Day Twenty Seven

If music be the food of love, I’d rather starve.

I wittered on the other day about music.  With very few exceptions, I don’t like it.

However, despite my eccentric proclivities, or perhaps because of them, I wanted to know more about musical roads.

I cannot imagine the torture of living near a road which hums, drones and vibrates every few minutes - nay, seconds, as cars drive past.  Purgatory has just been re-mastered.

This phenomenon isn’t new. As far back as 1995, Denmark had a tuneful road, the Ashphaltophone installed in Gylling, Østjylland.

It was meant as an art work by sculptors Steen Krarup Jensen and Jakob Freud-Magnus.

 

The Hokkaido Institute of Research in Japan installed their 'Melody Road’ in 2007 based on a serendipitous discovery by Shizuo Shinoda who accidentally  made grooves in the road with his bulldozer, then driving over them, discovered they sounded like notes.  Japan now has several Melody Roads.

There are musical roads in many parts of the world including the Netherlands, South Korea, Indonesia and the United States.

The Honda Civic Musical Road was built in 2008 by Lancaster County, California and was supposed to play the lively William Tell overture. Unfortunately, it was incorrectly engineered and sounded more like a requiem, not a good look, or sound, for a highway.

Residents complained and it was covered over.  Another set of residents then objected to the cover-up,  so a new road was installed some 2 miles away from any houses.  

Sadly, in an epic fail, this too used the same faulty blueprint so William Tell still sounds as if he needed a tune-up.   

Here's a short (3 minutes) documentary by Tom Scott of ‘Amazing Places’ who takes you down Lancaster County's road, giving an explanation of why it went wrong (twice) and became the highway of hell.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ef93WmlEho0

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This is how a road should sound - what am I saying ??? 😊😃😃 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWHIJa_4VeY

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And a mere 51 seconds of another tuneful Japanese musical road.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_xvfZUqAtg

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How spooky, if you're driving at night and don't know the musical road is coming up!  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrptmOJyHac

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Day Twenty Six

A shorter entry today.  

Not because I have nothing to say; that’s never the case with me as friends will confirm; but because I should like to concentrate on just one thing.

This crisis WILL pass.  We WILL be back to normal, whatever our normal was or will be.   Life may be on hold for many but it still has the potential to be full of dreams and plans.

Yes, undoubtedly Lockdown for most people is depressing and miserable, I know that.

The toll on the spirit can be terrible and scary.  None of that can be denied. 

But if that is ALL we concentrate on, day to day living becomes unbearable.

  

So today I offer something beautiful to renew the courage and faith which I know to be in all of us.  

This is a film about Aotearoa- New Zealand, which I love with a passion but wherever you live, there will be places you enjoy, so please see it as an invitation to look forward to your own local beauty spots. 

The footage was produced from various local agencies and freelance artists; written produced and edited by Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED). Much of the video was shot by Hood & Co. https://www.thehoodand.co

If the video doesn't play for you, try this link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKyekQ1njNQ&fbclid=IwAR3l3urfPnWrD3B7eTI9xJR5oq0hW3FWqN1F49l-yA9u_Yh8D8kiZCNSmy8 

No reire e hoa ma, kia kaha, kia manawanui, haere tonu, haere tonu.

Arohanui atu ki a koutou katoa.

So my friends, be strong, be brave and keep going - much love to you all.

  

Day Twenty Five

Musick has Charms to sooth a savage Breast.

So wrote William Congreve in 1697.  He's wrong.

When my breast becomes savage it's because I can't get away from that dratted musick!

The majority of people it seems, love music. ♩ ♪ ♫ ♬ 

In shops, airports, malls and cars which now have outside speakers so pedestrians are forced to listen to the choices of the driver, it’s impossible to avoid.

But what about people like me to whom those whining, elongated notes are little better than caterwauling?

  

Fifty nine years ago, my parents bought me a second-hand Dansette record player. My first record, an LP of George Gershwin’s, ‘Rhapsody in Blue, with ‘American in Paris’ on the B-side.

I bought this, and later,  a pre-loved Dionne Warwick record from a

stall in St. John’s Market in Bradford.

Those were the only records I have ever owned, although occasionally I borrowed Everly Brothers singles from friends.  

Swapping records was the thing in those days, when pocket money was measured in pence.

I tried hard to like music when all my friends were swooning over Elvis, Cliff Richard or Tommy Steele (pictured)  because like most teens, I wanted to be accepted by my peers but the truth was, it held very little attraction for me. Rock and Roll and Jazz I positively hated.

It was years before I had the maturity and courage to admit I disliked the horrible sounds called music.  

With very few exceptions, I still do.

I honestly cannot understand how it can soothe or comfort when the very first notes seem to make my hackles rise. 

At a recent dental appointment, which I and the dentist knew would be difficult, she offered to play calming music.   That’s an oxymoron as far as I’m concerned. No music would calm me in fact it would make any trial twice as bad.

And yet.

If the music is live, I can sometimes find it enjoyable and used to attend folk festivals, singing and genuinely enjoy English, Scottish and Irish traditional bands.  

However, if I heard those same groups on CD, it was totally different.  Something had gone, along with the pleasure.

I don’t play music; I don’t own CDs; I don’t go to concerts and rarely to the local shopping mall where not only every individual shop blares out what they think attracts people to buy, but the mall itself is pumping out the latest, usually American, tracks. 

I was very grateful when the supermarkets began Click & Collect, enabling me to choose items online and quickly pick them up later, avoiding the cacophony from the overhead speakers.

On many occasions I’ve curtailed my shopping trips simply to get away from the music.

 Perhaps if they played Pachelbel's peaceful - Canon in D Major......https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlprozGcs80       

......I’d stay and shop longer but I doubt it; even that has limited appeal and I understand it doesn't help cheese and laundry powder fly off the shelves.

Instore  music is, apparently, carefully worked out by psychologists but I fear for the mind of the consumer (not to mention that of  the psychologist)  if the present track by my local store and featuring The Clash, impels people to buy more Stilton.

So no solace in music during the Covid Crisis for me, only gratitude that  I don't live in Japan, where they even have musical roads, albeit for safety reasons - is there NO escape?  

Instead of having to tolerate musak everywhere I go, I am now stuck at home in blessed, soul-healing silence.

But I'm not completely lost to all finer feelings.   

In fact, when that Final Silence comes and I'm laid to rest, there is one song I'd like to play me out.  

It's Stan Walker's beautiful  'Aotearoa'.   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWhAoZZh8fchttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWhAoZZh8fc

                                                                        Photo courtesy of Aaron Sebastian

And a link to the English words of Stan's song:

https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/stanwalker/aotearoaenglishversion.html

Day Twenty Four

A picture is worth 1,000 words.

So I’ll try to keep the word count down.

With the generous permission of artist Morgan Penn, I am able to use this wonderful painting, which seems to perfectly capture reaction to what’s happening in our world right now.

 Art is so important to our spirits and whether you are looking at paintings, ceramics or sculpture, it can remind you of the human strength and love needed to make beautiful things...even during dark times such as this.   

Please go look at Morgan's paintings, so many of which remind us of what we can look forward to when all this chaos is over.

 Family, friendships and enjoyment of the wider world.   http://www.morganpenn.com

This month, some of us were able to see the Super Moon as it came as close to the Earth as  ever it gets.  It looks almost as if we could leap and touch it.

Astronomers call this the perigee but in different parts of the world, the Full Moon has more evocative names.

America’s First Peoples  called it Fish Moon, The Sprouting Grass Moon and the Egg Moon, as these reflected what was happening in nature at the time. The Pink Moon referred to the time that Pink Phlox was in bloom.

In Maori mythology, we read about Rona the Lady in the Moon. She was on her way to fetch water when the moon went behind a cloud, causing her to trip over the roots of a Ngaio tree. 

Picking herself up, she used a few uncomplimentary words and the moon, hearing this, snatched her up and would not let her go.

The picture is from  a 1935 stamp in the Alexander Turnbull Museum.

Many year ago, when I used to go fishing, we stuck closely to the Maori Fishing calendar which advised when, where and how to fish.  

He would call me when an especially dark, Tangaroa-kiokio night was due, usually towards the end of a month.

We would go out to sea and sit in blessed, peaceful silence as the tide turned and the fish began to bite. 

We always returned the first catch to Tangaroa, Maori god of the sea.  We took only what we could comfortably eat, throwing all other fish back.

To sit in a small boat (it was big enough only for two), in the middle of a still ocean and watch the sun rise majestically from the water, is an experience not to be missed.   It is no wonder ancient people worshipped the sun as it daily brought the world back to life after hours of darkness.

That’s a reminder that after our Tangaroa night of Covid-19, dawn will return.

There you go,  less than 500 words and 4 lovely pictures. 

Day Twenty Three

In fact, it’s Day Thirty for me.
I was already locked down with a sick friend before Level 4 was declared but when it was announced, we had to scurry back to our nests.

Isolation isn’t easy. 

Such a drastic change from normal routine is stressful for any human, even those who, like me, enjoy their own company.

Richard S Lazarus , Professor Emeritus at the University of California, defined stress as,

‘a condition or feeling experienced when a person perceives that the demands exceed the personal and social resources the individual is able to mobilise.’  

Of course he’d put it like that, he’s a Professor !   

A simpler explanation of stress is 'when  we feel we are no longer in total control of our lives.'    And who does at the moment? 

This can apply to any life-change, even the mostly good ones such as getting married, graduating, getting a new job,  or moving to a new house.

When the changes are negative and against our will, the stress moves up a notch. 

When we see the world as we know it, spiralling into sickness and death,  then,  as during war it can strain us to our maximum capacity.

This is why I began writing this Blog. Not because I am relentlessly cheerful or wilfully ignoring what’s going on around me,  far from it.  

It affects me deeply and that is why I  knew I would need a way of coming to terms with a world turned upside down.

 Writing has always been my way of coping and the diary I’ve written for over 40 years has been my safety valve, confidant and companion.

It is very different from this Blog. 

The purpose of The Lockdown Diaries is to remind myself and those who care to read it, that there are still useful and positive things to do,  even when surrounded by  immense human misery.

It’s at these times we need to remember the good stuff.  

 I’ve heard a lot about the human spirit triumphing as it did in World War Two;  about people helping people and giving selflessly.

Yorkshire born, Captain Tom Moore has become the embodiment of this spirit as he walks round his English garden raising millions for the British Health Service.

 As he continues towards his 100^th birthday, bravely using his walker as support, we can choose to wonder why it’s necessary for a courageous old soldier to prop up an under-funded service  - or we can applaud his determination and optimism.

I choose to applaud.   

   

  Covid-19 may be ever-present but if we dwell exclusively on the horror, we lose sight of the hope.

Day Twenty Two

Now Listen here!

Having so much time at home has meant (apart from incipient madness) the leisure to explore what my newly acquired Google Mini, voice-operated artificial intelligence unit, can do.

Getting up at 5am glue-eyed and still brain grogged, all I have to say is, ‘Hey Google, what time is it?’  (as if it mattered when I’m locked down!) and it tells me.  

It’s a reflex action to say ‘thank you’  and I don’t want to lower  my standards even when talking to a machine. It tells me I’m very welcome; a little touch of polite humanity.

For those with access to transport and a social life, in normal times it can advise on bus timetables, taxis, the nearest Thai restaurant (and indeed any eatery or pub); garages, cinemas (including what’s playing there) festivals and workshops in any part of the world.

It’s also a fount of all knowledge on history, spelling, cookery (want to make a chocolate gateau?) and even palaeontology.  If you can find it on the Internet the Mini can tell you.

It can do so many things which no longer impact on my life and as I’m not a music fan, its almost infinite range of songs and bands to play is lost on me.

Neither am I interested in news and politics, though if I were, it could take me to hundreds of different radio stations around the world to listen in a multiplicity of languages.

However, the radio station I prefer and which used to be one of the few things I missed about England before Auntie Beeb went digital,  is BBC Radio 4.  

You don't need a Mini to listen, anyone with a PC, iPad or laptop can access this excellent spoken-word station which rarely plays music except within a quiz such as ‘Counterpoint’, now in its 23^rd Series and hosted by Paul Gambaccini, seen right. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00704s1

There’s a little movie music on the hilarious ‘Gaby’s Talking Pictures’ quiz where the contestants and audience have so much fun, I seriously wondered if free booze or wacky baccy had been provided.  Gaby Roslin is the host and you can find the show here:   https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0b9109v  

Stories and drama occur every day and I’ve just finished listening to, ‘Adventures in Human Being’ by Dr Gavin Francis, beautifully read by Scottish actor, Bill Paterson.  

Francis studied medicine at Edinburgh University before setting off on a tour which included all five continents - he’s even worked in the Antarctic.  https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05xj1qd

Ever wondered if Cannabidiol (CBD), is really the panacea it’s advertised to be? Or if caffeine shampoos can thicken or save your hair? ‘The Best Thing Since Sliced Bread’ looks into products and discussed their efficacy with experts.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0002c3c/episodes/guide

Of course if you want music,  there’s everything from ancient folk songs through  classical, C&W and rock here:     https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds

If, like me, you are in total isolation and miss the human voice, explore the infinite variety of the BBC, podcasts and live programmes, available 24 hours a day and completely free.  

Day Twenty One

Who was that masked man?

Those of us who grew up in the first half of the 20^th century will be familiar with this question,  asked by those who watched The Lone Ranger ride away after doing his good deeds.

Today, the masked personnel doing good deeds are in our healthcare system and today the question is: ‘Who wants a mask, man?’

Or ‘Do I need a mask to prevent the spread of Covid-19?’

No one seems to have the definitive answer.

YES! Say those working with suspected and confirmed C-19 cases.

YES! Say those who deplore the lack of enough Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) including masks,  available to care workers

YES! Says the public as they face the outside world, or those who come into contact with it.

NO! Says the Ministries of Health in many parts of the world, including New Zealand, the UK and the USA - although as I write, that position, possibly due to massive public outcry, is changing.

So why are masks such a contentious issue?

Corona is a droplet infection;  it’s carried on the breath, so the coughs and especially sneezes, which can travel 25ft (7.62 metres,  far further than our social distancing),

are serious dangers.

Patti Wood, author of Success Signals: Understanding Body Language says a single sneeze can send 100,000 germs into the air.

That’s the air you may breathe in if you are in the vicinity of a C-19 infected person. The air anyone around you is free to breathe in if you cough or sneeze.

This is not intended to alarm you, only to point out that the Ministries of Health have known these truths for decades, so why are they saying ‘no’?

Partly because it’s been shown that the ordinary cloth masks, the disposable ones we once used to buy from the pharmacy, are not 100% effective in controlling the breath cloud and therefore the germs. Bits of breath blow out the sides into the air.

Only close fitting surgical masks have a higher rate of protection and most of us don’t have access to them.

Then there’s the added problem that Covid-19 can be spread by touch.

The germs can stay on surfaces, ready to jump onto hands and wait there until the unsuspecting person rubs an eye or bites a fingernail.  No mask protects against that.

But those who say ‘no’, forget a very important point.  Some of us need the  psychological  protection of a mask.   ‘Better safe than sorry’ even if that safety is not 100% guaranteed, at least we’re doing something  apart from singing Happy Birthday over the wash basin.

So if wearing a mask makes you feel safer, wear one, whatever the Authorities say.

Incidentally, it really doesn’t need to be a mask like this:

A recent BBC radio programme advised if you can’t get a mask, scarves can be used. 

Thin, chiffon scarves with two facial tissues folded into them, the tissues positioned over the nose and mouth, is good.

My friend Suze has utilised wipes, drying them and folding into her favourite summer scarf.   

 Try wearing a scarf like hijab, which allows a fold to be placed across nose and mouth.

A neighbour’s grandson wears a balaclava (it’s getting chilly in the mornings now) with only his eyes exposed. He looks like a bank robber.

None of these are absolute guarantees that we will not get Covid-19 but with the other precautions,  they can make us feel we are helping to fight the virus in whatever way we can.

 Jean Baudrillard, French sociologist and philosopher who died in 2007, once said, ‘All society ends up wearing masks.’ 

However did he know?

Day Twenty

If all the world were paper

The Covid Crisis has brought out the worst in some people with  shoppers fighting, actually hand to hand fighting, over toilet rolls.

As far as I know, no one has descended to fisticuffs for fish, or offered violence to get the last pack of spinach or fluffy slippers.

Tissue is always the issue.

When I was a child in Bradford, the lavatory was outside and while Mum allowed us to use the po in the bedroom for early morning wee-wees, anything else meant a cold, often dark and rainy trip down the yard.

There I’d sit, dangling my little legs and screwing up pieces of newspaper to make them soft.

Typically, you had to screw and smooth a square of Telegraph & Argus six times before it achieved the requisite gentleness.

Newspaper was infinitely better than the Bronco tissue we were forced to use at school.

This shiny, rough paper, named after an untamed horse (!) was strangely non-absorbent and had the order NOW WASH YOUR HANDS! Printed on every sheet. 

It was totally unfit for purpose and its advertising slogan, ‘Bronco for the bigger wipe’ only compounded the consumers dislike of it.  

Image courtesy of the Science Museum, London.

In ancient times, depending on where you lived and when, a visit to the loo meant taking leaves, grasses, clay, moss or wood shavings (how on earth did they keep them together?) 

Other wipers included corn and maize cobs,  fruit skins, seashells, stones (ouch)  and for the wealthy English, lace, wool, cloth and, much later,  paper from books and music scores. 

I cringe to think this is why Shakespeare’s plays  were lost.

The Romans used a sponge often soaked in vinegar (or if you were  wealthy, rosewater), attached to a stick.

When I first learned about this, I wondered if this implement,  offered to Jesus on the cross was not in fact to assuage his thirst but as a kind of bizarre insult, the fore-runner of the Abu Ghraib scandal.

In many countries, even today, the left hand is used, which is why some cultures will eat only with the right.  NOW WASH YOUR HANDS!

The first people to use paper were the Chinese, the earliest known toilet paper or 衛生紙 was recorded in AD 589. 

Yan Zhitui (I promise I’m not making that name up) wrote that he dare not use any paper for wiping which contained classical Confucian texts.

During the 14th century, Emperor Hongwu’s family used 720,000 sheets (2ft x 3ft) per year of a special soft and perfumed  paper fabric in their luxurious loo.

Here he is on the throne.

It wasn’t until the 1850’s that that a  New York entrepreneur,  Joseph Gayetty produced the first commercially available sheets as, ‘The greatest necessity of the age!’  

However,  despite being softened by aloe vera, or maybe because of it, they tore into holes when used.

NOW WASH YOUR HANDS!

It would be 20 more years before toilet paper would be produced in perforated rolls and even then the quality of the paper, made from wood chips, was so poor that people often risked splinter in the bottom.  

We’ve come a long way to get to the ultra-soft stuff worth fighting for but stories have emerged recently that thanks to Covid-19,  many of us are still not on a roll but have been reduced to using cloths, newspaper and even junk mail.  Best thing for it.