Yesterday was my last day of teaching for at least two weeks. Schools have shuttered in my school district in an effort to flatten the curve of this global pandemic, and so I find myself at home for the foreseeable future.
In addition to teaching, all of my speaking engagements, workshops, and storytelling performances in March and early April have also been cancelled.
No fewer than five paid speaking gigs have been called off, and we’ve been forced to cancel or postpone two workshops and three shows of our own.
I’ve also cancelled two author talks and a meeting with a bookclub.
This has been an expensive month for me in terms of lost income.
My calendar has honestly not been this empty since 1994 when I finally made it to college and was going to school full time, serving in student government, writing for the school newspaper, competing on the debate team, and managing a restaurant full-time while working in the writing center part-time.
Since those days, I have been constantly, neverendingly, blessedly busy.
No complaints. As I’ve said many times, it’s good to be busy.
Not surprising, my response to this unexpected and unprecedented availability was automatic:
Be productive. Use this time wisely. Try to create some positivity in the midst of this worldwide crisis.
So being me, I made a list.
First item my list:
Write a book.
I know it seems ridiculous to think I could write an entire book over the course of 14 days, but the book is nonfiction, which is much easier for me to write than fiction, and it’s already organized in my mind.
I think I might be able to do it. I’m at least going to try like hell.
Also on the list:
- Watch as many Marvel movies as possible with Charlie and Elysha. We have barely watched any of these films, but armed with the proper order to watch them, we will proceed through the catalog thanks to our Disney streaming subscription.
- Clean out the garage. The kids have made it a mess by using every item in the garage as a toy and never putting anything away. They are quite annoying.
- Empty the basement. I live in a town that provides its residents with free bulk pickup every week, so there will be a constant stream of old furniture and other related items on my curb every Thursday morning for quite a while.
- Play every board game that we own with my family at least once. Donate the ones we don’t like anymore.
- Read at least two books.
- Wash and fold all the laundry in the house, including the bags of old clothing that were recovered from recent closet cleanings.
- Do a 10-minute plank.
- Write and mail 25 letters.
- Begin writing a musical with my partner, Kaia.
- Record two Speak Up Storytelling podcasts, bonus content for our Patreon account, plus the final episode of my Twenty-one Truths About Love podcast.
- Record at least two new videos for my YouTube channel.
- Explore the possible avenues for producing my storytelling instruction for an online platform.
- Go through the children’s toy bins at night while they are asleep and throw away or donate old toys that they no longer play with or even know exist. Don’t tell them.
- Ride my bike with the kids.
- If it’s even close to warm enough, play a round of golf.
I reserve the right to add to this list at any tme.
If you find yourself with time on your hands as a result of this pandemic, I encourage you to find some way to be productive, whatever that might look like for you:
Binge-watch Breaking Bad if that has always been your dream. Prepare your garden for the spring. Take naps. Try a new recipe. Go for walks. Wash your windows. Sew that missing button onto your shirt. Empty your email inbox. Do your taxes.
Oh, I should do my taxes.
When given the thing so many of us complain is in short supply – time – I suggest you make the most of it.
