It’s Narelle here. I hope and prayer everything is well in your corner of the world. In recent months we’ve all had to adjust the way we live to facilitate a safe path through the pandemic. I thought I’d share with you today an insight into my life in Australia.
My part-time job is classified as essential work.
It’s business as usual for me and I’m really thankful I have a job. I spend a lot of time driving around Canberra for work, and I’ve been having more lunch breaks in my car because our cafes and restaurants were only open for takeaway (aka. takeout). These restrictions are gradually being eased and physical distancing is our new normal.
I’ve remembered why I’ve never aspired to be a homeschooling parent.
The last few months have been challenging as I’ve juggled work commitments with assisting my teen daughter with her online schooling at home. Part-time schooling, with the majority of study time at home, is now the new normal because a full-time school timetable on campus can’t meet social distancing requirements.
Internet bandwidth is worth gold.
With my husband working from home, my daughter studying from home, and my son mostly at home, we have ongoing family negotiations regarding how we manage and schedule our various online activities.
The cat is the big winner.
Miss Daisy loves having everyone at home. The pampered princess sleeps on top of a bookshelf under a ducted heating vent and laps up all the extra attention at her convenience, lol. Yesterday morning she secured a front row seat near the ipad and watched her daddy play bass guitar in our online church service.
Debilitating migraines have returned.
From mid-March until last weekend it was illegal for me to see Mai, my amazing massage lady who, since October 2019 has helped me to manage my migraine problem. I was Mai’s first client on Saturday morning when she re-opened for business, and I was happy when I woke on Sunday morning without blurry vision and a migraine hovering.
Migraines mean minimal screen time.
Backlit screens, including phones, ipads, computers and television screens are migraine triggers. I’m rarely online or on social media at present, but I’m thankful I can still read ebooks on my Kindle and print books.
Migraines mean my fiction writing and publishing plans remain on hold.
I’m in awe of my writing friends who can continue to write and publish books despite suffering from migraines. The post-migraine brain fog I experience means I have trouble saying the right words, let alone putting together coherent sentences on a page to create stories. I continue to pray for contentment in my current season and wait on His timing to restart my writing schedule.
Attending USA writing conferences is not an option in the foreseeable future.
Australia has fared well in controlling the Covid-19 outbreaks, in large part due to international border closures and strict quarantine rules. Who knows how long our international border will remain closed? I haven’t been to a USA writing conference since ACFW in 2015, and I can’t see myself having the opportunity again until 2022 at the earliest.
Has the pandemic impacted your reading or writing time or your involvement in a hobby? In a good way or a bad way? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
A fun loving Aussie girl at heart, Narelle Atkins was born and raised on the beautiful northern beaches in Sydney, Australia. She has settled in Canberra with her husband and children. A lifelong romance reader, she found the perfect genre to write when she discovered inspirational romance. Narelle's contemporary stories of faith and romance are set in Australia and international locations.
I have been reading more, but I just see that as a bonus.
Lots of reading. A fair amount of writing, but it’s a first novel so what do I know? A very messed up sleep schedule. Really bad eating habits. Amazement at how God has met our needs with overwhelming faithfulness (in the face of job loss and ongoing health issues). I’m learning more about what I need to learn, which is a good thing. All told, I’m grateful for God’s love and care.
Miss Daisy looks menacing in the first photo. I am not really reading much. The first few weeks I struggled a bit at times from not going out much. I am watching more dvds currently (Stargate SG1) I found I needed something as there wasn’t much on tv except lots of news
I saw my DR today and said the shutdown and current restrictions have actually been good for me. I am only shopping a couple times a week and have found the music has been loud at the supermarket (it was actually lower on Saturday so hope that stays). But with the loud music and bright lights I can feel the migraine pain rising. (I have had to delay my botox treatment and will 2 months overdue when I finally have it in July). But being at home more the pain has been under control more than it has in years. Just being in the clinic today I felt the pain rise and it was the lights. I moved and it lowered.
Normally by now the pain is getting uncontrollable but being home more or keeping away from the shops its been really helpful (I am still doing church work at home which is very helpful).
Hi Mary, Yes, having more reading time is always a bonus. Thanks for commenting. 😊
Hi Lincoln, I’m glad to hear your needs are being met in these challenging times. Enjoy the journey of writing your first novel. Thanks for commenting. 😊
Hi Jenny, yes, the top of the book shelf is Miss Daisy’s territory that we don’t dare invade. Never separate a cat from their food or their heating vent, lol. I’ve also been trying to minimise exposure to loud music and bright lights, and I’m perpetually in trouble with my family for wanting to ‘live in the dark’. I hope the supermarket music stays at the lower volume and your migraine pain continues to be more manageable. Being at home more does have some advantages. Thanks for commenting. 😊
Hi Narelle! I’m praying for your migraines to be healed, so we can see more of your great books released. While the strict Covid rules have been a challenge here in New South Wales, and like you I’ve got new appreciation for homeschooling parents, I’m so thankful that Australia has escaped some of the horrific scenes we’ve seen overseas. My kids are now back at school, and life seems to be returning to a version of normal, which means my writing can resume (well, it never really stopped, just slowed a little) as we plan for my daughter’s next year at uni, and continue to train our new puppy in the way she should go!
Hi, Narelle! I am an essential worker as well, and with no children at home, life has not changed all that much forme. I have been doing the grocery shopping through instacart, more as a time savor than anything else really 🙄
I honestly haven’t noticed too much difference in life before and after, except that grocery shopping has become a scavenger hunt. You never know if you’ll find what you need or not. Last month, I had decided what I would make for dinner one night (and knew we’d have leftovers, which I love), and didn’t have one ingredient, Bisquick. I went to 4 stores before I found it! I almost did a happy dance in the aisle! Some things are getting easier to find, others are not. I’m reading about the same, maybe a little more,than I did before.
I have been having visual migraines that leave me feeling drained. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for sharing! I’m always interested to learn what its like in different countries, especially now. Things have quieted down quite a bit for us, but I have had more time to read. I’m grateful to God for technology that let’s us connect online. I hope your migraines recede more now since you can see your massage lady.
I know there will be some conferences online. Will the time difference allow you to attend or be too much of a hassle?
Congrats on your first novel! You learn so much about writing and story-telling through that first one, but it might be that the most powerful thing you learn is that you have the attention span and drive to tackle and complete such a large project.
At least it was for me. My first was such a mess I have honestly never even reread the whole thing. But I figured out what I most needed to learn and tackled that in my second, which also will never be published! I have seven “trunk novels” so maybe I’m a slower learner than most.
Nacelle,
I am So sorry about your migraines. My father had them and two of my 3 sisters gets them when they are stressed (too much). I was fortunate and didn’t receive that gene. I worked in a chiropractor’s office for 7yrs where a number of the patients were migraine sufferers. We were able to help them minimize the symptoms. The massage therapists had to close down their businesses here, but my “old” boss at the Chiro clinic was considered essential so she has been able to continue treating her “urgent” patients. And yes, some of her migraine sufferers had also been getting regular massages for the migraines, as dual treatments, and haven’t been able. Our massage therapists are still waiting for the “all-clear.” So hard.
Whatever allows you to de-stress, I hope you can do it as we try to remember that we have hope for better days. ❤️
If it’s really cold here in Sydney, must be absolutely freezing cold in Canberra – I’d want to stay home curled up under the covers there, brr! Luckily for me an angel once asked me if my migraines were caused by the weather, and for all the doctors couldn’t work out why I had them, yes that was it, so long as I take care to avoid the pressure changes from cold fronts I am mostly ok now, hopefully you will have an angel soon. Covid-19 hasn’t made much of a difference to me, except i do not appreciate the swabs (they mistake urti’s for possible covid-19) I have to take so that I can have tradespeople in or visit the doctor.
I’ve wasted too much time watching news. Now I don’t want to see it. Do you use computer glasses? I got them at my last exam, and they are wonderful. I’m so glad my optometrist recommended them.
Hi all, I’ve woken this morning with migraine – will catch up on comments later today or tomorrow. Thanks for understanding.
Thanks, Valerie. I’ve had lots of experience with large, creative projects in the past, so that aspect is not so daunting. As an avid reader with acting experience, I have been using my understanding of what would entertain me as a yardstick for the scene level work. What I’m learning about now are the big picture things like the development of believable conflict in the story and character arcs. It has been fun so far. I’m at 44k words just into the third act and I have planned out the final conflict pretty well. The tapestry, as a whole, has a good pattern. Connecting the threads along the way is the work right now.
it’s so hard to concentrate.
I have had headaches which I now know are migraines from changes in weather since I was a teen. Humidity is a killer for me. As soon as the barometer starts to go down I would get migraines, Also artificial heating if too hot will do it. (a wood fire is fine). But now I have them 24/7 and know weather will affect them but noise, lights, smells are a bigger trigger. Also being over tired doesn’t help. Went to the supermarket today and it again had very loud music and I left without items I was going to look for due to the noise. If they don’t lower the music I will pay more and go to foodland.
Thank you for sharing. I’m an university professor, so I’m the one coming up with lots of hours of teaching and assignments and tons of readings for my students, plus finding time to correct all that, give feedback and try to engage in any possible way. It’s been really hard, because all of the other work just started to be more demanding too (I’m hired for 40hours/week, but I feel like I’ve been working close to 50.. if not more; I’m afraid to time it.) I haven’t had time to do anything other than the bare minimum at home with 2 kids
(baby and toddler). I don’t usually have migraines, but I’m taking tylenol and other pain medication for tendonites that are now my companionship during work sitting in front of a computer all day.
My normal life hasn’t been affected too much, as I’ve always been a homeschool mom and a writer from home. The only two differences for us is no church and my husband has been home more. He is now being phased back to work more — next week should be his first full 40-hour week. I have noticed that it’s been harder for me to concentrate on my WIP, so I’ve been doing other projects. I actually went to Hobby Lobby the first day it opened (the day before Mother’s Day) and bought some watercolor pencils so I could do more creative hobbies. Those always seem to get my word juices flowing. Another unexpected change is that my neighbors are always home working on their yards, so it’s hard to find time in the day when I can record my audiobook — not because of my family but my neighbors! :D The other major change is that my sister across the country has been going crazy without being able to work or do college classes online. So these past 3 weeks, we’ve done a ton of Zoom chats, book club discussions, and Netflix Parties. It’s actually been fun. She started summer classes yesterday, though, so that will not be the norm anymore.
Oh, I wanted to echo what Toni Shiloh said. I have never been able to travel to a Writer’s Conference. But this year they are online, and I was able to join two. Perhaps you could do something similar?
Hi Carolyn, I appreciate your prayers for my migraines. I was in bed all day and evening yesterday with a terrible migraine, and I’m struggling with the brain fog this morning. It’s good that school is back and I’m glad your writing schedule is on track. Enjoy training your new puppy! Thanks for commenting. :)
Hi Paula, I’m glad everything is well with you. I’m not sure what Instacart is, but I’m glad it’s helpful. Thanks for commenting. :)
Hi Trudy, We had the chaos of panic buying of items like toilet tissue and hand sanitiser. Pantry items like flour, rice and pasta plus meat and milk were also on strict buying limits for many weeks. Fresh fruit and vegetables were thankfully not in short supply. I’m glad all that craziness is over. Thanks for commenting. :)
Hi Lucy, I empathise and send virtual ((hugs)). Thanks for commenting. :)
Hi Megan, I’m glad you have more reading time and can connect online. My migraines will hopefully calm down soon. 2020 has been a stressful year, which hasn’t helped. Thanks for commenting. 😊
Hi Toni, It will depend on which time zones are being prioritised. At this time of year 9am-5pm USA East Coast time is 11pm-7am in my Timezone. I’ll wait and see what’s on offer for the online conferences. Thanks for commenting. 😊
Hi Penelope, Thank you, and I hope your massage therapists can go back to work ASAP. I find reading a great way to destress, and I live in hope that my migraine issues will settle down soon. Thanks for commenting. 😊
Hi Dianne, yes, it’s cold and definitely indoor weather here. When my migraines are under control I can usually cope with weather changes. But, I’ll never forget one summer a few years ago driving back into Canberra via Yass. In Yass there was clear blue skies and we encountered a bad storm with torrential rain just before we reached Murrumbateman. Thankfully my husband was driving because I arrived home with a doozy of a migraine and went straight to bed. Those swabs do not sound fun. Thanks for commenting. :)
Hi Merrillee, I can understand why you don’t want to watch the news. It’s on my to-do list to go back to my optometrist for a check up. I’ve heard computer glasses can make a big difference, and I’m going to look into getting a pair. Thanks for commenting. :)
Hi Denise, yes, it is. There’s too much happening in the world atm. Thanks for commenting. :)
Hi Priscila, Your workload sounds crazy and I hope it calms down soon. I also hope and pray you’ll have relief soon from headaches and tendinitis. It’s on my to-do list to learn how to use dictation technology for writing. It’s so hard to avoid screen time, and it’s not easy to work and look after small children. Thanks for commenting. :)
Hi Lila, It’s definitely a different neighbourhood dynamic with so many people working from home. I see a lot more people out and about during the day walking or cycling for exercise. I hope you’ll find enough quiet time to work on your audiobook. I’ll investigate online conference options. Thanks for commenting. 😊