The lockdown's getting to me

"Is fashion such a serious consideration?"

"Among those who have nothing more serious to consider."

--The Age of Innocence

I told myself that I was adusting pretty well to the COVID 19-related isolation.  But lately it's been getting harder.  I've been spending a lot of time on Twitter quarrelling about British politics...

Last week I lost my glasses (that's how careless I've been getting), and I don't know how long the replacement will take.  Oh well, I don't need them so much since I'm watching the computer instead of going to the movies.

We were laying concrete in the new cellar, like last summer, and once again I couldn't quite keep up with the others and in the end they had to take up my slack because the flow couldn't be stopped.  I hope we don't have to do it again!

My Cipralex ran out, but the drugstore had to confirm refilling with my shrink, meaning a gap of several days. (My dreams have been getting more vivid again.)

Last week my History Meetup discussed New York City and the watch party showed Martin Scorcese's The Age of Innocence. (We'd shown Sergei Eisenstein's Alexander Nevsky the previous month.) I'd forgotten that was Richard E. Grant as the gossip!  Next month's subject will be Hellenistic civilization.

I've been getting behind with The Handmaid's Tale. (It isn't a barrel of laughs.) I've also been reading Scott O'Dell's children's book Island of the Blue Dolphins, because it's actually a paper book I can take on the bus, instead of an Ebook.  

The Short Story Meetup just discussed four more de Maupassant Stories: "The Necklace," "Maison Tellier," "Clare de Lune" and "Miss Harriet." (I didn't have much to say about the last one because I hadn't had time to read it!) I remember reading "The Necklace" for the first time three decades ago about the time the Berlin Wall fell, and I saw a parallel.  I'd elaborate, but that would mean spoiling the story's classic twist for those of you who haven't read it.  If you have, maybe you can guess the connection...

Dragon Ball GT took a weird turn around Episode 25.  Goku, Trunks and Pan were off on foreign planets collecting dragon balls and encountered Baby, this alien monster who can infiltrate people' bodies and take over their minds like in Invasion of the Body Snatchers.  So now Baby's gone to earth and brainwashed the whole human race!  Goku just ended up in this realm where he's in a life-sized board game. (I think Japanese TV has game shows like that...)

Yesterday's launch of Jeremy Corbyn's Peace & Justice Project gives me hope, but I couldn't help thinking of an incident in the Civil War.  General Sheridan rode forth to rally his retreating troops, who were so pleased to see him that they started shouting "Sheridan!  Sheridan!  Sheridan!..." He said, "God damn you, don't cheer me, fight!" Don't cheer Corbyn, fight Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer and everything they stand for!