It’s been 34 days since I last went to an in-person art event.

31 days since I’ve been to my yoga studio.

27 days since I’ve been to my workplace.

26 days since I’ve eaten inside a restaurant.

14 days since I dropped off groceries to my grandma.

7 days since I went to Target for snacks. 

I’ve finished Stephen King’s On Writing, Kingdom on Netflix, Tiger King; started watching Terrace House: Aloha State and Phil of the Future on Disney+; played Animal Crossing: New Horizons with my brother, my friends from college, and my cousin; and ate a bunch of pretzel snacks. 

All the media I’ve consumed over the last month has been … refreshing and soothing, to be honest. Before mid-March, I was juggling a full-time job, part-time volunteer gig, and side-hustle starting a theatre company… It’s been a busy 6 months to say the least… An hour or two of escape from navigating our new reality sheltering in place is much needed (as often as every two hours if you ask me). 

As a creative, I haven’t been pressuring myself to create or write anything during this time. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t miss it or crave it. I find myself constantly tired from adjusting to work from home (WFH), reading the latest news, thinking about the impacts of this pandemic, and trying to keep myself together. It’s mentally, emotionally, and physically exhausting.

I know that reading and writing awakens and energizes me, but it also takes a lot of energy to pick up the book or the pen (especially when the TV remote seems to be always closer). Week by week, I’ve been able to read a couple more pages or write down some thoughts and it’s been nice getting those little bursts of energy. 

In the last few years, I’ve tried not to be too hard on myself when it takes me weeks or months to finish a script or reading a book. Ever since I graduated from college, it’s been difficult for me to find a real reliable routine for my creativity. I tend to write in 2 to 3 week bursts, then I won’t touch the keyboard for a month or more. I imagine it’s the same for a lot of people, but balancing work life, self-care, and personal relationships has proven to be easier said than done. 

Anyway, since the SIP order, I haven’t guilted myself into thinking “I better be writing my masterpiece right now!” (To be honest, the guilt and pressure has more to do with my dayjob, but that’s another story). If this “extra time” works for you, that’s great. But it doesn’t work for everyone in that way. I personally get a lot of my inspiration and drive from attending events at galleries, theaters, and community centers; meeting artists and hearing their stories. As I mentioned at the top, it’s been 34 days since I’ve been to an in-person art event. 

34 days since I’ve shared space with community members to watch a film at Cinequest (before they postponed the second half of the festival).

I’ve been fortunate to be able to connect with artists online through Zoom, Facebook, and Instagram. Been able to see their writing projects or photography. Their creativity and originality during this strange time in our history has energized me.

But it’s definitely not the same.

As we head into Week Five, I hope to find myself reading and writing just a little bit more and set myself up for success. I’ll be connecting with some friends in an intimate poetry circle/workshop setting, attending a playwriting class via Zoom from my favorite Fil-Am theatre, and starting a potential blog project with a community partner. I realize I may be getting a lil busy with all this and maybe that’s what I need again.