I really didn’t expect my life to change much during the social distancing/isolation of COVID. Other than knocking some forced socialization off my schedule. But I’ve done some things that I couldn’t foresee, and have surprised those who know me. Here are some unexpected things I have done during the isolation.
I’ve Started Cooking Again
You may think that this is not a big deal, but I am truly well and done with producing meals. I took over managing a household as a very young teenager, and I’m just sick of having to plan, shop and cook. But now I am relaxing into cooking. I’ve found joy in baking from scratch, and making simpler meals with whole foods. That’s not to say that there isn’t four frozen meals in the freezer for those nights when I just can’t do it. But before isolation, we would do those types of meals more often than not.
Curly Girl Commence
I have been cursed blessed with naturally curly and wavy hair. But I’ve never let it take its own course. I have always fought straightened it to some degree. Now I am full on curly. It was the only way that I could get it out of my eyes. While this may seem like a blessing, anyone who has curly hair will tell you it is much more work than straight hair. But it’s kind of fun.
Exercise in my Living Room
I’ve always downloaded apps for exercising, or bought DVDs of classes. But I never did them. Instead I would haul my carcass off to the gym and work on the weight machines. Since my gym is closed, my daughter and I have started exercising with the classes on FitOn. In our living room. It’s a better workout than the gym, and I’m thinking about canceling my gym membership.
Ordered Yarn From Halfway Across the Country
Yes, I have a stash of projects to last me years. But I saw a pattern I could not pass by. But the dye lot is an important thing when dealing with variegated yarn, and normally this would mean I would go off to the specialty yarn store. I couldn’t get enough of the colors I needed from my local box store (the only one that is open) for curbside pickup. So I went online and ordered yarn from a yarn store in my home state. Exactly what I needed, and details were perfect.
I Stood Up Two Websites, One Conference Call Line
I normally don’t advertise my tech skills, because I get hit up for all sorts of tech support in the oddest places. However, I’ve had to let people know recently. I’ve been involved the very quick movement of several groups onto the internet. The first three weeks of isolation had me standing up two websites and a conference call line to assist in two groups I help manage. Normally I like to plan out content and navigation, but I had to fly by the seat of my pants on all of it. Not comfortable at all. Definitely out of my comfort zone, but it is done, and it turned out rather well. And no one has taken unfair advantage of my skills.
Become An Unofficial PayPal Consultant
The non-profit groups I am involved in normally depend on cash intake. Since we’re no longer meeting face to face, we had to have a way to pass the hat, so to speak. So I set up one bank account to use Paypal, and assisted others through the steps to move their bank accounts.
I’ve Played Chess In Rhythm
One of the things that got canceled for my daughter when school was canceled (besides her graduations from her two high schools) was her senior recital. She decided to plow ahead. We’ll be doing the recital either from our living room or the church space (with only the three of us there, sending out a video feed). The piece she was doing with her professor, a chess game set out to rhythm, was then given to me. So I’ve been memorizing a Bobby Fisher game and learning the rhythms to make the piece work. Here’s a video of the piece.
I’ve Watched More TV
I haven’t watched this much television in years. But I’m loving the down time.
- The Marvel Movies. All of them, in order
- Father Brown. Caught up through Season 7. Why would anyone move to Kembelford? The survival rate is rather bleak. And I would avoid the priest at all costs.
- Death in Paradise. A great crime show set in the Caribbean. My husband turned us on to this one, and it is very engaging.
I’ve also re-watched movies I thought my daughter should see (Meet The Parents, Pretty in Pink, Something About Mary, Robin Hood Men in Tights) and watched ones she thought I should see (Mean Girls, The Marvel films)
I’ve Played More Video Games
I purchased a Nintendo Switch right before isolation started, and Animal Crossing the day it came out. I’ve been building my town, with help from my Girl Scouts (who play) and some co-workers. I like it because it doesn’t require coordination or quick thinking. And it sucks up a surprising amount of my time which I have willingly given up.
I’ve Relearned Kinematics
My daughter is a senior in high school, and is pretty good as far as self-starting. But she’s struggling with physics. So I got a book and started working through it so I could instruct her. She’s bowed out of the AP exam for this subject, but she wants to understand the subject anyway. So I’m dusting off some very rusty skills…and rekindling ideas of going back and getting my advanced degrees so I can teach at the college level.
I’ve Decreased My Reading
Surprisingly, I haven’t read as much. I track the number of books that I read per month, and went from 12 in January to 14 in February to 11 in March to 5 in April. The ones in March were mostly read when I was in bed with the flu, so in the first two weeks of March. Since then? Not so much.
I don’t know how this whole thing is going to play out. My crystal ball is broken. But I suspect that we will never return to where we were pre-COVID. I’ve learned quite a bit about myself, and taken on some new roles and activities. And for the most part it’s been good. It will be interesting to see what the next months bring.
