Featured Refresh
Text & Image
Are you doing anything artistic or creative these days that you weren’t doing before? If so, talk about it.
Definitely the ukulele is one of the joys of this pandemic. I had started to play a few years ago, but then got caught up in life’s persistent activities, and stopped for a while. In January, I joined a weekly community ed class. By March, I was one of the regulars when the class was forced to meet on Zoom. Our teacher hosted a weekly meetup through which I learned about other jam sessions and additional instructors. By a month into quarantine, I was taking three to four classes a week, which led to additional drop-in sessions. I started listening to daily ukulele tips stretched from 5 minutes to nearly an hour, depending upon the presenter. In other words, yes, I am doing something artistic that I wasn’t doing before, and honestly, I think the ukulele is keeping me sane in the chaos of lockdown. Ukulele is a happy folk instrument played by casual and serious musicians. Many of us had not played a musical instrument before, or not seriously pursued musical experiences. It’s tremendously creative and forgiving. Easier than guitar, the uke has only four strings—and I have four fingers—so a relative beginner can make some nice sounds. Our groups are collaborative. Everyone offers positive suggestions. It’s just plain fun. I’m even arranging some of the songs, writing melody, counter-melody and combining the two. Even though I have not met any of them in person, my weekly fingerpicking group is my go-to feel good group. We’ve bonded over music and life stages. We truly care for one another. I hope that someday when we are able to once again gather in public, we will actually meet. Because of zoom, our regular groups consist of people from all over the globe. In lockdown, Australia can be next door. I enjoy an occasional class given by the guy in Albuquerque. One teacher is in England and one of my study partners this week is in Italy. I have new friends in Texas and California...and I’m outside of Boston. That’s the cool thing about Zoom sessions that wouldn’t be possible —nor have even crossed my mind — before Covid. Before Covid I didn’t take it that seriously. During quarantine, ukulele is my lifeline. I find I can lose myself in the music, and in the camaraderie. I’m smiling at the end of each long ukulele jam session.
September 3, 2020
Text Only
During the pandemic, has anything changed in how you get food, prepare it, or eat it?
Yes, definitely! I feel like we're constantly cooking something! We've largely been ordering our groceries online and picking them up curbside. For a little while, when the numbers were down we went into the grocery store (with masks, and during slower times), but we're back to doing online orders now that the numbers are up again. We avoid going into any places, especially now with the numbers so high. Also, when we order our groceries, we order them for about two weeks at a time. We wipe everything down before putting them away. For our food preparation, if we plan to share/give anything to anyone then we will wear masks while preparing the food and dishing it up. We will only eat outside with friends and family outside of our "bubble" and take all precautions to have each family "bubble" dish up from their own separate dishes and using separate utensils, while wearing masks. When we eat, we eat outside with 6 feet between family "bubbles." Right now, it's winter and it's way too cold outside, so we're not doing any dinners, etc. together with anyone. We just don't want to risk it. We want to be able to have many more dinners and celebrations with our family and friends - not one last one. So, we'll continue to be careful. Even if that means not doing any of that for just a little while longer.
December 24, 2020