Bo the dog, Covid-19 & blast...

It was 9th May, when I read the news of Bo's passing, the Obama's dog. I shared the news while going to the supermarket to refund some cherry tomatoes. Then found out the whole shopping mall was closed for 4 days because of increasing Covid-19 cases. I was frustrated by the sudden change and had to spend some time catching up on the news to track changes on shopping mall closures and train & bus operating hours...

When I opened my Twitter, everyone was sharing the news of the Kabul school bombing by Taliban. U.S. troops withdrawing from Afghanistan, and Taliban wanting power back. 

I remembered the day when I read Obama's speech in Cairo, I felt in love with his speech:

"Our common prosperity will be advanced by allowing all humanity -- men and women -- to reach their full potential. I do not believe that women must make the same choices as men in order to be equal, and I respect those women who choose to live their lives in traditional roles. But it should be their choice"...

Now Taliban is grasping back power by killing innocent girls, stopping them from going to school and Obama doesn't seem to care. Only George Bush seemed to care about the effects of U.S. troops leaving Afghanistan. Even Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize for his speech "A new beginning", but no mention of anything regarding U.S. troops leaving Afghanistan. Why should he? As he changed his tone during his second presidency time and released 5 Taliban members. Currently, they are present at the Taliban peace deal with the Afghan government. I am disappointed with Obama. 

90 people dead and 240 injured in the blast outside of Sayed al-Shuhada school in Dashte Barchi. So many families now scared of sending their daughters to the school. Who wants to collect the remaining of their children in a bomb blast? Who wants to go to hospital to identify a burnt body? Who wants to dig several graves for the remains of their loved ones? Some people ended up with having several graves in a cemetery. Soon, there'll be more labor for building of graves in Afghanistan than labor for building houses for the live ones. People have started advertising their funeral services in social medias. Only in Afghanistan, is economy growing based on funeral services. 

It's a complex feeling. Living in the present, battling with Covid-19 pandemic while trying take in on what's happening in Afghanistan, unable to help...

Kill or be killed?

Mass screening causing more Covid-19 cases. Yesterday, Covid-19 virus achieved another historic record of 13202 cases. 

It looks like Covid-19 virus is struggling with its own existential philosophy: to be killed is also to kill?

EMCO Timeline (1-14 July 2021)

29 June: 

I heard Mentari Court will be placed under EMCO but still thought that at least 1 person was allowed to go for shopping essentials. So, I was relaxed a bit. 

30 June: 

Around 4:00p.m. finally decided to go shopping. Bought flour, yeast, tomato puree, chickpeas and red beans can from 99. After I brought them home, I headed back out for more shopping. 

Around 6:00p.m. Just realized the month of June has 30 days not 31 and only 2 hours left to buy groceries. I did not yet buy creamer, hoping I could buy from the shops inside Mentari Court compound itself. 

1 July: 

Around 4:00p.m. I checked the shops inside the compound and found that out all the shops and restaurants were closed. Police stated: only online transactions for online shopping is allowed, not even cash on delivery is allowed. Regardless, I did not even take any cash from my account. Also found out couldn't use my card for online shopping as it is registered with my old number. 

Around 7:00 p.m. donations of 10kg rice, 2 pack of palm oil, 1kg sugar, 800 g flour delivered to our flat.

2 July: 

After the medical officer put a blue wristband with my identity card number written on it around my wrist, I did the swab test. Only they are allowed to remove it on the 14th July. 

In the afternoon, I made homemade mayonnaise using the donated palm oil.  

3 July: 

Ran out of creamer for coffee! I blame myself for buying cider instead of creamer, realizing its best not to consume alcohol before and after the vaccine. 

4 July: 

I received the test results: negative! Waiting period for the vaccine started! 

Around 5:00p.m. we received donations of a pack of 25g turmeric with a bag of vegetables (2 cucumbers, 1 carrot, 1 cabbage, tomato, lady fingers and green chili padi) and eggs.

After 10:00p.m. one of the florescent lamps in the room went off. Lamps aren't considered essential. 

5 July: 

Management replied: they may send a florescent lamp later, and it can only be changed by the tenant themselves not the repair staff. 

Having heavy period after 55 days! I bought a pack of period pads last month and a pack of liners on 30th June. Was worried what would happen if I ran out of period pads. Need to sew some cloth pads again! 

Around 10:00p.m. I read on the news, they'll be giving us the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine starting from the morning of 5th July. 

Woke up late and found out boss had been waiting 1 hour for me to change the address on one of the forms. EMCO affected business hours. I can't work at night and have to wake up early morning. 

6 July: 

I woke up after 7:30 a.m., couldn't sleep longer. Had to start work...

Around 12:00p.m. I received my first dose of vaccine! Waiting to say "Silenzio Bruno" to any side effects that dare show up!

Running out of chicken! I cooked the last portion of chicken with donated lady fingers.

After 7:00 p.m. finally got fresh milk donation for coffee, big relief!   

7 July: 

Around 10:00 p.m. I felt tired & hot, my head was shaking. My body temperature dropped to 35.5 Celsius degree. 

I read some people in Germany, advising government to fine those who are escaping their second dose of vaccine. Let's see how they manage our second dose vaccine. 

8 July: 

My body temperature is still around 35.5 Celsius degree. 

Since yesterday, I'm trying to stop talking about EMCO situation, as it just enhanced my stressful thoughts. 

After 9:00 p.m. I decided to make cucumber & cabbage salad and use the mayonnaise as salad dressing. The mayonnaise solidified in the fridge and after it melted, tasted more like oil than mayonnaise. Waste of time and effort :(

9 July:

I cooked the second carrot with minced chicken meat. My inner bunny has to fast again until further notice :(

10 July:

Receiving another box of eggs: finally the chicken or the egg question has been answered. 

11 July:

Milk-less now, entering black coffee season again! 

After 12:00p.m. the medical officer snipped off our blue wristband and gave a green release paper.

12 July: 

It's official! Today is our last day of EMCO. 

After 11:30 p.m., apartment dwellers started celebrating the ending of EMCO with fireworks. 

13 July:

Finally went out to do some grocery, bought paper cups to make cupcakes. 

Covid-19 virus had an enormous feast, 11019 cases recorded. Health GD requesting people to stay home. There's a possibility of extending EMCO due to increasing Covid-19 cases on EMCO areas. 

14 July:

Covid-19 is a very gourmand virus. Yesterday it had a new record of 11618 cases!

Due to EMCO, all shops are closed and repair staff cannot change the florescent lamp in the room.

17 July:

EMCO ended in Selangor yesterday. The repairman came to replace the lights this morning. Happy ending