Something important that I missed from my last post about life in lockdown is The Bunker. Right at the start of the pandemic, before official lockdown happened, my friend Morag (finally) joined WhatsApp and set up a small group of friends to keep our mutual morale up in the uncertain times that were to follow. This group quickly grew into a much larger support group of friends that I don’t always see very frequently in person.
Particularly right at the start, when we were still trying to adjust to the new rules, The Bunker (as the group quickly became known) was vital. In the very early days, it was a chance to worry about what was happening in a safe space, and also to take our minds off the outside world. It’s since become my go to place when I feel a bit low and just fancy hanging out with some friends, knowing that someone will be around with some geek chat, stupid memes, or gifs (all the gifs!), possibly all at the same time.
The Bunker was the first thing that came out of this for me that wasn’t wholly negative and I hope it continues well after Covid-19 is crushed by the advance of medical science. It’s like the old Io group of years gone by, reconstituted (Morag compared it to one of my parties, which is also where old Io types tend to congregate, but only a couple of times a year).
So thanks to Morag for both the idea and for inviting me to shelter in The Bunker. I look forward to lots more esoteric geek chat and many more gifs in the weeks, months, and, indeed, years to come.
