The Narrative Within

Touching in the time of epidemics

Posted on March 12, 2020 by Art for Housewives

noli me tangere

After his resurrection, Jesus encounters Mary Magdalene. She runs to embrace him but Jesus stops her. Noli me tangere he says. Don’t touch me! (John 20:21). Scholars have much debated as to why this was said. One theory is that Jesus, ready to ascend into heaven, was in the middle of having his physical body being transformed into spirit and being touched would have interrupted the process—somewhat like teleportation when matter is being dematerialized so that it can be transferred from one place to another.

Not being touched is a form of sensory deprivation. Any book on child psychology will tell you that development is enhanced by physical affection. Unfortunately, the elderly are those who receive the least amount of touching often causing them to feel isolated from the rest of the world. Because who doesn’t need a hug sometimes?

Italians like physical contact. It’s the norm to kiss the cheeks of friends as a form of greeting. But, thanks to the coronavirus, that’s no longer possible. Now, not only is physical contact prohibited, you have to stay at least a meter away from others. Maybe this lack of touch can be sustained for a while but I wonder what the psychological consequences will be on a long term basis.

The good news as of March 11th: 1. There are no new cases of coronavirus in Codogno where all this telenovela got started 2. Because of the effects the virus is having on the economy, you can ask for suspension of tax and mortgage payments as well as some utility bills 3. Giorgio Armani not only closes his shops as a means of protecting his employees, he’s also donated €1.25 Million to coronavirus efforts

(Living the Lockdown)

Related: Perché e come è possibile richiedere la sospensione delle rate del mutuo + Giorgio Armani Donates €1.25 Million to Coronavirus Efforts, as Italy Locks Down

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Posted in Art Narratives, Drawings & Paintings, Rome/Italy | Tagged coronavirus, Living the Lockdown, lockdown, noli me tangere, teleportation, touch | 2 Comments

Les Schtroumpfs

Posted on March 11, 2020 by Art for Housewives

Voulez vous Smurf avec moi?

On March 7th, more than 3,500 French gathered in Landerneau, France with their faces painted blue and dressed as Smurfs with the intention of breaking the world record for the largest Smurf rally. When criticized for planning such an activity, they responded “we’re going to Smurferize the coronavirus.”

Unfortunately, the coronavirus is invisible. It’s not painted blue like a Smurf so that you can easily see it.

Here in Italy, movement is restricted to shopping for groceries, buying medication, going to work, and taking walks for fresh air. However, a distance of one meter between one person and another is always obligatory. If you want to go out of town, you must have a legitimate reason for doing so. Plus you must have a self-certification (the form to be downloaded from internet) explaining why you are travelling. And if you don’t follow the rules, you risk 6 months of jail as well as a E206 fine.

The Italians have been very generous in donating money for hospital supplies. And the Chinese government just donated 100,000 face masks, 1000 lung fans, 20,000 protective suits, and 50,000 swabs.

One thing that we are learning is that we need others to survive.

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(Living the Lockdown)

Related: French mayor defends Smurf rally after outcry over virus + Roman Quarantine Day 1

Posted in Art Narratives, Drawings & Paintings, Rome/Italy, Uncategorized | Tagged coronavirus, lockdown, Smurfs | 2 Comments

A Bright Sunny Lockdown Day

Posted on March 11, 2020 by Art for Housewives

Bonnie and Clyde

This morning we went out to get some sun (vitamin D!) and fresh air as well as to buy groceries. And of course, we went out well protected with his and hers protection masks Bonnie & Clyde style.

There were few people out and about 50% of them were wearing masks. The elderly were those most protected. The lines outside the grocery store were long but not because people were in a panic to buy food but because only so many people are allowed inside the store at a time and the waiting line is outside with people standing one meter apart from each other. Believe me, to see so many Romans patiently waiting in line is somewhat of a magical experience.

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io resto a casa rules

Posted in Rome/Italy | Tagged coronavirus, face masks, Living the Lockdown | 2 Comments

Living the Lockdown

Posted on March 10, 2020 by Art for Housewives

Living the Lockdown

On Valentine’s Day of this year, Mattia showed up at the hospital in Codogno with a light case of pneumonia. Despite treatments, the pneumonia persisted. Annalisa Malara, doctor at the hospital, thought that if a standard illness is treated in a standard way and doesn’t go away, then maybe it’s not a standard illness. And thanks to her female intuition, she tested Mattia for the coronavirus. Once the results were known, life in Italy began to radically change.

The entire town of Codogna became “zona rossa” and quarantined. But the coronavirus kept spreading thus the extension of the zona rossa—first the entire region of Lombardy and now all of Italy. We are living a new version of la vida loca and it’s called lockdown.

The coronavirus vade mecum put out by the government stresses the importance of social distancing to avoid contagion. Schools are all closed. Masses can’t be held. Museums, cinemas, sporting events are closed, too. You can go to the grocery store but must stay at least 1 meter away from other people. Even the banks limit the number of people who can go in at a time.

There’s also an emphasis on handwashing. Much contagion comes from touching contaminated surfaces. So we are all now cleaning communally used objects such as door knobs.

Italy has an excellent health care system. But it is not prepared to have so many people in such extreme conditions. Doctors and nurses who have been working non-stop are starting to crumble. Hospitals are full and intensive care is at its limit. And, we’ve read, it may get to the point that doctors will have to choose whose life to save. Precedence will be given to those with more possibilities of being cured. Thus the elderly, who generally have pre-existing medical conditions, are more at risk.

The coronavirus likes to travel and will soon be coming your way. So be prepared. I am very lucky to be living in a country with a socialized medical system. No one has to pay to be tested or to be treated. It’s better to pay for the health of everyone than it is to pay for Wall Street bailouts, wars, and walls. If nothing else, the coronavirus will help us reconsider our priorities.

It’s a beautiful day in Rome and I’m happy to be here!

Note: The root of Mattia’s COVID 19 contamination came from Bavaria…we are still wondering why, if it started there, so few cases from Bavaria are being reported.

Related: Annalisa Malara + CORONAVIRUS, DA MONACO DI BAVIERA A CODOGNO: IL VERO PAZIENTE 0 È LA GLOBALIZZAZIONE

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