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CTyankee

(63,771 posts)
Sun Apr 26, 2020, 07:07 AM Apr 2020

Things to do while on lock down.

Learn from an expert - I am now watching the presentations given by Presidential historian Jon Meacham on Youtube. There are plenty and while he repeats what you already know from his last appearance on TV, there is always something new about our Founders that I didn't know. That leads to more research...

Explore the joy of "re-purposing." I had bought several packages of personal wipes before I found out they cannot be flushed. I now use them to spot clean my bathrooms. I scrub the floor with them. I wipe down the sink and polish the faucets with them. They're at hand, my bath and a half are small (older house) so it is easy for me to do.

Explore the idea of doing an online course on something you know VERY well and can teach others! - This could be everything from woodworking, sewing, the bio of an author of books that you love reading, historical figures you wish students would know more about (and SHOULD know more about damnit so we don't get stuck with another Trump!). You've got a talent. Think about how you could TEACH it to others.

This could also include movies of an actor/director/set designer you have always liked and wanted to find more about. This could include old 3 Stooges or other slapstick comedy films , Roadrunner cartoons, famous and haunting film scores, film studies about Film Noir, social problem movies, movies about WW2, the Civil War, etc.

I don't like cooking but I'm sure you cooks out there can teach YOUR specialty to a grateful audience (including teens who might enjoy doing this with you and discover they have a new talent).

Think of your hair as a creative project and work with it accordingly. OR, just don't look in the mirror too much and try to get over it.

I'm still learning about things to do while cooped up. These are just a few thoughts...
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malaise

(267,812 posts)
1. Lovely post
Sun Apr 26, 2020, 07:13 AM
Apr 2020

I'm learning more and more about Facetime and Zoom. I have a grand nephew showing teaching me new tech stuff daily. I had no idea how user friendly both zooma and Facetime can be.

I'm learning more and more about my Ipad and Iphone.

I am also having one to one English classes with a grand niece. It's way more fun than I expected - we're both loving it.

CTyankee

(63,771 posts)
2. Well, I am actually writing another art history book so my research is necessary.
Sun Apr 26, 2020, 07:27 AM
Apr 2020

I am self publishing so I avoid that soul crushing effort to find a publisher. At my age, I don't care, I know my book will get in the hands of people who love the subject. My daughter is doing the design which is lovely and I get complements on it all the time.

You've given me a couple of ideas. I had given up on my version of an Iphone. I am terrible about learning this and my husband has promised to give me yet another tutorial. This is a good time to learn it. It can't be THAT difficult.

Which leads me to a rant: people are addicted to their phones and are staring at them all the time. This drives me crazy. No wonder Trump is president. We are too self absorbed in our phones to learn/adopt new ideas. I know the phones can be used for mind expanding projects but people are too involved in mindless chatter, IMO.

OK, rant over. sorry.

Keth

(184 posts)
6. yep
Sun Apr 26, 2020, 07:46 AM
Apr 2020

I love that you're writing a book. I have written two that I self published and neither one sold but it didn't really matter to me. Just doing what I love. I've started my third book which is basically my favorite photographs that I've taken over the past year that I'm writing poems to (mainly haikus and lyrical) and I'm enjoying every minute of it.

I'm also rereading some of the classics that I read when I was much younger and boy, do they read differently with many years of life under my belt. I just finished Dickens' "Great Expectations" and it was like reading a totally different novel when I first read it so long ago. It made me recognize how what I sometimes focus in on is just not that important and doesn't make me happy. And happiness isn't determined on who is president (although Trump makes it a challenge).

Next up - reread of "Animal Farm". Just seems necessary.

CTyankee

(63,771 posts)
9. Thanks. I love what you are doing!
Sun Apr 26, 2020, 08:28 AM
Apr 2020

Have you thought about designing a course around what you know and seeing if you can teach it somewhere.

One of my consultants is a woman who taught me in grad school (I went back to school as an older student and she was my fabulous professor in a writing class).

I've found that a friend of ours was a part time musician (he was a plumber) and he has been my wonderful resource on some music subjects I am writing about, part of my upcoming book. So renewing a friendship in a different way has been another creative experience that I wasn't expecting!

malaise

(267,812 posts)
7. You really are an expert on Art History
Sun Apr 26, 2020, 07:53 AM
Apr 2020

I used to look forward to those Friday posts.

I had a very old phone and an old IPad but my brother decided that he would celebrate my birthday last year by dragging me into the modern world. Like you I have a serious problem with people's addiction to phones. That said, as I keep telling him, he picked a great time to force me to update. because we are all able to keep in touch in ways we couldn't with my old stuff.
Stay safe CTYankee

CTyankee

(63,771 posts)
10. I know I gotta grit my teeth and set a time where hubby does a tutorial on that damn phone.
Sun Apr 26, 2020, 08:33 AM
Apr 2020

My daughter tells me I will have some sort of epiphany and be joyful that I learned more about it. She is the practical sort.

malaise

(267,812 posts)
12. Don't wait for hubby
Sun Apr 26, 2020, 09:04 AM
Apr 2020

Just use google - there's a youtube video teaching us anything we need.
Yesterday bro was trying to show me how to get a screen grab. Well I'm a true moron and he was using fae time to show me which two buttons to click. It wasn't working so he sent me the youtube video and I had the last laugh because I knew I wasn't that stupid. He was sending me stuff for the iphone 11 and I have an 8 so I sent him the video for my phone. We both laughed.

Throck

(2,520 posts)
3. My wife has been keeping busy making list for me.
Sun Apr 26, 2020, 07:31 AM
Apr 2020

I may personally have to find a cure for this plague.

ProfessorGAC

(64,421 posts)
5. Well I'm Playing Guitar & Piano More
Sun Apr 26, 2020, 07:44 AM
Apr 2020

After all those years of playing seriously I've been an occasional player. 20 minutes when the mood struck me.
Now, I'm playing both 30 or 40 minutes a day!
One downside is that my piano needs tuning, and I haven't been able to motivate myself to get the tuner and tuning hammer & do it. I'll get around to it though.
The high C is REALLY bugging me. (Gotta be 5 cents flat)

Also, on the used wipes. There's almost undoubtedly some residual surfactant in those. The solvent evaporates, but the active cleaning agents don't. If you're not wetting them with warm water, give it a shot.
Another repurposing: fabric softener sheets still have some quat in them after they've been through the dryer. They great as dusting cloths! I use them on the guitars hanging on the wall!

CTyankee

(63,771 posts)
8. Thanks for the tip on wipes. Ill do it.
Sun Apr 26, 2020, 08:23 AM
Apr 2020

I do have a house cleaner/laundry person who does heavy cleaning and the laundry (lugging baskets of clothes up 2 flights of stairs which I cannot do any more). My husband is disabled and uses a walker. And we are old. I use an agency which is nonprofit and dedicated to finding older/disabled people a suitable home cleaner/laundry person.

Getting creative with music is something I would love to be able to do. I don't have your talent or I would. But I can't.

Victor_c3

(3,557 posts)
11. I've working on piano too
Sun Apr 26, 2020, 08:59 AM
Apr 2020

I took 15 years worth of lessons as a kid, but I took quite a long break from playing when I was in the Army, busy being married (my ex-wife hated it when I would only play classics), and having young kids.

I’ve gotten serious again with playing since my wife left me almost two years ago. For almost two months now I’ve been practicing 2+ hours a day and I’m back to where I was when I stopped playing almost 20 years ago.

Most recently, I’ve been working on a transcription of Bach’s organ work BWV 544. The fugue from that piece is quite possibly the hardest piece I’ve ever attempted.

https://m.



Unfortunately, that’s not me playing it.

Mossfern

(2,375 posts)
13. I haven't painted in about 40 years
Sun Apr 26, 2020, 09:21 AM
Apr 2020

I used to be a figure painter, but stopped after a tremendous trauma. I bought myself a gorgeous drafting table and my husband got me numerous and various art supplies for Valentine's day. There's new stuff that I never heard of - water brushes?
Water soluble oil paint - WTF?

I have the table, and I have the materials and I'm trying to summon the courage to start again. In the meantime, I've been working in my yard - lots of pruning and cleaning up.

CTyankee

(63,771 posts)
14. I hope you can return to it. But yard work can be enormously rewarding to you, I would think.
Sun Apr 26, 2020, 10:21 AM
Apr 2020

I have never been able to successfully garden. The one bush I tried to plant (using and following instructions from the nursery where I bought it balled in burlap0 died and it was terribly demoralizing. I said the hell with it and left it to the guy who came in, planted another and it grew just fine. That was a bit devastating to my ego but I got over it.

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