Quarantine Questions

I love this. My friend Shanna has been posting this on her Facebook feed for a while now. I did a quick search and found it here: Six Daily Questions to Ask Yourself in Quarantine.

My journaling practice has been, well, not good. I used to sit on the sofa every evening while we watched tv or a movie and I’d work in my daily journal. Over the years, especially once my daughter was mobile, I was journaling less and less. Mostly because I wasn’t keeping all of my supplies on the sofa as I used to. But it’s become increasingly clear to me that this practice is NOT a luxury.

I will be answering these questions in my paper journal for the foreseeable future, but I thought I’d share what I’m feeling today.

1. I am GRATEFUL for the sunshine, my sofa time, Disney Channel, and being able to text my sister and my BFF all day.
2. I CONNECTED with my SIL, Cyndi, today. We talked for an hour about work, that we’re tackling house projects during quarantine, what Mae is up to, and general life stuff especially related to politics and how our “leadership” is doing a piss-poor job of taking care of the people of this country.
3. I LET GO OF, for yet another day, how dusty my house is. Nobody is coming over. I’d rather snuggle on the sofa with my daughter and watch “The Fox and The Hound,” which I really don’t recommend for anyone who hasn’t seen it yet.
4. I got OUTSIDE today when I spent that hour on the phone with Cyndi. I just sat on the front steps and admired our clear Colorado sky while she and I chatted.
5. I did not MOVE MY BODY one little bit. I tidied the house a bit, but really, I didn’t do what I really could have done. I want to get back into my regular Kundalini practice. Even if I just do the Kirtan Kriya (the 11-minute version!) daily. I also want to do some stretching each morning, but I don’t do mornings well, and spend the first 10-15 minutes of my day saying the F word and being bitter about getting out of my bed-nest.
6. Today’s BEAUTY involved cleaning up my area around my spot on the sofa and trying to focus a bit on the artistic practices I want to reinvigorate myself with. Two I’m working with right now:
   1. Artist and author Dawn Sokol has set up a Patreon for only $6 a month. It’s the Keep Calm art journaling class and it’s geared toward any skill level. I am finding it refreshing and grounding. Even if you aren’t an artist or a creative, it would be worth your time.
   2. Sketchbook Revival. I had never heard of this before, but apparently it’s an annual free event, with many artists who contribute. I think I’m only on Day 1, even though the course began on 3/23, but I love it so far. I learned about it from one of my favorite artists, Stephanie Lee.

Last month, before any of us realized what a nightmare coronavirus and COVID-19 would be, I attended a long weekend up in the mountains for an Outlander weekend at Mojito Creek in Black Hawk, CO. I spent Thursday through Sunday with a group of like-minded women, watching various episodes of Outlander in anticipation for the new season. I’m so grateful that I did. When life is less scary and we can all do things in groups again, I will definitely be writing more about this place and what it has to offer. For now, I wanted to share some of the art journaling I did that weekend. A weekend away where I was only responsible for cooking ONE meal and basically only had to take care of MYSELF for 4 days.

So, go. Set up a blog, or a paper journal, or do what my friend Shanna is doing and post your Quarantine Questions on your Facebook feed. It may help you get through the next month…two months…three months…whatever it takes. I’ll share more as we go along, also. Post photos here in the comments, if you’d like!