#Coronavirus: They cannot spin out of the fact that 29,491 people have died

The numbers do not lie

There is no need for extraneous analysis, just the facts of the numbers that do not lie and for all the sophistry, bombast, jingoism, exceptionalism, optimism that my government can offer with their deft prowess at spin and propaganda, the Coronavirus pandemic does not do bullshit.

Today, 693 souls were added to the dead, bringing those who perished at the ravaging menace of the pandemic to 29,491 people. This is now the highest in Europe, exceeding the Italian carnage by 113 and we were supposedly 4 weeks ahead of Italy for planning purposes and the same time behind not to suffer their tragedies. [BBC News]

 Courtesy of COVID19LIVE.INFO

The magnitude of the pandemic massacre is concerning, but the other figure for all sorts of reasons apart from death rates for confirmed testing running at 15.1% compared to Belgium’s 15.9%, more people are recovering everywhere except for the UK and the Netherlands.

A dearth of talent

I want to wish that in the time of the greatest need for competence, leadership, truth, and direction, the government of Boris Johnson has everything to face down this disaster even if in my view none of that cohort has any redeeming virtue of conduct or example.

Yet, the numbers do not lie, if as we have been told, time and again, they have been following the science that has been unable to save lives and where for whatever reason only 3.2% have been tracked to recovery.

It makes you wonder how long we can tolerate this travesty before there is an insurrection. The convenient slogan of Stay Home, Protect The NHS, Save Lives can only keep us sane, reasonable, and docile before we need good answers for the tough questions.

The way they see us

It is obvious when our policies and decisions are looked at from outside the UK, that we should have been staying home much earlier than the government decided, but having thought the public will not respond to that entreaty the government projected their penchant for dishonesty, lying, untrustworthiness, and hubris on us with the fear we would not trust them and so far, they still cannot be trusted.

Protecting the NHS would have been easier if the Brexit campaign promise of £350 million a week as plastered on their red campaign bus was true. They starved it of funds and readied it for privatisation leaving it at risk of being overwhelmed by the pandemic as tests and protection became a logistical catastrophe exposing the utter ineptitude of this government.

Blood on their dirty hands

Lives would definitely have been saved from infection by the Coronavirus if the government had acted sooner rather than attempt to bullshit their way through a threat that was more than a warning in February and a reality cutting a swathe through our population when a bumbling, fumbling, mumbling, stumbling, and crumbling buffoonery of an oaf flippantly said we should take it on the chin.

Blog - Thought Picnic: The vulnerable to be martyred to the Coronavirus in the UK

For each of the lives lost to the Coronavirus, especially those of frontline staff and the people left unprotected for so long in care homes, their blood is on the hands of these vampires, a war crime has been committed against the British through arrogance and rank incompetence, I hope we will not succumb to momentary amnesia when those responsible for this are called to account.

When I danced until the music came true

I danced all night

On a nominal scroll through Facebook and the things that get thrown in your timeline, there was a medley of lady singers that reminded me of the time I used to go clubbing almost 30 years ago in some rather sinister places in London.

Then, I danced and moved that my kidneys sometimes would have wondered why they were punished with the assemblage in my cavity. Like the words of Elvis Presley, they were definitely ‘All Shook Up!’. The dancing did keep me a little fitter but never dressed the developing stomach paunch.

The music of memories

Chart-topping performances from 1991 into 1992 were revisited by Robin S, Crystal Waters, and concluded with Ce Ce Peniston. However, the originals had me strutting my stuff like I had no care in the world, though it is rare to find clubs that lay out good Old School discs from the 80s into the 90s, like I have had to easily let my hair down in Paris or Barcelona.

This, like many of my other blogs come with memories, when I got my first Sony Walkman, I had Anita Baker, George Michael, and Madonna as my cassette tapes. Then the first vinyl record I bought after I acquired a turntable was Ce Ce Peniston’s Finally on the A-side with We Got A Love Thang on the B-side. I guess I played the A-side until the record was scratched, though it is better heard on a dancefloor than at home. [AZLyrics]

Finally, my dreams come true

I did not get a compact disc (CD) of any music until much later in the mid-90s, though, I cannot remember the first CD, I bought. Standalone DVD players after using my computer DVD drive came in 2003. Everything is now streamed, even books are shelved on devices than on bookcases, but the feel and smell of paper still have a good feeling.

However, back to Finally, the words made a lot more sense today, for it has happened to me, right in front of my face and I have pictures to prove that I cannot hide it. I found a man who gives me true love and it is more than it seems. We will get married at the earliest opportunity; the ceremonies will come after. I love you, Brian. Here’s to you.

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Thought Picnic: Don't confuse corporate trust for individual trust

The wolves at your meeting place

I cannot think of the number of times friends and acquaintances have informed of being swindled or defrauded by a member of the religious establishments, especially churches they attend.

Usually, the result of such ventures is without consequence or restitution, the scoundrel at worst gets excommunicated from the assembly as the church strives to exculpate itself from any responsibility situation whilst imposing on the aggrieved not to involve law enforcement.

Now, the church environment is unwittingly an enabler because parties to the venture would probably have never met anywhere else. However, the reason why these engagements occur are because the parties mistake the corporate trust of a place they attend and get spiritual guidance for the individual trust they should cultivate separately and individually for anyone they will do business with.

Never assume trust, check it fully

If they were entering into a business relationship in a completely secular environment, they will probably do all the due diligence and assess the bona fides of prospective partners. In the church, they dismiss this requirement for the assumption that every Christian is honest, responsible, true, and full of integrity.

This is how church people fall easy prey to people who can exploit the corporate trust to inveigle their way into your confidence that you let down your guard and by the time you know what is going on, you have lost so much and might even give up your fellowship in the said church because the support you thought you would get was not forthcoming when it mattered.

Meanwhile, the confidence trickster moves on to another congregation to exploit their gullibility. Rarely, do they get caught out or sanctioned. I am not saying don’t do business with church people, just be sure that you are not confusing the corporate trust the church confers on all visitors with the individual trust that needs to be properly ascertained of individuals, and ensure you have independent references of character and probity from sources unconnected with the church.

Just a thought I needed to put down and document after a recent conversation. Extend this thinking to how you deal with old schoolmates, work colleagues, club memberships and other kinds of acquaintances including family. You must conduct essential due diligence, don't take it on trust.

A willing rapscallion averse to chopping onions

Chop! Chop!

The onion is a versatile vegetable that always makes an appearance in my cooking. The processing of the onion is, however, a fraught process of looking for convenience over tearing eyes when chopping them.

By the time I got the chopping of onions down to an art, I was walking down Oxford Street in London and at one of the entrances to Selfridge’s a man was demonstrating the use of a mandolin. This was long before we had a QVC television channel where someone told you everything you could do with a saucer, absent of the teacup. I watched it happen.

Perfecting the chops

We exchanged £15 for a mandolin and that was probably that last time I chopped onions with a knife for a very long time. I just never found any more fun in manually chopping onions, whilst using a mandolin allowed me to prepare onions I could use for days, by chopping large quantities and keeping the rest in the fridge.

That also presented a few other issues, the onions that were not chopped, kept in the larder for weeks either shrivelled or began to bud, if I had a garden, I should have planted the budding onions. Along with the ones that took on the rot, they all ended up in the bin. I was wasting onions.

Yet, I do like fresh scallions or spring onions, I would readily chop them, but they are never good after a day of storage.

Outsourcing the chopping

Then, the other day, I was in my local and saw a pack of prepared vegetables Diced Onion going for a song. To that point, my life of chopping onions became a closed chapter. Where I could not find prepared vegetables, I was the very last resort if I could find no one to help me out. In Cape Town, Brian readily offered that service. I remember when I asked Kola, he came to some harm whilst using the mandolin or the knife, I think.

My quest for conveniently pre-prepared onions have not ended though, as in the ethnic shop, a few weeks ago, I found large bags of Crispy Fried Onions, I bought two, though what I would want flour, salt and oil in my onions before use in cooking somewhat escapes me. The only advantage is I do not have to freeze it like I do the Diced Onion or see the budding of fresh bulbs.

Now, some might dismiss this all as being lazy, I guess there are times you do not want to be bothered with certain things. Chopping onions is, for now, something I can do without.

From my heart out of a lonely place

Unselfish but reflexive

There is an independent streak in me that puts up a rather stoic front, as I strive to listen to others without inserting my own story into their situation usurping their need for succour for my need to be heard.

However, it was interesting to engage in a conversation about the lockdown where experiences of returning home to a full house had its issues, but it called for some reflection as there were people in lockdown alone in singledom, denied or unable to be with partners, lovers, or family out of circumstances beyond their control.

Between making the best of human interaction with present loved ones and handling communication hamstrung by distance and outside of remediation because of international strictures, the former is a greater blessing. When I say I pine, the feeling is deep even though the words I need to express it are nigh on impossible to find for writing in a blog or speaking on a video conference.

Say a little prayer

My heart and mind is in and at a place, buoyed on by memories and moments of happiness and contentment, the place is Cape Town, the person is Brian, the promise we have made to each other is whatever comes, our future is together and it would be in a place of our choosing for our convenience.

There are things we cannot see beyond the present as to how these things will come about, but this is a journey we have started and with providence and good fortune on our side, we would see to a fitting and happy conclusion. Count the blessings of being in bosom of those you love and say a prayer for those who cannot and most especially for those who are still trying to find somebody to love.

From the deepest part of my heart, earnestly, I say, “Grow this man as you grow me and more in blessing and opportunity that he will have the wherewithal to seize and make the very best of the amazing potential he has in him.” I say a little prayer you, Brian.

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Thought Picnic: Welcomed into a changing world of work

Reading much about it all

The welcoming party had neither sound nor sight, but in the confines of my email inbox with the burgeoning volumes of documentation that were the materials of any intensive induction.

All half a century of documents in all, I was about to be inculcated and indoctrinated, by the time I had finished poring over them and signed the requisite documents, I should have been acculturated into the organisation, not noticeably dissimilar from others.

In the majority of the day past and today, finding and linking references, my beady eye sometimes finding agreement and contradiction, obsolescence, acquiescence, and supersedence whilst resisting the pedantry of identifying and notifying of my observations.

An altered life at work

Yet, in these times, we are not in the normal circumstances that allow for face-to-face meetings, we are remote, away, at home, interacting through media to set up new relationships. Agents distant but involved, managers commanding and effective, specialists implementing solutions from afar impacting the run of the organisation, changing it from within.

The new world of work would no more be at desks but through screens, comportment, decency, and presentation making up for communication where the subtleties of traditional interaction with the reading of body language along with reactions is lost. To demonstrate import, intention, and passion, nuance would demand a better use of words and mannerisms. We are feeling our way into this new experience and I think it would be interesting.

Walking through adversity is life indeed

Suffering to smile

Eight years ago today, I handed over the keys to my home of 10 and a half years to a young couple who in the tailwind of the global financial crisis bought it for 75% of the what I paid for the place. It was my castle until cancer came and took away the means of my sustaining that life and lifestyle. It was a dip or maybe a depression in an otherwise successful life, but that was not my first encounter with adversity.

Blog - Thought Picnic: It's Goodbye to Oostelijke Handelskade 1121

As I left, I was given a whole house to stay in for two months, rent-free, then a young Indian family took me into their abode for another month and a half before they helped me back to the UK. I was living a part of Psalm 23 that was not comfortable but still life-affirming. I was walking through the valley of the shadow of death, the way from one area of green pastures beside the still waters to another known to the shepherd.

I do not fear adversity

There were days I did cry at what was happening to me, but I did not despair, like the Prodigal son, I decided the Netherlands had no more to offer me and found it best to return to the UK. Within 6 days of my return, I had an exciting new job, having been out of work for 20 months.

I was like a prophet in the wilderness, yet, ravens came with sustenance and angels in the form of men heaped into my bosom. Amid nothing, I lacked for nothing, the Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.

When I read my story repeatedly, I have had plenty and had little, it is life as a story that is in no way ordinary. I am not afraid of adversity for it is the road to prosperity when the sheep have exhausted the plenty they need to be herded to new pastures. There is no guarantee that getting there would be devoid of dangers, in fact, it is fraught with the unseen and the unknown, only courage, confidence, and determination can get you there.

Steady into eddies

I reviewed the past two years and found that my turnover in the last year was 51% less than the previous year. I had the security of a contract, but no assignments I could bill. I listened to the sweet tongue of managers who promised much and delivered little. My business suffered and, in the end, because they had nothing to offer, we parted ways.

Just as things were looking up, I fell ill and it took almost a month to regain my strength. Then the Coronavirus pandemic took hold, people were losing their jobs, getting furloughed and living in despair. These were the worst conditions in which to look for work and even if you did get any, you could not be expecting good rates either. That is how things looked on the face of it.

Suddenly, green pastures appear

I was walking through another valley of the shadow of death, keeping my nerve not to fear any evil and continuing in the assurance that the Lord my shepherd is always with me, comforting me that this also shall pass because we need to pass through the wilderness, valleys and dangerous places to get to green pastures and still waters anew.

Yet, dire as things seemed, pressures coming from all sides, bills mounting like mountains with sheer cliff faces you can never attempt to scale. I get a call, and without interviews, just a discussion and they liking my CV, I’m in a new job retaining quite close to the rate I had before.

Nothing I could have planned or negotiated, it was a table prepared before me in front of the enemies of my soul weighing anxiety and adversity heavily on me, still, I triumph with my cup of joy, victory, and prosperity running over. I am conditioned to expect plenty in the time of famine. The circumstances around me do not determine the outcomes I intend to enjoy.

I am a story to be told of life, that we must traverse many things, but never lose hope; we will encounter adversity, but that is not the end; we would come through it all by means that we would never be able to explain apart from knowing that we are destined to have goodness and mercy follow us all the days of our lives.

Psalm 23 (KJV) [Bible Gateway]