Diary Entries

Corona has driven me CRAZY, my internet will not load so my online games will not load. I turn on the TV every morning and boom there it is the word that is stuck in our head Corona is all I hear. My dog has been enjoying the time for he starting to get more fat with all the food we have been giving him. "THEY'RE DROPPING LIKE FLIES" says the doctor who is trying to live while trying to save others lives. But at last the dark tunnel is finally turning grey we are almost there Australia has made it. Maybe things will be back to normal soon.

2020 started with lots of chatter but as Corona started we all got separated in quarantine, some people got stuck in states, some people got stuck in hotels, some people got stuck on cruise ships ... and I got stuck at home. I went outside with my friends, we were normally playing tag but most times we were doing dirt jumps. My family also got chickens because of the lack of food, we didn't eat the chickens but we did eat the eggs. It took a while but corona seems to be finally behind us, but yet it is also in front of us, now its more like the US protest and stuff like that. All I know is that even though were back at school, it is still boring.

I don't like Corona-virus, it is the most annoying thing that has happened to me in my life. I have been at school every day even when everyone else has been at home. I am going to high school next year and COVID-19 made my last year at primary school deranged. Everyone is back at school now, and everything in the previous paragraph was from the last term and a half. I have seen all my friends after the big wait. Although I thought that peoples attitude had changed at one point but everyone was the same as before. I like to read, so I'm annoyed that the libraries are shut. I also don't like the closed swimming pools. I am not use to sanitizing and washing my hands this much as well. I know that Corona will die soon and we will all be alive. I hope that I can enjoy the last pieces of my weird year 6.

12:00 am on News Year Day that is when I thought that 2020 was going to be a great year but no at 7:00 am on News Year Day I walked under a ladder and that's what made this year bad. And then it started mask, hand sanitiser and gloves. What is this what's happening? That's when I stopped going to school, stopped seeing my friends and had to do home learning. When we did see people not from our family we had to be 1.5 meters away, like what's that going to do except make it hard to hear each other. Anyway it was really hard being at home all the time but it was also good like I got to spend time with my family, my dog, my cat ... and my pig. Now it's back to nearly normal, I'm back at school and I'm allowed to see my friends. I'm just happy that we are nearly normal ... but my pig is not.

ISO-diary Most people didn't like self-direct learning, while I loved it and learnt heaps of stuff. My mum said that only some people have the talent of teaching themselves, it is called autodidactism, I am proud to be one of them. While also learning heaps, I have kept on the bright side of things and become a more mature, calm person. I have also learnt to speak in a solemn manner. I have found out something I am really interested in, space, NASA and astronauts. I discovered if I want a job like that, I have to try my best all the time. I was also thinking last night, how I would miss my friends if I worked in America for NASA. Also, we have completed heaps of stuff in isolation that we have been meaning to do for ages. Like, paint the tank, start the vegetable garden and weed the rose garden. We have also made a little but pretty walk through one of our gardens. Through this tough time I have survived.

2020, the epitome of universal boredom, beginning of a slow shared social skill degeneration and basically the year when everything went to Hell. The year began with parties worldwide, a new decade, lots of jokes and prosperities. Then, in the true fashion of Earth and everything human, the madness began. First came the bushfires across Australia, destroying homes and monuments nationwide. This was followed by the chance of a third world war, volcanic eruptions in New Zealand and floods in Australia. Then, by a cruel twist of fate, the Coronavirus. Need I say more? As most probably know, the COVID-19 pandemic was succeeded by a global lockdown in an attempt to control the spread of the virus. During said lockdown, I experienced many things. At the dawn of it, like many, I decided to do something with my appearance. I slit my eyebrow, got my mum to cut my hair and nearly cut bangs. A direct quote from someone, "Before you grow bangs, grow a larger forehead,". That stung. By now, online schooling had started. For the first few weeks, this was extremely difficult as I was experiencing a lack of focus and motivation. However, by not being occupied, I found time to go on long runs and jogs and do a lot more boxing and fitness. See teachers- not doing work pays off. Just kidding. Sort of. After the initial few weeks passed, I got accustomed to online schooling and working from home and slipped back into my routine. Also during lockdown, I wrote a short story, painted my room and made art. My parents also experienced extreme boredom thus began seeing everything missing in our house. They painted walls, varnished wood and built a bunch of stuff. Their prospective careers as tradies are looking pretty good about now.

MY FIRST COVID LONG DISTANCE JOURNEY Part II Continuing on the progress of my travel's reverie of the country road less travelled: I love the slithering run of the train wheels trailing the zigzag railway lines as they move, passing every tiny towns until the vast farmlands that cover the endless far horizon come into view. Tracks of farm-work are evident on the clay coloured surface of the land. Farm houses are rarely visible and are mostly shielded by windbreak screens of tall pine trees. It's a scenery of solitary farm life nestling on peak hills and slopes away from a contrasting life of the hustle and bustle of the big city. I love the clear blue skies with clouds drifting by, the bright glaring sun, the warm breeze and sometimes scorching heat in spring and summer; the changing hues of the leaves, the nude trees, the cool refreshing air in autumn; the rain, the freezing chills, sleets and snow that creates picture perfect of a wonderland at winter time. I love the peace and quiet, the serenity and tranquility of the countryside over-all. As I only rely on public transport, I welcome the luxury of the thought that travels are not limited to age and mobility. You will find the easy going passengers around you. The friendliness and helpful service of the crews who make your trip pleasant and comfortable. They do show genuine concern of the traveller's welfare. They care for the less mobile who apparently are also showing delight and appreciation of their service. And the orderliness of its aura. Solo travel anywhere in Australia gives me a sense of wonder. I am always in awe of its mystifying, unique beauty so different from other countries. There's no other continent in the world as diversified as Australia.

MY FIRST COVID LONG DISTANCE JOURNEY My coming trip to Orange is full of exciting anticipation. For one thing, I will visit my third grandchild for the third time since her birth. The family will celebrate her First Birthday on Sunday. She's my eldest daughter and partner's first child. As travel bans are now lifted, this is going to be my first long distance trip away from the city under the C-19 period. Though I favoured a relaxing nightly travel, I also find the smooth chug of early morning train exhilarating. So morning it will be, in a cold chilly 9-degrees Celsius forecast otherwise a sunny day later on Friday. All these travels in "unholy hours" are in fact the most sacred times to go which perchance make you able to free your mind from worries and strain of uncertainties where this world is heading to. The atmosphere around the globe is suffocated with fake news and false rhetorics of the insane minds. I just take everything with a grain of salt. Part of the restrictive measures by Trainlink stated that passengers are required to bring their own essentials like hand sanitisers, mask, and water. And like the intercity trains, I expect social distancing to be strictly adhered too. Akin to that, I will also expect that the kiosk will be non-operational. That's the least of my concern as my carriage doesn't favour the proximity to that car. I miss the country rustic views of rugged mountain landscape - oftentimes treeless, woody forests, the dense white ghost gums, the charming bushland, grassy hills, the kangaroos and wallabies grazing and hopping along the countryside, the sheep marching through the paddocks, cows taking shelter under the trees, if not drinking water by the creeks and horses standing by the wire fence.

2020. This has been the hardest year so far and I hope next year will be a fresh one. When Covid-19 started I was scared and thought I wasn't going to see my family. When I started to understand what was going on, I knew I would see my family again. I was also sad that I didn't get to go to school because I didn't get to see my friends and go on the playground. I also missed all the teachers and doing work with lots of people around me. I wish we could be as good as new again and see everyone and have lots of gatherings.

Leah... Emerging from her shyness One step forward Three steps back Once bullied in so many ways She’ll not be Going back Her fortress once Within the mind Has drifted Out to sea Enabling her to show the world All that she can be Somewhat like a butterfly Emerging from its Pre-birth form Shaking out Its fragile wings As if it were the norm A hesitant step Towards confidence Another two Then three Smiling now with sheer delight At all that she can see Her mannerism, poise and prose Magnetic Yes indeed A gentle soul A true rare gem Of the Christian breed A writer, a poet A worthy friend to claim A butterfly who’s grown in strength Leah be her name.