3 min read

A message from the President

Ok, well just when we thought the kick-off to 2020 couldn’t have gotten much worse, we have suffered the unwelcome birth of COVID-19 taking over the world like an 80’s Armageddon movie. TOTALLY INSANE!!! This week I have committed to dedicating no further energy for negativity and will be attempting to enjoy some of the benefits self-isolation and working from home will bring us all. Here are my top five COVID-19 “glass half full” benefits to keep me sane:

1. No Peak Hour Traffic

Typically I drive to Melbourne each day in hideous peak-hour traffic and am typically filled with rage after the 1hr 50mins journey. Nope - not anymore. For the unforeseeable future I will be enjoying the beautiful surrounds of my quiet surfcoast town in Victoria and partaking in regular beach walks and consumption of fresh coastal sea-breezes. Ok, so I know you may want to punch me now but seriously, most of the year you would empathise with my 18hrs of commuting so please, allow me this little gloat!

2. Home Improvements

I’ve attached a few images of the things we have done this weekend to make our home working space more serene. We painted the walls of our bedroom a cosy Dulux Wentworth blue (once Bauhaus minimalist white) which seems to have really given a kick to our prints and plants. I am lucky enough to have two office spaces to use and this weekend we did a mini make-over on both of them so we can stay sane over the coming weeks and months (insert awkward emoji).

3. Memes

If there is one positive I can take from the last few weeks is the sheer volume and quality of pant-wetting social media content in circulation. I have been saving up my favourites and have attached for your viewing pleasure (although no doubt you have seen them in high rotation anyway).

4. Leggings & El’ Natural

I’m not one to conform to social norms for the sake of it and I do proudly call myself a feminist but at the ripe age of 44, I don’t have the radiant skin I once did and do feel more human when I spruce up with a bit of make-up and actually blow-dry my hair (which is naturally mousey blonde and so thin my scalp is visible). The last few days, I have enjoyed my sans-make-up face state, the frequency of my pyjama bottoms, yoga pants and leggings. I’ve even held multi-person Zoom meetings “newsreader style” with a blazer and black T on top, and some daggy over-stretched leggings and Uggboots down the bottom. This is genius and I am not ashamed of adorning this attire during Covid-19 times. I do fear this may become a habit hard to break but for now….

5. Out of the woodworks…

I have heard from more people over the past 2 weeks than I have in 2 years! It has made me feel loved and of importance which has been reassuring. Of course, it also promoted thinking “Holy shit, I should call…. And reach out to…. And Skype…”

6. Take-away…

OK, I know I said top five but this is critically important. All my favourite restaurants down in the surfcoast are now doing free delivery or take-away and hell, what sort of community-minded person would I be if I didn’t support them and order copious amounts of Devonshire teas (not joking, I can do that now!), Italian, Japanese and Vietnamese? I have told my husband (who does 80% of the cooking) that it is our civic duty and therefore we must continue on this culinary path (insert wink and dancing girl emojis). I am anticipating significant weight gain and bank account depletion but at least I will be content and helping other small businesses stay afloat!

So this is how I will be surviving, and I hope you are too. Remember to be kind to yourself and to others. Meditate, breath and try to get outside for some fresh air and sanity. In coming weeks all of us at CWC will be looking to bring you all some new content via digital forums - be patient with us while we work out the best way to do this. Sending you all virtual toe-taps + elbow pumps!

- Amber Bonney, CWC President

Top five COVID-19 “glass half full” benefits to keep me sane