Here in Japan, in the midst of a global pandemic, I have lost all motivation, and the summer of 2021 has brought with it a heat that makes me feel like I'm being sprayed with the steam from an instant yakisoba noodle soup, and relentless sunlight pouring from a blinding blue sky. Without being told to do so, I sat in my air-conditioned room, eating ice cream and staring at the wall to block out the curses coming from social media and TV.