Well, here we are, it’s Saturday night and I have a column due tomorrow.
And I don’t have a clue what to say. This is the week I am supposed to talk about something fun, something that doesn’t necessarily relate to creativity (though, since I am writing it it’s likely it will on some level), something that I hope will make you think or feel something.
This is the week I share some fun thing I have seen or heard, even if it doesn’t fit the theme I have here – and the well is pretty damned dry.
It’s been a busy couple weeks for me personally. Our new hire started at the first of January, and I spent the first two weeks working on getting him familiar with the job. He’s a quick study, very bright, and he listens, takes notes, and seems intent on learning how things are working before he starts making wholesale changes.
Reassured, I went back to working from home this last week, but the transition has kind of thrown me for a loop. I am glad to be safely out of a public space, but the abrupt transition back to working alone was a jolt. And because of computer access issues I am mostly working late at night or on the weekend, so my schedule has gone instantly from a “day shift” to “night shift.”
Being home more also means I am doing some catching up on chores that I let slide a bit while I was putting in a lot of hours, and taking care of personal business that I mostly ignored the last couple months. (Tax time is coming!)
To top it off I have a minor medical procedure scheduled for Monday, which meant some lab work and a COVID test, and some dietary restrictions for a few days.
I am pretty sure part of what is going on is the continued isolation we are all experiencing. I am working on a post about how isolation can impact creativity, even when we may have been looking forward to a bit more time to ourselves.
But there’s a difference between solitude and isolation, and most of the creative people I know are feeling that difference deeply.
So today I am going to ask for your help, your feedback.
Tell me about what you’re doing to combat isolation, because I am looking for answers.
If you’re an introvert tell us about your reactions, whether you’ve exceeded your quota of “alone time” or not.
If you’re an extrovert how are you managing to keep yourself going when you can’t interact with other people in person.
If you live alone, what are you doing to keep yourself company?
If you’re isolating with a family, or roommates, how do you give everyone some space when you are all in the same place, all the time.
Consider this a place to share your frustrations, your triumphs, your failures, your concerns. Possibly someone else is going through a similar experience and has some insight to share.