So, in Chicago, we’ve been doing this stay-at-home thing since March 21, 2020. I’ve been doing it a little less long, but not really, because I was in Minnesota when all of this started. I’d brought was supposed to be my load of stuff up there to store with my mom and, technically, currently living out of 2 backpacks and 3 suitcases. (Whew, that was a long sentence.) I’m not really living that way…I’m more so living out of my 1 carry-on and a backpack, maybe two. I still need to downsize that.

So, social media can sometimes be a bummer, but it can also be a source of good news or things that can uplift your spirits (like John Krazinski’s YouTube channel with his SGN (Some Good News) series). It’s hard to stay away from all the COVID-19 news especially if you’re using social media as a form of entertainment. Let’s get real, a lot of us are sitting at home pretty much doing the same variety of things.

Me, I’ve had even more time on my hands as I was laid off early in February. I’ve been living this life since then…mostly because I was packing…and then I was moving…and now quarantine times. It’s okay. I’m in an isolation-ship/quarantine-ship. That’s what we’re going with. Living with my friend has been pretty awesome. We eat, we sleep, we watch movies together, we cook and we repeat it all the next day. She works and I work my way through my to-do list. Yes, I have a daily to-do list (less of one on the weekends).

So, how have you been keeping busy? Have you let the ‘Rona get the best of you yet? I don’t think I’ve quite let the ‘Rona get the best of me yet, but it’s come close. If I do any of these three things…the quarantine has got me beat. Want to know what they are?

1. Buy things I don’t need online. (For example, I really want an iPhone 11 Pro. I don’t need one…I really don’t need to spend all that money…but waannt.)
2. If I make a Tik Tok video. (So tempted. I have an account; I watch the videos…and it looks so fun and creative sometimes I want to try. I’ve refrained so far, but that hasn’t exactly stopped me and my friends from making a video…it’s not posted and will never be – the group has to agree).
3. If I take up drinking coffee. (Yes, this seems kind of trivial, but I’m not a coffee drinker at all. Sometimes around 3 o’clock because I do occassionally enjoy it, but I mean taking it up as a morning ritual thing).

So, how have I been keeping busy…I’ve picked up several hobbies-ish. What else am I doing to do with my time…and social media things.

1. Weekly/Bi-Weekly/Monthly postings on Instagram/Blog. (I have 4 Instagram accounts, did you know that? What are they? @instabaramee (personal stuff), @imbaramee (foodstuff), @chococat.travels (travel stuff), @malortfaces (Malort things). The blog is this one; we’re going to try our best to keep on schedule and have more regular postings.
2. Learning Korean-ish. This is really just me doing a daily Duolingo session (it’s a slow go, but there’s a reason).
3. Learning Thai. This is the reason why Korean is a slow go. They are two very different languages and very different from English. I’m using DROPS for this. It’s a lot of vocabulary, which is more what I’m looking for when learning Thai. Because I already speak Laotian, learning vocab was my goal moreso than starting from square 1.
4. Learning to read Thai. This is insanity is what I’ve decided. At this point, I’m still calling it squiggles…so my question is, at what level of profeciency in literacty do I stop calling them squiggles (HAHAHA)? I’m pretty much reading at a first-grade level (whoo!). My issue with this is, though I can read at this level…to know if I read something right would help if I knew what the words meant. Oops! I know what most of the words meant and thank god for the program I’m using to learn to read because it defines the words and gives the phonetics as well. I don’t necessarily always follow the phonetics but it gives me a rough start. The program (another app) is called Easy Read Thai – it’s what they read in school at this level so there’s that.
5. To ward off the “taking up coffee” thing, I decided to also learn how to play guitar. Last year, I learned to play the ukelele which, I’ve got to say, has made learning to play the guitar a lot easier, but there are two additional strings and now I also have guitar fingers.
6. I’m also spending time job-searching. That in itself can be a full-time job. Because we don’t know how long this whole thing will last, this is in my best interest.
7. I also bullet journal, but I’ve always done that…so I’ve just added everything else to the daily routine.
8. I also watch a shiz-ton of Netflix, Viki, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Prime and YouTube. And I watch ALL the things. And I watch in ALL the languages. I take a break and listen to music at times (or while I’m working – like right now). For example:
   • Netflix: Money Heist (Spanish)
   • Disney+: MCU in chronological order (English)
   • Amazon Prime: Jack Ryan (English)
   • Amazon Prime: Fleabag (English)
   • Hulu: Last Man Standing (English)
   • Hulu: Ellen’s Game of Games (English)
   • Hulu: Little Fires Everywhere (English)
   • Hulu: Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist (English)
   • Viki: My Love From the Star (Korean)
   • Viki: I Am Not a Robot (Korean)
   • Netflix: Well-Intended Love (Mandarin)
   • Netflix: The King: Eternal Monarch (Korean)
   • Netflix: The Kingdom (Korean)
   • Netflix: Hi Bye, Mama (Korean)
   • Netflix: Ozarks (English)
   • YouTube: Deja Vu or เหมือนเราเคยรักกัน (Thai) – no subtitles
   • YouTube: My Secret Bride or เขาวานให้หนูเป็นสายลับ (Thai) – no subtitles
   • Netflix: The Charming Stepmom (Thai)
9. The most recent hobby I’ve added is writing. I generally do this off and on anyway…but the thoughts are a flowing so one (me) must write them down. Sometimes, I’m not sure the stories are going anywhere, but it’s all gotta start somewhere.

So, I hope everyone is staying home and staying healthy. Go out for some walks. Get some sunshine. Practice that social distancing. Take the time for some self-love and self-care. If you’re not exhausted after a long work day…doing something you’ve been meaning to do, but haven’t found time for (gardening? hanging things on the walls? painting? just lazying a break). If you want to just laze about becuase life’s been to hectic until now…also okay. You do you and be the best you around! Leave comments below and let me know how you’ve been spending your days!