Frantic journalist doubling as housekeeper at 4:31 a.m.
For the past year, the author has traversed New York City and attended the Internazionale festival in Ferrara, immersing himself in the footsteps of literary greats like J.D. Salinger. However, the recent COVID-19 pandemic has transformed his life drastically.
Now in a 33-day lockdown, the journalist-turned-househusband finds himself juggling his responsibilities—managing his children, live-streaming for the GAMeC in Bergamo, and keeping up with Lombardy Region measures—all while dealing with an overgrown mane and an antibiotic-forced sobriety due to a dental abscess.
His usual shopping sprees at the local Coop have shifted from trains and cityscapes to unreasonable amounts of canestrelli, mayonnaise, and sliced bread. Interactions with the cashier, ordinarily full of suggestions about the future, have become stunted, obscured behind masks.
Each day that passes, the world outside fades, replacing the routine he once knew with an uncertain, Montecristo-like solitude. While he acknowledges that normality was part of the problem, finding a replacement for it proves challenging.
Throughout his quarantine, the author has gone without a shirt for the first time in 40 years, and writing has become his primary occupation. Yet, this is the first personal account he's penned about the pandemic and quarantine. His once-vibrant book collection now serves as a backdrop for recorded videos, but he reads little beyond utilitarian purposes.
While the author's experience is distinct, the pandemic has left an indelible mark on various groups, such as healthcare workers who have faced physical, psychological, and moral distress. Families have also been affected, adapting to new priorities while grappling with financial struggles and strained connections[3]. The pandemic response has been met with criticism for its unclear guidance and the spread of misinformation[4].
[1] Now a housebound journalist, the author struggles to balance his duties with his isolation, longing for the familiar routine that has been supplanted by an uncertain future.
[2] [5] Despite the challenges, the author remains resilient, finding solace in the support of colleagues and the community. Though the horizon may be unclear, change is undoubtedly on the horizon.
[1] His usual international travel and conventions, like the Internazionale festival, are now a distant memory, as the author navigates through the lifestyle challenges of home-and-garden management while in lockdown.
[2] Personal finance becomes another concern as the author adapts to supermarket shopping sprees focused on home essentials, such as canestrelli and mayonnaise, instead of personal indulgences.
[3] In this time, the author also finds himself delving into education-and-self-development materials, seeking guidance and perspective to navigate the uncertainties of the pandemic, as well as finding meaning in the new normal.
