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This past week in the UK the virus has gone from a somewhat existential threat to something very real and life (or at least lifestyle) altering for everyone. It’s hard to think or talk about anything else and there’s a bit of a dream sensation to the whole thing as reality keeps shifting with every news update.
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Working from home already i’m detached from the day to day rhythm of life in London so it’s harder to notice things getting quieter, but I think it hit me on Friday, when I met Matt for coffee in Shoreditch. The Ace Hotel lobby is usually full by 9am but it was mostly empty seats. It felt like the last few episodes of Russian Doll when reality starts breaking down and people and objects start dissapearing until there’s barely anything left. Pretty eerie.
I noticed how the music sounded different in a space with less people in. Then this Brian Eno track came on and i’m not sure who chose it, but it felt very right in that moment.
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I’m writing this a 5.38am on Monday morning. I’ve had about 4 hours sleep. I’m hearing birds outside for the first time in a while. I’ve been trying Headspace again this week – mainly for their sleep tools rather than the meditations – but achieving a full nights sleep, even with campfire sounds on tap, has remained challenging.
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Finished The Outsider, which had a fine but mostly underwhelming ending. Rewatched The Martian on Sunday night, and started The Sopranos. With the amount of time i’ll be probably continue to spend inside, now seems as good a time as any to give it a go.
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I went to Cambridge on Saturday to get my stupid new tiny bike built by Bicycle Ambulance. It’s a small shop hidden inside a car park but is one of the best i’ve been too. Really nice guys who were able to throw together all the parts i’ve been accumulating over the last couple of months on to the frame within a few hours.
I visited the Fitzwilliam Museum whilst waiting and headed back to London in the afternoon. Would like to be more excited about a new bike but it feels hard right now!
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Difficult to predict what the outcome of all the things will be but I have continued with my Canadian PR application. I imagine things will tick away in the background but may be a lot slower than before.
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On the positive side of things, the new Caribou album is excellent. And it’s sunny outside. And this Tom Hanks podcast.
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Photo: Over the Strait of Georgia, my first visit to Vancouver with MetaLab 3 years ago this week, March 2017
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