What is of LEAST value to you right now?
GEMMA: Nostalgia. I’ve recently found myself nostalgic for things I wasn’t even part of in the first place! There’s probably a German word for that.
SUSIE: The concept of "an office" (but not the communal aspects of an office).
MELISSA: The LEAST value to me right now (writing this from hotel quarantine) is hype. In the words of our grand-god-fathers of hip-hop, Public Enemy, ‘Don't believe the hype’.
BECK: Things. I wasn’t a big consumer of things anyway but I realise having my basics needs covered in a situation like this: food, shelter, water, sleep, love, everything else is a bonus. It also makes me intensely aware of others who for various reasons go without the basics.
Are you surprised by your reactions and behaviours to the situation? Why, or why not?
GEMMA: Yes, I’m surprised by how up and down I am. Having worked from home for the last five years, I didn’t think I relied as heavily as I do on everyday human interaction and on “having a light at the end of the tunnel.”
But also, I’m not surprised because I’m a natural planner and like to have a notion of where I’m headed. Chaos doesn’t really suit me but luckily, I live with someone who was built for it and is helping me navigate the situation with kindness and patience.
SUSIE: Not really. I think humanity has responded in its typical way, and it's reinforced the notions of 'critical mass' and 'common sense'.
MELISSA: I was in Vietnam when it all came to the fore in January. The country quickly went into lock down and I was working with a large team of people and we had to strategise and adapt. The situation changed literally every hour, we were getting changing directives from the Government. A lot of my reactions were around safety, and health of people and myself. There were many highs and lows. A grieving process. I was quite down last year and the COVID situation shook me out of that and I felt I wanted to be alive. I was super conscious of my health, I’d had a killer flu in January that may well have been COVID and was aware of the precarious nature of all we are and have.
BECK: Yes I am. From the beginning, I thought I would do more exercise, yoga, meditation and would have an indestructible daily routine. However, reality is messy. Living and working from home is hard. After a lifetime of conforming to a specific structure of living and working it is a challenge to pause and evaluate. After the initial shock wore off and I could purge the old operating system, I found it kind-of thrilling to be in a time of upheaval. The positives of this time is hearing and seeing more diverse voices and content; spending more time with family; seeing the environment flourish; witnessing people everywhere connect with their values.