A FEW QUARANTIPS

Hi, friends! As many of us here in America and in countries all across the globe hunker down (But not everyone - shout out to healthcare workers, civil servants, grocery workers and more) and try to stay socially responsible and healthily isolated, I wanted to share with y'all some quick Quarantips I've picked up in this developing season.  

Start With Your Space 

It sounds simple, but creating a healthy and orderly space for you to live, work and (I hope) create in is absolutely essential. I myself had a whole heap of music equipment that I was going through before the self-quarantine happened that completely took over my office space, which meant I was spilling over into the living space, in turn making me feel cluttered and less productive. And hey, it will look different for everyone, whether that's finally getting to some of the organizing you've been putting off, or maybe creating a new space to work from home for the first time, who knows. But whatever space makes you feel comfortable and set you up for mental and emotional stability is going to work wonders for you during this period, as well as make it easier to maintain and clean/disinfect. 

Binge In Moderation 

I get it, you can finally catch up on those TV shows and movies that you've been putting off, and believe me when I say that yes, that's a great idea! But trust me when I say that moderation is going to be your friend here. Staying mobile in between episodes and movies, even if it's just moving around your place, checking the mail, or going for a fifteen-minute walk, is going to keep your body and brain fresh, and it will keep you from having to be airlifted out of your house like the Mom on What's Eating Gilbert Grape (Oh, you've never seen it? Add it to the binge list, why not). Also, it's really cool to take a break right after a cliffhanger of an episode, letting you experience the tension and suspense a bit longer. You know, like how the pioneers watched TV shows.  

Books Are Dope 

That's my 90s era PSA and slogan for y'all: Books Are Dope. It's like when DARE came to your school and threw books at all the students to keep them off drugs (I was home-schooled but I'm pretty sure this kind of thing happened at all those drug-infested public schools with nary a denim skirt in sight). But for real, books are perhaps the best solution to leaving your house without actually going anywhere, opening up new worlds and perspectives. This is the perfect time to dig into a good book, or possibly get into a book for the first time in a long time. In fact, some cities have digital libraries where you can loan ebooks and download them straight to your phone/PC/Kindle or tablet! (If you're in my city, San Antonio, you can do that HERE)   

Don't Lick Doorknobs 

Just making sure you're still paying attention... but if you actually needed this tip and you're not a toddler then hey, go crazy and lick doorknobs.* 

Create, Create, Create 

Personally, if I'm not creating something, whether it's writing a song, a story, taking pictures, heck, even building with LEGO, then something is missing in my life. I love creating, and I think every person has the capacity to not only create but to find some real health in creating, as well. I would never want to tell you what to create, or how to create, but I do hope you consider making something, from creating your own recipe, to turning a blank piece of paper into a poem, song, story or whatever, the opportunities are endless and rewarding, friend. And in the spirit of that, I want you to know that I will be putting out some new creations with y'all soon, namely, music! I will also be doing some at home "concerts" in the coming weeks. 

I hope we can continue to stay hopeful, creative, and share some of that goodness with the world... and I hope that we are all checking in on each other in our community, too. There are obviously not-so-fun side effects to this time of isolation and distancing as well, but if we keep reaching out and looking after each other we'll be all right. 

See y'all down the road soon, friends!

- CT

*Satire, probably