I got Covid for Christmas: Omicron strikes!

There are many things I’ve learned about the world, about those around me, and especially about myself in the past few days… that there is still a massive stigma around contracting Covid.

(And of course, with good reason… the Omicron variant is highly transmissible - and boy did I learn this!).

This lesson has come from within… as I kept the news of my Covid diagnosis private. Until now. More on that shortly.

I am… and I will cut to the chase… a statistic now. I was sent THAT dreaded message around the annual 'Festivus' we ALL wait all year for...

“Dear xx,

This is an official message from NSW Health.

You have recently tested POSITIVE for COVID-19.

If you are under 50 years of age, have had two doses of COVID-19 vaccine and do not suffer from any chronic medical illnesses (listed below) you are at low risk of serious illness and may be able to look after yourself at home. Most children under 16 years can be safely looked after at home, even if not COVID-19 vaccinated.

If this is incorrect or you are pregnant, please call 1800 960 933, so we can link you in with a health service.

If you have mild symptoms, concerns or questions, you can call your GP.

If you have a health emergency or are feeling breathless, chest pain or are fainting please call Triple Zero (000) immediately.

For all other COVID-19 related information please refer to https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/advice-for-confirmed.aspx 

*Medical risk factors include

Obesity

Severe, chronic or complex medical conditions (including cardiac, respiratory, renal or neurodevelopmental)

Diabetes

Immunocompromised including malignancy

Severe mental illness

You are advised to isolate at home for ten days from the day of your positive test, at which time you will receive an SMS from NSW Health confirming you can be released from isolation.”

YOU ARE POSITIVE.

It’s the Jerry Springer equivalent of “you ARE the father.”

It’s a shit moment, and the moment when you immediately think: who have I seen? Where did I go? What did I do? Who did I kiss hello or give a hug to?

I cried as the realisation set in that I'd be not hosting, hugging, or having good food and drinks at my Christmas table, and would now only be accepting all meals via proxy, left outside my door.

Many of us have watched from afar for the past two years since this godforsaken beast entered our lives and vocabularies.

We’ve tried our hardest to suppress our taboo feelings of schadenfreude - and while in NO WAY would we wish this virus on ANYONE, and we'd do anything to turn back the clock to a time when it didn’t exist - the reality is we were always so glad to sidestep it! Who’d want covid!

Most of us haven’t got it yet (do you remember a time when people would ask on those useless Facebook polls: “But do you even KNOW anyone who has it! See, it doesn’t exist! Dear God, thankfully we’ve moved along from that).

The reality is - and give it jusssst a few weeks, even days - you’ll know someone who is not only a close contact, they’ll HAVE COVID.

It might even be you.

No wait, it’s very likely to be you too. (That early modelling where it was suggested that by the end of January it’ll be 200,000 cases daily doesn’t seem like an over exaggeration now, does it!).

And therein lies the key with Omicron, I’ve just learned… it does not matter how careful you are. You’re highly likely to contract the Omicron variant of Covid.

And because it’s a virus it’s of course highly transmissible.

Or you could use the word... contagious.

When I think of 'contagious', I think of conjunctivitis... and like hell do I want to acquire conjunctivitis from someone if I can physically see they have goo in their eye! You’d retreat and stay away, right?

That’s the thing with Covid, and especially this variant: unlike manky eye goo, you can’t see it, and you could be a carrier for up to 14 days before you even know it, OR start showing symptoms.

So that party you went to in the past few days or week where you let your guard slip and loosened that mask to have a better chat, or while cradling and occasionally sipping a champers, or chowing down on food could be THAT moment someone is giving it you, or you’re giving it to them!

Just days before I contracted Covid, I saw that a fellow publicist had just got her Covid positive confirmation. I read about it on her socials.

She was distraught, as she was finally seeing her family overseas after two years apart. Then boom.

I recall my mind going down the path of (and I know you’re thinking this about me): but where did she go? Who did she hang out with? Was she safe?

I checked myself immediately, as I KNEW she'd been safe.

Oh yeah. Don’t I know it.

I’ve no doubt I’m being judged about how I got it.

The truth is… I don’t exactly know.

But it’s not really relevant because if I didn’t get it this week, I’d get it next week. It’s almost guaranteed now.

Even Brad Hazzard, NSW Minister for Health, weighed in today:

“We would expect that pretty well everybody in NSW at some point will get Omicron … and if we’re all going to get Omicron, the best way to face it is when we have full vaccinations including our booster,” Brad Hazzard said.

“The challenge for us in the state is to make sure that our health system can cope with that oncoming virus that is so transmissible.”

Isolation has been a real mixed bag.

I am completely gutted I missed Christmas with my family at my place. (To add salt to the wound, it was a perfect pool day and I live for those, and running around and having ice cream and snacks delivered by me to my pool guests).

It REALLY, really sucks to feel like a leper, but that’s your mind playing tricks, because you absolutely do know it’s the safe and right thing to do to stay away from anyone.

I’ve accepted an external food drop off from family, and cups of honey tea, and BBQ steak at my closed bedroom doorstep. I am catching up BIG time on streaming and yesss I am loving that part!

I’ve had several 1.5 hour phone catch ups today with friends, some people calling and messaging me constantly, some showing little or zero concern, and I feel the latter comes from thinking I somehow brought this on myself (as if… I’m currently still a little immunocompromised with my vitiligo medication, and I was bloody careful everywhere, and sanitised, and masked up like mad, only taking it off from afar for those taking a photo of me).

But Omicron has been a thing for several weeks now… and I’m gonna say it has only really, truly been in our collective orbit for the past few days, hasn't it...

We think we’ve outsmarted it!

But no, our clever ways don’t determine a single thing.

Because even if you’ve been super OCD-level careful, perhaps the relative at the party you just attended hasn’t… and if they’re unwell they might have fronted up to that Christmas lunch anyway… because who wants to miss out! I certainly didn't.

Everyonnnnne thinks their family is more special than yours. Everyone! That's completely normal, and it’s intrinsic to how you view your family, and it’s how family loyalty exists! It's not a bad thing. Those bloodlines are strong, and that’s what makes family beautiful.

But Omicron does not discriminate against who it picks and chooses… I’ve learned that in the past few days.

My silver lining is that now that I’ve had it (and with antibiotics and some serious steroids I am shocked at how much I’m kicking this MF to the curb so fast, feck yes, yay for me) I know that my double vaccine has done its job to help me stay OUT of hospital annnd not take up a bed which costs $6000 per day of your tax money, and bloody hardworking nurses and doctors to sustain and look after you. 

(Nobody with any intelligence has ever suggested you cannot get Covid if you are vaxxed, of course you can... it's just that Omicron went and effed shit up good and proper, and chucked out that little rule book of having you somehow feel you can maybe, maybe sidestep it).

And, that acquiring the virus and having it taking over my body has done me more good than harm, and more good than any vaccine ever could. That's a fact! FECK YES TO JABS!

Oh, I also can’t get my booster jab now for six months… I was due to go next week. That’s not a silver lining, just the nature of the beast, it’s how it works.

Onwards to better days and getting out of my iso room (I’ve a large spare room, with a bed and an ensuite and I’m so, so, so grateful for this room in my house… I know I am luckier than most).

But no schadenfreude here… and never will!

Sarah Shahi: Who is she? Past roles + photos

So, who is Aahoo Jahansouzshahi?

And where have you seen her before?

She’s the name on everyone’s lips right now and her screen name is: Sarah Shahi. Yes, she plays Billie in cult Netflix series 'Sex/Life'.

The 41 year old was born on January 10, 1980 in Euless, Texas, USA and is the daughter of Abbas Jahansouzshahi and Mahmonir Soroushazar, an interior designer, who divorced when she was ten.

Her father is from Iran, and his family left Iran two years before the Iranian Revolution. Sarah's father was working at the American embassy in Iran, and was slated for execution when the last Shah's regime collapsed in 1979, but was able to flee the country.

Sarah's mother was born in Spain, to an Iranian father and a Spanish mother. She has an older brother, Cyrus, and a younger sister, Samantha, who is a production assistant. 

Sarah is a former NFL cheerleader, and while working as an extra on the set of 'Dr. T and the Women in Texas', Shahi met renowned director Robert Altman, who encouraged her to move to Hollywood, where she received roles in several series, including 'Alias', 'Dawson's Creek', 'Reba', and 'Supernatural'. In 2005 she appeared in the supporting character role of DJ Carmen de la Pica Morales on 'The L Word', which she joined in its second season. Shahi's two-year contract was not renewed after the end of the fourth season, and her character was written out.

She also played Farah in the second season of Sleeper Cell, and also appeared in HBO's 'The Sopranos' in 2007, in the Season 6b episode 'Kennedy and Heidi' as Sonya Aragon, a stripper and college student who spends a weekend with Tony after a death in his family.

In 2007, she secured a small role in 'Rush Hour 3' as Zoe, a scantily clad rich girl who is pursued by Chris Tucker's character, Detective Carter.

In 2007, she took on her first permanent leading role on a TV series, co-starring with Damian Lewis in the NBC series 'Life' as homicide detective Dani Reese. The series ran for two seasons.

In October 2009, Shahi landed the lead role in the USA Network pilot, 'Facing Kate'. Shahi began filming in November 2009.[20] The show followed the life of Kate Reed, a legal mediator who is frustrated with the bureaucracy and injustice she witnesses in the legal system. The series title was later changed to 'Fairly Legal'. The show was cancelled after two seasons in November 2012.

Shahi was cast as a recurring love interest for Taylor Kinney's character Lt. Kelly Severide on NBC's show 'Chicago Fire' in October 2012.

She was cast as the possibly recurring character of Sameen Shaw on 'Person of Interest' and was featured in the sixteenth episode of the second season, ‘Relevance', which aired in February 2013.

In May 2013 CBS President Nina Tassler announced that Shahi would be added as a series regular for its third season. She played the daughter of Sylvester Stallone's character in the action film 'Bullet to the Head' which was also the first time working with co-star Jason Momoa who she would later go on to work with again in his movie 'Road to Paloma' in 2014.

Following the January 7, 2015, episode of Person of Interest, Shahi and the show's producers announced she would be leaving the show for an indefinite period of time because of her pregnancy.

In February 2016, she was cast as iconic detective Nancy Drew in a planned TV series based on the books.

In May 2016, CBS passed on the series, and its producers announced they would continue looking for a network to air the show. Also in May, Shahi resumed her appearances as Shaw on Person of Interest, until June 21, 2016, when the show ended. Shahi starred in the new TV series 'Reverie' in 2018, however it was cancelled after one season.

In 2019, Shahi joined the cast of Showtime's 'City on A Hill' (seen in Australian TV on the Stan streaming service) as recurring character Rachel Behnam, an investigator for the district attorney.

In October 2020, Shahi started filming 'Sex/Life', a Netflix series inspired by BB Easton's book ’44 Chapters About 4’, in Toronto, Canada. This has been arguably her most talked about role to date.

She plays Billie, a housewife struggling to remain a devoted wife and mother when tempted by an old flame and the freer days of her youth.

Shahi was named number 90 on the Maxim magazine "Hot 100 of 2005" list, moving up to number 66 in 2006 and 36 in 2012. She appeared on the cover of Maxim's 2012 'TV's Hottest Girls' Issue in October 2012. She ranked number 5 on the AfterEllen.com hot list in 2007.

Shahi married actor Steve Howey (he is known for his roles as Van Montgomery on The WB/CW television series 'Reba', and Kevin Ball on the Showtime series 'Shameless') on February 7, 2009, in Las Vegas. In July 2009, she gave birth to their first child, a son, during an at-home water birth. In January 2015, she announced that she was pregnant with twins. In March, a daughter and son were born during another home birth. Shahi and Howey filed for divorce in May 2020.

Their divorce was finalised in January 2021.

After meeting during the 2020 filming of Sex/Life, Shahi started dating Australian actor Adam Demos. Yeah, he of THAT shower scene. (He has appeared in 'Falling Inn Love', also on Netflix - more on him in the next post. This is Sarah's moment to shine!).

Demos and Shahi first met in the make-up trailer and had some interests in common. Shahi commented to People magazine; "I said, 'Well, that's a tall drink of water.' When I first met Adam, I was really blown away with him".

Sarah’s birth name, Aahoo (Persian: آهو‎), means ‘gazelle’ in Persian. She is a descendant of Fath-Ali Shah Qajar of the Qajar Dynasty.

Such esteemed roots and a gorgeous connotation to a name.

Watch her star rise and rise from NOW.

'Sex/Life' - Adam Demos shower scene

Episode 3.

At 20 minute mark.

Thoughts? 😬

The WHOLE show 'Sex/Life' on Netflix is now something a zeitgeist moment in pop culture - and suddenly errrryone is talking about it 🤷‍♀️ 

The show dropped on Netflix on June 25, and it sat largely unwatched on my own Netflix menu because... school holidays and a shared, centrally located TV!

But the calls were getting louder to watch it immediately, if not sooner... I'm sure you can relate - unless your were one of the early adopters and binged the eight episode TV show in a day (there's only season one right now, with no word on season two yet).

So I succumbed. And whoa.

The scenes in the lead up to THAT shower scene everyone is talking about are explicit enough, and it has you asking: is this soft core porn dressed up as drama?

Or is it a modern presentation of one of life's quandaries... is the grass greener on the other side of your own patch... you know, that proverbial white picket fence?

Comments on social media often provide a real indicator to where the psyche of the general cult TV viewership is at, and this show has seen some polarising thoughts... here are some of note:

In response to this post from Netflix:

A woman’s daring sexual past collides with her married-with-kids present when the bad-boy ex she can’t stop fantasising about crashes back into her life. The world’s steamy new obsession, SEX/LIFE, is now streaming on Netflix.

A cross section of comments included:

Abby Barton

So another series where the wife cheats on her husband, because you know all housewives are dreaming of a better life. Why is it always housewives? I just get tired of the infidelity. I wanted something different from this show.

Alison Evans

Team Brad. Not sorry, in the end husband cheated in front of her face, invaded her diary and had the gall to lecture her about going out and not answering her phone wen HE stayed out ALL night at another woman's house. I was all for the husband to begin with, then He turned out to an insecure ass. She never crossed that line. He did.

Francesca Castellani

Is there someone else really pissed off with her?? I truly am!

Alviera Osmand

Going into the second episode and already seen her naked more than I wanted to, sorry to say it should be classified as softporn series Netflix  Watch only when no one is around, you've been warned  Hot actors though 

AND:

Ayanna James

I screamed out hard wen brad was showerin & he turn...cooper saw wat his wife was gettin, brad big dick...

James Radymski

No wonder people can’t settle down and stay faithful in a relationship  it’s because they are bombarded with films like this to make it seem normal 

Ana Beatriz Travesso

I just really wish the show was faithful to the book. It would have been much better

So, where do you sit? What are your thoughts on Billie's life dilemma (Billie is the catalyst in this story, she of beautiful looks, with a beautiful husband, and two cute kids - she's played by the gorgeous Sarah Shahi) - is the grass greener, and should you sacrifice a stable marriage to seek excitement outside of it? And with an old flame? Who broke your heart? The short answer to that should be no. But for Billie... 

Now... about that shower scene.

In a Daily Mail article, the headline asks:

“Sex/Life fans notice a huge editing fail in Adam Demos' full-frontal shower scene (so is everything we can see REAL?)”

It continues to talk about the the show sending the internet alight thanks to its full-frontal shower scene featuring (Australian!) actor Adam Demos and “eyebrows have been raised with the steamy scenes, with one in particular shocking viewers as Adam, who plays Brad in the show, stripping completely naked.”

While fans were initially mesmerised by, well, Adam's private parts, a second look at the footage has apparently exposed an editing fail.

The article continues by gathering some, er, hard hitting evidence that during the X-rated shower scene, which airs in episode three (and is at the 20 minute mark because I see you!) Adam's character is seen washing himself with his tattoo-free body on display.   

However, a continuity error is revealed in episode four, during a throwback scene of Brad getting a tattoo on the upper right-hand portion of his crotch.

The tattoo of two bees was a romantic tribute to Brad's then-girlfriend Billie, and played a pivotal role in the continuation of Billie and Brad's love story. 

In a scene set eight years later, Brad declared his undying love for Billie during a FaceTime chat while revealing he kept the tattoo as a reminder of their relationship.

EEK! So, perhaps the peen was a prosthetic? Like Nicole Kidman's nose in 'The Hours'?

You decide...

Set in New York and inspired by BB Easton’s 2016 book '44 Chapters About 4 Men', the explicit series is the absolute BUZZ of TV pop culture right now.

That, and the fact that Adam and Sarah are a REAL life couple - even making it Insta official in December 2020!

Facts about Adam Demos: he is an Australian actor born May 24, 1986.

Before Sex/Life he was best known for his role as Jake Taylor on the Netflix film 'Falling Inn Love', August Walker on the American television series 'Unreal', and as Nate Baldwin on Australian television series 'Janet King'. (We bet you will be rewatching or searching for ALL of these right about now...).

The 35 year old is a 'Gong' boy - he was born in Wollongong, NSW, Australia!

Sex'LIfe is streaming now on Netflix globally.

Alisa and Lysandra al.ive body range: INTERVIEW

Can you count how many seasons of 'The Block' have been broadcast so far on Australian TV?

We've lost count, but even as a dip in 'n' out kind reno show watcher, I do recall some standout, familiar faces from the reality TV show, and at the forefront are these familiar faces who have continued to be a total tour de force in the design and development industries...

Alisa and Lysandra (do they even need a surname? It's Fraser, BTW) are the twin sister duo you're likely to remember the most of all from the hit Channel 9 TV show, and these ladies have been busy bees, launching a product they could not have dreamt to be more apt in these times of the global pandemic... you know the one: coronavirus or Covid-19 ("rona" if you're an Aussie).

They chatted with Josie's Juice about their new al.ive body range and what it means to get this love project - with a huge side of generosity - off the ground.

We kick off the a good natured laugh about the timing of a soap product in the midst of a global spotlight on keeping hands clean.

"Why has it taken a pandemic to wash hands!" they laugh.

YES! Please tell me you are washing hands ANYWAY: when you get home from an outing, after going to the toilet, before you prepare food, after you sneeze... c'mon folks, I know I am a bit (a lot) OCD, but don't be a grub when it comes to hygiene. So glad I can legit now say this without being offensive...

The famous twins reveal how al.ive kicked off, and like any good prod launch story, they fulfilled a need they had for themselves.

"How it all came about was that we were styling our house after having done a development a few years ago in Albert Park (VIC), and we were finishing our redevelopment, and we needed to style our bathrooms. And I reckon we went out looking for a day... we wanted something that was unique and a little bit different and we just couldn't find it," says Alisa.

"And that's where the idea was born," adds Lysandra, who reveals the line was actually 18 months in development.

"We knew we wanted to be able to give back in some way. We've always had a love for nature, it's where our hearts are."

"And we thought what a better way to do that than to plant trees, especially with all that has happened with the emissions and green house gases, and obviously the bushfires as well... but this was planned well before the bushfires, and obviously reforestation and planing trees is even more important now," says Alisa.

"We came up with the name 'al.ive' as a play on our our initials (the 'A' in Alisa and the 'L' in Lysandra) to help keep the planet alive.

"The consciousness behind the brand was really important to us, and we launched a month ago, and so far we are up to 1900 trees (at the time of this interview)."

"We want to get to the point where we can plant an entire 'al.ive forest'," they reveal. HOW AWESOME IS THAT!

In fact, a key part of the al.ive body business model is that for every purchase made, one tree will be planted in Australia - they spent a lot of time researching organisations that align with their values, and proudly partnered with One Tree Planted.

One Tree Planted is an environmental charity whose mission is to create a healthier climate, protect biodiversity and help reforestation efforts around the world. Most importantly, in response to the recent bushfire crisis in Australia, they have initiated plans for enhanced projects in Australia to aid reforestation, which was ultimately the reason the sisters chose to align with them. 

"It was really important to us that it was done in Australia as well. Our focus was always Australia, especially given the bushfires," they add.



The sisters are based in Adelaide, and the range is formulated in Melbourne, so it's completely an Australian love project.

Both ladies have kids, and I ask what they think of what their mums are up to?

"They just wish that we weren't so busy!" they add with a laugh. "My son tells me: "Mum, I'm not saying you shouldn't work... but does this mean you will be less busy now?"

Both roar with laugh knowingly, completely aware that is far from the truth.

The line is ripe for brand extensions, I suggest. So, what are they cooking up right now?

"We are definitely working on more products," they reveal, which is a bit of a scoop seeing as plans are certainly in the works, but they're firmly focusing on phase one right now.

So far, stockists of the new al.ive body range are in bespoke style stores around Australia, and the duo couldn't be happier.

"Yes, we've been really blown away by that actually, having only just launched... we have over 40 stockists, and really good quality ones too."

See the stockists RIGHT HERE.


You can buy al.ive products online on their site, or at the stores stocking them, and some of their stockists also have their online stores, so it's super easy.

Alisa and Lysandra finished up on 'The Block' SEVEN years ago. The identical twins won 'The Block: Sky High' in 2013, then made a successful return on 'The Block: Fans vs Faves' in 2014.

I ask what has lit them up the most since leaving the show.

"We actually have not stopped since leaving the show," they laugh.

"We feel like we have been put in the washing machine, and... well, we have't been spat out yet", says Alisa.

"Yeah, I feel like we have definitely found our calling [with the new al.live line] and we just ran with it, and we didn't even know we had a flair for it. We took the leap!" adds Lysandra.

"I think the biggest thing is I think people might think you go on a result TV show and it all kind of of falls in your lap. But I think what a lot of people don't realise is all the hard work that goes in behind the scenes.

"So many people get the opportunity to go on a reality TV show, but it's what you do with that when the cameras stop rolling, that's when the hard work really begins, and I think that's probably the difference between success and not fulfilling what you set out to do," says Alisa.

"Yep... we haven't stopped. It's [the show] is a platform... that's what it is.

"Now have something that we didn't realise we really wanted," adds Lysandra.

Yeah sure... you can revert back to a bar of soap... but if you're a constant hand washer (hello! And now you should be anyway) it's just so much neater and kids don't make that mess with soap shavings around the sink, ugh.

"We didn't reinvent the wheel, we just did it better!" says Alisa. I LOVE THIS STATEMENT!

"Yes, who would've thought that soap could be as important as it suddenly is now!" adds Lysandra.

"It's perfect for kids too, and our kids are washing their hands even more!"

The range includes naturally derived hand and body wash and a hand and body lotion, in a choice of three luxe scents: kaffir lime and green tea; fig, apricot and sage; and coconut and wild orange.



It's proudly Australian-made and developed, using the finest ingredients including essential oils and native botanical extracts,  and are 100 per cent vegan, palm-oil free and are not tested on animals.

The brand name was also inspired by the sisters’ passion for environmental causes and keeping the planet ‘alive'.

The range, which features stylish bottles custom-designed by Alisa and Lysandra in three on-trend colours - the terracotta coloured range are now firmly in my bathroom.

“al.ive body is therefore aimed at the style and sustainability conscious consumer who values design and seeks out high product integrity in a beautifully balanced way. In this era, purpose-led brands that help strengthen our sense of self and our contribution to the planet are in big demand," they say. The al.ive body collection: The Wash $38 The Lotion $42 The Duo with Tray (in gift box) $79 For more information visit www.alivebody.com.au