COVID19: Lockdown

Isolation… for me is no stranger, its not hard. Social Distancing for me is a pleasure and I prefer to keep my distance. Freetime during the week is my way of life, I take that for granted. Not knowing where my next wage is coming from has become my norm. Not seeing my family is an established tradition… so nothing much has changed for me.

 

Signing on the dole is hard for me.

 

Not being able to pay my bills, my insurance, my mortgage, my costs of living… this I struggle with. Sitting in my studio, producing artwork which I know will not pay my bills, just for Facebook popularity, this seems pointless to me. The feeling of helplessness as I watch 29 years of hard work disappear, this I struggle with. These are the unspoken internal daily struggles of being a self employed creative in these testing times.

 

Complaining about boredom is not an option, when my brain is packed full of ideas for survival, creative ideas and shots across the bough of unemployment. A bored brain has given up on hope and accepted defeat. I won’t do that. I have to believe that my talents will pull me through or else I could not go on.

 

Having my health has become a bonus and I am thankful for that. I feel a bond with all those who have survived this virus and live to forge a new future, while others squander their health with selfish gestures and deeds. I feel proud to have a healthy body and a busy brain and wish the same upon others.

 

We each exist within our own reality – this is mine. Have a healthy, productive day folks and believe things will change, as they must.

COVID19

On 24 January 2020 I first heard of the COVID 19 outbreak in Wuhan, China. At the time I was working at a Chinese stationery exhibition in Frankfurt and I was very nervous. I flew back to the UK, assuming I’d left the virus behind, on the other side of the world and continued with my business. The virus was hot on mt heels and claiming UK victims by the end of February. On 4 March I had my first cancellation email due to CV19 worries from a corporate client, followed by several general booking cancellations and finally around a dozen weddings. Luckily the weddings were able to re-arrange their dates and the bookings remained. The net effect of these emails was to wipe my calendar clear for the next 3 months! At this point the Government had issued no guidelines or restrictions, so bookings were in the hands of clients, at their discretion to cancel. By 13 March most major events in the UK had been cancelled and my industry was left devastated, with zero income for at least 3-5 months ahead. The Government started restricting large group meetings and limiting personal freedom of movement in late March, which then began to impact other regular workers.

As of 24 March, the UK is currently in lock-down, so work, socializing and freedom of movement has been called to a standstill. The lucky ones will have savings to tide them over this enforced holiday. The next luckiest will get full pay and those employees who do not have been bailed out by the Government to the sum of 80% of their wages. As for the Freelance community, such as myself; we are waiting to hear if we will receive any help or financial assistance, over the next few months, as our incomes have disappeared.

Tough and worrying times indeed. Stay home, stay healthy.