Foreword to the forthcoming Pandemic eBook ... Existential Normal

Penned this 13th day of October … unlucky for some or is it many?

Strangely no one has asked me: "Why did you write it all?" Why did I keep going for 168 days and now even beyond with my weekly sequel dubbed Exodus, all as a Barons' Court Blog? Why did I prevail on our longstanding retired friend at Feuillade near Angouleme to metamorphose it all into an eBook and then publish it as a 2020 Christmas extra for the family? He's just phoned to discuss how that can be cost effectively achieved including the binding.

The first and perhaps most obvious reason must be that I've always resorted to the written word to get my own head around what I'm thinking and then to share it that way with others who care what I'm thinking, for whatever reason they might have. I've been blogging since 1996 and have since 1963 published some forty books and hundreds of article and my piecemeal autobiography in their midst from the most recent The Baron's Tale [2010] back to Business School Graffiti in 1976. I know I've reached many hundreds of thousands of readers …

However the precursor of this particular title was e-Postcards from the Other Side in 2000 as I attempted to understand what digital capture and the burgeoning internet meant for publishing and education. Therein I feel lies a clue as to why I have thus approached and endured the pandemic. From March 23rd 2020 all oldies such as Avril and I were ordered by law to begin 12 weeks of family lockdown, staying in our own homes. Schools closed but rubbish was still to be collected and grocery stores remained open but haircuts were unavailable. The Prestoungrange Gothenburg in Prestonpans was closed sine die. Nobody knew where it would all lead. The official advice to stay sane for us oldies was make sure we had structure in our lives - and if auld structure was prohibited we should create anew. My 'Boarding at Home' blogs conclude at 84 - the promised exit from that initial lockdown but I then of necessity proceeded to 168 with 'Exeats' for those further 84 days interrupted only by compulsory isolation again for Covid19 test and my hip operation.

Throughout I've been consistently encouraged by Avril and family and friends who seemingly found my blogging something to 'look forward to' as part of their own new structure. It was absolutely their feedback that kept me going along devoting three or more hours a day for six months to research and picture taking/ grabbing; indeed I'm even being encouraged in the midst of the long predicted Second Wave this autumn/ winter to get back to blogging daily instead of my weekly 'Exodus'!

I've attempted my own content analysis of the outcomes captured in these Blogs labelled Corollaries 84 and 168. But I haven't included my conclusions here. I felt I should leave it to any or all who browse here to decide whether you want to start at the end[s] then browse or despair, or to flip your way along looking at text and pictures [I recommend a magnifying glass to hand] and reach your own conclusions to compare with mine.

However you address the contents here I trust they can bring your some further enjoyment soon and in the years ahead some amused reflection.