M J Mallon YA Author and Poet

I’ve been thinking about our PM Boris Johnson who was admitted to intensive care, but is now on the mend. Not a good experience for him, his family, his pregnant partner, or the UK, his ending up in the ICU. I don’t agree with his politics but that doesn’t stop me from wishing that he pulls through and gets better soon. Poor chap.

This is a horrible disease – we must do our best to protect ourselves from.

Become a pineapple with prickly layers to keep the virus out, put shades on and stay in!

This is my way of dealing with the stress of COV19, humour is my only way of coping. Whatever it takes to get through this…

I was shocked to see many xenophobic tweets in response to the news of Boris’s admission to intensive care – as if somehow China is personally responsible for his catching the illness and the severity of it. Get a grip. The bat didn’t grab his hand and force him to shake hands with his constituents, did it? It didn’t flap its wings and say Boris don’t rest, keep on working excessive hours for the sake of the country.

There is no point abusing China. No doubt after this is all over we will find out the truth, or as near as we can get to the truth in this media circus. Rather, let’s join together and try to help each other through this, as one human race with a common goal. Keeping well and helping each other so we can battle this disease and the economies of the world can flourish.

I’m all for togetherness, except apart… social distancing.

My meandering mind has been wondering about people and their strange eating habits. I don’t understand why anyone would want to eat bats. I’d rather eat a pineapple. Equally, I can’t comprehend our worldwide need to eat these strange foods either: Mosquito Eggs, Wood worm, Dung Beetle, Grasshoppers, Rattle Snake, Guinea Pig, (really?) Witchetty Grub, Midge Fly, Mopane worms, Edible Lavae and Pupae of Ants, Cobra Heart with Blood and Venom, Termites, Crocodiles, Locusts, Baby Mice Wine, Wasp Crackers, etc… The list goes on and on: https://whenonearth.net/101-strangest-foods-around-world/

We eat weird foods all over the world: Spam, Tongue, Sheep’s Head, Black Pudding, Haggis… Okay, haggis isn’t that bad… but tongue? Eeh, and spam? Eeh, and Sheep’s Head?

And liver, kidney, never been a fan!

No offence to the Phillipines but Soup No. 5 – Bull’s penis and testicles?

Perhaps from now on we should all take more care of what we eat? You’ve heard the saying you are what you eat!

Enough of this, seriously it’s time to… talk about productivity.

What bloggy jobs have I been doing in Lockdown?

I’m writing these diary type entries on my blog. Also, I’ve been writing short stories, flash fiction and poetry about the COV19. More about plans for those later.

I’ve updated my blog theme and I’m very happy with the results. Also, I’ve been working on creating a newsletter on my blog.

It’s not up yet and it won’t be until I’m happy it’s working properly. This has been on my to do list for forever but the last time I tried I gave up as I found it so hard to do.

Being in Lockdown has given me the time and determination to give it another go!

I discovered this WordPress link which is really helpful:

https://wordpress.com/support/mailchimp/

And I even managed to add my logo to the pop up form! That was quite tricky as I had to alter the size of the photo so it would fit. So a tip – if you decide to do this resize your photo first!

Also, if you don’t like the pop up idea you can add a sign up to blocks if you are using the Gutenberg (which I am also learning how to use in Lockdown.)

Mailchimp Block

If you are using the Block Editor, you can add a Mailchimp Block to a page or a post using these instructions.

Hope those words of wisdom help a little, and try not to eat anything wriggly please.

Stay safe and well. And Boris get well, the UK needs you.

And remember that Lockdown means Lockdown, don’t go out unless you really need to, follow the Government guidelines. Today, we received a letter from Boris stating the rules and precautions necessary to keep us safe.

There are so many people in our community whose life could be at risk if you do not do this.

Check out this post from Norm which highlights the need to think of others:

https://miscellaneousmusingsofamiddleagedmind.wordpress.com/2020/04/07/the-self-isolation-diaries-entry-1/

From Brigid Gallagher who is on the mend: https://watchingthedaisies.com/2020/04/08/a-list-of-supports-which-helped-me-navigate-the-virus/

So saddened by this: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/apr/06/coronavirus-crisis-nhs-not-drained-migrants-sustained-died-frontline/

Available for free on kindle unlimited and to buy in kindle and paperback: http://mybook.to/MrSagittarius

Mr. Sagittarius is a collection of poetry, prose and photographic images inspired by the botanical gardens in Cambridge. Photography is in the genes! Both my uncle and grandfather were photographers. My grandfather A.G. Ingram was originally with the photography company Ingram, Gordon & Co in Haddington up until the mid thirties.  Then he ventured on his own to form the Scottish Pictorial Press in Edinburgh supplying photos to the press.  When war broke out Scottish Pictorial Press became defunct.  After the war he started AG Ingram Ltd, Commercial Photographers, at 3 successive locations in Edinburgh, Scotland.