Today I have been feeling really annoyed with the UK media, saying that today is Day 100, when actually it is Day 99!
I first became aware of this, when I received a message on a WhatsApp Group saying “Happy 100th Day of Lockdown”, I found myself doing a quick internet search to see that it was everywhere and then replied to the group with a long message, saying it is not the 100th Day, but the 99th Day!
I then worried, that perhaps I had somehow missed a day with my daily blog. My ritual when I start the blog, is to open a new page for today’s blog, then open another page with yesterday’s blog, copy the title of yesterday’s blog and paste it into the new page and change the number by one. I always double check when I have published the blog on my website, that the previous blog was the day before.
But worrying about this, I counted from the days, from Monday 23rd March, which was when Boris made his announcement. I concluded it comes down to when you count as Day 1. It was Monday 23rd March at 8pm that Boris made the announcement – I just looked through my friend Kenny’s WhatsApp messages knowing I had messaged him just after the announcement finished at 8.33pm.
So the question is, does Day 1 start the day after the announcement or on the day of the announcement? In my first blog, Days 0-3, I called Monday 23rd March 2020 as Day 0. Did I get it wrong? This has been the question that has been on my mind all day.
I remember on Day 79 on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show, that I woke up suddenly as a boy was telling a joke as “Joke 78 on Day 78”, which I spotted was wrong. But then on Day 80, another boy told a joke as “Joke 80 on Day 80”, which to me was correct – well in my eyes.
I would argue, that Day 1 started on the first full day of lock-down, not the day last 3.5 hours of the day before. I mean, although we knew we were in lock-down, did it feel any different? Apart from being in massive panic, well I was!
So I pose this to the Blog Community (Brayshaw, MJ, 2020) to discuss and debate.
A few articles to consider –
This article starts with “Tuesday marks the 100th day since the UK went into lockdown.”.
But is that strictly true, because a day is 24 hours long, not just 3.5 hours long! Wednesday marks the 100th day since the UK went into lock-down.
THE MIRROR – https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/how-100-days-coronavirus-lockdown-22280337
The Mirror starts with “We have lived in lockdown for 100 days, life before March 24 a distant memory.”.
This gets more confusing, as it says “lived in lock-down for 100 days” – BUT “life before March 24th”….suggesting that lock-down did not start until March 24th, but announcement was on March 23rd – which means tomorrow is Day 100 not today!
THE INDEPENDENT – https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/coronavirus-uk-lockdown-100-days-events-boris-johnson-a9591841.html
The headline of this article is “UK reaches 100 Days in lockdown”. But goes on to say “today marks 100 days since Boris Johnson announced the UK was going into lock-down”.
The headline is wrong, the words after are correct.
BBC NEWS – https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-england-53177496
This article says “It’s remarkable to think that we’re here marking 100 days since we were told to stay at home to protect the NHS and save lives”.
Clearly he is acknowledging that it’s 100 Days since we were told of lock-down, but does that mean it is Day 100?
Interestingly, it is saying 100 Days of lock-down in England, not the UK! I had to think for a moment, whether Scotland, N. Ireland and Wales are classed as now being out of lock-down!
EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS – https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/health/coronavirus/shielding-holidays-spain-how-edinburgh-coping-after-100-days-lockdown-2898718
The article starts with “Edinburgh is slowly returning to a form of normality after 100 days of lockdown“.
My argument again, is that a day is 24 hours long, NOT 3.5 hours long!
I am left wondering, why did they start all these articles today and not tomorrow? Were they short of news? Ultimately, it has misled people into thinking today is Day 100, when I would argue it is not!
What do you think?
Interestingly, The Guardian doesn’t seem to have any article about this at all! Maybe they will include this tomorrow, in the correct day?!
The other reason that I am getting so worked up by this is that Day 100 (tomorrow) I am going to make an important announcement about the future of this blog. I made the decision, in the Day 60s, so I have been waiting a long time for Day 100!
So make sure you read tomorrow, on DAY 100 😉
Poetry Corner
Another poem that I wrote during my mental health nurse training.
This was written during another lecture on Spirituality (like yesterdays poem on Day 98).
It was written about my friend Mark, who had previously told me how much he liked the female lecturer. I wrote the poem, whilst sitting next to Mark, observing his mannerisms, imagining what he was thinking. I changed the first line from “purple suit” to “casual suit” in case someone recognised the identity of the lecturer!
I am quite fond of this poem.
The Student
He longingly gazed, her casual suit,
Transfixed on her face, eyes and legs.
Her voice so soft, teeth so white,
Oblivious to the class, lost in space.
She makes a joke, he chuckles to himself,
Her humour, kindness, just full of love.
She asks a question, he answer out loud,
Her knowledge, language, views are superb.
In fantasy it’s real, she seems so nice,
Unmarried, single, they get on so well.
In reality she’s a lecturer and maybe attached,
And probably hardly notices him, in this big place.
Readers Corner
My mum was saying yesterday that she really liked ‘The Cat’ poem on Day 97. She said she had written a comment on Facebook saying this, but I couldn’t see it anywhere, until she exclaimed that she had forgotten to press ‘Post’. So I thought I would mention it here anyway.
She also said, that she wondered how I ever past my mental health nurse training as it seemed that all I did was write poetry!
It Made Me Smile
I must admit, back on Day 86 I thought this section had been tried out, but had failed so I was going to scrap it. It was thanks to Matt on Day 87 that complained that this decision had not been put to the Blog Community (Brayshaw, MJ, 2020) that it was saved. Now it is thriving!
Two posts today, one from myself and one from Fi.
Fi
Fi sent me a photo saying it had made her smile, that she took of the Canna Cat’s Galour, she wrote:
“All our Cat Gu Leor have their masks ready for the return of the tourists 
“.
She included a Facebook link about the Canna Cat Gu Leor – https://m.facebook.com/CannaCatsgalore/?_rdr
Me
Today, the postman made me smile. I had ordered some new running shoes last week online – the ones I have been running in are all worn down and probably not so good for my feet. As I am now running a lot more, I thought it would be good to buy a new pair.
I was walking up my street, with Honey the Dog and saw the postman. Knowing that in lock-down they don’t post a card through your letterbox saying you need to pick up your parcel from the Post Office Collection place (which is miles away), instead just keep coming back until you are in – I asked him if he had a parcel for me.
I was nowhere near my house (well apart from in my street), but he looked at me and then rattled off my address. I didn’t have to give my name or anything. He then handed me the parcel, no need to even show any identification!
It totally made me smile, that the postman knew who I was – even with my lock-down beard! It made me realise, that the postman probably takes note of who he delivers to and not just a job which he doesn’t care about.
AND it made me smile, that I had new running shoes that I wore this afternoon 🙂
Twenty-Five Day Push-Up Challenge
Day 12 – half way through the challenge!
Today it has been cold. I had a lovely 6km run this evening, running really fast. My new running shoes clearly has helped!
This evening on our bedtime walk, the graveyard was really still. I wondered whether it was in fact because I was feeling still within myself, maybe? I also noticed there was no traffic and it was quiet, which always reminds me of the beginning of lock-down.
There was a lovely formation of clouds, on the edge of a sunset, but not quite. In fact, when out on my run on Arthur’s Seat the clouds were amazing! I tried to capture them with photos, without success, so just enjoyed them myself.
So, as I come to the end of today’s blog, it has been interesting to research and ponder on what makes up a day and whether today is Day 99 or Day 100.
What I have realised is that I have so much love writing this blog throughout lock-down. It has given me a routine, a record of what has been going on and the ups and downs of my struggles. I am always on the look out for a photo to take to include in the blog and really enjoy sharing them with you.
At times, it has not been easy to put myself out there, wondering if I am being too open and showing my vulnerability. I have been touched by the many readers and all your lovely comments.
It’s great to see how it has grown, with all the sections and input from you all. I must admit, it has been hard at times, staying up so late every night, knowing that I have to get up early for Chi Gong in the morning, but also loving it too. Honey the Dog has established a split-bedtime routine, she goes to sleep when I start writing the blog, then goes to bed proper when I have finished it!
I love doing research on areas I would never have looked up – I found myself quoting the other weekend to a group of folk, the theory around why we say ‘Red Sky at Night, Shepard’s Delight…Red Sky in the Morning, Shepard’s Warning”. I would never have looked that up and remembered it if I had not been writing this blog.
I’ve always wanted to write a regular blog, never thought I would do one daily! I was talking to Matt a wee while ago and he asked me when I started the blog if I realised it would go on for so long. I honestly, didn’t think about how long I would write it, just got on and wrote it.
There has been the odd occasion when I haven’t wanted to write it, but I think not drinking alcohol really helps. I haven’t drank alcohol since 12th March, so this has really helped me keep it going.
Anyway, tune in tomorrow for the Big Announcement on Day 100.
Thanks for your continuous Reading.
Lots of Love
Jim xxx