Quarterly check in — because that’s my thing now, apparently

I’m on the computer all day every day because working from home requires it.

This means I can’t wait to get OFF the computer once my work day is done, which is weird because when I was in the office, I was also on the computer all day, but would still come home and get on my own computer for a while in the evening. I guess the difference is at the office, I got up from my desk to talk to colleagues, attend meetings, go out to lunch, take a walk on my break, while here at the house I seldom stir from my desk except to pour another cup of coffee or get a snack.

Yes, I made this yogurt.

All that to explain why there have been no blog entries recently. Continuing to sit here and write in the evening after sitting and writing all day just isn’t going to happen.

I have a couple ideas for blog posts, though. We’ll see if we can get them written over the weekend, and then scheduled for publication. Pre-written posts may be the solution to weekday screen burnout.

What’s going on with you?

*pokes head in* “Hello?”

Good heavens, has it really been over four months since my last post? I’d add a “shaking my head” GIF if I knew how. But this twitter meme pretty much sums it up.

All right, then. Obviously, the world turned itself upside down over the Covid-19 pandemic in the last several months. Life around here did pretty much the same thing.  I’ll catch you up briefly.  I won’t promise a more detailed post any time in the near future because … well, staying at home is harder and more tiring than one would think.

The most important thing: the spouse and I are healthy so far. We minimize going out as much as possible and wear masks when we do. We both carry little hand sanitizer bottles everywhere we go and refill them as needed from the ginormous container of Purell sitting on the kitchen counter.

Spouse’s work has dried up — all those voice actors that ordinarily record in studios with private clients are now competing with him for the few jobs that get posted to the industry websites so he hasn’t had a gig since late March/early April. We’re still waiting to hear if he will get any of the unemployment benefits supposedly available to gig workers like him. Fortunately, my job is ongoing. I have been working from home since March 18. We count ourselves extremely fortunate that my work can be done 100% online through a VPN connection to our office mainframe. We’re not hurting financially. Too many people we know are not as fortunate.

I’ve finished several projects. Here are a few quick pics:

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

As you can see from the pics, I’ve got Covid Hair. Oy. I am in desperate need of seeing my hairdresser. And I’ve put on some lockdown weight. Apparently I got more exercise than I realized walking back and forth to the train and while in the office. I get NONE now. Time to find a yoga instructor on YouTube, I guess. Or get off my rear and take brisk walks every day. That’s hard to do…really, working from home and being in front of the computer ALL THE TIME is exhausting. By the time I log off each day, the only thing I want to do is eat popcorn, watch TV, and knit.

Okay, I have been doing a few other things. I planted an herb garden.

I made banana bread — lots of it, and gave away most of it.

I learned to make yogurt.

And I usually cook a nice dinner a couple of times a week.

It’s no wonder I’ve gained weight. All my extra activities involve food. Another batch of yogurt is working right now, and I’ve got the ingredients for lemon-blueberry cupcakes set out on the kitchen counter.

Lockdown reading: um, I’ve read 13 books, one of which was a “did not finish.” I’m also keeping up with the Shakespeare 2020 project, although I’ve skipped the poetry. Not big on poetry. So that’s six more Shakespeare plays down.

I’m involved in two other play-reading groups — one meets once a month to discuss a play we read on our own time; the other meets twice a week to read plays together. I don’t participate in all of the sessions for the second group because Zoom meetings are exhausting, but once a week, maybe once every couple of weeks, depending on the play. So with those two groups together, I’ve read five more plays.

And yesterday I shot a short scene for an episode of season 2 for the web series Black on Both Sides. That was a trip: hand sanitizer everywhere; cameraman, producer, sound guy, and five actors all masked except for the few minutes we were rolling. Then masked again while we set for the next shot. Masks off, roll, cut, masks on. Lather rinse repeat. It was a short shoot. I got there at 9:30 am, we started shooting at around 11, on my way home shortly after noon. Washed my hands thoroughly before getting in the car because I knew I’d be rubbing my nose or otherwise touching my face on the drive home.

We’re coping.

How are YOU doing?