Lauren B. Lentini

Quarantine week 2: I changed my Zoom background more often than I changed my hoodie. But we made it through another week. Some actual work even got done.

We’re getting into some semblance of a routine, where Jerald looks after Jordan for the first part of the morning, then I look after him through lunchtime, then we put him down for a nap at 1:30 and try to squeeze in everything we’re supposed to get done for the day while he’s sleeping.

In the evenings we play with Jordan, we have dinner, then one of us puts him to bed and the other does dishes. (I am getting increasingly bad at doing the dishes when it’s my turn, but I’m resolved to do better.) Then I find something interesting to do, or we watch TV, and Jerald plays Assassin’s Creed. And I go up to bed and pretend like I’m going to sleep, but really I’m too scared to close my eyes and let the anxious thoughts creep in until Jerald comes to bed several hours later.

Jordan is a screen addict already, but he’s handling isolation like a champ. Thank goodness for the spring weather. It only took us a couple of days to dig out my old iPhone and load it up with apps just for him. He’s an expert with YouTube for Kids. I allow it because it at least lets him see kids of his own age, since he doesn’t get to interact with any. (And for my own sanity, not discounting that.) We think all the TV he’s been watching might be helping with his language, as he’s made lots of progress since we’ve been home. He even has a fake sneeze! He’s also started saying “hi” every time anyone’s phone rings, and he loves to FaceTime.

Thanks to my 11th rule (the one about activities for me), I’ve been keeping myself busy and being more creative about it than usual. I’m even keeping track.

Here’s some of the best media I’ve found to occupy myself, in every form I can think of:

• Video game: Hue. While everyone else is glued to Animal Crossing on their Switch, I’ve found this delightful little platformer puzzle game. The colors of the black-and-gray world have been scattered to the winds, and you have to go collect them all to be able to change the background color and remove obstacles from your path. The conceit is just so clever, and the puzzles are fiendish.
• Music: & Juliet. This West End jukebox musical features all the pop songs of my childhood, and it’s got this batshit storyline about Anne Hathaway rewriting (and writing herself into) Romeo & Juliet, stopping Juliet from killing herself, and fighting with Shakespeare (who also gets written in) over the rest of the plot. It’s insane and I love it.
• App: Fender Play. Apparently Fender is having a bit of a PR crisis right now, and to earn some goodwill they decided to give away three months of their guitar-teaching app. I wasn’t successful the last time I tried to learn to play, but it seems like a good time to try again and the app has been helpful so far. Also, I tried playing piano, but a) I can only play it after Jerald puts Jordan to bed but before he falls asleep, and b) the F key is super out of tune and I doubt our tuner is doing house calls right now.
• Book: Mrs. Everything. I have to admit I’m not very far along in this yet, but it was strongly recommended to me as my next favorite book and it’s very good so far. Reading just doesn’t have enough flashing lights and bells to grab my attention these days.
• TV: I Am Not Okay With This. We finished this series last night, and it was fantastic. Jerald had to point out to me that they were doing Carrie, which just makes it that much better. I’m not desperate enough for Tiger King yet. I’m pretty sure I already have enough on my Netflix queue to last through two apocalypses.
• Tabletop game: Carcassonne. A classic. I want to play more board games, but Jerald and I don’t always have the same taste. We were in the middle of Season 1 of Pandemic Legacy, but that’s a little on the nose right now. I’d love suggestions for another two-player cooperative legacy game, if you’ve got any.

My biggest problem is not cabin fever, but rather agoraphobia. Home is safe. The few times I’ve had to venture out into the world, however, I’ve felt distinctly unsafe and uncomfortable. No one at the grocery store was social distancing. The bagger wasn’t even wearing gloves. I felt so awkward when I had to get out of the car for curbside pickup at Joann’s that I forgot to check the order and had to go back for the mask kit, which was the whole point of going there. My secondary purpose was to get activities for Jude and Jack, and when we went to deliver them I stayed in the car and chatted through the window. I was supposed to go to Trader Joe’s after my second trip to Joann’s, but I took one look at the parking lot and noped out. Honestly, I’m less concerned for myself and more worried about becoming a carrier. Either way, being near other people feels dangerous.

Moving into week 3, I feel cautiously optimistic about making the best of this bad situation. I’m so amazingly lucky, and I have so much to be grateful for. I need to keep focusing on that. I’m going to make masks and donate them, so I feel like I’m doing my duty. I’ll keep trying my best to work and parent at the same time, but keep my expectations for both realistic. And I’m going to continue to distract myself as much as humanly possible, thank you very much.

Stay safe, y’all. We can do this.