Teeth Gritting

I'm definitely less productive at the moment than I have been. My morning Facebook binge has gone from around ninety minutes to more than a couple of hours. I'm depressed by people who post their opinions- that the Covid-19 virus was man-made, that it is being disseminated via 5G telephone masts, that the lockdown is a Nazi -(yes "Nazi" plot) etc. Someone I know claimed that people VOLUNTEERING to take part in vaccine trials were succombing to "the Nazi National Health Service". I asked her to explain and she doubled down with more of her OPINION- as we know; opinion overrules science and empirical fact. I decided to unfriend her rather than enter into futile debate. Another friend posted about "this man-made virus". When I asked him to share his source material he talked about governmental management failures, but wouldn't accept that wasn't the same as saying the virus had been man made. This friend is older and [fact] sparsely educated, with the proverbial heart of gold so I was less inclined to kick him to touch but I did drop out of the conversation, especially as several of his friends rose to protect him and disregard information I shared which challenged the notion of a man-made pathogen. Even closer friends are getting to me; I broke lockdown last week with two friends who've been isolating. We took outlandish precautions including major cleaning and antibacterial wipes, no touching and sitting away from each other. One of them really pissed me off with their constant wittering on about how we're all going to die from Corona Virus infection in weeks. I know they're worried, but I couldn't shake the feeling that they were simply parrotting things they'e heard so as to join in with a vague hysteria.

Amerikkkans are out on their streets demanding an end to lockdown instructions which they interpret as a challenge to their civil liberties. Of course, Trumplestiltskin is making things worse; he wants the American economy back up and running because he's been banking on claiming credit for the economic position he inherited from the Obama administration as his main reason for people to vote him back into office in November. Every day there are new revelations about how Britain's government messed up their response to the crisis which they were very late to recognise as one. I think that its around 100 health service workers who've died after being forced to work without protective equipment whilst the government ignores offers from UK firms who've ended up shipping their products abroad. 

I'm still looking for work, but decisions about three or four of the jobs for which I've applied have been delayed. I've been short-listed for a job as "Senior Programme Manager (Culture Regeneration) at Northumberland County Council, but they've decided to postpone interviews for the foreseeable future. The starting salary is the same as what I was earning when I was working for Intercultural Arts in 2011 and the role has similarities to that role to which I was able to allude, which no doubt contributed to me being shortlisted. I've still got only one 'Supported Lodger'; He's been with me since june last year and is very self-contained. Being 50% under capacity has meant that I've slid back to an uncomfortable financial position which has become all too familiar. Luckily; the mortgage company has announced a three month payment holiday which I only found out about yesterday as I've been ignoring their calls and letters- something I do when I know I'm going to be asked for money I don't have. I'm putting my hopes into getting the Northumberland job which is 13 miles away as opposed to the 33 miles of my last job.

I know I have a LOT more than MANY people. It is cool to have something positive on my horizon besides a possible lottery win!