This is only a short post because I completely forgot to put anything coherent or meaningful together during the month - all those online courses and neuroscience conferences took over somewhat! Advent began yesterday and it's time now to prepare for Christmas and look forward to meeting up with our loved ones again in a couple of weeks' time (our Level 5 restrictions are due to be lifted tomorrow and we can travel across county borders again from the 18th of December) - I can't wait! We don't know what 2021 holds in store but let's make the most of this time and enjoy the build-up to Christmas... it's been a long year for everyone and we could all do with a good dose of fairy lights and mistletoe...
In Ireland, November is traditionally very much a month of reflection, with its dark skies and short days, where we remember our ancestors and get ready for Advent and the Christmas period. It has been especially poignant this year, and it really has been a very intense few weeks as we have also been at Level 5 lockdown (pretty much full lockdown, although schools remain open) in the country since mid-October. I've always loved November; the weather suits the mood so well, and I've enjoyed it again this year, despite the restrictions in place. This second full lockdown has felt completely different to that earlier in the year, and I've found it far less stressful - we now have a much better understanding of the virus and how to treat people who are sick; there are more reliable therapies and we have the promise of an effective vaccine that will be available for use quite soon. Of course there are things that I miss; I miss my friends and family and going places and cafes and crowds in the city centre. However, I've also been reconnecting with people I care about but may have not kept in touch with, and I've been discovering the joys of online communication: in the last few weeks I've virtually attended a neuroscience conference, listened to a talk on the European Drug Report for this year, joined a choir and completed a CIEP course on Medical Editing! Life goes on and we have to make the most of it... I think we'll emerge from this a little sadder but far more wiser - we have had a real lesson on what is important and perhaps this is something that will be a force for good within the human race in the future.
This is only a short post because I completely forgot to put anything coherent or meaningful together during the month - all those online courses and neuroscience conferences took over somewhat! Advent began yesterday and it's time now to prepare for Christmas and look forward to meeting up with our loved ones again in a couple of weeks' time (our Level 5 restrictions are due to be lifted tomorrow and we can travel across county borders again from the 18th of December) - I can't wait! We don't know what 2021 holds in store but let's make the most of this time and enjoy the build-up to Christmas... it's been a long year for everyone and we could all do with a good dose of fairy lights and mistletoe...
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About my blog
Really, it contains a little bit of everything, from a celebration of science and the English language to the joys of travel and the Shipping Forecast. The title ('Meanderings') is a fairly accurate description of its content: I write about different things as the mood takes me, but hopefully there's something in here for everyone... Categories
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