Monday:

Why don’t you use these two weeks of recommended quarantine to see what your beard would look like if you were to grow it out? I’ve never been the kind of person to wear a beard. It looks good on some people and it looks bad on some people. I think it would look BAD on me and I don’t think I have the follicular development to pull it off. But, since I’m home alone, why not? Things are happening. I trimmed it today so that it didn’t look like I was living in a cave, and I’m not ashamed…but I’m not ecstatic. And let’s just pretend those are lots of new blonde hairs and certainly not grey ones. Good god…

Tuesday:

Why don’t you use these two weeks of recommended quarantine to cook and bake time-consuming recipes? I’m making sourdough and grapefruit marmalade. And cookies. And socca. And curries. And I’m experimenting with forgotten grains from the back of my cupboard. And it’s really been a delightful treat to turn my alone time into a risk-free episode of Chopped. I whipped up an amazing pasta last night. Still can’t get over it. Cook everything. Let’s actually use the food we buy for a change! 

Wednesday:

Why don’t you use these two weeks of recommended quarantine to rediscover yourself and purge elements of your life you found essential last week but suddenly realize don’t bring you any joy? I love my lists and I rather enjoy a number of my chores, but I’ve discovered that I am far too much a slave to my routines. Quarantine has liberated my mind. I think we’ll go through some kind of spiritual or psychological renaissance after this. Goodness, I’m starting to sound like Marianne Williamson. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

Thursday:

Why don’t you use these two weeks of recommended quarantine to completely redesign one of your rooms? I’m overhauling my bathroom right now, and it is trying my patience something fierce, but the process is also rewarding me magnificently. The hideous room that conned me into hating yellow for decades — a hue that now ranks amongst my favorites — is starting to look more and more like a boutique hotel. I’ve put up tiles and modern wallpaper and changed faucets. It’s decadence. Just wait until I can figure out how to pour a concrete floor!

Friday:

Why don’t you use these two weeks of recommended quarantine to rest and recalibrate and gravitate towards activities and items that bring you happiness? I don’t mean to sound like a new age guru (but if Netflix wants to do a series about my philosophies, lol, sign me up), but when I engage with something I’m obsessed with, insanely infatuated with — like 18th dynasty hieroglyphs or Harry Styles’ serving looks in Gucci — time goes by so quickly and I’m incredibly content. During this — hopefully — once in a lifetime situation, there are no social rules. You don’t have to feel bad about devoting time to a passion instead of your job. You don’t have to feel guilty about enjoying your own company. This is a tragedy, but culturally, like I said earlier, the Covid-19 pandemic might be the spiritual rebirth of our society. Or maybe I’m just being ignorant. I don’t know, but I’m thriving.