My Book Reality interview… and a reading of Black and Blue

Back in August, I sat down for a Zoom interview with Ian Hooper, executive director of Leschenault Press and The Book Reality Experience.

That interview is now up on YouTube:

Book Realities vodcast interview with Lee-Ann Khoh

I’m a little awkward but hey, it’s my first recorded interview. Awkwardness is on brand for me anyway. 😄

You can also get a sneak peek – or should I say, sneak listen – of Chapter One of Black and Blue:

A reading from Black and Blue by Lee-Ann Khoh

If you’re wondering why I intro’d and outro’d this while standing at the door, it’s because hearing my own voice usually causes me to make a quick getaway. Just kidding… but seriously.

Be sure to check out the other author interviews on the Book Realities podcast… ’cause there are plenty of interesting writers who aren’t me! In fact, most of the interesting writers on the planet are not me. 😛

After the first COVID…

I’ve been a bit quiet since my fling with COVID in early August but I’m very much alive and kicking.

(You may have gleaned that my blog title is a reference to After the First Death, the Robert Cormier novel, which took its name from a Dylan Thomas poem called A Refusal to Mourn the Death, by Fire, of a Child in London. But neither of these things bear any relevance to anything I experienced or anything in this post – I’m just a pretentious weirdo who wants people to know I can read. 😄)

I had a mild case of COVID and kept working from home the entire time so I was one of the lucky ones. And in my household of four, only two of us tested positive.

But there was the fatigue. It could’ve been seasonal affective disorder, or low iron, or something else entirely… but I definitely felt like my energy levels sapped when I had COVID and for a few weeks after that. Or maybe I just don’t get enough sleep. According to Fitbit’s Sleep Profile, I’m a Giraffe, which means my sleep tends to be on the shorter side… like my height, which is most definitely not giraffe-like.

One thing I’ve been trying to do since I recovered is to start getting up early and working out before heading to the office. It hasn’t been daily but I do generally feel better on the days when I make the effort. More energy, less mid-afternoon slump. The early start goes against my nature but I’m trying to retrain my brain… and body, I guess!

Any tips for turning a night owl into an early bird would be much appreciated. 😛

Blue/Orange review for Perth Walkabout

I didn’t actually know a whole lot about Joe Penhall’s award-winning play Blue/Orange until this week but I reckon I’ll be thinking about it for a long time. It’s set in a London psychiatric hospital and explores race, prejudice and mental illness.

Read my review of Blue/Orange by Theatre 180 at Perth Walkabout.

COVID got me…

It finally got me, y’all. After 2.5 years, I’m COVID-positive.

It happened in a fairly predictable way.

On Sunday, I became a household close contact.

I tested negative with a rapid antigen test on Sunday and Monday, and remained asymptomatic both days.

This morning – Tuesday – I woke up with a sore throat. Took another RAT and the two lines came up almost immediately.

My household’s Patient Zero was very apologetic but I’m all good. It’s only my first day, of course. But so far I’m just getting typical cold-like symptoms. My nose is alternating between runny and blocked. I have a bit of a cough but nothing I’d describe as “spicy” yet. No sneezing though, apart from when the test swab was up my nose. No fever as of right now.

I’m triple-vaxxed, physically healthy, and brimming with privilege, so I’m confident I’ll be fine. Besides, it’s always been other people I was most concerned about in this pandemic (and still am).

I was able to work from home today (by choice – my employer didn’t coerce me and if yours does, they’re garbage). I’m pretty tired now, which is probably the COVID… but to be fair, I also spent about an hour informing all the relevant people this morning, which is an awful lot of communication that early in the day. 😄

Anyway, long story short, I’m no longer a COVID-free unicorn… but I’m definitely one of the lucky ones in the world. 🙂

WALK review for Perth Walkabout

Have you ever experienced something and thought, “I don’t really know what’s going on but it’s pretty cool”?

That was me watching experimental performer Bobby Russell in WALK. 🙂

Read my review of WALK at the Blue Room Theatre on the Perth Walkabout website.

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