I called my mother the other day to chat and after about ten minutes, we both had little to say – neither of us had anything new to report, no trips planned, no adventures awaiting. The truth of the matter is during this pandemic my routine has become extremely predictable. I get up, I workout, I work from home, I take Piper for an afternoon hike, I return home and make dinner. My evenings vary a little bit – I’ll be online for a poetry workshop or I’ll read on the couch. I’ll work on a poetry project or I’ll bake. But otherwise, the days are nearly identical.

While initially I really struggled with this, I seem to have finally settled in and have figured out how to spend my time and not lose my mind. It helps that I’m working on a new poetry project — I’ll announce it soon but it has to stay under wraps for just a little while longer. This new project has been a great way to channel my energy. I also saw a therapist for a while, specifically to deal with the despair and anxiety I was feeling – partly due to the pandemic, partly due to the election, partly due to my father’s health. Talking to a professional helped me work through some of that and get to a place where I was better mentally.

And now, it appears a lockdown is coming. Several cities have already imposed restrictions on movement and I predict more are coming. While this is hard, especially on those of us who are extraverts, I do think it’s necessary. Because we all want this pandemic to end. I want to be able to see my best friend and hug her. I want to host a dinner party. I want to attend a poetry reading in person, as opposed to on Zoom. I want to eat in a restaurant. In short, I want life to return to normal. But we’re not there yet. So until then, and until another lockdown occurs, I’m sticking to my now very familiar routine. There’s simply nothing else I can do.