Coffee Date | Spring 2020
If you and I had coffee...
We'd grab our beverages of choice - mine would be a big mug of green tea and a tumbler of shaved ice - and forego the pretty setting this month for a Skype date instead. Because... Coronavirus. Officials across the globe have been updating around the clock, resulting in businesses and schools shuttering their doors for the next few weeks. Although neither of us are caught up in the frenzy, we made a joint decision to stay in our pajamas and meet up over the interwebs, and a fine choice it was.
If you and I had coffee...
I'd ask you how your city has been dealing with this virus scare. My local city and state governments have been pretty mum about the whole thing, but all of the grocery and wholesale stores have been out of hand sanitizer and Lysol products for two weeks now, and there isn't a stitch of toilet paper to be found in all the land. I admit that I find it amusing how people tend to overreact and panic-buy the strangest variety of products. In the age when we can get practically everything delivered to our doorstep within hours of ordering, it seems strange to hoard things.
I read an article just yesterday that said that in Wuhan and the Hubei Province, the epicenter of the COVID19 outbreak, delivery drivers are busier than ever. They suit up in masks, and sometimes biohazard suits, spray down packages with disinfectant, and off they go on their motorcycles. This gave me a little more faith in the state of affairs, and I can't help but think that the smart business owners would pivot and turn this into an opportunity.
If you and I had coffee...
I'd share, while we're on the topic of epidemic-magnitude illnesses, that I was wondering how libraries would fare in all of this. I haven't done enough research about COVID to know how long the virus lives on surfaces, but as more of these superbugs develop, will libraries be able to stick around when the books they house could potentially store and transfer these germs? How could you sanitize a book that is being shared by the public? Do libraries already do something like this?
After a quick Google search, I'd sadly share that the first three articles that popped up mentioned wiping the book cover down with an antibacterial wipe, but you wouldn't be able to do that with every page. So, someone should get on the development of a machine that could sanitize things like books and magazines using UV rays or infrared waves or something. We can't lose books to the superbugs. That would be a sad day in history.
If you and I had coffee...
I'd change the topic and ask you if you have ever made your own bread. I'm talking about following a recipe and mixing it up in a bowl, tossing it out on the counter and kneading it by hand, letting it rise, then kneading it again. When I feel stressed, I always turn to the kitchen. I'll cook for anyone who might be near, but there is no greater therapy than kneading bread. You get your hands all messy and are able to work through any troubled thoughts while you expand the gluten strands and build character and strength in the bread. I'd recommend that next time you're feeling stressed, to get in the kitchen and try your hand at bread-making. Even homemade biscuits will work.
If you and I had coffee...
I'd ask you if you've done your taxes yet. I am working on gathering and recording all the numbers for my brother's business, since I'm his current makeshift bookkeeper. I love him to death, but he is not good with administrative stuff and doesn't always keep track of what he charges for jobs. Slowly but surely, he is learning the importance of keeping good records and that going back to reconcile things at the end of the year is not fun. So, I'd ask you how you keep track of your finances throughout the year. Do you use an app or computer software, or do you procrastinate and scramble, come tax time?
If you and I had coffee...
I'd ask if you were going to participate in #The100DayProject this year. It starts on April 7th and I have it marked on my calendar, but I don't know what kind of project I want to do yet. Last year, I did blackout poetry and that was a lot of fun. For this year, I was thinking about doing a beekeeper's quilt, and each day, knitting one hexapuff for the quilt. That would be a fun but small project I could do every day that would require minimal supplies and cleanup time. Some other ideas I had were a painting project or a creative writing or journaling project. I have a few more weeks to decide and I'm sure I'll share an update the next time we meet up.
If you and I had coffee...
I'd share with you that I think I've found the secret to staying productive - other than the notification thing I mentioned above. Someone I follow on Instagram shared that she sets the mood for a productive workday. She lights candles and brews a cup of tea. She'll even turn on instrumental music in the background so she has a happy environment to begin working. I realized that this was just what I needed. I've always approached my workday with a checklist and a sense of dread. It made it feel like I was doing work that I didn't enjoy, but I get to write every day and I love doing it, so why not make my environment something that celebrates my work?
If you and I had coffee...
We'd end our chat on the topic of books. I'd ask you what books you were reading, because I always want to know, and if there is one you've read recently that has changed your life in some way or your opinion about something. Before we disconnected, I'd tell you that I hope and pray that you and your family stay healthy and safe over the coming weeks. It's hard to know what to expect now that COVID19 is technically classified as a pandemic, but I'm keeping my thoughts positive and I hope you do too. Until next time, friend...
