Here’s our latest edition to add to KB’s – #TheLockdownStories. We asked Bloco family how they’re feeling being in doors 24-7? What they’ve been doing? And the pros and the cons of #TheLockdown life. Why? It’s good to share!
This Wednesday, we hear from someone we love here at Bloco, Laura. Laura has been supporting KB as a volunteer, and part of our marketing and fundraising volunteer team. She’s been working with us to get our name out there and champion the work we do. With her fingers firmly on the Music tech pulse, Laura keeps us up to date with music tech like, ROLI tech, Endlesss jamming app and Lumi! There isn’t usually a moment where Laura isn’t out, making things happen and creating connections through here network of friends and colleagues. So what is it like now that you have to do that from home.
Here’s what she’s been up to:
Name: Laura
Bloco Section: Bloco auntie, volunteer for marketing, events and fundraising
Bloco connection: My amazing friend Tamzyn introduced me to Bloco around 10 years ago
Where in the world are you? Wapping, East London
What have you been up to during your lockdown? ROLI, the company I work for implemented working from home quite early, so I have been working from my flat in London since the 12th March. As well as working from home I have also been virtual volunteering both with Bloco and the NHS Responders local community help.
How has lockdown been for you? I won’t lie the first few weeks were really tough for me! I am a very sociable person and get a lot of energy from being around others, so I really struggled suddenly being on my own all the time and having to adapt and change quite a few plans. We had spent a few months planning an epic Bloco Quiz night which had to be postponed as it fell in the first week of lockdown and also some work events, I had been working on got cancelled. However, with the wonders of technology and video conferencing I still feel connected and found ways to adapt and remain positive.
You have become more involved in Bloco can you explain a bit more? I have supported Bloco from the side-lines for a number of years attending many events and a few drumming workshops! Given I work in marketing for a music company I wanted to share my skills and help further. About 2 years ago I asked to become more involved in helping to arrange fundraising events and also through the company I work for, donate instruments and arrange music production workshops to help increase skills of some of the Bloco family.
Given the change of pace during lockdown I wanted to do something positive with the extra time that I am not travelling so have been helping organize weekly virtual music making which has been really fun and a great way to stay connected with the Bloco family and have fun too!
How are you feeling? It’s taken a while, but I finally feel that I am finding balance and peace with the current situation. I make sure I go for a run or walk every day to clear my head and am taking it one day at a time. Things might not return to exactly as they were before, but we are all in this to-geth-er and will come out of it stronger I’m sure.
How do you feel about your exams/gigs/teaching/work being off for now? It’s really amazed me how well the whole community has adapted to this situation. Of course, it’s hard not being able to meet face to face but it’s also forced us all to look at things in new ways and be inventive such as virtual sessions. I really hope that we can gather together soon but, in the meantime, I am very very very grateful for technology to enable us to gather together safely from our own homes.
One thing that would make anyone smile if they were feeling down right now? Smiling is infectious, make a video call to a friend or family and you can change each other’s days. Although this feels like a long period of time in the grand scheme of life this is actually relatively short – that’s what’s keeping me going anyway!
If we want to find out more about you or your organisation, what’s the link:
https://roli.com/ & https://playlumi.com/
Sign up to our Newsletter to get regular updates on what we’re up to – head to the top right corner of this page for the all important link to sign up.