what we do in the quarantimes pt. i

it's been three weeks since we started sheltering in place. there are so many things i could say about why we haven't posted on the blog in almost a year. there are so many things i could say about what it's been like to experience a global pandemic.

but i don't feel like saying those things right now. maybe i will one day soon.

it's been a journey trying to figure out what to do with our days. from binge-watching tiger king and the new season of ozark, to doing yoga and meditating, finding the courage to leave the house to purchase groceries or go on walks. the days are full of ups and downs, and so many emotions it's exhausting. because i, unlike alex, have a constant need to feel productive, i am trying to find ways to use my time "wisely." one of my coworkers sent around a link to audit the most popular class at yale called "the science of well-being," and it's free to audit during covid-19 so i signed up. it's a 10-week program, but you can do it faster if you want. i haven't decided the pace i'm going to take it, but they recommend you spread it out over 10 weeks because it's all about habit-change, so there are activities that you have to do.

i watched the first day's lectures and did the first few activities yesterday, and i am going to record my experience here as a foray into journaling about our quarantine experience. i also downloaded the course's app, called rewi, which is free. so far i haven't learned much, but i am really excited about committing to learning about a topic that couldn't be more valuable during this time. this quarantine experience is definitely forcing me to confront a lot of demons within myself, and same with alex. doing that alongside one another has been a super interesting experience. we are definitely forced to have a lot of patience and communication. it's a lot of checking in with each other and meeting the other where they are at.

my yoga practice has become essential in maintaining my sanity, even on days when i can't do much else. i've never experienced being so tired after a day of - literally nothing - than i have during this shelter-in-place time. i'm super interested to reflect back on this and see what i've learned. and i hope that during this time, alex and i can maybe make some decent content that, at the very least, we can look back on when we tell our own kids about living through this unprecedented time.