Making the Most of Quarantine...
The state of things the last few weeks has been unprecedented. We are living through something that none of us have experienced before, and I can't help but reflect on that a bit. I am, of course, not the only one sharing thoughts on COVID-19, but I hope to share some things that are related, but not directly about it.
Clay and I have been self-quarantined now for about two and a half weeks. The first of those weeks we were on a pre-planned "vacation" that included staying at home, relaxing, going to appointments, and so on (as compared to visiting friends in Columbus as previously planned). And that week was when things started to get worse, so we quickly decided we would be staying in from that point forward. And thankfully our jobs allowed us to do so, before it was mandatory.
While these two and a half weeks have not been as productive as I had hoped (the house project list is still the same length) there are still a number of things I have done, learned, or realized that I am thankful for.
This sudden shift to a very solitary way of living has been a bit of an adjustment; more for me than for Clay. Clay is living his introvert dream life - playing video games and board games (sometimes doing those things while on video calls with friends), not having plans, working from home, etc. Meanwhile, I am adjusting to not seeing people face to face, but also enjoying the forced slowing down and push to do things I have been meaning to do for a while. So, below is a quick list of my top Five Quarantine Observations and Accomplishments:
1. I am finally learning to play guitar! I have had a guitar since my early teens but have never learned much beyond a few chords. I started about a week or so ago with some YouTube video lessons, and then a few days ago I switched to Fender Play with their 3 months of free lessons promo and it has been GREAT (highly recommend if you want to learn to play guitar, bass, or ukulele). A lot of my family plays instruments, so I'm excited to join in during the next family jam session :)
2. Fresh air and the outdoors feels like a luxury. I have always loved the outdoors, but now that it is the only place we can "go" it feels like an extra treat. Taking the dog for a walk has become less of a chore and more of something I look forward to each day. And on the weekends, if the weather is nice, it means hitting the trail near our house instead of just walking in our neighborhood. Something about the fresh air, seeing other people walking around, tulips coming up in flower beds, trees almost in bloom, and birds flying around makes things almost feel normal. It's a gift. When we were on a nice long walk today we were walking by a house and we look over and see an elderly lady standing at her door with a big smile on her face waving to us as we walked by. We enthusiastically smiled and waved back. I hope to walk by as often as we can and wave to her; another thing to look forward to on our walks now.
3. Spending constant time with my husband has been great. Clay and I often get so busy with the different things we each do that we don't spend time with each other beyond eating a quick dinner and then maybe watching TV. And while quarantine has definitely consisted of a fair amount of binge watching Netflix and a few disagreements, it has also included lots of laughs, making plans for home improvements, taking walks together, and of course you can't forget sharing the role of washing the mass amount of dishes that comes with way more home cooking than we usually do. It may be cheesy and annoying, but I'm thankful to be quarantined with this guy.
4. I have seen more of my neighbors in the last few weeks than I have maybe all of last summer. We have seen a lot of people walking and jogging down our street or just hanging out in their yards and it has been so great! People and their dogs, families, lone joggers, couples - it's so wonderful and encouraging to see so many people enjoying the outdoors, and waving to each other as they go! We even had someone stop in front of our house, smile real big, and take a photo of the "Let's All Be Well" sign I painted last week (a movement started in Italy that has not spread worldwide as a way to encourage our neighbors). These fairly mundane and ordinary interactions now seem so life giving. I hope it carries through beyond our social distancing days.
5. I am being more intentional with my days. (most of the time...)
Most days previous to this I don't know if I could say that I spent my days super intentionally...I had things I did each day, but more out of habit most of the time than intent (aside from going to the gym...). These days I am working to spend my time more intentionally. Waking up, making a cup of coffee, working at my kitchen table throughout the week days, taking a break for lunch with Clay, doing yoga or some other home workout a few times a week, reading, practicing guitar... there are still things I'm ignoring, like dishes and laundry, but being more intentional with my time helps the time pass and gives a sense of purpose to each day.
I'm sure there will be more things I could add to the list as we go, especially since the "social distancing" guidelines have now been put into affect until April 30. But I think that's a pretty solid five to start with. Are there things you are doing or have been noticing that you might not have had it not been for this time of slowing down? I'd love to hear about them!
Also, I have to say a big THANK YOU to all the people who are still working so that the majority of us can stay home. Delivery services, doctors, nurses, grocery store employees, and so many more. I am so appreciative and thankful.
Peace and good health ♥
Clay and I have been self-quarantined now for about two and a half weeks. The first of those weeks we were on a pre-planned "vacation" that included staying at home, relaxing, going to appointments, and so on (as compared to visiting friends in Columbus as previously planned). And that week was when things started to get worse, so we quickly decided we would be staying in from that point forward. And thankfully our jobs allowed us to do so, before it was mandatory.
While these two and a half weeks have not been as productive as I had hoped (the house project list is still the same length) there are still a number of things I have done, learned, or realized that I am thankful for.
This sudden shift to a very solitary way of living has been a bit of an adjustment; more for me than for Clay. Clay is living his introvert dream life - playing video games and board games (sometimes doing those things while on video calls with friends), not having plans, working from home, etc. Meanwhile, I am adjusting to not seeing people face to face, but also enjoying the forced slowing down and push to do things I have been meaning to do for a while. So, below is a quick list of my top Five Quarantine Observations and Accomplishments:
1. I am finally learning to play guitar! I have had a guitar since my early teens but have never learned much beyond a few chords. I started about a week or so ago with some YouTube video lessons, and then a few days ago I switched to Fender Play with their 3 months of free lessons promo and it has been GREAT (highly recommend if you want to learn to play guitar, bass, or ukulele). A lot of my family plays instruments, so I'm excited to join in during the next family jam session :)
2. Fresh air and the outdoors feels like a luxury. I have always loved the outdoors, but now that it is the only place we can "go" it feels like an extra treat. Taking the dog for a walk has become less of a chore and more of something I look forward to each day. And on the weekends, if the weather is nice, it means hitting the trail near our house instead of just walking in our neighborhood. Something about the fresh air, seeing other people walking around, tulips coming up in flower beds, trees almost in bloom, and birds flying around makes things almost feel normal. It's a gift. When we were on a nice long walk today we were walking by a house and we look over and see an elderly lady standing at her door with a big smile on her face waving to us as we walked by. We enthusiastically smiled and waved back. I hope to walk by as often as we can and wave to her; another thing to look forward to on our walks now.
3. Spending constant time with my husband has been great. Clay and I often get so busy with the different things we each do that we don't spend time with each other beyond eating a quick dinner and then maybe watching TV. And while quarantine has definitely consisted of a fair amount of binge watching Netflix and a few disagreements, it has also included lots of laughs, making plans for home improvements, taking walks together, and of course you can't forget sharing the role of washing the mass amount of dishes that comes with way more home cooking than we usually do. It may be cheesy and annoying, but I'm thankful to be quarantined with this guy.
4. I have seen more of my neighbors in the last few weeks than I have maybe all of last summer. We have seen a lot of people walking and jogging down our street or just hanging out in their yards and it has been so great! People and their dogs, families, lone joggers, couples - it's so wonderful and encouraging to see so many people enjoying the outdoors, and waving to each other as they go! We even had someone stop in front of our house, smile real big, and take a photo of the "Let's All Be Well" sign I painted last week (a movement started in Italy that has not spread worldwide as a way to encourage our neighbors). These fairly mundane and ordinary interactions now seem so life giving. I hope it carries through beyond our social distancing days.
5. I am being more intentional with my days. (most of the time...)
Most days previous to this I don't know if I could say that I spent my days super intentionally...I had things I did each day, but more out of habit most of the time than intent (aside from going to the gym...). These days I am working to spend my time more intentionally. Waking up, making a cup of coffee, working at my kitchen table throughout the week days, taking a break for lunch with Clay, doing yoga or some other home workout a few times a week, reading, practicing guitar... there are still things I'm ignoring, like dishes and laundry, but being more intentional with my time helps the time pass and gives a sense of purpose to each day.
I'm sure there will be more things I could add to the list as we go, especially since the "social distancing" guidelines have now been put into affect until April 30. But I think that's a pretty solid five to start with. Are there things you are doing or have been noticing that you might not have had it not been for this time of slowing down? I'd love to hear about them!
Also, I have to say a big THANK YOU to all the people who are still working so that the majority of us can stay home. Delivery services, doctors, nurses, grocery store employees, and so many more. I am so appreciative and thankful.
Peace and good health ♥
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