Today's Thoughts From Isolation

Dear The Future,

It is Monday 30 March  5.23am and my 7th letter and 2nd that I will post. I missed Saturday.

Symbols and traditions can be comforting in challenging times. They can be relied on in challenging times.

 

Often, the personal importance of something symbolic becomes more apparent only when it is no longer there.

 

Growing up in Melbourne, and still identifying as a proud Melbournian, the Myer retail brand was one such constant.

 

Their flagship store running from Bourke to Lonsdale Streets was the largest single in Australia and the Christmas windows were a treat looked forward to and a tradition passed down the generations.

 

Today represents the first Monday trading day of my life that the doors of Myer remain closed.

 

It doesn’t feel right. A part of my heritage seems under threat.

 

I am fully aware my feelings are selfish and out of context and know many thousands of Myer employees and tens of thousands other employees will not be paid this week, or next and for who knows how long.

 

And will Myer open again when this is all over. How many businesses will cease to exist, operate with less of a footprint or trade in a different, less person to person way?

 

It is relatively easy to predict and then calculate the financial cost of this Pandemic. It is only when in 25 or more years time we can look back and determine the social and behavioural changes and cost flowing from this period in time.

 

This past weekend has been our first without sport. Is it just me, or has this passed almost unnoticed? What will be the long term outcome if us Australians were to discover that sport is not the most important thing in the world? What if the weekend results of Collingwood, Manly, The Victory, The Reds or Camberwell don’t really matter after all?

 

Having said that, we are one week in to “encouraged isolation” and it all a bit of a novelty so far. My concern is in a week or two weeks time when the novelty wears off. I am however confident that our collective creativity will see us through. As it is often said, “only boring people get bored”.

 

As to this week’s reading and listening additions.

 

This week I will read a book I have had for many years without reading. It may also be inspired by my Melbourne reminiscing. It is The Birth of Melbourne by Tim Flannery.

 

To my Podcast feed I will add Business Wars – The North Face v Patagonia

 

And a quick comment on last weeks add ons.

 

The Fake Heiress Podcast tells the story of a Russian Lady who conned New York Society and is now in prison. It was easy listening but not spectacular.

 

I have not quite finished The Fifth Risk. I have read about 80% of it 3 or more times over. It looks in to the transition to Government of the Trump administration and the impacts on the various divisions of Government such as The Department of Agriculture. My re-reads of each chapter are motivated by notetaking with a view to writing an “observational” piece about the book.

 

And, a big thank you to everyone who commented or messaged through what they are reading and listening too. Always welcomed.

Finally, after a 6 month absence, I am again listening to Double J Radio, available via the internet, the app or digital radio..

 

Take care out there.

 

Colin