Hello [Brave New] World...
Hello there fellow Homebounders!
Though the days of blogging may be over, or replaced by cooler things like "Insta" and "Vlogging", there's nothing like a global pandemic to bring things back from NOT to HOT! Honestly, I wouldn't know about it, because as an at home mother I am definitely not one that can decipher technological hotness, but I digress.
I am starting this blog as an artistic outlet for myself, to voice from an ex-pat-American-in-Ireland point of view about the current Covid-19 crisis. As a microbe lover (with degrees in microbiology and environmental toxicology) and a huge fan of dystopian future fiction, I'm excited to discuss and document the silly, serious, and painful of what is happening in the world of today. From the point of view of a mother, a scientist, an ex-pat, a cyclist, and an auto-immune sufferer, on subjects like daily life, Irish Covid-numbers and current restrictions, microbiology, coping with cabin fever, recipes, art, and the gamete of whatever strikes my fancy.
We are a car-less household, which can add some difficulties when current government suggestions are to not use public transportation, which is our normal mode of transportation if we need to travel far for any reason. Luckily we usually do not have to travel outside of a walking distance now that my husband Christian is working from home and daughter Neva (of Neva-Travel With an Infant) is out of school until 19 April.
Yesterday, my luck ran out. Neva had started complaining about her Invisalign braces. She has three teeth falling out, and one rear molar coming in that was potentially not taken into account with the original braces. This happened to coincide with our dog Sammie's ophthalmology appointment (yes, you read that right) which we had been hoping to get her into for the last year. Who knew it was so difficult to book a dog an eye appointment! Plus, my neighbor who had originally said he could drop Sammie and I to her appointment had car trouble and could not get a part due to many auto shops being closed and not being able to get parts. Hashtag "Covid-struggles".
After quickly doing the math in my head, it would be about 4 hours of public transportation alone to get us to and fro to all these places; and that's if they are running properly. It would be quite risky for myself as well since I am recently recovering from two years autoimmune and chronic fatigue medical issues. I canceled the doggie appointment, but had to do something about Neva's teeth and was reminded that some sweet soul in our neighborhood WhatsApp group had offered to help with running errands if someone needed it. I texted the number, putting my pride aside and hoping this would be the best solution to minimize contact on all fronts.
Being Ireland, my neighbor down the road was happy to help. If social distancing wasn't mandatory, I would have prostrated myself at her feet in thanks as the relief to not expose myself or my daughter to public transport and get Neva to her much needed braces appointment was immense.
Community is a thing that I have seen grow stronger in these past few weeks. Though people are still using their devices, we are now forced to connect in a more meaningful way via our devices. Sure your family in another city, county, country may be just a phone call away, but how often would you pick up the phone and call last month? How about now? Or how often would you offer a stranger a ride to a dental appointment? Usually we only get to meet all the neighbors at Halloween, but now we are learning who people are better through group chats. And not just the "who parked in the wrong spot this time" type chats, more meaningful ones, which are trying to convey helpful information which might benefit someone in need.
Our dystopian present can be as weird and fun as we want it to be. There's a breath of fresh (inside) air coming, and we are peaking around the corner at what will write the next pages of history. How will we act or react as a group? As an individual? That's up to us to decide and discuss over the following days. Strap in friends, it's going to be a wild ride!
Stay safe, stay healthy, keep your distance. Signing off.
Megumi
Though the days of blogging may be over, or replaced by cooler things like "Insta" and "Vlogging", there's nothing like a global pandemic to bring things back from NOT to HOT! Honestly, I wouldn't know about it, because as an at home mother I am definitely not one that can decipher technological hotness, but I digress.
 |
| Glass statue of common cold virus (Micropia Museum, Amsterdam, NL) |
We are a car-less household, which can add some difficulties when current government suggestions are to not use public transportation, which is our normal mode of transportation if we need to travel far for any reason. Luckily we usually do not have to travel outside of a walking distance now that my husband Christian is working from home and daughter Neva (of Neva-Travel With an Infant) is out of school until 19 April.
 |
| The whole family (including Sammie) working from home. |
Yesterday, my luck ran out. Neva had started complaining about her Invisalign braces. She has three teeth falling out, and one rear molar coming in that was potentially not taken into account with the original braces. This happened to coincide with our dog Sammie's ophthalmology appointment (yes, you read that right) which we had been hoping to get her into for the last year. Who knew it was so difficult to book a dog an eye appointment! Plus, my neighbor who had originally said he could drop Sammie and I to her appointment had car trouble and could not get a part due to many auto shops being closed and not being able to get parts. Hashtag "Covid-struggles".
 |
| Sammie catching up on her doggie protagonist detective fiction while in quarantine. |
After quickly doing the math in my head, it would be about 4 hours of public transportation alone to get us to and fro to all these places; and that's if they are running properly. It would be quite risky for myself as well since I am recently recovering from two years autoimmune and chronic fatigue medical issues. I canceled the doggie appointment, but had to do something about Neva's teeth and was reminded that some sweet soul in our neighborhood WhatsApp group had offered to help with running errands if someone needed it. I texted the number, putting my pride aside and hoping this would be the best solution to minimize contact on all fronts.
 |
| How well are you washing your hands? (Petri dishes showing washed hand vs. non-washed hand; Micropia Museum, Amsterdam, NL) |
Being Ireland, my neighbor down the road was happy to help. If social distancing wasn't mandatory, I would have prostrated myself at her feet in thanks as the relief to not expose myself or my daughter to public transport and get Neva to her much needed braces appointment was immense.
Community is a thing that I have seen grow stronger in these past few weeks. Though people are still using their devices, we are now forced to connect in a more meaningful way via our devices. Sure your family in another city, county, country may be just a phone call away, but how often would you pick up the phone and call last month? How about now? Or how often would you offer a stranger a ride to a dental appointment? Usually we only get to meet all the neighbors at Halloween, but now we are learning who people are better through group chats. And not just the "who parked in the wrong spot this time" type chats, more meaningful ones, which are trying to convey helpful information which might benefit someone in need.
 |
| Neva and I suited up, waiting for the dentist outside. |
Stay safe, stay healthy, keep your distance. Signing off.
Megumi
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