Today is the first day of two blogging challenges! The Ultimate Blogging Challenge and the Blogging from A to Z challenge. The letter of the day is A! A is for art! #AtoZChallenge #blogboost
It’s been about three weeks since everything shut down. We all seem to be in a holding pattern. We don’t like staying home and we don’t like social distancing, but we like being alive. And being alive is everything. So we need to let our survival instinct lead the way. And that’s how to get through the pandemic. This is new territory. No one understands how to deal with an enemy that we can’t see. The only things that I can think about is social distancing, lots of handwashing, hydration, and a positive attitude.
A positive attitude is the key to everything. Sure, it’s hard to maintain a good attitude when you’re bored and lonely or when you’re having more together time with your family that you ever thought possible. If you’re bored, lonely, frustrated, annoyed, or sad, it’s okay to have those feelings. Bottling them up is not a good idea. Maintaining a journal or doing some sort of activity that helps you deal with those feelings is a good choice. I know that it is helpful for me. I need distraction to get through this.
Today, I am focusing on art fun. What I did was to do a quarantine-inspired still life. I chose three things in my house that I felt would represent the shut down. The first was a roll of toilet paper. Who would ever guess that we would ever experience the Great World Wide Toilet Paper Shortage? People went to the store and bought toilet paper, enough to last a year? Two years? Everyone wants toilet paper. Who cares about rubies, gold, silver, saffron, expensive silks when you can have… toilet paper!!! The second element is a little stuffed bear because why not have something soft and fluffy? It’s something to hug and squeeze because we can’t hug other people. The third element is a large cup of tea. I miss my daily tea parties with my mom. And I can’t see my mom. She’s in a nursing home and the nursing homes are all locked down. I miss her.
So your turn! How about choosing three items and making a still life. If you don’t normally do art, give it a try. You might find that you enjoy it and that you’ll want to do more.
I've never been a social person, my entire social life is online anyway, so the social distancing part doesn't bother me. The whole "I don't currently have a job" is freaking me out though.
Ok, so I love your idea I am actually more of a painter than sketcher so I will probably do a watercolor painting since I have watercolors on my shelf right now! But three things- could one of those things be my dogs……my camera……and my doga mat! Maybe I'll draw it out- I don't know or maybe take a photo of the three objects- and put an older camera in the shot! As far as the social distancing goes this actually bothers me more when people DON'T DO IT, because honestly because of my anxiety I've been practicing this for years- for years simple trips to the grocery store were a big deal because insisted on being right on top of me- when I put my stuff up on the counter and then put the divider up- there would be at least 6 inches if not 12 inches between me and the next person….if they moved it…without touching their stuff I slid the divider back further! WHY do people feel the need to be on top of others anyway? This was not about social distancing as we know it today but personal space….I was diagnosed with anxiety in the military and ever since it's progressively grew into PTSD! My past dogs and present dogs and family (even my family were kept at a safe distance at certain times due to what I was going through) And as far as not working- the feeling of not being needed or once again not be "essential" is something that hurts….I will be including my picture in tomorrow's blog- so thank you for giving me a great idea for tomorrow, and FYI- with your approval, I will include links to your blog post here- so look out for backlinks to it!! you can email me at pamela@doggonehealthychoices.com to approve or disapprove!
I'm a homebody, so not much has changed for me. But the stress of worrying about it all is difficult. Every time I leave home, I mentally cross my fingers, you know? I think we will have brand new agoraphobics when this is all over.
I'm too busy to do much of anything by taxes.
I'm an introverted homebody, and working at home (one of those fortunate enough to be in an essential industry and able to work at home) has been a big part of being able to adapt. I still have social contact, at least from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm. Strangely, I spend a lot of my down time online. Not reading books I had taken out of the library. Not picking up my crocheting work in progress. Will I do a still life? Maybe. Funny how many people have blogged about Art, in one form or another. It's a great way to cope.
Another UBC, how exciting! Good luck on your two challenges!
I am not much of an artist, drawer, or painter. The solace I have been finding has come in doing Suduko puzzles 🙂 That, and reading a bunch.
Years ago I did the A to Z blog challenge, too. So great it is still going on!
I create a lot of art all the time. I am working on a haiku challenge – a haiku and a photo every day for 377 days. I know, strange number. 🙂
Glad to see you here from the Ultimate Blog Challenge
Julie JS
http://creativelifemidwife.com/2020/04/april-nurturing-love-grace-loving-kindness-daily/
I am also doing both challenges this month! Good luck to you!
That's a great idea! I should do this and then bring it on to facebook as a challenge to my friends eh?
My parents are in one household, my brother in another with his child and pregnant wife. I am all alone. I am very grateful for skype but I miss them already.
Best wishes to you and your bear.
I will work on one still life and post it later this week!
Love your still life, and hope you are able to chat with your mom via video at least.