Ugh what a rollercoaster of a month or two. And I’ll be honest, I’m not out on any front lines, I’m not checking anyone out at the grocery store or working in an ICU or desperately trying to convince dumb people to stay home (ok, I do try to do that, but from my couch). I think all of us are in some cycle of good days and bad days in isolation. I am making less art than I wanted but I have big goals, still, for this quarantine time. And I will do some of them, and I will forego others, and the world will keep turning.

Speaking of the world turning, I lucked out by moving into a pretty sweet part of Austin with lots of walkable roads that lead to beautiful park trails. I was nearly moved to tears when I found my first trailhead sign just sitting there next to a bank of mailboxes in a cul-de-sac. It took me on a path past a pond and lots of cacti and it felt good to be in nature. I’m trying to visit every day.

I’m also incredibly fortunate to have my quarantine team / germ pod ™ of Shawnee and Kate. I go over to their house, they make me dinner, I perform dumb magic tricks for them, we watch movies. Somehow, I got the good end of this deal. It’s nice to have a place to go to, and people to commune with. Shawnee’s chicken Mama and I have also had a few bonding moments, most notably on Easter Sunday afternoon when the neighbors were blaring 90’s country music from their yard. Mama and I sat together, and she endured me singing George Strait and John Michael Montgomery to her for a long while. She’s the best chicken.

Mama Chicken rules the back yard and Nana Cat runs the inside domain, benevolently. She teaches Zen napping classes several hours a day.

Speaking of walking, we have also taken to nighttime wine walks because nighttime is a good time to walk.

On the media front, so many great folks are doing regular shows and readings online, and I aim to compile a list one of these days, but for now…these two things basically make me get up in the mornings.

First, Mary Chapin Carpenter has been posting Songs from Home on Youtube every few days. She’s got the cutest dog Angus and the sleepiest cat White Kitty, and they gather and MCC sings to us, and then reminds us all to “Stay Mighty,” which is my next tattoo I am not even kidding. (Here is the whole playlist).

Arkutecual Digest House Tour!! Was over the moon and stars to do this!! pic.twitter.com/IOcMjdWKeQ

— Meg Stalter (@megstalter) April 18, 2020

Second, Meg Stalter is my new favorite comedian, and we watch her videos and generally convulse into choking laughter every time. It is cathartic and she is a star. Follow her on Instagram or Twitter.

That’s it for here on a Sunday, I hope you all are doing exactly what you want to do in this weird year. 2020…it’s making its mark.