How are you today?

[Zet]

I'm well. Just a bit... Not sure what the term is other than exhausted. Exhausted from workout (soreness) and exhausted mentally from the difficulty of University studies.

[LJay]

I'm doing well today,  meeting a friend for a social-distant dinner.

How do you do that?  What if you have to pass the salt?

[CellarDweller]

I'm doing well today,  meeting a friend for a social-distant dinner.

How do you do that?  What if you have to pass the salt?

My friend has a large front porch. We met on her porch for dinner, and sat about 8 feet apart. We could see and talk to each other, and stay safe.

[Chase]

Tinnitus was back in full strength last night. Also I'm going to apply for an Australian Visa ASAP

[LJay]

I'm doing well today,  meeting a friend for a social-distant dinner.

How do you do that?  What if you have to pass the salt?

My friend has a large front porch.  We met on her porch for dinner, and sat about 8 feet apart.  We could see and talk to each other, and stay safe.

Hope that still works in January.

[IanSaysHi]

I’m really sore. The last few months I’ve been getting a gradually more painful right shoulder and now it’s spreading down my back, it looks like it’s caused from the weeks I’m working at home. The set up isn’t great and think using my mouse all the time at an awkward angle has done some damage.

I’m going to invest in a better desk.

[LJay]

You might also invest in a medical checkup. Better safe than sorry.

[Insertnamehere]

Aye.

Weather update.

-Things got much better in Chile with COVID-19 so I was able to go get my visa paper work and yeah, I'm in Spain now.  Already working at the Uni and all, sufficiently settled and trying to find Catalonian classes because it already seems necessary. Still have to finish the inscription to the PhD program, but all in all I think things are settling down fine. It was effin crazy packing my shit, getting a flight, getting here, finding a place to live and the likes etc. I did it tho. (Also flying over 12h is a bit exhausting, isn't it?). Now let us hope I don't fuck something up eh?

-Of course, I got out of a country that made it through COVID-filled winter and managed to make it, minus some 14.000 people (no words) and came to Europe in time to ride its massive second wave. I can go to the lab only in the afternoon shift, things are somewhat closed down here, we are not allowed to leave Barcelona during the weekends and Catalunya at any time. I think sooner or later they will have to impose stricter measures. Not sure the Generalitat will do a full lockdown but apparently the central government gave the thumbs up with a 6 month State of Emergency. Really not sure how people will take it. 

In the mean time I left my hometown still on full lockdown and it got lifted some 2 weeks after I got here. Lolz. But, you know, no second wave there yet, so. 

-Sad to not have been there but my home country finally voted last Sunday to sent the Pinochet-era constitution to the f***ing fires of hell where it deserves to be by about 78% of votes cast. I mean, only in 5 out of 346 municipalities in Chile, did the "keep the current constitution" win. Clearer than water eh?

Also, by about the same %, people voted that the new constitution will be drafted by an elected body of citizens, and not by politicians. By a few laws passed earlier this year, this body will have full gender parity (50% of it will HAVE to be women, and apparently this is a first time worldwide? Someone will have to confirm that to me) and there will also be reserved seats for Chile's indigenous peoples, I assume proportional to their population.

People went out to celebrate in full, throw a few fireworks, honk a few horns, sing a few songs and you know, burn a few Pinochet images and a few symbolic constitution covers. Because why not. It is so damn weird to see where all the protesting that erupted last year got us to. There is much reason to be hopeful but lets hope the economic and political elites don't manage to fuck it up, because they will try.

I think that is about it for now. 

How are you all peeps?  

Also, Ian should be seeing a physical therapist or the likes...kinesiology?

[InbetweenDreams]

@Insertnamehere Glad that you made it to Spain and are safe in Spain...definitely a dumpster fire in the US. Sounds like a very stressful time having to deal with all that especially in the middle of a pandemic...having to juggle all that is difficult enough.

[Insertnamehere]

^ Yeah, it is.

But, it is the same just about anywhere you go, I guess. 2020 will be some year to remember.

At this point, I think we can only stay safe as best as we can until everything goes back to whatever "normal" we will have post-COVID.