Mariner has spent the last ten days living alone. His wife went to California to help with our newest granddaughter. His wife returns tomorrow. Recent posts reflect what mariner observed during his own ‘shut in’ experience. Below are some firsthand observations.
• It was a good time to update mariner’s alter ego, Chicken Little. Contemporary history has eliminated innocence in daily life. No one is surprised at anything that happens today. But neither is there is any relief in looking forward. There seems to be no way back to cultural or governmental stability. The new alter ego is Nosey Mole – a survivalist. It is a time when one draws closer to the safe, close by values – neighborhood, family and helping to keep everyone alive.
• When Trump won the election, it was like tearing the scab off a large wound too soon. Mariner had a good idea what would transpire over the next 18 months. Challenges, abuse of public trust, plutocratic spasms and the dismissal of any moral obligation to a national democracy. He stopped listening to the news from every source. To this moment, the affairs of the world are unknown to him.
• Left only with non-news broadcasting, it became obvious that, in reality, there wasn’t anything worth watching. Mariner turned off the television except for select gardening shows and a few British mysteries. In a rare moment, he may find a worthy documentary. These educational documentaries are lost among the mishmash of entertainment from the last century and new broadcasts one has to pay to watch, as if the viewer were going to a sporting event.
• It was not hard to abandon the television. Entwined with social media and deep fake technology, there is no interest by broadcasters to support the moral good of the viewer. So what to do with his time? Fortunately, he virtually is a full time gardener. Given a full day’s length of time, the garden provided some distraction. Still, he became aware of the blank space in which one has only empty time. Having too much of this non-dimensional space is like taking opiates – there is no reality. It’s as if a ship lost its rudder but keeps sailing.
• Being alone on a continuous basis also distorts meals, sleeping patterns and daily chores. Breakfast is a slice of spam; a nap may last most of the day; daily chores are put off. (Mariner must admit that he knew his wife would return shortly so he kept up his daily chores for fear of negative judgment).
• There were a few opportunities to visit other people. Neighbors and relatives fed him and checked to see if he was okay. Fortunately, he has the Blog to exercise emotional perspective and to express his opinions. His final observation, however, is that for the moment, Nosey is right in staying close to what is personally important: survival.
Ancient Mariner