I’m starting a free flow writing blog about daily goings on, the COVID chronicles. As much as I want to art journal constantly about this, I’m in the midst of taking care of my daughter. I’ll add in more visuals as I can!
And don’t forget that I’m hosting a free, online live art journal class on Friday, March 20 at 8 PM London time, 4 PM east coast, 1 PM west coast. You can tune in on Instagram or Facebook at MEandBlue. And if you’re a personal friend of mine, it will be streaming as well from my M.E. Ster-Molnar feed.
Here goes my rambling....
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March 18th, 2020.
I kept hearing about the CORONA VIRUS and thought that it was something that I wouldn’t have to deal with. I have a couple of art journal friends who live in China and I heard about it. And years ago, my sister worked on the Diamond Princess cruise ship that was affected last month. Close to home in a way, but it seemed unfathomable. I’m a glass half full kind of a gal. So cliche, I know. I was on the other side of the world and I had heard of things like this before - Swine Flu, SARS, MERZ. But here’s the thing. I come from the generation when bad things like this don’t happen. I don’t know. Maybe it’s growing up relatively sheltered. My first real wake up call was like many others that I know - September 11th, 2001. Up until then, nothing touched my world. But now there is a lot more to deal with. And THIS. THIS!
All of the sudden, things are creeping in. I can’t kiss my friend on the cheek. One of my best friends lives 6 miles away, but it could be months before I see her. The government says no gatherings of more than 10 people, yet my daughter is supposed to go to school. Not today. I have been waking up in a panic. So I talked to my husband, Dave and was like - nope, she’s not going in. I am off of public transit - my bike is my new best friend.
Yesterday was St. Patrick’s Day and the first day that I decided that I was no longer taking public transport. I put air in the tires of my bike and set off to mail off a piece of artwork that had sold at the post office. I stood inbetween two 70-something women who had better attitudes than all of us. Yay. I’ve been meditating lately and trying to reach out to people more and more on the streets with a smile or a conversation. Now there’s the social distance thing - smile, but don’t get too close. It’s so weird. But necessary.
Back to St. Patrick’s Day - I made green milk for my daughter’s snack - insisting on Rice Crispies so that she could see the Shamrock shake-esque mint green that I chatted to the leprechauns about. A touch of green dye in the toilet water was another small act of fun I attempted, she goes along with it. I want her to keep believing. Friends in LA were showing images of a rainbow on social media, and I let her know that the leprechauns that visited at night and dropped green glitter had catapulted from the rainbows. I want to believe, too.
We had a virtual playdate with a friend from LA, something I think I will do many more of. My gal is social like me, we like to chat.
Then today I made a face mask using an old skirt and maxi pads for my daughter. She refused to go outside without one. She’s rockin’ the ninja look. But we don’t have the proper filters that were recommended, I’m thinking it’s more of a fashion statement, but not the best protection. I never imagined a world where I would be wearing a mask. Wooooah. And I want to make more.
So who knows how long this will go on for. I have a lot of things to do in the house. Conquer the laundry mountain, go through bins of paperwork, link my Shopify website to Mailchimp and have a cool pop up email sign up. Meditate daily, arm weights since my pool will close soon, I’m sure. Paint my daughter’s room. Be a best friend to an 8 year old, home school her, keep her spirits up, and do the same for me. Pray that I can see my parents soon. Remind myself that our investments will come back. Get the infection, don’t get the infection. I don’t know.
I feel like I’m living in a science fiction film. Dave, my husband showed me a trailer for the movie “Contagion” with Gwyneth Paltrow and Matt Damon. I would have watched it when it came out in 2011. Now I can’t. It will freak me out too much. Jessica Yellin is my go-to reporter on Instagram, but even she is stressing me out with the statistics.
March 19, 2020.
There was a free live dance party with Debbie Allen on Instagram yesterday. I did it. I haven’t done aerobics since the 80’s and it was fun. Dave and Bonnie-Blue even joined in.
So I wake up today, March 19, 2020. I created another daily checklist for my daughter who asked if she would be going back to school this week. I feel like I need to string her along for awhile so she doesn’t get freaked out. I just don’t know.
I look at the river and my gym is right across it, still open. Sanitizing like crazy. I would have to ride my bike to get there, good exercise. But even the thought of tapping my card onto a card reader gives me anxiety. There is not enough hand sanitizer to clear my monkey mind*. The river ferry still goes, but it’s way empty. And the police boat is out there, making me feel safe. I wonder if they will give me a free pass when I wake up one day and swim across the river at low tide. My mom wants to make sure it will be safe. It will keep me sane.
I’m off to walk the dog.
And I saw this. A reminder that Mother Nature’s beauty is still here. She is watching over our shoulder.
*Monkey mind courtesy of my dear friend Denise Baron, I love that term. Better to meditate than to feed the monkey mind.