Knock knock . . .

The essential difference between knocked down and knocked out is the presence or absence of resilience. In our present crisis we see them both. Many literally are knocked down or knocked out. When knocked down you get a hit but will be back on your feet again to hit back. When knocked out you need others to take over caring for you, buying you extra time to later recover on your own strength again. Being knocked out does not mean you have no resilience. It means your system has been affected too much to be able to use your resilience. It simply is an unfair battle against an extremely sophisticated and ruthless player with lethal methods to knock you out, or worse, take you out, adding you to the list of victims. Resilience only can exist when still being the one in control, physically and mentally.

Jungle

Today was the day I had to do my weekly shoppings. When I left my house I made a joke telling my husband I was heading to the jungle and hoped to not be eaten by the wild animals because shopping has become a survival tour. This is how it went and felt:

- Tape on the ground, outside and inside for when there is a queue and for keeping the correct distance (handy but so, err . . . unnatural)
- A DIY cleaning or employee doing it for you cleaning of the shopping cart.
- Once inside you feel like having to pass an exam for navigating in the right way.
- People who enter without a cart are being summoned to take one.
- People who walk away from their cart also are being approached to please stay with their cart.
- Employees not allowed anymore to hand something I cannot reach.
- All employees wearing vests with warnings.
- No music through the speakers but a repeating warning /instruction message.
- Everyone watching each other with faces that either look concerned, suspicious or scared because who knows you have IT!
- But also apologetic looks because feeling uneasy with having to keep distance and treat each other like being a potential murderer.
- Waiting when it is crowded or taking a detour really is a new choice now in the supermarket.
- And, ooh only 2 little bottles of soy sauce left. Dare I take both or will they all be angry at me when I do? How does that look in my cart, more than one of a product. Ethics in a supermarket where ethics never really was a thing.
- Then when at the desk for paying you feel like standing in the way too long because not fast enough with getting all your stuff.
- When back at the car you worry about having touched all kinds of contagious surfaces and supplies others may have touched as well.
- Very aware of not touching my face due to that.
- Cleaning my steering wheel and other parts after parking at home.
- Unpack all, clean door grips, kitchen grips and fridge grips.
- Cleaning hands and then . . . FINALLY!! COFFEEEEEEEE
- While drinking my coffee realising I am happy to be free of shopping for another week. And it was not even really busy this time.

So yes, it IS a jungle out there for real. Not with animals to watch out for, but the human species to watch out for. For a few moments I felt like living in a future world with humans being exposed to threats they cannot control anymore but all trying to stay cool with safety measures. I can imagine people will develop certain anxieties now or later like agoraphobia or compulsive disorders like excessively washing your hands, to feel safe even when not unsafe anymore. I do not expect to be one of them as for now, but having a history of an OCD related disorder and an anxiety disorder I know all too well how things can get out of hand when too much pressure at the wrong moment, or just having bad luck in how your brain works apparently. This brings me to the next chapter. It is a better chapter than a chapter on me snapping at each and every one I suspect of not respecting the rules. Making my personal list of corona criminals in my new and constantly changing jungle territory is a bit pathetic and useless anyway :)

Chumbawamba

Chumbawamba was a British rock band, formed in 1982, ended in 2012. Their anarchist-communist or libertarian socialist political stance exhibited an irreverent attitude toward authority, and the band has been forthright in their stances on issues including animal rights and pacifism (early in their career) and later regarding class struggle, marxism, feminism, gay liberation, pop culture, and anti-fascism.

One of their songs, Tubthumping, I got to know via via instead of through the music stations back then. The song was used in a bad quality but hilarious video on marines landing on some beach and things not going quite well after that. Watch and listen for yourself.

Today I stumbled upon that movie again after a chat in Second life with Dr. Nax on army things. I hope our marines do better than this by the way, but well, no one is perfect …

I never looked up the song before but today I felt like doing so. And maybe because all feels different these days, from shopping to talking, from music to reading and from sleeping to being conscious, but the song, as simple as it is, fits in where we are now. It talks of resilience after being knocked down. If given the chance and ability to call upon your own resilience I think it can be considered the best way to overcome something sad, stressful or bad, exceptions there of course.

Therefore I give this song attention today. To show we are knocked down, but not knocked out. To keep hopes high in bright minds and experts and in all of us together. We will beat it, even when mistakes were and are made. I have a strong feeling (or is it self-reassuring hope to feel ok?) the world will look different when we sing again on being the ‘winners’. No winners without losers is a cliché, but so present now on a worldwide scale, it just cannot pass as if nothing happened and no need of changes in making choices on essences of our lives. To do so, getting up again has to be the spirit. Not only or solely because it maybe is a duty you have to perform (for many it will be impossible probably), but because there is no better alternative to resist and revive. Now, at this moment we are sort of trapped in confinement. I personally have no issues with confinement and am used to be at home, away from people a lot, even like that, just the reason why is scary this time. After having been the destructive ones for so many years and with no or hardly any price to pay we now all know how it feels to be the one at risk for being destroyed. Sounds like a wake-up call to me for all of us. Not only the ones far away in some government seat. Let’s use our energy to beat the hell out of all destructive things we do and cause. Resilience for president, with Reconstruction as vice president, in all of our minds. So, let this be a viral message if you like, no vaccin needed and free for all:

We’ll be singing
When we’re winning
We’ll be singing
I get knocked down
But I get up again
You’re never going to keep me down

We’ll be singing
When we’re winning
We’ll be singing

I get knocked down
But I get up again
You’re never going to keep me down
I get knocked down
But I get up again
You’re never going to keep me down
I get knocked down
But I get up again
You’re never going to keep me down
I get knocked down
But I get up again
You’re never going to keep me down

Pissing the night away
Pissing the night away

He drinks a whisky drink
He drinks a vodka drink
He drinks a lager drink
He drinks a cider drink
He sings the songs that remind him
Of the good times
He sings the songs that remind him
Of the better times:

“Oh Danny Boy
Danny Boy
Danny Boy…”

Pissing the night away
Pissing the night away

“Don’t cry for me
Next door neighbour…”

Pissing the night away
Pissing the night away

We’ll be singing
When we’re winning
We’ll be singing

Just in case

In case you fear to forget the message there is a cure. A very repetitive 10 hours mix. It will increase your OCD maybe, but we all have to give and take something huh :) The one who created this mix must be a little mad, but it made me laugh and is a good way to end this blog.

Oh and the lead singer is preparing a movie on his time with Chumbawamba with the surprising title ‘I get knocked down’ :)

Knock knock . . .

Jungle

Chumbawamba

Just in case

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