Chani's Creative Space

To cheer me up, I am starting thinking about the time after corona... At the moment, we need to obey rules and try to help others. Every one of us has questions, theories about the virus, what is wrong or right, should have been done or avoided. I am not an exception, but I do not want to discuss this now, because only time will tell what was true or not, when it is all over. Unfortunately, one thing is certain: there will be even more rubbish in the nature. I see a lot of latex gloves and masks laying here on the streets, as if people no longer knew how to use rubbish bins. This protection material will end in the sea. But otherwise?  When physicians and nurses are striking and demonstrating, what they regularly do, will we take some action as well to support them, knowing that they are right doing so and that a poor health system also affects us all? Will we understand that it is not enough to vote once every four years to have a working democracy? Or will we be, again,...

When this corona crisis is over, time will tell us who/what was right and who/what was wrong.

In German, we use the word hamstern (literally, 'behaving like a hamster') to say "panic-buying", "hoarding goods".  That is the way people behave at the moment when they buy 5 kg noodles, 3 packs of toilet rolls and too much fresh yeast at once. And all the rest. Not very social, but when fear is spreading, humans do not think any more.

Yesterday, a first virtual aikido session was offered through Twitch by black belt Teo Rudolphi.  Slowly, you get used to the situation (already four days that we are not allowed to leave our homes); it may help to know that it is not much different elsewhere. People begin to be creative and organise events.  Despite limited space, we had a complete session and could practise some movements with the wooden sword (using a kali for this, as I have no boken ) and the jo (wooden staff). We are all isolated but could train together. Thanks again, Teo, for organising this!

We all theoretically know neighbours are important, but in many bigger towns, we do not know them. We may say "Hello", but after years, we still not know their name or their profession. Things may be a bit different for dog owners, but again, we then know the name of the best friends (Nano, Luna, Tom or Floss), not the name of the people. We are all moving in parallel worlds, busy planning our parties, holidays and checking our agendas. The lockdown has change this for the better, at least as long it lasts. We still do not know each other, but, in Spain, since last weekend, we all clap hands at 8 p.m. on balconies and open windows to thank physicians and nurses for their hard work and commitment at the moment. Doing so, you automatically see... your neighbours. The one you already knew superficially and others whom you have never met because they come home when you sleep or go to work before you come home. At once, neighbours can be as important as your professional netwo...

This abstract art blog has been hijacked. Since the beginning of the lockdown, it is impossible to create art as usual, while neighbours tell me that members of their family are crying all day and I am getting permanently mails, news, memes, recommendations about *that*. Those days, my posts will be different, and I will publish more often. (For my colleagues linguists: if I make a mistake, remember that English is not my mother tongue, and I have no intention to apologise for every mistake). Until Saturday (in Spain), you thought you were free and the world had no borders (at least, for you, citizen of the first world - even if you had no money: you could have travelled to Japan or gone to the beach *if*...). And at once, your government (yes, maybe the people you have elected) restricts dramatically your liberty of movement. It may be indispensable, that is not the question, but rather: what can you do all day and/or after work if you are forced to stay home? Of course, you can...

"Closed" - a quite important word in Europe nowadays, after "corona", "pandemic" and "toilet paper" ;-).  Yes, supermarkets and bakeries are open, pharmacies also, but other shops (clothes, shoes, everything that is not "essential need" ...) are closed. Some borders are already closed, others will be closing soon, and the same thing may be true soon for airports. And of course, EU external borders are more closed than ever for refugees. If Kafka was alive, he would write a novel about the actual situation. Europe is sneezing, Europe is shaking, hopefully it will not forget to breathe.

Blag flag on the beach, time to stay at home for a while. Hope this lockdown will show that people can also be supportive and less selfish. See this as an opportunity to read a good book, to play a board game with your partner and do some exercise indoors. Learn something you always wanted to learn. Cook something different. Ask your neighbours if they need help for groceries. 

These are strange times, one should not give hands and should stay at home. Libraries, sports halls, bars and restaurants are going to close. Everything that was right or true yesterday may be wrong or false tomorrow. I still want to try to live a (more or less) normal life with all this.  Tornado

Dear friends, Those days, the world needs people like you. People who do not believe every news, who do not spread alarmist rumours, but react with calm and adequacy. Please, do not tell jokes about the virus, because those are certainly not funny for everybody. Do not forget that our world is global (how could artists and translators forget this?) and that in other parts of the world, the situation is worse and people may suffer.  Where you are, try to be a calming force, a strong person. Do not panic,  just wash your hands with soap, and look if you can help your neighbour. Handwash