I can see it – the slipping, sliding, the slow but sure moving away from those goals made at the beginning of the year! But I will plod on, and play catch up. This happened even before all that is around us, and constantly on everyone’s minds now. And as most of the world works from home to heal together, I know we are all discovering all that we can do and achieve while we are with loved ones within the confines of home.
(ignore those screams – that is me telling the kids to pipe down as I write this; and in a few minutes there will be a few ‘mean mommy’ statements – ignore those too! I have muted those sounds each time I sat down to do something that needed some focus – joining my online classes, working on a blog post, studying for finals, and so on – in the past couple of weeks! )
#shelterinplace
But switching gears a bit and getting serious: It is now Day 14 of the #shelterinplace order for the Bay Area, and since then the whole state of California is also in the same mode with many other states joining in; and the nation is in social distancing mode till the end of April.
At this time, we are still here, still sane (somewhat), and planning how to stay that way until things return to some kind of normalcy.
My hope is we return to a better kind of normalcy as the world works from home. My hope is we realize we can be better human beings, treasure all we have – family, friends, society, our planet. And this hope can be realized – I see this as the first time in our lifetimes that people all over the world are working together to ensure a global good.
Until then, until when we can return to that better normalcy, stay home, stay safe, and we can beat this together!
What are we doing?
As the world works from home (and us too), we have done so many different things over the past two weeks since we have stayed home mainly, except for essential needs (groceries, medicines, and in my case – an emergency root canal procedure two days ago)
Thank you to the doctors and dentists who are on the frontline to ensure we are safe. Incidentally, today is National Doctor’s Day!
Chalking our sidewalks with cheer
Meeting loved ones virtually
We had a Zoom meeting with family from all over the world. It was fun, and loud, with everyone talking over the other, just like we would do if we all met together IRL, and totally worth it. We are now planning to make it a regular thing (lasting past this crisis too).
Attending classes
The kids have had their dance classes via Zoom, their music lessons from their teacher via Skype, and their schoolwork through interactive video chats, group chats and teachers sending them videos to watch as well as assignments to complete.
In addition to this, also taking all the fun classes so many institutions and people are offering online.
Testing our brain power
any and all that make it our way – via all forms of social media and print. WhatsApp groups have more puzzles now than ever:) I have a couple here for you and you can put your answers in the comments. Since I moderate my comments anyway, I will publish them only a couple days later 🙂
Puzzle 1
Use the digit 8, 8 times to get a total of 1000. Any mathematical symbols can be used.
Puzzle 2
When a man was asked his birthday, he answered, “Day before yesterday, I was 25. Next year, I will be 28.”
When was his birthday?
Reading books, and writing…
I am getting some reading done, of course. I have many reviews I need to post. The last book I read and reviewed was a women’s fiction read titled The Disharmony of Silence and the one before that was a delightfully punny(yes, punny!) middle grade epistolary novel called Don’t Check Out This Book.
And I did get some writing done, most of it as part of a fiction writing course I just completed at the local community college. This was my first serious attempt at fiction writing and I enjoyed it. I now know I can craft stories, just need to focus!! (duh!)
As of today, I am studying for my Microeconomics finals (at another local community college), being offered online.
Thanks to my lecturer who offered to postpone it by a week for me due to the root canal that followed my toothache the actual week of the finals.
Getting crafty!
With DIYs (photos to come soon), with food, and more.
Collecting inspiration hope courage smiles (all the good stuff)
Via the good news that trickle through – one of them is not just trickling through – it is in our face each day now – all of us staying home to help the world heal sooner!
Via all those videos (neighborhoods coming together to sing, exercise, dance, and toast each other while keeping that safe distance, people helping others with groceries, and more)
With quotes and pictures and good books and such..
“Social distancing does not have to mean social disengagement,” said U.S. Surgeon General, Jerome M. Adams, and this definitely is so true. We can do so many things while distancing ourselves from others. I know I am engaging more actively with others (loved ones and those on social media)
Today’s list of national days is truly perfect for now
- National Doctor’s Day: A HUGE THANK YOU and a salute to all of you health care workers (a special personal thanks to the dentist who ensured I was not in pain anymore by treating me last Friday)
- National Virtual Vacation Day: Here we are taking it or do as this San Francisco IGer is doing each day of shelterinplace – I am enjoying her travels everyday!!
- National I am in Control Day: Let us say it together – ‘I am in control!’ and take charge of the things we can control right now, starting by staying home!
- National Pencil Day: Get your pencils out, do some writing, some drawing!!
- National Take a Walk in the Park Day: While we shelter in place and stay home, do remember to step outside while safely distancing from others. Go outdoors and take a walk (just remember to check if any of your local parks are closed at this time before you do this…). Or, as the national day calendar suggests, if you cannot step outside, take a virtual walking tour!
And of course, spending time with our loved ones…
This is one of those wonderful opportunities where we can smell every rose, treasure every moment, and make memories to cherish in that better future.
Yes, there are more things to add here, but that’s all for now.
Like binging on TV shows and movies and music and more, on endless options!!
And yes, I have been posting daily on my IG feed too
Old and new pics as always.. Here are a few from the last two weeks
And now, the end of this post.
So dear reader, what about you? What are the different things you are doing as you stay home? Let me know..
Sending all of you….
I am with you in returning to a “better kind of normalcy.” I am in Bakersfield and I heard from my friend in Oakland that y’all sound like you are doing a better job of sheltering in place. Last night I went to a park and it was packed. I just wanted to exercise and make a video! Enjoyed your post – a lot of creativity happening there!
It’s such a weird time right now. I keep thinking how most of us moms wish for more time with our kids, wish for time to slow down. Time is dragging that’s for sure. And honestly, I’m ok with it. I just hate the stress of the unknown.
These are all great things that you have been incorporating into your day! I have been doing a lot of things that I don’t normally have time to get around to.
Working from home with kids is very difficult. I’ve been doing it for 10 years and I’ve found the easiest way is to get up around 3 or 4 am and try to knock out what I can that way.
Oh yes, we are all “Mean Mommy!!!!” at least once a day for our kids these days, aren’t we? I am too tired to parse out your brain puzzles now, but will have to give them to my girls tomorrow – they will love them!
I wish we had a sidewalk that we could actually use our sidewalk chalk on. It’d be great for outdoor play!