This is a bit of a random post today, inspired by this cute photo. Which I unintentionally purchased in the middle of the night while I was packaging my short story Needy Bitch. Not using it, but don’t quite regret buying it.

So, given everything else that’s going on, it seemed a good time to revisit Choice.

Again.

(Sorry, not sorry about that).

It’s certainly topical here right now with Melbourne, in particular, facing increasing Covid-related restrictions. Such as choosing to pay a $200 fine for not wearing a mask in public. Or a minimum $1,200 fine for choosing to leave the State (more depending on which state you’re trying to get into).

But I’m not going to get started on companies choosing to decrease quality right now (because I might not be able to stop).

On a more personal level, I’m surprised by how much of what I regularly consume comes from other places:

• Canned and processed food from Europe and Asia containing ingredients from Canada, China and the US (among others). Some, a little surprisingly with ingredients from Australia.
• Toiletries and personal care products from Europe, New Zealand and the US.
• Laundry and cleaning products from China, Ireland and Poland (among others).

It’s been an interesting, and slightly worrying investigation.

Because I imagine that the way things are going, there’ll be plenty of raw ingredients, but cuts in the supply lines will prevent it getting to manufacture. And then out of that country and into mine.

Those growers might never recover their losses.

I’m not entirely sure I have the energy to look for local sustitutes.

All that background stress is enervating isn’t it?

There’s justifiable concern that some businesses won’t survive a second lockdown, or be resurrected by Christmas shopping.

We were relieved when our favourite restaurants made it through the first lock-down, and we’re so sad that they were just getting up and running again before they had to shut down again. All those supplies wasted.

It must be hard for them to get up every day and just keep going. Though restaurants can still do takeout.

All those closed specialty shops are harder to face:

• Cake making supplies (tins, decorations, mixes)
• Hobby shops (models)
• Bookshops (ahem)
• Sports equipment shops and gymnasiums
• Hairdressers and beauty services

We’re choosing to do what we can; where possible, buying from our small local businesses. (Tonight we’re having Dak gangjeong, Japchae and Bibimbap from our local Korean restaurant).

But we cross our fingers whenever we walk by those like the barber we can’t use as frequently. I feel like I should get them all evil eye images to put in their windows!

So right noe, I’m suggesting you make the time to think about the products and services you use and love. Consider how you can support those who make and sell them. And what else you can do locally to replace those you may not be able to get for a while.

Choice