Long Week's Journey into Night

[darksolez]

 Not a humongous pile of news to share with regards to COVID-19, this week. The numbers (of cases, deaths, and patients in ICU units) are decreasing, and most of Europe has begun to ease restrictions. If other countries can wind down their rules and regulations without experiencing a jump in the number of virus victims, then that would bode well for Ireland, too. While I think the Irish government is, much to my chagrin, handling this crisis relatively well, every so often they'll do something abhorrent which reminds me of how they spent the last five years or so doing absolutely nothing. Some helpful measures right now do not necessarily make up for the full-blown inertia they've demonstrated since coming into power.

 

It's also awful to think of how, when this is over, Leo Varadkar will hold his success over the country like a nation-sized ransom note. We'll be told about how they managed to steer us through this crisis for generations to come. They'll also gloss over the completely undemocratic way by which, in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, and those Green Party bastards crept into power, completely unopposed. Notice how some of the measures announced this week can only be brought into effect, apparently, when a new government is formed, hastening the urgency for these parties to get there, justifying their plans for government? And Sinn Féin completely ignored, despite the vast numbers of people who voted for them. It's maddening. 

 

In any case. I hope you're all well.

 

• Reading. Yes, still those Empire magazines, I'm afraid. The Sound and the Fury is not far off, though. A hardback copy of the 1929 novel—along with an actual hardback copy—currently rest on my desk
• Gaming. I've already gushed on here about A Hat in Time, but my praise is worth reiterating now that I've finished the main campaign. I had my doubts when I started the game, because I sensed that the game was rather strangely designed: the levels didn't seem to cohere in the same way that they do in, say, Super Mario Sunshine. But that's because they have their own inventive, if slightly wacky, style to them. The humour, along with the pitch-perfect platforming, are probably my favourite things about it. I also tried, valiantly but in vain, to grab myself a copy of Pokémon Silver on eBay. I've never participated in an online auction like that before, and it's unlikely I will do so again! I was outfoxed at the last hurdle by a rival bidder. It was so close, though, that I actually couldn't tell whether I'd won it or not for a few seconds after the auction ended. Oh well. I have Red, Blue, and Gold, so I'm sure I'll manage to get Silver, too
• Work. Our hours are still rather scattered, even if our pay isn't. This week, I had 4 9-hour days, and it was rather tough. I get up at 7.30 and I'm on my computer until 5.30. I'm glad I have work to occupy myself, but the days are rather long
• Films. I rewatched The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014) and watched The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012). The former is a strange one: I think it looks better than the first, but it's a lot messier than the first, so the improvements are rather superficial. Perks was a surprise, though. I thought it would be a mediocre coming-of-age story, but it's actually very clever and affecting. The cast/performances are really strong. I'd recommend it, if only to witness the eternally youthful Paul Rudd as that inspiring English teacher we all wish we had, but few of us have actually had 
• People. Troubling times indeed, and I don't know what I'd have to ground and sustain me without my parents, friends, and Natalie.