JEAN PHILIP DE TENDER

We all are experiencing life with the virus. Even in the areas where COVID19 is not (officially) present it is all over the news. And the buzz word over the last few days is “the new normal”. The what ?!

Reporting is shifting from factual coverage – reporting the facts – to making a broader analysis. Are people jumping to conclusions ? Life will never be as it was before, they say.

I guess we all are in a reflection mood and it is up to each individual to conclude for now. That’s why I did and my conclusion is : I have my weekend back, how do I keep that in this new normal and beyond ?

My life the last five years was to travel, talk, connect, conclude, disagree, … and then to move on. At the end of the week I would land somewhere, go home and relax over the weekend. A normal weekend would be like : land, check in with my husband, cook or go for diner, get to bed a little tipsy but wake up at 06.45 to be in time for my weekly training with my coach Jeremy, drive home, buy flowers along the road, wake up my husband, read seven newspapers. Then, rush to the bookshop, don’t forget the groceries, haircut (every three weeks) , “I need three hours to finalise some work related stuff, sorry Filip”, oh …. f*ck we didn’t reserve a restaurant. Fully booked, booked, … yes, no, no good. And then we need to refuel the desire for art. This film, that exhibition, … and what if we went for a drink at the Amigo. Such is a relaxing weekend, without checking in with parents, friends and the rest.

Today weekdays are booked with Zoom, Teams and Skype meetings and the occasional good old fashioned phone call. Ten hours watching a screen but then I go one floor down for an evening with my partner, two floors up to bed and then one floor down for another round of meetings. I realize that it is Friday when a more exclusive wine appears on the dinner table.

But weekends are heaven. Nothing whatsoever in the agenda : I’ll do have an hour of training at home, the groceries have been delivered, I have become my own hairdresser, a restaurant delivers, … A weekend bubble with special attention to books, art, good food, … If there is anything I want to hold onto it : it is my weekend. I have it back and nothing will take it away again.