At this writing, day 67 on PAUSE in New York state, our resiliency is being tested. How will we continue to respond?
Hours meld into days. Days blur into weeks. And weeks have become indistinguishable as months. Time and place are even more abstract. Phil Connors (Bill Murray’s character in Groundhog Day), I feel your frustration.
The good news is that my family and I remain healthy (but separate). The bad news is that I know colleagues who have been affected personally, and suffered the loss of family members.
Since part 1, written 10 days in, my optimism for massive productivity has been downgraded. While I’m totally on board to shelter in place until we see Covid-19 cases diminish, locking down this long – and likely longer – remains a challenge, both mentally and physically.
The psychological response to shelter in place seems to depend in part on where you live. If you have access to a car or live in a less densely populated city, there’s more room to be active and get around. For those of us living in big cities in small apartments, #socialdistancing can be difficult. That makes getting out to find some space to move an even more creative endeavor, while staying in feels like being caged. Here are some of the ways I’m managing.
Who’s Zoom-ing Who?
Millions of people have discovered Zoom or other digital platforms to enjoy social interactions with humans. Currently I take part in:
Virtual happy hours
Virtual dinner parties
Virtual film group meetups
Virtual game night
All the World's a Stage
With no live theater happening anywhere (sigh!), the ‘world’ has come to us digitally. Recently, I’ve seen:
National Theatre Live’s Twelfth Night
National Theatre Live’s Frankenstein
The Public Theater’s What Do We Need to Talk About?
Movie Magic
Watching lots of streaming films, and more TV in two+ months than I’ve watched in the last five years. Here’s a sampling.
Classics: A trio of Cary Grant in Charade, To Catch a Thief and Indiscreet
Documentaries on Independent Lens: Bedlam, Accept the Call and The Hottest August
Mod and mindless 1960s comedies: The Knack …and How to Get It, Prudence and The Pill, The Impossible Years
Too much tele: Rewatched Band of Brothers, Rome and Fleabag; finished two series of the Art of the Heist; and currently in the middle of Patrick Melrose.
Tiskets and Tasks
Cleaned out and reorganized closets
Washed all windows
Minor repairs here and there
Shredded three bags of papers (don’t laugh – that took four hours!)
Getting Freakishly Fit
Yea, right. But I am getting a few long walks in here and there. Knowing many off-the-beaten-path routes in the city really comes in handy under these circumstances. I’ve gotten the chance to walk large avenues and narrow winding streets with very few people and spend time looking at the architecture and details – usually impossible on busy streets.
Take a look at some city shots, from midtown to downtown.
In speaking with friends, some say that their mood seems to shift on a dime – engaged one minute, grumpy the next. There’s one facet of lock down that everyone seems to agree on: Staying focused can be difficult.
Our lift date is tentatively 15 may. I can foresee upstate opening up a bit, but not downstate, I’ll start planning for month three – just in case.
We are resilient, and we will get through this.
How are you managing your time on PAUSE? Suggestions welcome.
Photos © 2020 Janet Giampietro | Top image: Fearless Girl statue by Kristen Visbal
