Book Club: The Origin Story

 So, in my previous post I mentioned that I started a book club in 2020 that is still going strong. All of the members have really enjoyed it, and I know that some of my readers might be interested in doing something similar. When I mention that I have a book club, many people express an interest in starting or joining one for themselves. A common and very good resolution is to read more, and a book club is one way to get some reading in and exchange ideas with people. It can even be a way to make new friends and deepen existing relationships. So, here's what I did. This is by no means a definitive guide, it's just the story of my little book club. Feel free to take some ideas and adapt them to you and your friend group. There are no rules here, there is no wrong way to do it. The point is to get people reading and interacting, and any way you can do that is welcome.

So, my initial motivation for this was to make sure that I stayed in touch with my college friends who lived nearby. It was getting silly that these people live less than an hour away and I would forget to see them for months at a time. We needed a reason to get together regularly. We, like all good Hilldale students, love to read and exchange ideas, so a book club seemed an appropriate way to facilitate that.

At our first meeting, I asked people to be thinking about books that not everyone will have read, that have a lot of things that can be discussed, and that we would all enjoy reading. We had an initial pre-meeting where we came to a consensus and agreed to meet on a particular day and time with a copy in hand and the first chapter read. Our first book? the Watchmen graphic novel. Remember, there are no rules. If we all want to read a graphic novel, then darn it, we are going to read and discuss a graphic novel.

At first, we met every two weeks. Our meetings were roughly an hour, and we would discuss a couple of chapters at each meeting. Generally the first few minutes were a time to catch up and see how everyone is doing, then we open the book and off we go. If we get sidetracked and go off on a rabbit trail, that is okay. If we get hung up on an idea for the whole time, that is also okay. We would go until we were finished with discussion, come to a consensus on what to read for the next meeting, then all go off back to our lives.

I made a Facebook group chat to remind people of meeting time and what chapters we were discussing. This chat was also a great place to share articles or videos that came up in discussion. It was also the place where people would let the goup kow they couldn't make it or would have to be late.

When the shelter in place went into effect for Dallas county, we switched to using a video chat for our meetings. I highly recommend this because it allowed for two very important aspects of this club that have kept it sustainable. First of all, if someone really doesn't want to leave the house that day or the weather is bad, they can still participate. Second, it allowed us to add people not physically close enough to attend. This was a great way to reconnect with some college friends who had been scattered to the four winds.

During the lockdown, we also started meeting weekly instead of every two weeks. This was mostly because we all had nothing better to do. By the time things started opening up, the habit was just there and we kept doing it every week. This worked for us, but every book club should choose a schedule that they can realistically stick to.

When I say that I started a book club, most people's first question is "What kind of books do you read?" And I never know how to answer it because we don't really have a structure for how we choose our books. It's really just whatever we think that we will have good discussion about and can come to a consensus on what we want to read. This past year, we have mostly chosen sci-fi, but that won't be the case forever. We read what we want to read, and that keeps it from becoming a chore.

A lot of people think that a book club requires you to read a whole book between meetings. My book club reads whatever we think we can manage. Sometimes that's nearly 50 pages, sometimes less than 20. We end each meeting by giving the assignment for next week and make sure someone puts it into the group chat for anyone who is absent. By meeting more frequently and reading smaller increments, we can properly discuss each plot point as it comes up and nothing gets skipped over to save time.

One more thing that I feel has benefited my book club has been the lack of pressure. We have people who go several weeks without a word then come back, and that is okay. If someone didn't have time to read this week, we still want them to attend and at least enjoy the discussion. The world is full of things that make demands, book club is a request. It should be a joy, not a drudgery.

This book club has been a real blessing to me this past year, and I hope it has been a blessing to other members as well. We have had many good discussions and exchanged so many interesting thoughts and ideas, and I can't wait for more. Some meetings have better conversations than others, some flow more easily, some go completely off track. But I never regret going to book club.

Maybe this has inspired you to start a book club, check one out, or just to read more in general. The pursuit of ideas and good interaction is always worth the effort. There are no rules to how you should or shouldn't do a book club, be willing to try different things and find what works for your group. Something you can stick to and enjoy long-term is infinitely better than a grand plan that fizzles out in three meetings.

That's the story of my book club and how my group has kept it going for a whole year. It was a group effort, I definitely could not have done it alone. I'm so grateful for their efforts and putting up with my nonsense.

Hope you read some good books in 2021!

2020: A Year to Adapt

Time to review the last year! And no, this is not going to just be me griping about all of the stuff that I missed, that got cancelled, that I was unable to enjoy because of the pandemic. Because here's my big first world problem about 2020: I came out ahead. Even though my precious conventions were cancelled, I gained so much that it ended up a net positive. Allow me to explain.

Okay, I know I said this wasn't going to be a gripe post, but I will gripe a little bit. Because conventions are one of my favorite things on the planet. I make a lot of friends there, I have fun experiences, I spend money on things that I don't "need" but I NEED THIS THING RIGHT NOW. And yes I want my conventions back. I want to wear my costumes that I love building. I want Renaissance fairs. I want meetups. I want concerts. I want plays.

But there's something weird about this year. Because it has required more effort, I have socialized just as much if not more than I normally would have in this last year. And here's how I somehow managed it.

1. This is something that is kind of dumb luck. I have two friends who live in the same apartment complex as me. We each live alone, so when the shelter in place went down in March, I declared us a family that just so happens to live in separate apartments. We are all in our 20's and otherwise healthy, so as long as we were careful otherwise, our risk to each other was minimal. Our little family was a great support to our mental health in such a stressful time. We checked up on each other, had game nights, watched movies together, and talked about normal things when we all needed a mental rest from constant COVID talk.

2. My book club. I'll write a full blog post about how it materialized, but I stared a book club in January of 2020. Part of my motivation was to have an avenue for consistent communication with my college friends. And as luck would have it, this last year was one that needed consistent communication more than any year in my memory. We've had great discussions, added new people, read good books, and enriched each other's lives. Thank you to everyone who has participated in my book club, and I hope it keeps going strong in 2021!

3. I really got pack into RPGs this year. For those of you who don't know (which is going to be most of you), RPG stands for role playing game. The most famous example of this is Dungeons & Dragons, but there are loads of other ones with different worlds and characters. An easy way to think about it is "playing pretend with more math." One person is the game master, and takes players through a story where the players make choices and roll dice to determine the outcome. Example: you come to a door, do you find a key, try to break the door, or set it on fire? You choose to set it on fire, you roll the dice to determine if the door catches fire, and to see if the monster on the other side hears you. I could go on for literal hours, but that's the basic idea. I joined a group of people doing this over a voice group chat. It's a great way to get some social interaction and fun without anyone needing to leave the house. I've played some really fun games and gotten to know some really cool people through RPGs. The creativity that some of these people have is insane, and I love it!

4. As those who follow my blog will know, my love life improved during a global pandemic. While in the depths of lockdown. I know, it's one of the least likely things to happen. But that seems to happen to me a lot. Weird stuff happens, and I make it work. I like to think of it as taking advantage of opportunities. Check out my other blog post to see the story of how I met and started dating my dear Alex. Be warned, it's kind of tooth-rottingly sweet. We're still going strong, and for the first time in my life, I went into a new year with a romantic partner. Feels good, man!

Another thing I did do this year was make a few more cosplays. I had to make myself stop because the ones that I have made have not seen a convention, and I want all of my cosplays to be seen! Building these was fun, and I'm really proud of them. It helps remind me that this won't be forever, and that there will be a tomorrow where I'll wear these. And hey, with the money I saved not attending cons, I can go to even more when they're available again! It may not be the convention scape of before, it'll be a new normal, but that's okay. We will adapt. Here are my cosplays that came into existence in 2020:

This is an enchantress character I made for Renaissance fairs when they come back.

This is a Pokémon trainer from Pokémon Go. It's a pastel rainbow version that I was intending to use in a photoshoot that ended up cancelled. This will still be a fun one for con

The last thing from 2020 that I want to mention in closing out the year is a lesson that I've been thinking about a lot. I have gotten some serious experience being wrong on things that I thought I had all figured out. I've had to learn how to completely change what I think on things because I was proven to be wrong. Me believing or rationalizing doesn't change facts. Examples:

Early on, I thought that the panic over this new virus was worse than the virus itself. Thousands of people dying has proven me wrong. 

I thought that this would be one big wave then it would all be over. Nope. It keeps coming back.

I thought that everyone would just have to get the virus to get it over with. I'm glad I was wrong here. I haven't had a sniff, none of my friend group in Texas has had a sniff, and with the vaccine on the way, chances are I won't have to deal with it. Yessssssss!

I was so wrong on all of these things, and it was difficult to admit that. But I would rather face the discomfort of having to change my thinking than stubbornly hold on to a wrong opinion for the sake of my ego. "I was wrong" is something you are allowed to say. It does not make you less of a person, and it does not mean you are incapable of forming a good opinion, it just means that you had to adapt. And if there's one thing 2020 has forced us all to do, it's adapt.

All things considered, I can't complain too much about 2020. I seriously can't. I know, I'm annoying. I'm so flipping lucky I somehow manage to come out of one of the worst years in recent memory no worse for wear. I am grateful for this, and I have so much sympathy for those who haven't had a good year. I really hope that the next year provides a much-needed fresh start for everyone

Well, here's to another lap around the sun. For good or ill, we're all riding this planet together in 2021. Happy New Year!

Lockdown Love

Okay, time to spill the beans. And these are no ordinary beans. These are good beans. Deliciously seasoned, lovingly prepared beans to be served with rice and vegetables as a humble but tasty meal. I have something that it's high time I share. This is important, exciting, and definitely a thing that merits a blog post.

But first, now that I have your attention, I want to commend all of you for whatever you've been doing in the quarantine. This is one of the most insane times in all of human history and you're still here. Anything you do can be celebrated. I know this time has put a lot of strain on people's friendships, family ties, marriages, and romantic relationships.

And speaking of romantic relationships (see that painfully obvious transition?), the quarantine has actually improved my previously nonexistant love life. I'm dating someone! And you know what that means, you nosey, nosey people. Story time!

It all started at Katsucon. Yes, I met my current boyfriend at con. You may all have heart attacks and die of not surprised. I was bouncing around like a marble in a dryer, as I do. As often happens, we absorbed people into the group and hung out together.  One of those people was Alex, whom we dubbed "the lost puppy." He was at con in need of a group to drag him around and we were only too happy to oblige. And for anyone wondering, I was dressed as Ms. Frizzle from Magic School Bus. Hey, a cosplay of an adult woman, it could have been so much weirder.

Truly an icon of feminine beauty

As we talked, the group found him charming and intelligent and a person we would like to be around. This, we exchanged contact info. We continued running around together throughout con, enjoying the panels, vendors, and other attendees.

Then, a few weeks later, came *dun dun dunnnnn* the lockdown. Alex contacted me and asked if I would like to be in a game of Mage (a fantasy RPG, think Dungeons and Dtagons). I love fantasy RPGs, so I agreed to join. As we created my character and he told me about the world he was building, we talked about a little bit of everything and a connection started to form.

Anyone who has been around me for very long knows that I am AWFUL at knowing whether I'm being flirted with or not. And even worse at knowing whether I like someone or not. But we finally got around to the "do you think you might like me because I think I might like you" conversation and concluded that we did and would like to try a date.

On April 22 (I had to ask him what the exact day was because days blend together in quarantine), we had a phone date, and it went really, really well. To an outside observer, it may not have sounded particularly romantic, but it was exactly the kind of romance I like. We connected on a cerebral level in a way I never have with anyone I've ever gone out with. Of course I was having a lot of "don't do it, he lives in Virginia, this is impossible" but......screw it. If it's meant to be, it's meant to be. I wouldn't be the first one to start a relationship over distance, and I definitely won't be the last.

Our second date was over video, and this was the first time he saw me (outside of my pictures) in my natural state, with my real hair, daily makeup, and usual fashion. We were both liking what we see 😉 our next date was also over video, and as the three-date rule declares, we were committed. Boyfriend and girlfriend, aiming for the long haul, here we go.

He's been working remotely since the pandemic, so dates have been easy to schedule. He had some time off that needed to be used, so he's visiting me in August. Long-distance is not an ideal scenario,  but we're making it work pretty well. And it's not going to be forever, we are wanting this to go somewhere. For now, we enjoy learning new things about each other and having fun in any ways we can. We both love exploring and learning new things and having unique experiences. Okay, I could gush a lot more, but this blog post is already getting long. So, are you ready to meet him?

There he is. Alex Bosert. 6 foot 1, 24 years old, birthday Sept 15. Isn't he cute? Side note: I asked him for a picture to put in the blog and this was his first idea. This is what he was wearing when we met. Yeah, we're pretty adorable.

Alex will no doubt be appearing in future blog posts. I can't wait for my friends to meet him. He's pretty amazing, if I do say so myself.

So there you go, the story of my now changed relationship status. Well what do you know, something good did come out of 2020. I can't wait to see where this is headed.

Art: Creation vs. Consumption

So, since the lockdown started in mid-March, I've been keeping a running list of new recipes that i\I've tried, just to see how many I make. I wasn't making any effort to do as many as possible or anything, I would just write them down as I made new things. I stopped adding to it last week since I was finally back to a normal work schedule and it feels like while my life is far from normal (cue pouting childishly about coventions being cancelled), I'm not really locked down anymore. That list of recipes is 23 items long.

I started making a new cosplay right before the lockdown. I was fresh off of Katsucon and had the itch in my fingers to make another (as I do). Looking at my Instagram progress pictures, I was able to track it start to finish. I made my entire Pokemon trainer outfit in almost exactly one month. That is by far the fastest I have made a cosplay start to finish. And this is no small undertaking. Look at this baby

Hey, I made the thing from scratch in a month, I'm allowed to shove pictures of it in people's faces. 

In an attempt to use up some leftover fabric, I made some special gifts for my nieces and nephews (and didn't even make a dent in my big tote of leftover fabric). My sister and her husband are raising five little munchkins, so if I make anything for them, I have to make five.I'm not going to say what I made because it's going to be a surprise at Christmas. Talk about getting an early start!

Given all of this extra time and told to do one of my least favorite things (stay still), I have had some time to think about my tendency to do a thousand projects and what draws me to different ones. Allow me to explain.

In general, there are two ways that I participate in art: creation and consumption. Sometimes, when I take in a new form of art, my fingers just start itching and I have to create something in this new art form. For example, when I first learned of cosplay from my dear friend Rachael, I knew that is was something I HAD to try. I was not content merely to consume, I had to create, to participate, to make myself a part of this grand piece of art! I could do a con without cosplaying,  loads of people do, but I just done want to. I want to cosplay!

When I see a costume that would look particularly good on me or that looks really fun to make, My brain starts deconstructing it and thinking about what materials it would take, where I can find said materials, if I have any pieces on hand that I can use. When people ask "How did you know what to do?" about my costumes, that's it. We can all go home now, Kim's revealed the trade secret. It just kind of happens. I see costume, I get creative brain blast, I build it.

The same thing happens when I see a recipe that I find interesting, but with a bit of variation. I know what most ingredients taste like, so instead of seeing how a costume is made, I can do something I call "tasting in my brain" and have a guess at what something should taste like. I can generally tell if a recipe will taste good just by looking at it. Granted, I have made some flops, but no one else has to endure them. That's why people think all of my cooking is delicious. If it's not, I use the "brain taste" to add things until it tastes the way I want it to.

But not all art forms elicit this waterfall of inspiration. I adore movies, and I am always up for a movie that does something new or makes me think. But am I instantly overcome with the desire to make a movie? Not really. I love to read, I devour books like I devour a plate of sushi. But do I have the burning desire to write a novel like the ones I enjoy? Not particularly. And there are some that I enjoy, but not enough to really seek out and get good at. I enjoy painting my nails and seeing what other people do, but I don't have any real drive to learn all of the fancy techniques.

Some forms of art I feel content to consume, but some fuel my passion to create. I feel like there is value in recognizing which art forms fit into which category. Just because I'm a creative person, it doesn't mean I want to partake in every kid of art. There are some that simply aren't my style, or I probably could enjoy them but there are only so many hours in the day and I'm technically supposed to be asleep for some of that. I should probably be at work in there, too. 

I promise I have a point to all of this. The creation of art is often seen as the only way to really participate in art. But honestly, consumption is also an important part of any artistic endeavor. If no one was there to consume the art, then it wouldn't have near as much impact. There is something to be said for making art purely for your own enjoyment, but the sharing of art also has tremendous value. There needs to be people to take in and enjoy the fruits of creative labor. The audience is just a much a participant as the creator, the distributor, and anyone else who is more directly involved.

So if you haven't really felt the inclination to make anything lately, don't make the mistake of thinking you're not still involved in art. If you have consumed the creativity of another person and enjoyed it, then you're still involved here! It's important to enjoy being an audience member and not feel like you have to get involved in everything. There is plenty of good to be gained from simply stepping back and taking in a piece of art. My blog is art (note that I did not say it was good art), and you are consuming it. Congratulations, you are participating.

I hope you've all created or consumed something of value lately. It's just as important, if not more so, to feed the soul as well as the body.

Quarantine Creatures

With the length of the lockdown, we are all trying to adapt to this strange new environment. And if there's one thing we talk about a lot in biology, it's how to adapt and survive in an ever-changing environment. And if the environment suddenly changes, any creature living in that environment had better be able to adapt or else we got an extinction on our hands. So, in this new habitat, we homo Sapiens have had to adapt, and adapt fast. This has led to the emergence of several novel varieties to occupy the niches of our new environment. In the interest of science, I have donned clothing resembling these new subspecies to educate my readers about their unique traits so that should you encounter them in the wild, you will be able to effectively share their habitat and interact with these marvelous creatures as they carry on in the most important mission during these trying times: survival.

The Essential Worker
These poor souls have been working through the whole pandemic. Yes, they're getting a lot of appreciation and free coffee, but this whole pandemic can't end soon enough. They're stressed, their co-workers are stressed, and any customers they have to deal with are stressed. They are sick of having to wear these suffocating masks for hours every day and having to keep up with whatever their boss wants them to change this week. Often seen with their free coffee and any other gifts given by kind businesses and individuals. Approach with a gentle demeanor if at all, they likely want to just go home at this point.

The Zoom Jet-Setter
Behold the mullet of the fashion world! The Pandemic Power Suit. This baby is all business up top, party on the bottom. This is the uniform of those who still want to make a good impression in the corporate world, but know how much they can get away with while doing remote work. Dress pants are uncomfortable and wrinkle easily, so why wear pants at all? Who's going to see it? They have calculated the exact amount of effort needed to create the impression they they were totally not dead asleep ten minutes ago and that is the effort they deliver. That's efficiency, and they can put it on a resume. Some have adapted smoothly enough to remain in the remote world permanently, while others will welcome some petty office drama and traffic in the name of being able to properly focus on work once again. Should you desire to approach this species, first ask if they are "at work" right now.

The Grocery Gauntlet
Grocery shopping is the only time this person leaves the house and they want to make the most of it. But they also don't want to get COVID19, so they came prepared. Possibly a little too prepared. You may say a whole liter of hand sanitizer is excessive, they call it being socially conscious. They are never out of doors without a mask and gloves, with extras in a fanny pack. They keep religiously to social distancing regulations and grow anxious if those around them do not do the same. They are often seen zipping through grocery aisles, snatching pantry staples off of shelves and loading them into a well-sanitized cart. This person is more conscious than a jewel thief of wiping away every trace of their presence. It is not recommended to approach members of this subspecies as they may become agitated and spray. Their spray can cause irritation if swallowed or inhaled, so it is best to observe them from afar.

The Quaran-Toned
Likely either a gym rat before the pandemic or working in the athletics/fitness industry, this person is trying to keep up their fitness in any way possible. They have been attending online classes or doing every home workout they can get their hands on. Early in the pandemic, they my have panicked, but some members of this subspecies have adapted quite well after discovering that missing a workout will, indeed, not kill them. They have found creative ways to use household objects to meet their #goals. In order to burn of their excessive energy, they may take on unusual behaviors such as constant cleaning, dancing, or trying to maximize distance moved in a a small area (like this guy). Despite their often glowing social media profiles, these people are counting down the days until they can go back to a good old-fashioned Pilates class. Should you choose to approach, be prepared to give chase as they grow anxious when held in place for an extended period of time.

The Great COVID19 Baking Show
After binge-watching a bunch of cooking and baking shows on Netflix, this species decided to try it for themselves. Their kitchen is now a disaster zone and every day brings a new culinary experience. Depending on the predisposition of the particular person, this species can be your best friend or worst enemy. If they posses the necessary skills, their treats with be a bright spot in an otherwise dismal situation. If their skills are...lacking, the only solution is to avoid their well-intentioned gifts and hope that they are able to leave the house soon. This subspecies can be identified by their messy aprons and protective attitude towards dry goods such as flour, eggs, and yeast. If approaching a "skilled" member, present a polite demeanor and you will likely be rewarded with their latest creation, as they have made 7 types of muffins and can't be expected to eat them all. If approaching an "unskilled" member, have a disposal plan for any hazardous cargo you may aquire.

The Wild Thing
This subspieces is elusive and rarely appears for long stretches of time. The loss of structure in their day has led them to lose all sense of time and revert to an animalistic form of estivation (similar to hibernation, but during hot weather rather than cold). They have been known to nap several times throughout the day and remain unaware of the current date or day of the week. They have worn pajamas almost exclusively since the pandemic started and may have forgotten how to tie shoes. It is unlikely to encounter this subspecies in the wild, but they may sometimes be roused from their torpor by electronic communication. Please approach,as this subspecies has not adapted well to solitude and may require some intervention to weather the changes to its environment.

I'm sure there are other new subspecies of homo Sapiens carving out new niches every day, and it's my job as a science person to find and document them! Until then, I'm still working, still healthy, still blessed beyond what I could ever deserve. I hope you are as well, and if not.....well, I'm hoping my antics made you smile at least. It's a jungle out there, people!

The Quarantine Quest for Quarters

So, during this lockdown, a lot of people are discovering difficulties that they never really thought would be a problem. If someone had told me a year ago that I would go over one month seeing only two of my friends, I would ask what desert island we were shipwrecked on. I can't go to the dentist, I can't get my hair cut, I can't go swimming, and it took me four weeks to find toilet paper in a store. THIS IS A WEIRD TIME, PEOPLE.

An unexpected problem has arisen since the quarantine: shortage of quarters. My apartment complex has shut down all community services save for laundry (thank goodness). The laundry machines do not take cards and require quarters. The laundry room has no change dispenser. This is a gross oversight on the part of management in my opinion, but I'm not in charge here. 

Normally, when I need quarters, I go to a random local bank, walk in and ask them to exchange a $20 bill for a couple rolls of quarters. Yes, you can do that without an account as long as it's not a ton of quarters and not very often. I don't like cleaning out registers at stores, and especially during the quarantine I don't want to put more stress on the clerks. So, at the beginning of lockdown I had some quarters in my supply that I used for laundry. And then I ran out. And the banks are all closed so I can't just walk in and get more. And then my quest began.

My quest began with my partaking in he activity that everyone is currently doing: nothing. I simply didn't do my laundry for as long as I possibly could in the hopes that this stupid virus would get under control enough for bank lobbies to reopen safely. Well, that clearly hasn't happened. And Mt. Laundry was growing.

So, when I went to money services at the grocery store get a money order to pay my rent, I asked the clerk for some quarters. I was able to get enough quarters to do the laundry I had, but as previously stated, I don't like doing that. I had delayed the problem for a while. But the problem with clothes is that we wear them all the time and I only have a finite amount, so of course I started to run out again. There is something inherently frustrating about having the money for something, but being unable to pay for it because your money is in the wrong form. I needed a steady supply of quarters, preferably from a mechanical source so that I'm not making a clerk handle money (which, as we all know, is super germy). I needed a bill changer. Now, where can I find a bill changer in our modern money-less society?

Laundry room? Doesn't have one.

Arcade? Closed.

Vending machines at work? Only take singles, and I don't have any.

Car wash?.....now there's an idea.

No people, plenty of quarters for the taking, and open at all hours, so I can go whenever I want. Perfect.

I remembered that there was a car wash that I passed on my way to work every day. So, I pulled up and started fiddling with the machine. I put in my money and tried to ask for change. Aaaaaaaaaaaand I discovered that it doesn't do change. I had to ask the attendant for a refund because I was not about to be late for work going through a car wash I didn't need. Well, I just made a total fool of myself and it's not even 9am.

Then next day I went for my weekly grocery run and I found another car wash along my route. This time I drove around it looking for a machine. I saw none, and got some funny looks for driving a few laps around and leaving. I will get these dang quarters, no matter how stupid I look while doing it. Mt. Laundry must be conquered!

As I was on one of my daily walks, I took a different route than usual, because I, like everyone else in quarantine, was bored. And I saw it. Another car wash in a direction I don't normally drive. It was across a fairly wide street, so I couldn't see if it had a change machine, but it was there, and it was possible. I didn't have my wallet with me anyway, so there was no point in crossing the street to check.

The next day, I drove up and saw it. A good old-fashioned quarter dispenser. I shoved my $5 into the slot. And nothing happened. It didn't take my bill. The machine must be broken. Or out of coins. I don't know. Dejected, I got back into my car and started to drive away. and I saw another one on the other side of the car wash. A junky, weathered coin dispenser with peeling stickers. I shoved my $5 bill into the slot and was rewarded with the sweet, sweet sound of quarters dropping into the hopper. I had found my new quarter supplier. Mt. Laundry is no more.

I hope you enjoyed this lighthearted and probably over-dramatic take on my silly problem and the lengths to which I went in solving it. Stay safe and try to stay sane, my friends. And do your laundry!

The Last Will and Testament of an Extrovert in Quarantine

I, Kim Deichmann, resident of the city of Irving, Texas, being of sound mind (okay, by legal definition), not acting under duress or undue influence (seriously, this is how I act all the time), fully understanding the nature and extent of all my property (whatever could be crammed into my little apartment) and of this disposition thereof do hereby make, publish, and declare this blog post to be my (satirical) Last Will and Testament.

I direct that all expenses of my final illness, be it COVID19, loneliness, or actual death by boredom, and expenses of my funeral (which will be live streamed) and burial be paid as soon as is reasonably convenient, and I hereby authorize my Personal Representative to settle any claims against my estate.

In my departure, provisions must be made for my dear cat. Puff is to be taken care of by any friend who will have her, until she also departs and will be buried on top of my remains, so that she may rest where she lived the majority of her life.

I fear I do not have long left in this world. The threat of COVID19 has left me with no social events and limited access to even my closest friends. In recent days, even my coworkers have become sparse due to reduced staffing. I suffer from a condition that makes this situation a grave one. I am an extrovert. I draw energy from social interaction. And, deprived of that vital source of energy, I am slowly withering away. My limbs grow weak and frail, I can barely lift my fingers to type these words. As my mind starts to slip away, my parting thoughts are of great irony. In a time of such illness and crisis, it is not the dreaded virus that pulls the final curtain, but the measures needed to protect society. I hope only that more extroverts will not fall as I have. We are many, so who knows the true extent of the damage.

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Okay, okay, I was being dramatic, calm down. I make jokes (and sometimes very dark ones) because if I don't laugh, then I must cry. It's just how I deal with a situation beyond my control. Although to be perfectly honest, I'm actually doing quite well. I have two friends who live in my apartment complex whom I have designated as "family" and they are pretty much the only people I see in person outside of work.

Speaking of work, I work in a medical laboratory, so this pandemic affects my daily life more than the average person. The lab I work at doesn't do COVID19 tests (yet), but we still have to stay on top of how quarantine affects healthcare fields. We're considered essential and our work cannot be done remotely, so I still go into work, but not every day. We split the staff into two shifts and work on opposite days, so I only work three days per week, ten hours per day. The company makes up the difference in pay, which is a huge blessing in a time when a lot of places are cutting staff. I have a letter in my car stating my position as an essential worker in case the authorities start questioning people for being out (hasn't happened yet, but it could). That letter is such a piece of history that I'm keeping it as a relic of this moment in time.

Never have I been so grateful for electronic communication. I have been able to keep in contact with most of my friends and family to keep from going stir crazy. Everyone has time for long conversations, that's for sure! I wander around my complex (at a responsible distance) while I talk, and I'm pretty sure you could make a game of counting how many times I pass any one apartment.

My creative hobbies have obviously been used quite a bit in this quarantine. I have literally gotten scared that I'll run out of stuff to do and bought a few future projects' worth of stuff. Other people buy huge amounts of toilet paper and bread, I buy three costumes' worth of fabric and thread. Speaking of which, now is the time to try and learn something new! Order some stuff online and watch some YouTube videos, you've finally got the time. I don't know what I would have done if I didn't have my sewing to keep me busy. And let's I'mnot forget my love of cooking and baking. keeping a list of all of the new recipes I've tried since lockdown (I'm literally making like, three new things per week) and I'll post it when quarantine is up just for fun.

My only venture out besides groceries and work was on Easter Sunday, when I joined a friend and her parents for Easter dinner. I wanted to contribute something, so I made a hummingbird cake. It's made with bananas, pineapple, and pecans and covered in cream cheese frosting. I think it's one of the best things I've made during the lockdown! I got creative with the pecans on top, like I do.

If you want a rich, Easter-y dessert that is a little something different from the traditional carrot cake, this is your ticket. Everyone really enjoyed it and I was so blessed to be able to share in the celebration of the Resurrection with even a small group of people. Jesus rose from the dead, and that's worth celebrating even if we can't be all together.

I'm still here, still making stupid jokes and baked goods, and who knows where we'll all be tomorrow. I hope everyone is doing their best to stay both physically and mentally healthy during this pandemic. See you next post.