Corona Journal, 18 April: Day 34
9:30am Log on for my Italian lesson with M. Nobody is on the Zoom call for about 5 minutes when I log in’ eventually, M arrives in a sullen mood, all but dragged to the camera by his mum. Whereas last time he cried when the lesson ended, now he’s crying because the lesson has started. Can’t say I totally blame him. We make it through 30 minutes and then decide to leave it there for the day.
11am Doing a book edit in bed because boyfriend is playing xbox in the living room and I can’t concentrate with him shouting about airstrikes every 5 seconds.
12pm Think I will just rest my eyes for 20 minutes.
3:30pm Bollocks, not again.
5pm Remember the government press conferences? Remember the days when they marked the beginning of my evening, the time to begin drinking? Seems like years ago. I don’t watch them any more, I really preferred the earlier seasons. Don’t think much of the new writers, it’s all become a bit dull.
8pm Watching EurovisionAgain – this week they’re replaying 1997, which is the last time the UK won with Katrina and the Waves singing ‘Shine a Light’. Looks incredibly dated – I suppose it was 23 years ago – and is quite boring, with lots of ballads and none of the outrageous camp that characterises Eurovision now. The audience is really old and mostly seem to be in formal wear – and they’re seated. Friend in the #EurovisionAgain WhatsApp group says, ‘I can’t believe this was within out lifetimes, looks like it was made in the last century.’
8:10pm Takes us all a few minutes to remember that it was the last century.
10pm We suffer through anyway. I’m shocked to find myself not hating most of the outfits – I suppose fashion really does come back around. I mean, look at Katrina and Ronan here. I would wear either of those outfits.
10:10pm Incredible scenes as the presenters announce the introduction of “televoting” or “voting by telephone” which is being trialled for 5 countries. There’s also a great moment where the presenter explains that “pop” music is “popular with the youth”. 1997 was a simpler time.
11pm Well. I have spent the majority of the day editing a book which I love, sleeping which I love, and watching Eurovision which I love. So why do I feel so flat? Time for my Carrie Bradshaw moment, I suppose.
