I’ve realized that as a seasonally unemployed homebody I could be considered somewhat of a professional at this quarantine thing. With years of experience under my belt, I really know how to kill time with things I enjoy. I am fond of the quiet days and time spent alone; it’s simple and beautiful in so many ways. This is different, yes, because I don’t really have the option of heading to a coffee shop (an environment I am particularly keen to), or the grocery store for ingredients to try a new recipe; I can’t meet friends for happy hour or stop at my favorite local shops for a new dress or book. But aside from that one HUGE difference, I basically make the choice to quarantine myself at home daily.
I was thinking earlier about all of the restrictions and the lack that is present in life right now and I got to thinking that they all resembled New Years Resolutions. Such as:
Running out of booze = choosing “going dry” or being “sober curious”
Can’t shop or spend money anywhere = “freezing my checkbook”
Stuck at home with a treadmill = “1 hr minimum daily workout”
Finished all the bread and cookies = “I’m doing Whole 30!”
The fact of the matter is that dedicated people CHOOSE to do these things for 5-20 days every January until they quit. So I’m changing the way I’m thinking of all this from scarcity to goal driven choices. By the time this is all said and done I should be brand new. I’m making all of these decisions and many more because I want to, it has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that the world has stopped turning, ok? Some other resolutions I’m giving a go: watch one Netflix series every 3 days, stay in pajamas until 1pm every day, quit fixing my hair, etc. My brother read something online the other day, “What a year this week has been” and I feel that. These goals are really kicking my butt.
I haven’t been out, but things are getting interesting out there. There are gloves at every gas pump for people to put on, ladies at the grocery store clean a cart for you as you walk in, clinics have relocated outdoors for testing. Gyms are filming their classes and posting them free online. Artists are streaming live shows from the comfort of their living rooms. If you go to get fast food or take out, it will be brought to your vehicle by a nice lad wearing surgeon’s gloves and a face mask. People are working from home or not at all. In Wisconsin, if you are out driving for anything other than “essential travel” you can be fined $250 or put in jail for up to 30 days. There’s a lot of ambiguity as far as outdoor activities and what is allowed or not. For all the fly-fisherman in my life, I know that planning their annual Brule fishing opener this coming weekend has been stress filled. It’s tough when the activities that ease your mind and take place outdoors might be taken from you. I was hopeful for all of them that they could find reprieve there, but these are unprecedented times.
I took the day off from the news to again reunite with my bubble. It’s a delicate dance to stay informed while staying positive. I’m finding that I don’t miss much if I tune it out for a day at a time. Instead of turning to my usual Wall Street Journal, I asked Google: is it good to fake a smile? The resounding answer was YES! “We think of our face as reflecting our internal emotions, but that linkage works both ways - we can change our emotional state by altering our facial expression! Pasting a smile on your face, even if you are consciously faking it, can improve your mood and reduce stress.” Now that’s what I call newsworthy.
Some highlights of this quiet day:
Studying my zodiac signs! I love the idea of getting to know myself better, as if my mind and my body haven’t been traveling together for my entire life. I’ve always been interested in the mystery of astrology. I personally love that it seems ‘out there,’ worldly, and kind of unbelievable- that suits me. I’ve heard a lot about the difference between sun, moon, and rising signs but hadn’t took the time to understand them until today. I took lots of notes and was surprised at how well these descriptions suited me- my sun sign (our core of who we are) is Sagittarius. The first thing I read: A person who’s continually on a quest for knowledge- yes. Off to a good start. My moon sign (our inner self- emotions, desires, the more vulnerable part of us) is Taurus. One quick snippet summed it up pretty darn well, “Enjoy relaxing in serene, bucolic environments, surrounded by soft sounds, soothing aromas, and succulent flavors. Ruled by Venus- the enchanting planet that governs love, beauty, money. The most sensual of the zodiacs. Often enchanted by any physical manifestation of comfort and luxury. Pleasure is a necessity.” It talked pretty deeply how it takes a lot to get to a Taurus because they are very serene and I think that’s quite true for me. My rising sign (our outer self- first impressions, personality) is Scorpio. This was the most surprising until I read more. “Likeable, magnetic, attractive, and charming person whose heart is often on your sleeve. Unless very challenged, you are easy to befriend, diplomatic, and warm in your self-expression.” Drawn to arts, music, and song- a lover of parties and social gatherings. Don’t get me wrong, there are many critiques as well- suggestions for handling your affairs well, how to show up best in your relationships, demonstrations of how we get in our own way- but isn’t it fun to just focus on your best qualities?
Today I climbed a mountain in Utah all while staying put in my basement on the treadmill. Thank you to my very cute and enthusiastic personal trainer Jon for getting me there.
Searching desperately online for a cheaper, but just as cute bernadoodle. I think Cash, Blu and I really need a new cute fluffy companion to get through these times.
I finished “To Shake the Sleeping Self” which was a nice way to escape from the dreary Minnesota days. The author writes of his travel by push bike from Oregon to Patagonia which inspired the wanderlust in me. While in a small city in Mexico, the military staged an overthrow of a cartel and therefore the city went on lockdown; all roads blocked, people panicking, and helicopters buzzing overhead all day long. Ah! Something I could relate to. He was there for a week feeling scared and trapped, and then he said this,
“It’s remarkable how normal moments live on in the middle of chaos and tragedy. People still play chess and drink tea in the middle of war. New inside jokes are born at funerals. Stranded in Nexpa, I saw the locals laughing over beers. Making jokes about the military, about the cartels, about resorting to powdered milk the last time this happened. Human beings have little capacity for sustained horror. I think our minds need to play to survive. Permanently serious people always look so tired, maybe because they are fighting an emotional battle that eats the body alive. To laugh and play while the bombs drop is one way to survive a war, even to win it.”
I scribbled all over that page- underlines and hearts and exclamation points. We can get through this mess with our sanity and smiles and health still in tact. I know we can.
CHEERS to this terrific quarantine Tuesday.
Meet my trainer Jon and the view we worked so hard to see today.
Some fun zodiac scribbles with an emphasis on all the good.