Subj : KIWIS SURVIVING SELF-ISOLATION: STEVEN OATES
To : All
From : Major Queen
Date : Mon Apr 06 2020 07:44 pm
APRIL 6, 2020 SOURCE EXPRESS
Cheesecake-obsessed Steven Oates is a board member of the Rainbow Auckland
Charitable Trust and the host of Woof! The Auckland Rainbow Dog Show. He is
missing human intimacy and dreaming of a future in a rural setting.
Tell us about your Level 4 Lockdown - where are you? Who's in your bubble?
And what are you doing to keep your mental health in check?
My bubble is my Mother, my children (my dogs Ruby & Murphy) and I. We are
hanging out at home in Auckland. To keep my mental health in check I am in
regular contact with my nearest and dearest. This situation has actually been
great for some of my friendships, especially ones overseas, we have been
kikiing up a storm on facetime, sharing lots of love and laughter. Murphy and
I have been hitting the pavement and going for good runs every day. The fresh
air and blue skies have been super invigorating and healing.
What are your top tips for express readers who are struggling with
self-isolation?
If you're struggling with this situation, try and be a little bit Buddhist,
by that I mean, understand that nothing is permanent. Everything that has a
beginning has an ending, including this situation. It will pass. So try and
find the light in this dark time. Practice some self-care, give yourself a
break. If you want to eat that piece of cheesecake - eat two pieces. Use this
time create some positive outcomes. Use it to reprioritise things in your
life, reorganise and cleanse your home, stay active and try and end the
lockdown having achieved something, even if it's just something small. We
often say we don't have enough time to do somethings, well now we have the
time. So use it.
What is the most positive aspect of self-isolation you've experienced so far?
I'm loving having the time to do all of the things I just mentioned! I'm
feeling some of my life goals gently shifting. Unfortunately, I think its
times of crisis that we really evaluate what's important to us and what we
want our lives to be like. I'm thinking of it as a time to reboot the
computer (me) and perhaps update the software. I'm also loving spending time
with my dogs, especially Ruby who recently turned 14. Every day is a blessing.
What plans do you have between now and day 28 of lockdown?
I plan of doing more of the above. I'm also gonna do a big spring clean of
the house and garden. I'm gonna try and improve my fitness and maybe learn to
cook a few different things. Although I am not sure how compatible those two
goals are?
What are you missing most about 'normal life'?
Like most people, I am missing seeing my friends and being able to go on
adventures and be spontaneous. I am missing eating at all my favourite
places, I love Thai, Indian, Malaysian food and although I can cook to
survive I love going out and sharing food and laughs with friends and loved
ones. I also miss good cheesecake!
What will be the first thing that you can't wait to do when regular life
resumes?
The first thing I will be doing will be meeting friends for food and laughs
and good cheesecake! I also miss going to the movies and theatre so will be
looking at what's on as soon as we are allowed out. I'm also not too shy to
say It will be nice to share some human intimacy with special people.
Moving forward is there anything you think you will change about your life
following self-isolation?
As this is a time of cleansing and revaluation, I will definitely have some
new goals. The past few years I have often thought of spending the later part
of my life in a smaller town or rural setting. I am feeling this even more
strongly now. Maybe I will start formulating a plan to make this a reality.
After this dark time, I will cherish and love my good friends even more than
before. At the end of the day, they are what matters: friends, family and
dogs...and cheesecake.
Is there a closing message you would like to share with our gorgeous LGBTI+
community?
The biggest message to share would be to focus on what's important. Too much
energy is spent on competition and conflict. This crisis has been a great
leveller. We really are all equal at the end of the day and all we really
have is each other. Let go of trivial pettiness and squabbles. Decide what's
important to you and what's not. Focus on yourself and your loved ones right
now and be kind. Find the light in the darkness.
