Diary Entries

The current pandemic has been caused by one thing only. This is the massive overpopulation of humans in the world. Examples of this has been illustrated many times over in monoculture agriculture and aquaculture. If a crop has been grown on a massive scale or one type of animal has been farmed on a large scale then disease that would normally be controlled can spread quickly and extensively. A very well known example is the cotton boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis. It is a major pest of cotton attacking the developing squares and bolls. Feeding damage causes young squares to shed and damages the lint in older bolls. Infestations in the USA have cost hundreds of millions of dollars to control. Another example occurs in fish farming. Antibiotics are used in aquaculture to treat diseases caused by bacteria. Sometimes the antibiotics are used to treat diseases, but more commonly antibiotics are used to prevent diseases by treating the water or fish before disease occurs. Now the massive crowded population of humans is experiencing the same fate and will occur more often and more extensive and more deadly in the future. The countries fairing the best at the moment are those of low population density such as Australia and New Zealand. The countries suffering the worst are those with cities of high density such as in Asia, America and Europe. With the prevalence of high rise living – even in Australia – this is where the spread of the virus must occur the most. STOP THE DEVELOPERS. Scale down now to a sustainable human ecosystem. Please Australia be a leading world example by becoming a cleaner, safer, smaller society consuming less but of greater quality.

Today was the first day back at school since phase 1 started. I live in Sydney and go to one of the selective schools in year 7. The class was split up so there are only 15 students in each class. We stay in the same room for the entire day, just like primary school. Every time we enter and exit the room, we have to drench our hand in hand sanitizer and wipe the desks. It is really cold today, and all we want to do is snuggle up so our body heat keeps our bodies warm, but because of social-distancing, we can't. Usually, it takes me an hour to get to school by public transport, but my mum is dropping my brother and I to school by car for the next couple of weeks. He goes to my brother school, so it's really convenient. Today is a Thursday, so I have tennis today, precautions are still on; only two people on the court at a time, during lessons we aren't allowed to touch the balls, if we need to serve, we have to wear gloves. Tennis tournaments are still off. I live in a small townhouse in Strathfield with my brother, my dog and my mum. My dad lives in Singapore for work, but he tries to visit us a much as possible, but since restrictions have been put in place, he can't come to visit us.

I'm stuck in my room all day. No freedom, no fresh air. I'm being suffocated in this room as I force my head and brain to learn and work in my small room. The anxiety and stress build a wall in my doorway, blocking me to get out in the beautiful sunlight. I miss the days where I could go outside and enjoy the dazzling sunsets, take long walks along the seashore, watching the sun finish for the day and see the stars start to shine in the indigo skies. I miss the days where I would laugh with my friends without any worries. The days where we wouldn't talk about sad things. The days where I had nothing to do other than laugh and enjoy myself. I wish I had cherished those days. Now that I cannot even leave my prison, the lingering frustrations and regrets strip me of all motivation and confidence. I want to travel back to these days and relish in those bright days. If I were to describe those days in one word, I would call it 'moon'. Beautiful yet underappreciated. It shines in the darkness but always hides in the light. Now I'm stuck in my windowless room. There is no light to be found. Only the light from my laptop screen, enlightening one small corner of my prison cell leaving the rest of my room to descend into the darkness. I hope I can let go of the precious memories but still remember them and cherish them. But I doubt that's going to happen anytime soon.

🦠19 things during COVID-19🦠 Phase 1 right now, during zoom there is always 2 people asking questions.Lucky Coles/Woolworth/Aldi is open, 4th of May dad's birthday.Working at my own pace for 5 days and some overdue work^_^ 6 people cursing Asian=corona virus but had 7 fun days.Missed school for 8 weeks and missed 9 friends. Only 10% of people are on transport, brother went to school for 11 days now.12 months in a year, days are getting colder 13 degrees.14 days of holiday and 15 dollars earns from mum.4×4 table used often in Google docs, 10+7=17 taught my little sister.Remember mum brought 18 things today and 19 things during COVID-19.

I don't Like staying at home . I don't Like the corona virus because we have to stay away from nan and pop. I don't like it beacuse people get sick

My name is Emma and I am from Sydney. I live around North Sydney, and pretty far away from my school. When it comes to convinience, online school is a lot easier, but I think normally travelling far is worth it. I quite enjoy online school, but I sometimes miss hanging out with my friends and classmates. The main thing I dislike about this virus is that I can't go do sports or do a lot of outdoor activities. I love swimming and tennis, and I really miss doing them. In other ways, I don't think it was very hard to get used to living differently. I feel like the only thing that annoys me about online school is the fact that I get so distracted. It just feels like there is no one there to tell you that you have to focus and then I just get bored and naturally go to watch videos or something. This is another thing I dislike. The more I stay at home, the more time I waste on social media, and I feel like I need to take a break from it. I'm currently at school while typing this, and currently its going ok. I was happy to see my friends and classmates. I hope that everything is going to be okay and that we can fight through this virus together.

Covid Corvids. April 2020 Always from the north, strung out like stars across the sky, they came. Growing louder, larger, in ever increasing flocks. Crops stuffed with glazed-eyed travellers mechanically pecking at packets of nuts. Tipping wine into upturned mouths. Torsos squishing into seats, limbs pouring over armrests like Angophora roots over rocks. Never ending waves of stiff winged corvids. Disgorging swarms onto tarmac wastelands like a plague, a virus. Before once more rising moving money and men, filling the sky with noise and pollution and people. Once upon a childhood, catching distant vibrations of an approaching roar we’d race each other outside. Chins jutting upwards, bare feet twirling bodies in circles, small hands sheltering foreheads, thumbs curling under eyes making imaginary binoculars searching blue African skies. Eager to be first to spot it, to point it out, to decide where it was going. China, America, England, Australia! In our world, no plane ever arrived! Now, stars seldom travel from the north over Sydney skies. Elastic stretched, beads smaller, gaps between them growing larger. Overstretched, the sparkling necklace breaks. Stringing washing on the line, I hear the roar of a solitary aircraft. Looking up I wonder... Could we once more stare in awe, marvelling at the magic of our flight?

The Covid-19 pandemic has been hard because it means you can't go and see your family and friends. It has been difficult to learn at home because it is different to school. But I have been able to go to school on the days my mum isn't at work as she is a Nurse. So I was lucky to see my friends then. There are always good things in a hard time like this too. I have liked staying at home and having more time with my family, especially my little brother Jude. We have got to play lots of games like uno. We have built a tree house with my Dad and had bon fires with marshmallows. We are very lucky to live on property as we have lots of space to run around, play and have fun. We have been going on lots of bush walks too. Staying at home so we don't spread the virus to others is a good thing.

Before the virus changed everything I used to wake up before 6, walk my dog, read the paper & drive to the seniors gym class at Sydney University Sports centre. I was busy with writing, looking at art, family, friends, children & grandchildren. Now, life is slow. There’s no need to get up early, because there’s no gym class. So I sleep in until my dog wakes me. Art galleries are closed. Until last week I could only see my grandchildren via FaceTime. Until last week even the local bookshop was closed. It is so easy to drift through the day, doing very little except listen to the radio, following Twitter, obsessing about the news as the full catastrophe unfolds around the world. Even though I have streaming services on TV, I usually end up watching the news. However, twice a week Carmel who used to teach us in the gym runs a Zoom class from her living room. I look into my friends’ living rooms. We lift weights that are tomato tins, milk cartons or books. The classes keep me fit, but more importantly they serve as a reminder that there is a world out there. The class was made possible because one of the class members has a Zoom account for their work, so has made it available for all. We each pay what we think is right, and what we can afford. I’m currently walking my dog to the audio book of Daniel Defoe’s Journal of the Plague Year. I can’t help thinking how lucky we are to have this pandemic in the age of the internet, where it is possible to bring a gym class into my study and not be alone.

Covid, covid what have you done to me, my family, my people. I’m a nurse, working full time on the front line., I ask myself ‘ is it the front line’ did I take a bullet, did I leave my family, did I leave my country to go to the front line... no but I did sit with worried patients, family members not knowing if they are sick “ have I covid” will I die? I did visit patients every day since this covid - 19 lock down occurred, I did deliver the best health care at their home and happiness and a smile to each and every one of my patients, who are generally living alone, sacred, lonely. So if this is my front line then I’m happy, proud to be a nurse in this new front line war. Keep safe. Eileen