elisi | Update from the house of Plague (Day 103 of Year 2)

Crossposts: https://elisi.livejournal.com/1334994.html

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Update from the house of Plague (Day 103 of Year 2)

Well guess who had a positive covid test! It comes with a lot of paperwork, yo...

So, since I work in education (as an administrator, teaching is not for me) twice-weekly lateral flow tests have been a part of life for months by now. (Ditto for the teenager, we are awash with test kits.) Which is why this headline is a little misleading:

Test And Trace Has Lost Track Of Nearly 600 Million Covid Tests
Beleaguered service sent out mass tests but just 14% have been registered as used.

I'm not defending Dido Harding (lord forbid) but as far as I can tell the tests in question are the lateral flow test kits that they've been handing out. Now what's supposed to happen is that once you have the result (for those not familiar: it only takes 30 minutes, it's nice & quick) you register it on the government website. People... do not do this. Well SOME do, but the vast majority simply go 'Oh it's negative' and shove it in the bin. So for once I do not blame Track & Trace - I have no idea how they could incentivise people. Something something civic duty? But then a LOT of these kits were given to teenagers - case in point my 15 y.o. has been very good about testing, but has (apparently) not reported a single result... If you are wondering, registering a test result online is pretty straightforward (you have create a profile the first time, but after that it remembers all your details).

But getting a PCR test sent out and then getting a positive result means spending a LOT of time on the official websites filling out endless questionnaires. I appreciate all the work that has gone into it all, but I am also grateful that I'm not feeling worse than I am, because that stuff took some concentration!

Also praise where praise is due - they're very quick. You get your testing kit the day after you order it, and the results the day after you post them back.

OK, now I'm making myself fall asleep, this is so dull.

Here, have something more fun. This is painfully accurate:

Them: "How does writing work?"

Writer: "Umm you type and then you delete. Do a couple hours of research and rewrite. You reread, wonder if anything you say makes any sense. Then you revise."

Them: "So that's how you write a book?"

Writer: "That's how you write a sentence."
— Michael J. Seidlinger (@mjseidlinger) June 21, 2021

And I have a feeling I've shared this before, but it still makes me laugh:

When I say fandom has never changed throughout history, only our access to each other and ready ability to feud in front of crowds of the community and other people. pic.twitter.com/oALgVFqc7B
— Deramin (@otdderamin) December 20, 2020

Daily Dimash: Samal Tau

Now this is one of those songs where I want to say: 'If you watch no other video, watch this one', and not just because it is one of my favourites, or because of Dimash, but for the history of the song. Dimash is very patriotic (not surprising, given the history of Kazakhstan, they only gained independence 30 years ago) and patriotic in this instance means 'proud of his country and deeply invested in the culture' and this is one of his favourite songs to perform. Here is the background (copied from elsewhere) some of which is also explained in the intro:

Samal Tau is an old historical folk Kazakh song and tells the story from the First World War. The name of the author is not known. Kazakhstan was at that time part of the Russian empire. The Russian Tsar issues a decree in 1916 the draft of Kazakhs aged 19–39 years for the army. Samal Tau is the song of these recruits. The place where they came from was called "Samal Tau" in the North Kazakhstan region.

The song contains the words: "We wander tired, very tired for 15 days, almost reached Omsk. Samal Tau, where I was born and raised, was left behind. Elderly parents stayed at home. How are they supposed to live without me?" The song also has information about the age of the author. He is a little over two mushels old. He was born in the year of the cow, which means in 1888, so he is 28 years old.

The instrument's name is Kobyz (Kazakh: қобыз, Qobyz) or kyl-kobyz and is an ancient Kazakh string instrument. It has two strings made of horsehair. The resonating cavity is usually covered with goat leather. According to legends, the kobyz and its music could banish evil spirits, sicknesses and death and imitate animal voices and bells of cattle herds of Kazakhstan steppe. (At the beginning of the performance: howling of wolf, dog's bark and crane cry)

Watch on YouTube

This one is my favourite performance I think. It's from May 2020, so everything was virtual and this was filmed in Dimash's studio. The stripped back feel suits the song incredibly well. (If you set subtitles to 'Autotranslate' and then English, it should work):

Samaltau | Tokyo Jazz Festival 2020

Watch on YouTube

The performance below is the version that is used in the animated video above and which is a very very close second.

October 20th, 2019, at the Closing and Award Ceremony of the 6th Silk Road International Film Festival in Fuzhou, China

Watch on YouTube

(Same performance, but with introduction explaining the history & subtitles: Dimash - Samaltau (with story behind)【KZ_RU_GE_EN SUBS. Unable to embed.)

Dimash also performed Samal Tau as part of the SisterCities event which was held to mark the opening of the week of celebration of the inauguration of US President Joe Biden. There is a lot of talk back & forth between the great and the good before Dimash shows up at around 8:45.

Watch on YouTube

And finally (for now at least) what is listed on youtube as 'Самое лучшее исполнение песни «Самал Тау»' which translates to: The best performance of the song "Samal Tau”:

Watch on YouTube

It's absolutely gorgeous. And one day soon when my head is co-operating I will write about the Faroes and music and culture and how that very much ties in with what I see in Dimash.

Dimash Masterpost

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I hope you and your family recover well.

Thank you. <3 For now we're just resting & taking it easy.

Change of policy: you are permitted to die only for purposes of getting out of paperwork.

Genuinely made me laugh out loud (which then made me cough) but it was worth it.

And I have SLAYED the paperwork, go me. Even if it logged me out once because I took a break. (I should have an icon of Ten & Donna tearing up their contracts.)

Genuinely made me laugh out loud (which then made me cough) but it was worth it.
Heh. Sorry?

Sincerely, though, I will not ask you to remain on this mortal coil if there is paperwork to be done. I'm not that selfish.

And I have SLAYED the paperwork, go me. Even if it logged me out once because I took a break. (I should have an icon of Ten & Donna tearing up their contracts.)
Go you indeed. It does seem rather unreasonable to force people to do loads of forms when they're plagued. Do you get a medal?

Heh. Sorry?
Nah, I was coughing anyway. (The cough has now turned into a cold, yay for a virus with endless ways of making you feel crappy.)

Sincerely, though, I will not ask you to remain on this mortal coil if there is paperwork to be done. I'm not that selfish.
LOL.

Go you indeed. It does seem rather unreasonable to force people to do loads of forms when they're plagued. Do you get a medal?
No medal as far as I am aware... I should look into that. Although that will probably require more paper work.

Nah, I was coughing anyway. (The cough has now turned into a cold, yay for a virus with endless ways of making you feel crappy.)
The rotating symptoms are the most fun *eye twitch* Don't be surprised if they cycle back around, too. And the feeling better only to get worse again. Just keep resting.

No medal as far as I am aware... I should look into that. Although that will probably require more paper work.
Good point. No medals then.

The rotating symptoms are the most fun *eye twitch* Don't be surprised if they cycle back around, too. And the feeling better only to get worse again.
*screams* I'm not even better yet!!

Resting is not a problem.

OK, I have been WILDLY active today. I have replied to a lot of comments and have put in TWO loads of washing.

Good point. No medals then.
S'okay. I have a silver medal for volleyball from when I was like 13. I'm good.

*screams* I'm not even better yet!!
Sorry . . .

Hopefully the vaccine will save you from some of that insanity, but best to go into it eyes open, I think. This thing will mess with your head.

OK, I have been WILDLY active today. I have replied to a lot of comments and have put in TWO loads of washing.
Stupidly productive. Cease immediately :P

S'okay. I have a silver medal for volleyball from when I was like 13. I'm good.
*snort* Ok, Rose Tyler.

Hopefully the vaccine will save you from some of that insanity, but best to go into it eyes open, I think. This thing will mess with your head.
Grumble grumble, why couldn't I be asymptomatic...

Stupidly productive. Cease immediately :P
Well I did nothing else and am now off to bed.

*snort* Ok, Rose Tyler.
I had never thought of it like that! 😂 Mostly because it's still something that is deeply puzzling to me. Sport & I are not compatible.

Grumble grumble, why couldn't I be asymptomatic...
See? Messes with your head, starting with the fact that some people aren't sick at all.

Well I did nothing else and am now off to bed.
Good!

I had never thought of it like that! 😂 Mostly because it's still something that is deeply puzzling to me. Sport & I are not compatible.
Oh man, I thought you were deliberately making a joke. Well, I don't think I have even one sports medal, so you're beating me.

See? Messes with your head, starting with the fact that some people aren't sick at all.
I don't have time for complaining about that, I've got enough to deal with in that regard with himself complaining about being ill.

Oh man, I thought you were deliberately making a joke. Well, I don't think I have even one sports medal, so you're beating me.
One day, if I feel up to it, I will tell you the story. It's not interesting.

I don't have time for complaining about that, I've got enough to deal with in that regard with himself complaining about being ill.
You poor thing. Any signs of recovery on that front?

One day, if I feel up to it, I will tell you the story. It's not interesting.
Genuine lol. I look forward to it.

You poor thing. Any signs of recovery on that front?
No, I think Complaining About Things is a permanent state of mind. He's British after all. ;)

If you are asking if he's recovering, then yes. He's ahead of me.)

Genuine lol. I look forward to it.
*snort* Here is a thing that happened to me when I was 12....

No, I think Complaining About Things is a permanent state of mind. He's British after all. ;)
Heh. I meant the physical recovery, but touché.

*snort* Here is a thing that happened to me when I was 12....
*shrug* Why not?

Heh. I meant the physical recovery, but touché.
I couldn't not...

*shrug* Why not?
When I have energy again.

What an embuggeration, as the late Sir Pterry might say. Of course the bureaucracy is harder if you are actually ill. ::sigh:: Delta variant, presumably. I hope it passes swiftly.

I love the Ancient Greek shipper wars. It makes Spuffy/Bangel look like rank beginners.

What an embuggeration, as the late Sir Pterry might say.
Good man. A perfect summary.

Of course the bureaucracy is harder if you are actually ill. ::sigh::
I understand the need for it, and appreciate why, but there were many many pages of gov dot uk stuff to fill out...

Delta variant, presumably. I hope it passes swiftly.
Thank you. And yes, most definitely. Have had a whole carousel of different symptoms, but currently feel like I have a stinking cold.

I love the Ancient Greek shipper wars. It makes Spuffy/Bangel look like rank beginners.
*snort*

can we work ancient greek ship wars into our fic somehow

That really seems like the kind of thing that Aziraphale and Crowley have been bickering over for centuries and just comes up randomly whenever they have a disagreement and anybody in the vicinity is just like WTF?

exactly lmao

A: they were merely devoted comrades
C: (loudly, completely heedless of the fact they're in a public space) THEY WERE *POUNDING* EACH OTHER IN THE *ARSE*

Yes.

Get well soon!

Thank you. <3

Get well soon!

In this household, neither P nor d, both of whom are (ok, reasonably...) competent and civically responsible adults, had even registered that you were supposed to report the result of a negative LFT until I mentioned it (though P was dutifully reporting his to the Zoe Covid symptoms app). I've reported *most* of mine but pretty sure I've binned at least a couple before remembering and I fear I am not civically responsible enough to fish the wretched thing out of the kitchen bin. So, yeah: not sure this is really the fault of T&T.

Get well soon!
Thank you! <3

In this household, neither P nor d, both of whom are (ok, reasonably...) competent and civically responsible adults, had even registered that you were supposed to report the result of a negative LFT until I mentioned it
We've had reminders in our work bulletins to please report all results! Since most people... aren't.

pretty sure I've binned at least a couple before remembering and I fear I am not civically responsible enough to fish the wretched thing out of the kitchen bin.
Same. So basically, it's human nature.

but the vast majority simply go 'Oh it's negative' and shove it in the bin

Honestly, expecting people to do anything else, unless it benefits them (i.e., need evidence of negative results to return to work/school etc.) is a lost cause. Just the other day I saw someone call other people animals for not returning their shopping carts to corrals, thus forcing employees to go around an entire parking lot rounding them up in 100+ heat. I always return mine so had no need to take it personally, but it made me realize how very rarely people think of how their actions impact anyone else and how rarely they do things that are practically no effort just to make someone else's day easier (or things better for the environment, etc.)

Honestly, expecting people to do anything else, unless it benefits them (i.e., need evidence of negative results to return to work/school etc.) is a lost cause.
Yup. Maybe they should have done a lottery or something...

Just the other day I saw someone call other people animals for not returning their shopping carts to corrals, thus forcing employees to go around an entire parking lot rounding them up in 100+ heat.
Are you familiar with The Shopping Cart Theory?

I was not! I'm guessing the person commenting was. But it makes sense to me as a general principle (there are always exceptions). One thing I've usually done is to grab a cart (either from a parking space it's blocking or from the handicapped spaces) on my way in. This can be helpful on its own but it can also be a good strategy, because when a store is low or out of carts I am already arriving with my own.

Grabbing one is smart. And it's a neat little theory which makes a lot of sense.

Oh god, I get so angry about people who leave their shopping carts, sociopaths.

lol

You don't put coins/tokens in yours then?

Sometimes. It's not the standard. They had those more when I was young and people could be reliably expected to have a quarter on them. Nowadays you'd just end up with a bunch of crabby people standing around wanting to know why they can't just use their card.

The ones where they're all tied together? I tried to find a good image, which was surprisingly difficult.

Yup, those.

I think most supermarkets have them. Not that I ever have any change on me, but I have a trolley token. :)

Oh no! I so hope it passes quickly and easily!

Thank you. (It's not being quick or easy, but hey ho, 'tis a plague...)

I hope you all recover quickly!!!!!

Thank you. <3

There is no tracing and tracking system for testing here in the states (that I know of!) so I found that information very interesting --- and the fact that you can report your own results via a website is even better! I just...wow!
Huh. The general Track & Trace in this country is a joke/tragedy (the price tag is something like £22-37bn, and it's... NOT good), but the testing part is pretty solid. (Track & Trace = outsourced to Tory friends, Testing = NHS) For a proper PCR test you send the results back, but the basic Lateral Flow Tests are easy to register. /blah blah covid is so dull

*hugs back*

Sorry that you've been smitten. Hope it doesn't affect you too badly. When we picked up our lateral flow tests from Boots we were told that we must register the result. I haven't had to take one yet but I probably will do soon before I see an immuno-compromised friend so I shall try and remember to do the right thing (though the temptation not to to spite Dido Harding is quite great).

The Ancient Greeks always did everything first including ship wars :)

Sorry that you've been smitten. Hope it doesn't affect you too badly.
Covid is a carousel of different symptoms - today it's a fullblown head cold!

When we picked up our lateral flow tests from Boots we were told that we must register the result. I haven't had to take one yet but I probably will do soon before I see an immuno-compromised friend so I shall try and remember to do the right thing (though the temptation not to to spite Dido Harding is quite great).
LOL. Think of it as helping the NHS. And they are pretty straightforward, so good luck with it.

*hugs*

Wishing you a full and swift recovery ♥

Thank you. ♥

Sorry for the diagnosis.

LOL, that writer tweet is definitely frighteningly accurate.

Stacey

Sorry for the diagnosis.
I wish it felt slightly less like a horrible head cold...

LOL, that writer tweet is definitely frighteningly accurate.
Isn't it just?

The whole thing of tracking is so complicated. Why can’t they just have a QR code on the box that you use to register a positive or a negative test on the lateral flow tests. People are inherently lazy - make it simple.

Well the tests do have QR code, but you still need to fill stuff out... And people are, indeed, lazy.

I guess that didn't come as a total surprise... Get well soon!

Nope, I'd have been surprised if it was negative!! And thank you. <3

Oh dear - I hope it doesn't hit you too bad.

Also your assessment of the 'lost test' situation just shows how stupid politicians can get when trying to score points.

Oh dear - I hope it doesn't hit you too bad.
Today it's turned into a head cold. Ugh.

Also your assessment of the 'lost test' situation just shows how stupid politicians can get when trying to score points.
Indeed. Please blame people for stuff they actually got wrong, THERE IS SO MUCH TO CHOOSE FROM!

Oh boy. And here I am happy about my first jab that I got today :(

I read your today's post. I hope you and everyone in the family who might be affected feels better soon.

You do your own PCR test? Here you have to go to a doctor or test center for that.

Oh boy. And here I am happy about my first jab that I got today :(
Be happy! OK, this sucks, but I'm not particularly worried that I'll end up in hospital.

I read your today's post. I hope you and everyone in the family who might be affected feels better soon.
Thank you. <3

You do your own PCR test? Here you have to go to a doctor or test center for that.
You do the test & then send it off to be processed. Although this is only if you can't get to a testing centre.

I'm happy to read that you and the family feel better. Such a nasty illness.

How do they know though that you did the test properly? Deep enough, I mean?

We got a lot of test centers (for the 15 minute tests) where people could get tested for free to be allowed into shopping centers and restaurants. Turned out that the people doing the tests were not all properly trained, and didn't do it properly. Plus they just could tell a number at the end of the day and get paid for it but investigations showed that they got paid for much more than they actually had done. It's all quite a mess.

I'm happy to read that you and the family feel better. Such a nasty illness.
<3 We are all pretty much back to normal now, which is nice!

How do they know though that you did the test properly? Deep enough, I mean?
Well we did the proper PCR tests which get sent off to a proper testing place, not just the lateral flow tests (that one does at home and that give a result in 30 minutes), and they all came out positive. Mind you, when the eldest first suspected she did 3 lateral flow tests which all came out positive (and never had before) so... We're fairly used to doing the tests, since we're all in school settings and have to do home tests twice weekly. And even Darcy has done plenty since you can get the test kits for free and there have been times when it's been necessary to make sure we were plague free (like meeting up with family). Anyway, the PCR tests are much more rigorous when it comes to getting the results.

It's all quite a mess.
Oh dear. (Although it's almost comforting to know that other countries have also handled some aspects badly...)

How is a PCR test done actually? I have so far managed to not have one test and it sounds both through the nose and through the mouth are rather awful and I try to avoid them.

I didn't mean you in particular, of course you would do the test correctly. I mean more in general.

I hear that to be allowed into Wembley stadium for the soccer world cup people had to test themself and upload it on a webpage. Will everyone really be honest about it? Will they stay away if they have paid so much for tickets?

I read a lot on Twitter, from nurses and kindergardeners, and sometimes you just can shake your head. It has been mandatory here as well for school children to test twice a week. In the beginning they did it at school, and the teacher was supposed to look whether it's done correctly. Then again it is not safe if 30 children all take off their masks at once. So it was changed to do it at home in the morning, but again it is suspected that some parents don't give a damn. They are more scared to have to go into quarantine and miss their vacation, than about the health of their family. Some people are just stupid.

And yeah, seems aside of some Asian countries none did too well. We were looking to Australia in awe but even they have problems now.

How is a PCR test done actually? I have so far managed to not have one test and it sounds both through the nose and through the mouth are rather awful and I try to avoid them.
They're all basically the same - back of the throat and up the nose. Lucky you for avoiding them, they're horrible.

I didn't mean you in particular, of course you would do the test correctly. I mean more in general.
The instructions are pretty thorough, but whether people do them properly... well, who knows? There was a story in the news last week (I think) about teenagers using lemon juice to fake a positive result on their lateral flow tests so they didn't have to go to school...

I hear that to be allowed into Wembley stadium for the soccer world cup people had to test themself and upload it on a webpage. Will everyone really be honest about it? Will they stay away if they have paid so much for tickets?
Out numbers are rising exponentially at the moment, and the Delta variant is HUGELY infections so... it kinda feels like people just don't care anymore? Any sensible country would limit the numbers much much more, but we are not a sensible country.

So it was changed to do it at home in the morning, but again it is suspected that some parents don't give a damn. They are more scared to have to go into quarantine and miss their vacation, than about the health of their family. Some people are just stupid.
Agreed. There is no perfect solution, but people should be protected from their own stupidity as much as possible.

And yeah, seems aside of some Asian countries none did too well. We were looking to Australia in awe but even they have problems now.
Asian countries in general, and New Zealand. It's sad New Zealand is so far away... :(

Ughhh so sorry about all the positives!

Omg that tweet was soooo funny XDDD

Ughhh so sorry about all the positives!
Yup, they suck...

Omg that tweet was soooo funny XDDD
Yeah, just ridiculously accurate!

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Update from the house of Plague (Day 103 of Year 2)

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