Saturday, March 13, 2021

Taking Stock

    In reflecting on an unusual, and out of the ordinary, year I've tried to sum up what I've learned, and how I've grown, during the pandemic:
    Generally, I've learned to be self-reliant, not lonely, and to be comfortable with just my husband and myself, almost undiluted, 24/7.
    Specifically, 
  • I learned how to knit again (not my forte) and follow a pattern on YouTube. I completed a few knitted items, despite them taking forever to grow
  • I learned that it's comfortable not wearing a bra
  • I learned how to create my own blog page, and have been posting daily and enthusiastically for 270 days 
  • I learned that I have too many clothes - some haven't been worn at all in the past year
  • I completed an online plant ID course, and became a certified Invasive Plant Patroller for the Lake Stewards of Maine
  • I learned to dilute my wine with club soda
  • I listened to all the authors presenting writing lessons in the Masterclass series
  • I learned to give my husband license to trim the back of my hair regularly! (... and experimented with some tips on cutting it myself from YouTube videos)
  • I grew not only psychologically and academically during the pandemic, but I'm embarrassed to say I also 'grew' physically- i.e. put on weight! I didn't do well with committing to formal exercise, even though I posted publicly about starting a new regime. I couldn't keep it up despite thinking I would be accountable after going public! Much of what I was 'doing' was done whilst ... sitting
  • I continued (virtually) participating in my writer's group and in new book launches on line to expand my mental reading library/wish list
  • I learned to make pastry for a homemade meat pie; to use olive juice as a brine for slow-cooked roasts and how to make candied peel
  • I discovered and accepted that I really like my own cooking
  • I adapted to listening to audio books
  • I learned the ins and outs of ordering groceries online
  • I weaned myself off social media
  • I accepted that I'm easily addicted to some TV series and struggle not to binge-watch
  • I didn't paint the room I'd intended re-doing last spring, and am now feeling the same stirrings of interest in getting it done
  • I learned to occupy my own mind and find things to do for the day when my Google calendar declared that I had no events for that day (which is most days 😀)!
  • I learned how important it is to be in control of your own narrative

    Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still.
    – Chinese Proverb

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