I have never seen so many creative, colorful face masks in my life.

They are everywhere. Personalities shine through with choices.

Are you a traveler? Perhaps an African print is up your alley. Or an animal lover, there are masks for you too.

Cook, seamstress, booklover, gardener, coffee lover, artist, a follower of Lucha Libre, photographer, writer? You can be a walking billboard with an unspoken welcome to others sharing your interests.

When we moved to San Miguel in 2018 and went out shopping, we carried our Trader Joe’s bags amazed at how many introductions ensued. People missing that food emporium. The bags were icebreakers.  Continue Reading…

Unfortunately, self-care/self-isolation isn’t the rule in everyone’s minds. There are many different reasons for that, from pure stupidity and selfishness to a strong desire to continue to financially support one’s family. but, it comes with risks. 

I admit, that when this whole thing started back in January, I was a skeptic. No one could imagine that the whole world would shutter and lock its doors and borders, fundamentally changing the way we live.

Life has changed for everyone. Plans for the future are practically non-existent. No-one knows how or when this will end. Everyone is in limbo with questions swirling around their heads. And people are starting to realize what the core of their everyday lives boils down to. Can they make it through this crisis without the everyday exterior bombardment of stimuli?

Now that COVID-19 is here to stay for a while, and as we are all hunkered down we have two choices in front of us. 1) to freak out, be anxious and fretful and run through disaster scenarios while watching hours of depressing news, or  2) to remain in control of our own personal environment and look out for opportunities to put positive thought into our being. To connect and share with others using our extra time wisely.  Continue Reading…

Coronavirus is scary and unpredictable and nerve-rattling but staying positive and not falling into the pit is so necessary right now. This forced isolation could be an opportunity for exploration and learning for those not ill. Take this time for yourself and take a breather. Thinking up disaster scenarios without having any control is not going to serve anyone well. Try and turn a horrible time into a well-deserved retreat. It can be a chance to connect with family and friends and to ultimately look at what possibilities of rebooting can come out of this pandemic. Here are ways to beat boredom.

If you ever wanted to learn a craft, study at an Ivy League University, listen to an opera (the MET) or concert, see a play – even Shakespear, write your new book, have more time with your children, learn to cook, see what NASA does, go on art tours, get in shape, spend time with friends; can anyone say ZOOM, write a script, organize your house, paint, and sketch, or go to a zoo, now is the time to do this. 

The amount of streaming content available for free at this time is extraordinary. With museums opening their collections, operas being streamed, zoom being used for remote work and keeping in touch with friends and family, a vast amount of educational opportunities and of course some very creative and amusing videos and posts arriving on my Facebook feed all through the day, someone has to try hard to be bored.  Continue Reading…