Jessica Zafra's Blog, page 11

Journal of a Lockdown, 4 April 2020

Jan van Grevenbroeck (1731-1807), Venetian doctor during the plague. Museo Correr, Venice Things I found in my old and underused refrigerator while searching for something dessert-ish 1. Stalactites in the freezer 2. Rose-flavored Turkish delight from 2017. That’s definitely a dessert but I’m not sure it’s still edible and will only open the box if […]

Journal of a Lockdown, 3 April 2020

The stray cats are in heat, their cries slicing the quiet of the neighborhood like scissors through tin foil. They’re at it in the middle of the night, and sometimes at mid-afternoon. My feline companions, all neutered, run to the windows for a glimpse of cat porn. If crime is down 56% as the police […]

Journal of a Lockdown, 2 April 2020

Ten-minute sunbath at noon cancelled as the UV Index is cranked up to 11 and I don’t want to inadvertently acquire superpowers (Advertently, yes). Oh great, now a theme from those primitive Marvel cartoons of my childhood is playing in my head: Doc-tor Banner Affected by gamma rays Turns into The Hulk Pretty and glamorous! […]

Journal of a Lockdown, 1 April 2020

Although I have enough unread books to withstand a siege, I find that I cannot read contemporary fiction these days and must escape to the distant past. Way distant, like 1,000 years ago. I’ve been reading books and listening to online lectures and podcasts on ancient and medieval history. Maybe seeking comfort in the knowledge […]

Journal of a Lockdown, 31 March 2020

Pandemic art: The Triumph of Death by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, 1562. Image from Wikimedia Commons. Summer is approaching full blast, and from my window everything is glowing. I have moved my daily standing-in-the-sun to 11am because the noonday sun hurts. Indoors it’s like sitting in a turbo broiler, but outside is killer (and not […]

Journal of a Lockdown, 29 March 2020

Lali, Mother of Muji (gorgeous white rescue cat with Persian locks but a decidedly non-Persian face), had the answer to my question: Without public transportation, how do the workers get to the groceries, pharmacies, and other essential businesses where they work? Answer: If their employers can’t provide them with some sort of shuttle service, they […]

Journal of a Lockdown, 28 March 2020

St. Corona, who is buried in Northern Italy, the former epicenter of the pandemic (It’s New York City now). Isn’t that Alanis don’t you think. Image from Wikipedia. Quarantine may keep us from infecting others and getting infected ourselves, but it comes with its own health problems. Walking is my main form of exercise, and […]

Journal of a Lockdown, 27 March 2020

To detoxify from Wednesday’s emotional overdose, I proposed that we take a break from the news and social media for 12 hours. Understandably the chat group was quiet for the duration, besides reporting on our latest experiments in making food more edible. This way I avoided hearing of the latest contender in the Ultimate Douchebag […]

Journal of a Lockdown, 26 March 2020

Petard, as in “Hoist with his own petard.” (Shakespeare again, bitch knew all.) A bomb-maker is blown up—lifted into the air—by his own petard or bomb. Image from Wikipedia. My weekly parole—the one-kilometer walk to the supermarket—was cancelled. I was so looking forward to it, but I’m committed to my paranoia. While I was getting […]

Journal of a Lockdown, 24 March 2020

In my neighborhood I am well-acquainted with the barangay office’s public address system. Every night at 9:30 or so the barangay captain or their representative reminds everyone of the 10pm curfew for kids 17 and below. If any kids are caught on the street after 10, their parents will be penalized. There are periodic reminders […]