Lockdown ramblings

Puttalam sunset

Although this lockdown has been hard on most of us, there is no doubt that I welcomed this change of pace with open arms. It was a chance for me to destress and work on myself, concentrate on those around me and do the things I love like writing and painting! 

It is during this time that I became familiar with everything around me, the sounds in my surroundings, and the daily practices of my house that I would usually miss due to not being at home like the ritual of having a good hot cup of plain tea with a bit of ginger infused in it sharp at 10:30 a.m. 

As I sat down to write this article, I could hear the distant sound of the waves crashing into the Dehiwala beach, the sounds of the neighbourhood children playing cricket as the sun slowly set and the eerie tune of the ‘Choon Paan’ tuk-tuk fading into the distance. All of these sounds bring me waves of comfort as I go about my daily activities, making me contemplate how accustomed we are to them and how they magically blend into the background. 

Social media and technology

It is during the lockdown that I made the colossal mistake of downloading TikTok. As I scroll through the app, I tend to lose track of time, which is a huge hindrance to my productivity as I work from home. I have come to realise how much I depend on social media apps such as Instagram and Twitter to keep myself sane during the lockdown. I'm afraid that I will emerge from this lockdown as a social media addict with no confidence to interact with people in real life. But I can't be blamed either, since most of us keep in touch through these apps in this day and age, especially with the travel restrictions and lockdowns. But I yearn for the days when I can physically meet my loved ones and friends!While on the topic of technology during the lockdown, now let me tell you of some of the troubles that young people like me have to face during Zoom meetings and I think I can confidently say that I'm speaking on behalf of the entire young brown community! 

It's as if the entire household suddenly becomes aware of your presence as the very moment you begin the meeting. From siblings deciding to argue with each other in your room, to your mother deciding that it's the perfect time to have a little chat about this or that aunty, and let’s not forget the endless cups of ‘koththamalli’ that are brought just as you switch on your camera at a very official and important meeting.

The disturbances are endless and to search for a quiet place with no distractions, especially in a brown household, will prove futile. In addition to all of this you also have to deal with the endless vendors who scream “Maalu Maalu” or “Elawalu” at the top of their voice while walking up and down the neighbourhood! 

As someone who hosts and moderates many Instagram Live sessions and webinars for my workplace, I was utterly nervous that either my internet wouldn’t work (which was a whole other issue and still is) or that everyone on the other side could hear the happenings of my household.  

As a colleague of mine says, “The entire ‘jing-bang’ will decide to be a part of your professional life whether you like it or not.”

Painting

Dalgona coffee

No churn ice cream

A small break from the city

For a change of environment and pace from Colombo, my family decided that it would be lovely to go and spend a few days in my uncle's estate which is in Puttalam, so we travelled all the way there (these were the days we were allowed to travel across districts) and those were some of the most peaceful days I’ve ever had. 

All I did there was frolic in the sun, feed the smiley goats and walk around with my little basket to pluck fruits and flowers that I would arrange on our dining table afterwards. Coming back to Colombo I felt a sense of sadness as I knew I wouldn’t get the same peace and quiet that I enjoyed at the estate. But it was also nice to come back to a busy city where everything was familiar.

Bring on the entertainment!

It is during the lockdown days that I binge watched more shows than I ever did in my entire life! I re-watched ‘Gossip Girl’ like my life depended on it because, quite frankly, I had missed being immersed in that world and seeing how rich kids live their best lives. 

I explored new shows such as ‘The Umbrella Academy’ (I'd definitely recommend watching this!) and also shows such as ‘Emily in Paris’ (unless you’re very interested in following a young girl and her life in Paris, this show isn't for everyone!). I also painstakingly sat through four hours of Zack Snyder's ‘Justice League,’ which was definitely an experience to say the least, while also being terribly disappointed by the newest addition to the ‘Conjuring’ movie series! 

When it came to books and reading, I had more luck since I discovered a huge collection of Jeffrey Archer books in my mom’s library and I was preoccupied with reading as many Archer books I could get my hands on, my only regret being the fact that I didn’t stumble upon his collection of books before! I also read books by Dinah Jeffries and I am currently re-reading the entire ‘Shadowhunters’ series written by the talented and award-winning author Cassandra Clare. 

Culinary progress

I was also fortunate enough to dabble in a bit of cooking; even though my cooking skills are very basic, I was quite proud that I learnt how to make ‘no churn’ ice cream and the world-famous Dalgona coffee, while I also perfected my extensive lasagne recipe and perfected burgers. On top of all that, I submitted to the trend of baking bread and quite successfully baked my very own loaves with no help whatsoever!  

So I’m glad that my siblings and I emerged from this lockdown more prepared and ready to face the world with our great ‘culinary skills,’ which are sure to come in handy later in life. 

Staying safe

A few days back I eventually ventured out into the hustle and bustle of Colombo because I had to go to work and I was appalled and shocked to see the number of people who were also out there and at how many of them didn't wear masks! It terrified me because if we go on like this, we’re never going to beat this pandemic. Even though I was excited to step out of the house for the first time in around two months, there was a lingering fear which reigned over me like a cloud; it added to my anxiety that catching COVID was now more of a possibility since others were not being as careful as I wished they would. As a result I am quite worried about having to go out again.

Bringing my lockdown ramblings to a close (and I do appreciate all of you who read this far), I had a very productive lockdown and what I would take away from it all is that you have to adapt and change according to the situation – something all of us did, whether we liked it or not!