What would we do without Netflix? That’s been the joyous cry from many households in recent months as millions have battled through the lockdown experience by binging on their favourite movies and TV shows. Old favourites, new gems and those series you’ve always meant to finish but never quite had the time. Time is all many of us have now. We reach for the remote control and immerse ourselves in the box in the corner of the room.
Fionnuala and I have been working our way through a few box sets during our enforced downtime. We are currently watching ‘Ozark’ and next up it’s ‘Orphan Black.’ Fionnuala has been getting caught up on the new ‘Dynasty’ as well, while I’m devouring the new ‘Killing Eve’ and have waded through five seasons of ‘Luther.’ These are a welcome reprieve from the never ending doom and gloom on the news channels where it’s one disaster after another.
Escaping from reality is a relief at times like these. Where we can forget about the horrors currently consuming our world. We can switch off our overwhelmed brains and disappear down a rabbit hole of romance and drama, action and adrenaline. Anything is better than what is going on in our hospitals and care homes. Anything is better than the protests and riots, the endless bad news flooding our living rooms on the hour, every hour.
Nothing is normal anymore. In fact, much of what is going on is more befitting of a Hollywood blockbuster. Contagion anyone? Conspiracy theories abound as the world implodes and we sit in our homes, watching helplessly. When will it end, will it ever end? And if it does, what can we expect when the dust has settled, when we venture out again? The great unknown, so many intangibles, nothing but questions and confusion. Who can we believe anymore? The media, our politicians and religious leaders?
We crave what was, what we took for granted. The banal, the ordinary, the run of the mill. We will never look at them like that again. We will never sigh or roll our eyes at the mundanity of routine. We desire nothing more than our boring, ordinary lives again. We are sick of spectacle and crisis, it’s too much for our battered senses. Oh to be back to the the 9-5, the daily grind. We want our lives back, our world back, but is it too late for all that? Have we lost everything we once held dear?
I hope not. I truly do. I watch the daily figures hoping that we’ve turned a corner, that there’s some light at the end of the tunnel. In the meantime, there is Netflix. The once fantastic is the new normal while the real world contains what once we only saw on the big screen. There may be no dinosaurs or space ships (well, not yet anyway) but this is where we are. Day after day, month after month. A pandemic and the remote control. A not so brave new world.
Black Thoughts 
So very true, and it is heartbreaking.
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Thank you.
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So true and it’s so sad but I can’t help think it’s Mother Nature telling us to take care of the world around us. But while this is going on, we need to spend more time with family and taking time for ourselves. Plus I LOVE Netflix and all the bingeable series. Very good article!
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Thank you very much. Happy viewing.
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I really hate the phrase “new normal” but I’m starting to wonder if this is a true description of what is going on. Every day, every month brings some new horror this year. It’s overwhelming, it’s scary, it causes me anxiety, and makes my heart physically hurt from the pain that I see all around me. I feel hopeless and helpless most days to do anything to stop the madness. So yes I watch TV and Netflix and I try to pretend the world does not exist outside. I bury my head in books because for those few moments, I can escape the fear all around me.
I am trying to find ways to help and to be a hand of love instead of one of destruction. If anyone has suggestions on how I can do so, please point me in that direction. Until then I will love those around me and fight for those who do not have a voice in my every day work as a Social Worker.
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Being a social worker allows you to contribute in so many ways. Don’t be too disheartened and keep up the good work 🙂
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I am just trying to live day by day and not allow my mind to wander far from the here and now. Perhaps the world needed a good shaking up. Perhaps things will end up so much better. Perhaps we will view our fellow human beings as deserving of all good things we have so taken for granted in the past. Perhaps it will be a brave new world, when the dust settles and we reexamine what is truly important and what is life-giving and what is not. Wishing you blessings, as always.
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Let’s hope so. Carol. Thank you. You and your husband keep safe 🙂
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Thank you, may you & your family remain safe and well.
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It’s so sad. A lot is happening all at once. 2020 would not be forgotten in a hurry. Hopefully, we try to pick the positives and grow from there.
I recently wrote about positive things I got out of staying home.
https://mindofanoddball.wordpress.com/2020/06/04/7-positive-things-i-got-out-of-self-isolating/
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Thank you for the link 🙂
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You are welcome.
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Genius ending line.
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Thank you 😊
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The definition of ‘normal’ is often constructed by the person saying it and their expectations. I think this reinforces the idea that people need to fit inside near little boxes. What this pandemic is showing us, as terrible as it is, is that we can change and adapt and care about those around us to benefit the earth and its people.
Thank you for your thoughts and your words.
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You’re welcome. Thank you for understanding 🙂
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You’re gonna love Orphan Black!
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I’m looking forward to it. Have you watched ‘Line of Duty.’ It’s excellent as well.
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I haven’t watched Line of Duty. I will check it out 🙂
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Most of it was filmed in Belfast, my home city 🙂
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Sold! 🙂
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I like Netflix. Right now I am watching a series called “In the Dark.” It’s really good. The world is not normal anymore- that’s for sure.
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I’ll check that series out.
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So very true, I’ve been binging on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. I’ve stopped watching the news. I hope you and your family are keeping well and safe.
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We are doing okay, thank you. Hope you are as well 🙂
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You’re so right about that! And I can only hope things return to normal sooner or later!
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Fingers crossed 🤞🏻
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Same here! 🙂
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I avoid broadcast television as much as I can and only catch snipes of the “news” these days – I find myself getting too emotional with things when I do watch the news, brings back some very old and hurtful memories of eras gone by.
I know I couldn’t survive without my Neflix and Amazon Prime Videos or my Kindles. I have to hide from reality a lot at my age because the reality I am seeing is not too cheerful. I’m housebound and have been for years, however, now I feel like I am serving a prison sentence of some kind for a crime I didn’t commit. Kidding!!
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Thank goodness for Netflix 😂
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