What's up 2020, Corona Virus, and Other Updates
Last time this blog was updated was December 2019, finalizing my second Looking Back series, which was my memorable, once-in-a-lifetime solo trip to Japan just before I turned twenty (hopefully it's not gonna be the first and the last, tho)
Anyways, it's 2020!!! Do you know anyone who was excited about all their plans for 2020? Well, tell that guy that Mr.Corona says a big fat NO to them.
Today is May 26, 2020, around half a year after the first major outbreak in November and three months into this sort of partial lockdown here in Indonesia. Many businesses are still running, however, and we can still get take-outs from restaurants and diners or have them delivered. Malls are now open, though not at full capacity. People are going there mostly to buy groceries or order some take-outs. What I feel to be the biggest impact of this situation on me personally is that it has made me and other people like me unable to get our regular blood supply because people are afraid to go out, let alone donate their blood. As a result, much of my time these days is spent trying to find people who are willing to donate their blood for me and my friends. :(
At this point, I'm not sure how and when things are gonna go back to normal again. A pessimist by nature, I'm rather skeptical about the govt's decision to end the lockdown in June. I'm afraid a premature resolution to this problem, combined with the plausible negligence coming from misinformed citizens who might think that they no longer need to worry about the virus can lead to a second wave of outbreak, which will prompt the govt to apply another lockdown measure. Of course, I am in no position nor do I have the credibility to inveigh against whatever policy that the govt believe to be the best for us, since I am no expert in either economics, health, or political science. :( I understand, however, that this lockdown policy hurts the economy, leaving many unemployed and small businesses struggling to keep them afloat. Hence, it is imperative to reopen the economy immediately.
Regardless, I believe that there are causes for cautious optimism about an improvement in our current situation, and hopefully this quarantine, which many people are experiencing, gives us the opportunity to be grateful about the little things and reevaluate our life choices.
Speaking of which, 2020 has given me the opportunity to reassess the decisions that I have made in recent years, and encourages me to work harder.
I am now part of a small sound design team which consists of people who are very passionate about what they are doing. As of now, we are working on two animation series, one of which is currently being aired on national TV. At least, when I am gone there is something I can leave behind as a small legacy besides this poorly run blog ;D
Oh,I'd like to brag a little about one of my life achievements so far. So, I bought my own small studio apartment back when I was 24 with my own hard-earned money; fast forward three years and now by the end of November this year I will have finished paying the installments. I gotta be honest that the prospect of being able to be the master of your own house and having the liberty to do whatever the heck you want with is kinda exciting. We'll see.....
Here is a short list of things that I want to do before I kick the bucket. It's been unchanging so far.
- Watching L'arc~en~Ciel's concert - checked.
- Solo trip to a foreign country before turning 20 - checked
- Building my own gaming PC - checked
- Taking my family to explore Japan before turning 25 - checked
- Passing JLPT N3 - checked (Maybe N2 one day)
- Buying an apartment before turning 30 - checked
- Own an F&B business
- Visit Salar de Uyuni
- Live long enough to witness the end of One Piece - (So far still breathing)
- Buying a bigger house and live there with my own family - (still tryin ;()
The list above concludes this article. In the next article I'd like to continue my Hidden Gem series, which covers small and oftentimes unassuming restaurants and eateries that sell great and amazing foods.
See ya next time and hopefully you enjoy your quarantine *wink ;D