Musical journey (117)

The wait is finally (almost) over as Victoria and Singapore both ease lockdown restrictions from tomorrow and the day after tomorrow respectively. The most important thing to me about this first stage of relaxation here is the ability to dine out again. To make it worth their while with the 20-person maximum rule, restaurateurs will inevitably have to introduce things like a dine-in duration limit, pre-payment, reduced menus, minimum spend, leaving of credit card details in case of no-shows in addition to having all patrons provide their particulars for contact-tracing purposes. This is a new world we're all living in and I don't know how well these rules will or can be enforced (especially observing the 1.5m-distancing) but until there's a vaccine, I guess this is the only way to survive the virus.

I've also been working out at home since my gym closed on 23-Mar with a suspension in membership. In Victoria, gyms will only re-open from 22-Jun. If I don't see a huge difference in my body from not doing weights in a gym for three months (which is likely the case), does this mean that I don't need gyms in my life? That's such an outrageous thought right?

On the work front, there's a rumour that my company will only allow people back in the office from mid-July and even then it'll be at a reduced 25% capacity. I'm sure in their never-ending pursuit to cut cost, management will very likely consolidate office space and convince themselves that this working-from-home experiment has been a great success no matter how much it bombed (I've been doing it since 19-Mar). The bottom line is I'm not going to go back to the office if not 100% of the people are allowed back because to me, that lack of cross-team face-to-face collaboration is what's killing productivity.

On the eve of lockdown restrictions being relaxed (which means we've been cooped up at home for the maximum possible duration), how sick and tired everyone is feeling must be at a peak level. Hence it's the perfect day to release a new composition about my time during lockdown. Many of you will be able to identify with the lyrics as my experience is surely not unique. This song was not only fun to write, the process of creating it also gave me an avenue to vent my frustrations.

This piece is ultimately a story about two lovebirds separated by COVID-19 coping with their desperate need to see each other again. Having the proper tools to thrive in the digital world has certainly made life during isolation much more bearable and thus the clip features a digital tunnel. Unfortunately the light at the end of tunnel however doesn't seem to get any closer as you move forward. Tell me how can one not grow impatient with it all.

[!nsanity]

Walls are closing on me here
What are all these voices that I hear
Am I going crazy
Tell me will they disappear

Day and night become a blur
A single second passes like a fucking year
Trapped and spinning round in boundless boredom
In a lifeless world where nothing spreads like fear

Baby I want you near
And I know it doesn't get easier
Patience running low
Why can't I come right now to see you dear

These empty shelves
These empty streets
This empty life
Away from your kiss
Let me go so I can breathe
And set me free from shackles of !nsanity

Endless tedium deepens
And I'm getting delirious
There's no immunity 'gainst this numbing experience

Restless, madness, fatness
Working in my pyjamas
There's only so much my right hand can deliver

Running out of loo paper
Twenty seconds of soap and water
A social butterfly now a social distancer

Lockdown rules so damn unclear
Isolation tantamount to torture
Boozing up just doesn't cut it anymore
It's time to try something much harder