The quarantine stories
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Days such as these: reminiscence of a pandemic
I have originally published this poem in Macedonian on my facebook profile and since I got quite some positive feedback about it – partially in comments and shares and partially in private messages – I thought that I can try to translate it in English and post it here. This is a new experience for me: I usually write my poetry either in English or in Macedonian and keep it as such, fearing that much of the tone could be lost in the translation. Nevertheless, I have now decided to conduct this experiment and see how the English translation would sound. The original is, after all, some hybrid of prose…
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What has 2020 taught me about work, love, family and myself
With increasing data to support the idea that the pandemic aftermath will be as bitter as the pandemic itself, we have to ask ourselves where do we go from here. Not only as a world and society, but also personally. Setting our priorities right; taking care of our physical and mental health; developing the mindset that will enable us to deal with the post-pandemic crisis that will follow in 2021, or possibly in 2022, are the habits that will determine whether we will not only adapt, but also thrive.
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The Paranal observatory in Chile: Dr. Johanna Hartke takes us to the frontier of astronomical observations
21st of December 2020 is an extremely interesting astronomical day, so in order to celebrate it, I have interviewed Dr. Johanna Hartke – an outstanding astronomer who works for the European Southern Observatory at the Paranal observatory in Chile. What makes 21st of December so special? In addition to the winter solstice – when we mark the shortest day in the year and the official start of the winter - this year we also enjoy two other exciting astronomical events: the peak of the Ursids meteor shower and the so-called “great conjunction” of Jupiter and Saturn.
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Help vulnerable families during the COVID-19 pandemic
Dear all, today with you I want to share something that I do not usually share on my blog. However, it is something that is rather close to home and it is for a good cause. The stories that I am about to share with you have genuinely touched me and I have decided to reach out to you in the hopes that some of you would might also empathize the way I have. The COVID-19 pandemics hit Macedonia – my home country – very seriously. In addition to the completely-filled hospitals, high infection and mortality rates, many people have also lost their job, or have lost the financial help…
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The quarantine stories, part II: Finding Joy
You are not quite sure when you have forgotten how joy looks like. You try as hard as possible to remember, but this comes to your mind: exponential-growth curves. Masks. Hands. Soap. Hand sanitizer. Aerosols. Distance. Social distancing. One meter, two meters. Social isolation. Alone. Even when living with someone. Lonely. Where is my joy? – you ask yourself.
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The quarantine stories, part 1: Love in the time of corona
All happy relationships are alike; each unhappy relationship is unhappy in its own way. – Leo Tolstoy Tolstoy actually talks about families, but this is irrelevant now. For what I am about to tell you, the quote would serve me better if it said “relationships” instead of “families”. My literary ingeniousness thinks I have the right to alter quotes from Tolstoy, so please do not disagree. Here is why I need this quote. I consider my relationship with Felix a happy one. Of course, we have our challenges; I sometimes shout hysterically at him to get the f*ck away from me, and he sometimes tells me I am a crazy…
