Australia, Not so All Over: Goulburn x Canberra

Oh border closures, travel restrictions and COVID-19. I was meant to be in the Maldives for my 38th birthday, instead I drove to Canberra. LOL

If only LOL could make all this random life on hold stuff fun.

2020 has been a year right? Everyone says that right but has it?

For me 2020 has been weird, I am still working full time, I am still volunteering one Friday a month whilst financially I'm actually good. Not to mention my tax return for 2019-2020 is done and dusted, submitted ready for me to receive my sweet, sweet refund.

So other than not being able to travel is my 2020 (moving forward) that bad? Well no. The gyms are reopened (bookings are annoying but I get it), food places are allowing us to eat in again and the movies is sort of back.

Why sort of? Well the content isn't really there. Yes there are piles of films done and dusted and ready for you to see, however the studios are holding them back to get more bums on seats when all this is over. But will it be over?

Will people ever return to the cinema for every release? Has nothing been learnt since March, 2020? Streaming platforms are growing daily, with new subscribers (paid and free trial folks) each day. With commercial TV in ruins even they have had to step up their game with their streaming services. Whilst poor old Ten All Access (in the USA CBS All Access) has now got some of its only exclusive content going to SBS On Demand. Why Women Kill the amazing Marc Cherry series for a little while back.

So with gyms, cinemas and cafes back to normal, my wages and working life the same, what is different? Well the physical distancing and peoples paranoia has gone through the roof, whilst some people are actually realising yes you do need to wash your hands.

Unlucky for Trump his election is around 100 days away and of course the USA with its horrid health system are FUCKED. Like literally fucked. The man is not only an orange clown, but his country is more divided than ever, race relations are on a knife edge and his own party are starting to question what have they done?

So Canberra is a nice destination to visit when people from NSW and Victoria are hardly welcome anywhere. Even New Zealand said you can fuck off with your Trans Tasman travel bubble. Well that takes NZ off the list for easy getaways.

Oh 2020, a lot can be said, not a lot done. At least this year I look to the positives.

1. I have spent so much extra time with my beautiful 85 year old father
2. I work with really amazing people and got into an industry which is truly an essential service
3. I have great friends and people around me
4. My local suburb in Sydney may be close to the CBD, but the people in Chippendale and surrounds have really bonded.

Tomorrow on a lighter more musical note, the (Mini) Monday Spotlight returns with Love Fame Tragedy. It's a side project for Wombats frontman Matthew Murphy. So come back then.

Cheers.