Isolating Week 1

It is raining here today, but I wasn’t in the mood for a rainy day picture, so this is another one that I have taken recently. Though I know gloomy is the mood for some, I am actually enjoying this forced isolation.

Not only do I have enough books to keep me going for a year, I am also rediscovering TV. My brother bought me this newfangled Smart TV the other weekend, and though I have not missed TV since I cut my cable pretty soon after I lost my job, it is easy to get captured.

My niece told me I had to watch the end of The Bachelor and sent me her Hulu password. She said just the last few episodes would do it, so I watched those last night.

What a fiasco! But entertaining. Here are my takeaways.

* If you have a dramatic family, keep them away from your relationships. Even if they have a good point.

* No matter how good the chemistry, if your values and lifestyles are not compatible don’t expect the other to change.

* If someone is telling multiple women he is in love with them at the same time, consider a single lifetime love may not be his current goal. Likewise if he gets a light in his eyes about the idea of a night in a “Fantasy Suite” with these other women, you may not be his focus.

* Fantasyland can be a great experience, but wait until you get back to the real world to assess your feelings. Sometimes the feelings are the excitement of sharing cool experiences with other people.

* Don’t cry in the limo. Move on and enjoy the ride.

Why do I love reality TV so much? I think it’s that fake/real combination that occurs when cameras arrive. I’m not one who really believes it is true, but it is fun to see if I can distinguish the truth from the fiction. Just like in real life.

I have caught a bit of the action from some of our local performers doing Facebook Lives this weekend. It’s been great to see their faces. Karla Kincaid and her husband Stewart were precious as they tried to get the technology up to speed, while recording in their bathroom. I ended up not seeing as much as I planned due to books and TV and sinus headaches. I look forward to seeing more and plan to see some of the recordings of those I missed. The Facebook page our folks are using is “Statesville NC Music Scene”.

I also have been watching Patrick Stewart read a sonnet a day. I love something well read! Check out his Facebook page. I find myself trying to imitate him. Good thing I live alone, or I may be driving someone crazy.

I think I have now been at home for a week without leaving my house at all. Granted some of it has been the pollen that has given me sinus headaches. Even staying in, my throat seems to be coated with it. I love spring, but it does not love me. Every time I cough, I touch my forehead to see if I have a temperature. Nope, all is fine here so far. But family and friends have been going out entirely too much.

Goals for the next week. To move more…this laying around has gotten too comfortable. Also read a few books that others are reading (a friend is starting a book club, plus I may join one at a bookstore I love and also am going to read the book “Funny You Don’t Look Autistic” by Michael McCreary that is our library Big Read. I just downloaded it.

And here’s my tip – if you aren’t downloading books from your local library, give it a try. I’m downloading to my Kindle and also audiobooks to my iPad. And podcasts….I love them, too. So much free entertainment that is ready and available.

And one more goal. To get my taxes done. I should get a refund. I am out of work. Why aren’t they done? I hate paper!

So what are you doing when isolated? Tell me in the comments. Is it difficult or easy for you? Like I said, it’s quite easy for me but I’d like a cook. Some of the food pictures my friends are posting are amazing!

” I think, if you have enough inner resources, then you can live in isolation for long periods of time and not feel diminished by it.” – Aung San Sun Kyi