situation. It’s a rather long book and requires a serious commitment of time, but it’s definitely worth it!
Another serious time commitment that will draw you in, is my TV show recommendation for today:
“Game of Thrones”, available for viewing on Hotstar, is a fantasy show set in a mythical world. It’s based on the book series “A Song of Ice and Fire” by George R. R. Martin. This show was a game-changer for TV. Production companies began pumping in tons of money into this medium of entertainment, realising its immense potential, which allowed them to shoot in exotic and grand locations. Though most loyal fans of the show were disappointed with its final season, it’s worth watching the first few seasons for a wonderful escape from the real world.
As for a tip to beat the lockdown blues:
Taking inspiration from the theme of today’s post, I advise you to learn a new language on the internet. It’s a wonderful skill to have in general, and if everything moves online in the future, it will become an even more desirable one to have.
That’s it for today folks!
Do check out my daily update videos on Instagram Stories for #LockdownWithTheLadyLawyer and follow me there to stay better connected. Also tell me your favourite TV Shows/ movies/ books/ bloggers with the letter G?
Goodbye till tomorrow!
Celebrations at home!
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This post has been written for the #AtoZChallenge 2020. My theme this year is #LockdownWithTheLadyLawyer, where I’m journaling my thoughts during the coronavirus lockdown, and sharing numerous recommendations that will help keep your spirits up.
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