Dealing with COVID-19 and Self-Isolation

Many people have been dealing with COVID-19 and self-isolation in many different ways. During the first six weeks I found the best to deal my self-isolation was looking to my love of creating. I began writing a lot more than I had been in the previous months. I was writing poems, and working on my stories for something I wish to publish in the future called "Ukrainian Episodes" and one can learn more about these on my Patreon page. Then I wrote poem which was called Take A Look Around. After a few days that writing led me in a totally different direction, in creating a melody for it. 

Five months has gone by, and here in Quebec we've gone into another 28-day lockdown. In many ways the words I wrote then are still extremely valid. While I am a lover of music, my musical education is limited to a little bit of violin as an exploratory course in my first year of high school under the guidance of someone who really helped me appreciate music - Iwan Edwards, that was followed by two years of music playing trombone. Though throughout highschool I listened to everything from progressive rock to hard rock. So taking something I wrote as text to a melody was a great challenge. Though before I get into that aspect of things let me share the lyrics with you.

Take A Look Around – A COVID-19 Inspiration

Verses 1 & 2

I don’t know how you’re reacting.

I don’t know if you’re all alone.

Reach out to the people around you,

Reach out to all those you know.

Times are hard they’re not going to change fast,

Times are strange giving us some pain.

Look around, do your little part,

For some positive and healthy change.

Refrain

Take a look around.

Aware of your social distance.

Take a look around.

Much better for immune-resistance.

Verses 3 & 4

Stay apart, smile - nod in support,

To your neighbours, the grocery store,

To the human you’ve never met before -

Careful, safe - healthy mind and soul.

Do not fear, you’re really not alone,

Millions like you, alone at home.

Together, there will be a victory, -

Emerging stronger than we were before.

Refrain - as above.

Verses 5 & 6

Take some time to reflect on things,

Take some time for your family.

All this too will really come to pass,

Bide your time and you will see.

So I hope as I send this it out you,

Friends are safe, finding cool things to do.

So be clear that when this is all over,

Simpler things will be part of the glue.

April 15-27, 2020

Even before trying to make music I made my own mask: 

The first thing I did in my creative process was to pull out my two Honer Blues Harps (harmonicas) and I started playing around. When I went for walks I would hum things to myself. Eventually 

I enlisted a good friend and former roommate from my university years in this scheme and need to create to stay sane. I knew he played guitar, and in fact I used to use his guitar to try to teach myself guitar when we lived together back in 1987-88. In some email correspondence he told me he was playing a lot more ukelele and I recalled visiting him in November of 2019 when he showed me his three guitars and his Martin ukelele. So we both did our little thing and with my limited knows of music recording and mixing I came out with something that sounds like this: https://soundcloud.com/vasyl-pawlowsky/take-a-look-around

Unforutnately, when resctrictions were lightened everyone thought we were off the hook, though we are now back on it. Unfortunately, we are back to square one where we were five months ago. My feeling is that the words I wrote back in April still stand. If there are any of my friends who are musicians, please feel free to make this song a message. 

 
Vasyl Pawlowsky 

Independent Consultant

Member of SOCAN