I think it’s fair to say that things are a little wild right now. The UK is currently under lock down and I am self-isolating with my best friend in Lancaster. As someone with mental health issues, it’s no underestimate to say that this lock down is going to F me up.
My Current Situation
I’ve been placed on furlough at work which means I’m not allowed to do anything for my company. Frankly, I wouldn’t be surprised if I get laid off – it’s a small business and it’ll take a while for the workload to increase in a way that’d justify my return to work. That means I have nothing to do with my spare time.
I rely on work to get me out the house, motivate me to be productive, and give my life order. I realise how fortunate I am to be able to self-isolate at a time like this, but this doesn’t lessen the concern I have for my own mental health. Plus, I’m highly aware that everyone is sick of reading about different people’s isolation experiences which is why I’m not going into specifics about supermarkets and daily walks, etc.
I’ve created a list of bits and bobs I hope to do throughout the coming weeks to keep myself busy (a separate post to come). However, I don’t want to fall into the trap of feeling like I have to be productive. The world is in a state right now, this pandemic has really highlighted class divides, inequality, and how selfish some people are. So with this in mind no one should feel the pressure to be productive, to make the most of this time inside, etc etc however other blogs want to phrase it. It’s okay to just exist and focus on escapism.
That being said, I harbour no bad feelings towards anyone trying to make the most of their time or my work for placing me on furlough – we’re all just trying to figure this out and come out the other end in the best condition possible.
Keswick Film Festival
Before attending KFF at the end of February, I did a post all about what I wanted to see and do throughout the weekend. You can find that here. I had BIG plans and my goal was to do a follow up post about my experience, highlights of the weekend, and which movies really stood out.
Sadly, I got food poisoning before the Festival even began. It was bad. I spent the majority of the weekend suffering and confined to my hotel room (props to my friend Adam who stuck by me through it all and made sure I didn’t die). And, I think it’s fair to say following a fairly traumatic public vomiting sesh, I am probably bard from that hotel for life.
We did however manage to see The Farewell, Parasite, and the Ospery Film Awards on Saturday. I cried all the way through The Farewell, cheered throughout the Ospery Film Awards, and was pleasantly surprised by Parasite.
Overall, it was a good weekend. I just wish I could have helped out more and suffered less.
How are you coping with the current state of things? Let’s start a conversation down below.
