My COVIDtine Routine

COVIDtine’s been tough on everyone. I think that’s safe to say without much repercussion. Between staying indoors, eating in because I don’t know who’s touched what, or having little to do, it’s easy to be more bored now than when my alma mater went on strike in 2008. At least then I could routinely go to restaurants and my then-local Blockbuster, something I can’t do now. But I digress.

I figured I’d share some stuff I’ve been doing, or attempting to do, to keep occupied. Considering that this’ll probably go on for a while, and possibly start up again in the Fall, I’ve gotta stay busy!

Building/streaming Super Mario Maker 2 levels.

I’ve covered this in a previous post, but one of the ways I’ve kept busy, mostly during the beginning of COVIDtine, is by designing Super Mario Maker 2 levels on my Switch. I’d also test them out and share them on Twitch. It sounds mundane and repetitive, but it’s amazing how rewarding the whole experience is. I get to create, and I get to share. Simple as that!

But how does someone with no architectural degree manage to make complex designs? After all, I currently have 25 levels in my queue. Well, the game lays out everything in advance. All the tiles and templates are pre-programmed. You simply put them together and test them out, like a LEGO set. It’s all about trial-and-error.

Once finished, I upload the levels and share their 9-digit codes on Twitch. It takes a while before the levels are played, sometimes hours, but the anticipation gives me enough of an adrenaline rush to stay way up well into the AM. That’s not the healthiest for my internal body clock, and I see that when I wake up super-late the following morning, but I can’t help it! It’s addictive to make and share levels, which is why I’ve decided to focus on other endeavours. Endeavours like…

Writing online.

Arguably much healthier, writing is my go-to in times of stress. Whether it’s Tweeting to my Followers, or producing content for this blog, it’s allowed an outlet that I wouldn’t have been engrossed in otherwise. I have an overactive mind, one with lots of ideas, so writing’s therapeutic. I’m doing it right now! And you’re all reading it!

As for topics? They vary from mundane, which is what this is, to more general, which is what I usually discuss. Being tied down to nothing, I can tackle whatever I want on The Whitly-Verse. If I wish to discuss a movie and politics back-to-back, I can. And sometimes in the same piece. The sky’s the limit!

It helps that, knowing more about writing than when The Whitly-Verse first started, I can manipulate the algorithm so that obscure topics get more coverage than mainstream ones. This is the site where my second most-popular piece is on The Omer, which is starting again shortly. You can call that cheating, but I call it being practical. And who knows? I have plenty of ideas up my sleeve with my newfound free time, like…

Coursera.

I’ve mentioned it a few times on Twitter, but I guess it’s official: I’ve gone back to school. I’ve enrolled in a free course through The University of Michigan on novel writing. It was suggested by a family-friend when the teaching gig for Chinese students I was recommended fell through, and while initially hesitant, I’m enjoying writing my own, original fiction again. It’s something I haven’t done in years, and I’ve gotten rusty. Thankfully, I now have that venue.

What makes Coursera interesting is how self-guided it is. There’s no official deadline for any assignments, you simply have to make sure to finish them. Part of that involves giving feedback to the other classmates, too. Not only am I getting to reboot my YA science fiction story from years back, I’m also sharpening my critical thinking skills. Everyone wins!

As a final note, I’m loving my course professor. Not only is his voice soothing, but his instructions for every lecture are easy to comprehend. He’s given lots of freedom to his students, and it shows. He trusts us to be respectful and kind, even when being critical, which I like. He’s even allowed us to copyright our own work! And I discuss my progress with family, which leads to…

Family time.

One of the benefits, if you can call it that, of being in COVIDtine is that I’m spending more time with immediate family, both at home and online. It’s not like I didn’t spend time with them before, I live at home, but, save for Shabbat, they’d usually go about their lives. They’d either work, have meetings, or both. And I’m often out of the house to watch movies at the theatre. Even at dinnertime, when everyone’s together, I talk to my family for a half-hour at best, assuming we all eat simultaneously.

COVIDtine’s changed that. My dad and brother are still working, but they’re doing it from home. This means I get to see them more frequently, which allows me to talk to them more frequently too. It’s a luxury I’m being spoiled with. And I might start feeling overwhelmed.

There are lots of ways family time manifests: we rearranged the basement so that it’s neat and tidy, which was hard. I’ve gone on long walks with my brother on Shabbat. I’ve talked to my other brother over FaceTime, even conversing with my niece and nephew. I’ve also had a few Zoom chats with the extended family. And speaking of Zoom…

Zoom support networks.

Prior to COVIDtine, I had no idea what Zoom was. Since COVIDtine, I’ve not only downloaded it on my phone and computer, but I’ve used it as a way to connect with friends and co-workers. It’s great! Given that Zoom can host many people, it allows me to talk to them all at once. It’s a lifesaver for my sanity.

There’ve been several ways Zoom has helped me stay level-headed. For one, my courier job has “Tea Time”, where of all my co-workers congregate, twice a week. Two, my synagogue has pre-Shabbat and post-Shabbat ceremonies on Fridays and Saturdays. And three, I’ve attended various programs. All of these have helped.

Above all else, Zoom keeps everything in perspective. COVIDtine is tiring. It’s also incredibly stressful. Given how it’s been playing out, it might not let up for a while. Having Zoom, which has been my social interaction, as a regular part of my schedule, even if only for a few minutes at once, is amazing. (You can even download it here. The basic service doesn’t cost anything.)

And there you go: my COVIDtine outlets. Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you next time!