My comments about what I referred to as "reverse burnout" certainly rang true with lots of people. So many people feel vulnerable at this time due to not being able to meet with others and generally being unable to enjoy what might be termed a "normal existence."
Below are just a few of the comments I received:
"I think lots of people have suffered this in the pandemic. Loss of autonomy, nothing much to look forward to and not being able to plan holidays and seeing friends or family to socialise."
"I haven't seen my mum or sister for a year now and have only seen my kids once this year.
Yes, burnout both mentally and physically."
"It varies day to day with no rhyme or reason. The bad days everything is an effort, if reading or watching TV can't concentrate. Then tired all the time."
"I so agree with you re “reverse burnout”, which has led to lethargy and lack of motivation."
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I found it interesting when watching my one news bulletin of the day (1 pm on BBC) to see that the doom and gloom has been softened. It seems to me as if the BBC have had an editorial meeting and decided that all the doom and gloom has been having a detrimental effect on people and it is time to concentrate on the good news i.e new vaccination centres being set-up. In a report on the pressures being put on the NHS the reporter stated that wards were "still busy" rather than the usual comments using emotive words like "overstretched," "chaotic" and many more.
Perhaps we are at last turning the corner and there are brighter days ahead. I celebrated by walking to Wymondham and back (about eight miles in total) and included with this blog are a few photos taken both in Wymondham and Hethersett over the past few days.
I took a few photos of the two Howes graves in Wymondham Abbey churchyard which I mentioned a few days ago. My cousin Belinda is researching these graves and I will have some details for you in a coming blog.
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A couple of days ago I watched a short You Tube video about a man by the name of John Adam who lives in what appears to be a warehouse on Norwich Riverside close to the music venue known as the Waterfront - somewhere I have been many times.
This was a very interesting video and there's a photo of the property with this blog. Mr Adam was interviewed and asked what brought him to Norwich. He answered that his parents are buried there and then said "Norwich crept up and owned me." At the end of the piece he said: "Waking up tomorrow is good. That will do me."
Simple philosophy but oh so true. My simple wish at the moment is to be able to walk around the city of my birth without fear and to eat in any of the excellent cafes and go to Cinema City .... but I mustn't get carried away.
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Phil Spector was no doubt a monster. But he was also a musical genius and as such I will mourn him.
I won't mourn his passing as a human being but as a producer of some of the greatest music in the history of pop/rock. Spector revolutionised the full on wall of sound that he pioneered. And he was responsible for the greatest Christmas album of all time not surprisingly universally known as the Phil Spector Christmas Album.