How am I keeping grounded during this time in which nearly everything feels as though it’s slipping away? Let me count the ways: sticking to my morning ritual of peanut butter and banana slices on toast, a mug of green tea, and a book. Taking long (socially distant) walks and wrestling with the weirdness of this time—that as the daffodils and magnolia trees bloom, we’re stuck in a state of paralysis rather than the renewal Spring usually ushers in. Relishing the calming, grounding videos of Yoga with Adriene. Blocking out a daily schedule for myself so the hours feel more structured, less gooey—and often failing to stick to the schedule. Allowing that to be okay.
As my fellow intern Megan so beautifully points out, now more than ever is a time to appreciate the role of the arts and humanities in our lives. It sounds paradoxical, but the escape that immersive, engrossing worlds both real and fictional provide is keeping me tethered to the small space I inhabit. The Netflix documentary Tiger King, which tells the story of an Oklahoman man who operates an exotic animal zoo, is one such escape.Tiger King delivers on several fronts: a look into the bizarre world of the exotic animal industry, deranged drama, and the hype it’s garnered online.
Additionally, my roommate and I are embarking on a Scooby-Doo cinema series, which is a fancy way of saying that we’re trying to watch as many Scooby-Doo movies as possible. There’s something comforting about revisiting the hijinks of Mystery Inc. and trying to recall who the villain of each story is before it’s revealed.
And finally, the podcast Reply All’s episode “The Case of the Missing Hit” brought me an hour of joy. It follows a man who remembers the lyrics, melodies, and sounds of what he claims was a hit song from the 90s, but the song is nowhere to be found on the internet. A full-blown (and extremely creative) investigation ensues.
All in all, I’m trying to stay present in a time marked by absence—and art is the conduit that allows for that.