The Pandemic and I (10) – Question: can a cash reward help lift your spirits? Featuring: a rant, Animal Crossing New Leaf, and a sweet Bella ciao!

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Can a cash reward help lift your spirits?

Answer – YES! …

… but only partially – I need a break from this madness pandemic. Just five days off work in a row would be nice – a week would be marvellous. However, at work we still can’t take time off and every shift is short staffed. I am somewhat…

  • Exhausted.
  • At the brim of feeling burnt out.
  • I don’t have time nor energy for any of my artistic endeavours: poems, short stories… my beautiful novel.
  • When I dream these days, I am always running, and I am wearing a surgical mask.
  • I just want things to stop for a bit… for five days… a week… a small break from this non-stop slog before I go bananas.

Okay, rant over 🙂 Going back to my question in the title of this blog post – “Can a cash reward help lift your spirits?”

It certainly can, I’m not ashamed to admit. The power of that green can give quite a lift in times of hardship; the prospect of spending, amassing goods, food, paying bills.

I’ve never had much money in life, but I’ve always felt wealthy when it comes to the art and mind – creativity, spiritualty, words and paint and music – that’s me – yet, the arts don’t always pay the bills nor fill up your stomach, do they?

So, when my employer announced, at about the same time as the French government announced the very same, that health care workers in the sector for nursing and retirement homes are to receive a bonus payment for our efforts during the pandemic (in line with hospitals), my spirits lifted in almost the same way as if I had written a stunning personal poem or short story, made a cool drawing or painting, or jammed with fellow musicians in a garage.

TVTA Animal Crossing New Leaf alt-reality Editor and Wooof get spiritually lifted! Yarr!

Sad, in a way, that I can equate the bliss of artistic endeavours with the gain of some hard cash. But honestly, right now I don’t care… fuck you Covid-19, I could really use a lift, as could my colleagues who are knackered too.

We want ze money, Lewbowski!

Ja, fed up of swimming with sharks and jellyfish – just give us ze money!

Honestly, I don’t even know how much these cash rewards will amount to in total … one of them is a thousand euros, I know that for sure. Cool. And what will I spend my riches on? I may upgrade my bicycle. I might buy extra pizza, beer. Treat family members to nice gifts once the lockdown starts to lift and shops and restos open. I certainly need a new pair of trainers. But what I need most of all is a week off work and not having to wear that mask!

Report – 10 May, 2020

Testing, testing…

I took my second Covid-19 test last week. Chose a different nostril than last time. Wished I’d stuck with the other, as it didn’t sting or make my eyes water last time. I’m assuming my test is negative as I haven’t heard the dreaded news to the contrary from my employer, and will wait for confirmation when I’m in tomorrow.

Tomorrow is 11 May!

11. May – the much-talked-about date in France when lockdown restrictions begin to slowly lift. Since 17 March we’ve pretty much been in as strict a lockdown as you could imagine. Now, some pre and elementary schools will reopen, some businesses too, with the return to some kind of normal made in staggered steps.

TV Series and gaming lockdown decompression

Talking of staggered steps… I finished watching The Walking Dead seasons which I missed seeing when they first came out. So interesting watching certain characters making their debut – as was the evolution of others.

Bella ciao! 

I’m now watching La Casa de Papel – season 3 – just awesome! Thanks to WordPress good buddy inSPIRAtion for pointing me in the right direction there, cheers mate 🙂

All being well, I might have a fun La Casa de Papel blog post coming soon:)

La Casa de Papel. Image credit: Netflix.

Turning over a New (old) Leaf …

And for any readers wondering what the low-res comical screen grabs are scattered about this blog post – I’ve been amusing myself with Animal Crossing New Leaf on the Nintendo 3DS. Old school now I know. My youngest has New Horizons and it wipes the floor with New Leaf. But, I’m charmed by New Leaf. It’s the perfect and gentle distraction for pandemic times (no virus, no lockdown, and you can go shopping!).

That’s all for now, vintage mates! Stay safe and healthy everyone 🙂

Disclaimer. This report is meant to offer an overview of the fluid impact upon a care worker in the French medical system. No names of any persons or institutions are given, and the reportage here concerns decisions made at a French national level which is available to the public at any time. No breach of confidentiality or professional workplace standards is made or implied. Any health advice stated here is exactly the same as that given by the World Health Organization public advice pages 

 

17 thoughts on “The Pandemic and I (10) – Question: can a cash reward help lift your spirits? Featuring: a rant, Animal Crossing New Leaf, and a sweet Bella ciao!”

  2. “I’ve never had much money in life, but I’ve always felt wealthy when it comes to the art and mind – creativity, spiritualty, words and paint and music – that’s me – yet, the arts don’t always pay the bills nor fill up your stomach, do they?”
    Well, that could be the engraving on my gravestone also…fuck that and the stress that leeches the living energy out.
    Again, hats off for finding the strength to communicate whatyou are going through and letting it galvanize in a big black block inside your chest.
    You may call it a rant but I say to you mate I am not that brave to put down in words the exact same personal feelings.

    So simply, cheers mate; you know what you are doing…
    Bella ciao😉

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  3. I’ll join your other fans and say: enjoy the bonus – it is more than well-deserved!.I also wish that you will have a week off soon and that an end to the nightmare / anxiety dreams is in sight. You are awesome to have managed to keep blogging, and I can only repeat that your mix of stories from the frontline as well as the insights into your collection are so important. The game does look cute – wishing you future fun playing it. And do rant whenever you need to. xx

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    • Thanks so much for your words, dear Wibi 🙂 You know, the part you wrote about me managing to keep on blogging… well, for me it’s also a 2-way street, because you and my other dear friends here on WP inspire me with your own blogs. I am very much a blog reader as well as a blog writer, and would find a considerable void if I didn’t have good people as yourself around! Big thanks! 🙂 xx

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  4. Hi TVTA, definitely agree that you and your colleagues deserve a “bonus” in these times. I have just finished listening to the UK prime minister’s ramble -sorry public announcement – and don’t feel very reassured by it. Mixed messages.
    I have a bit of an advantage in a way as due to my health I haven’t left my home since January (except for two appointments I had to keep by law) so I am used to being house bound but this situation isn’t getting any easier so I can only imagine yours.
    Yes so get that pair of trainers – I know friends of mine in the US are spending their Stimulus Cheques on custom lightsabers – so give yourself a treat or maybe buy a new outfit 😉
    Stay safe and well my friend (and to your folks)

    Liked by 3 people

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    • Thanks for the good words, FT 🙂 It’s the exhaustion that’s really hitting me right now. I don’t mind the situation because it’s my job to respond to evolving circumstances, and I have to do it and want to do it. But boy is it knackering lately!
      No grumbles today though as I have a couple of days to relax. As for treating myself soon… yeah, looking forward to that 🙂 Thanks for the email too, look forward to your little ‘cosplay’ event 😉

      Liked by 1 person

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  7. Hang in, there!
    You deserve a bonus, but I hear you louder about a week off!
    We’ve been in lock down since early March, but when people were not following the guidelines, EVERYTHING got shut down (except drugstores and food) on March 26.
    My last decent walk was on March 25, and finally I went for one a couple of days ago.
    Some restrictions are lifted, but not many, especially if one lives in Toronto.
    I think we can window shop, if we wear masks, carry hand sanitizer and distance.

    Liked by 2 people

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    • Thanks so much, dear Resa. Yes, now I’m kind of itching to get that bonus and treat myself!!
      Same timeline here with regards to your lockdown. The restrictions are slowly lifting, with a big emphasis on wearing masks when going into shops. Keep well 🙂 X

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