Marc Buckner with his furry friend, Luna. Image: Supplied
One of SA’s most eligible bachelors has been looking for love on a reality show.
Thankfully, " The Bachelor SA" has already been filmed, so Covid-19 won’t be terribly intrusive on Marc Buckner’s romantic encounters every Thursday.
In real life, though, the entrepreneur is in lockdown like the rest of the country.
Although he didn’t go into panic-buying mode ahead of the lockdown, he did get some essential DIY supplies.
Buckner says, “I bought a lot of stuff for my apartment, things that I wanted to get done like laying down artificial grass and replanting certain things. I also bought a lot of supplies such as screws, double-sided tape, glue, etc., to do little bits around the house. I also unpacked my juicer and training equipment from storage and prepared Luna (his furry friend) with her treats.”
We are now over a week into it, how are you coping?
“I haven’t lost my mind yet,” he laughs. “I seem to be coping just fine. I started exercising today and enjoying shopping more than ever. I am trying to buy as healthy as possible and there are a few treats that I have been avoiding that I normally would eat.
I’m trying to keep busy. I’ve watched a bit of TV and set up a TV games station but I haven’t actually had a chance to turn that on yet; mostly, though, I’ve been focusing on taking care of Luna, keeping her active and occupied.”
Marc Buckner is steaming up the small screen in M-Net's second season of "The Bachelor SA". Picture: Supplied
On establishing some kind of routine, he offers, “My routine lately has been to get up, have a coffee, do a bit of a clean-up and try and play with Luna a little.
"From today, it also included doing some exercise and cooking meals that are even healthier than ever before.
"I’m really enjoying cooking and relaxing and having the time to get through the admin that has been lagging behind. I also brush up on news every morning and every night before bed.”
As for starting new hobbies and revisiting old ones, Buckner reveals, “I’m continuing with my hobbies of building, cooking and braaiing. Believe it or not, I’m revisiting cleaning. I love making my space a very convenient and usable one, so I enjoy building spots for things that make my life easier - that keeps me busy, too.”
A struggle for many individuals is the frequent visits to the kitchen. Is he finding himself in a similar predicament?
He nods, “I am visiting the kitchen very often, in fact, I spend most of my day there – consuming and eating. But, I haven’t gained any weight. This isn’t strange though, as I have been eating very healthy with lots of fresh salads. I’ve enjoyed eating and relaxing – I think my body is enjoying this time after all the busy activities before.”
With news updates keeping the nation informed on a daily basis, I asked Buckner how much of it he consumes.
“I am brushing up on a lot more news than I did before. Previously, it wasn’t good for my mental wellbeing so I stopped. But recently I’ve started again because I think it’s a necessary progression and I think it's important to know what’s going on,” he responds.
Of course, he does allow himself welcome distractions.
Buckner reveals, “I am of course watching The Bachelor SA and enjoying M-Net Binge at the moment. I have a huge collection of books that I haven’t had the time to get to yet... but, there is still plenty of time for that.”
As for the things he has become more grateful for since the arrival of Covid-19, he says, “I’ve learnt a bit more about myself regarding the fact that I don’t need to be busy all the time. I’ve actually taken this time to just relax. Every now and then I think to myself, ‘Oh, I’ve got to do something’, but then I realise I can’t do anything, which is quite nice. Its been refreshing to know that life doesn’t always have to be a series of events and chores.”
That said, everyone is looking forward to the day when the president announces an end to the lockdown.
As for what he is looking forward to most about that day, he says, “The first thing I will do after the lockdown is go to someone else’s house for a braai. But, that’s after a full day of hiking with Luna in the mountains and then heading to the beach with her, getting outdoors and getting her out in nature with as many friends as possible.”
"The Bachelor SA" season 2 airs on M-Net (DStv channel 101) on Thursday at 8pm.
This article first appeared on IOL
