Crafts, cash dollars, circus, covid

[flexagon]

Covid living this week: being legitimately excited to get toilet & tile cleaning supplies in the mail from Amazon. Last time we cleaned we didn't have any, so it was water-wiping only.

I also turned my attention a bit to monetary aid. I don't give away money very often because of my own stupid issues, but investing in the businesses that matter to me somehow makes sense. So I threw a solid chunk at Local Circus school (now accepting donations), half a chunk at our local Friday night restaurant (which is closed, and running a gofundme to pay its employees), and saved my usual kiva.org re-loans for US-based businesses affected by covid-19. The restaurant does not appear to be meeting its goal.

ETA: this Friday we tried our best to make burgers like the restaurant. This led to beer-marinated burgers which got very wet and soppy -- who knew they would ABSORB the stuff -- apparently their "beer braising" is a step less intense than that. But too late, we've got beer-soaked patties in the freezer for next week already.

I find myself doing odd, almost Depression-era things due to not wanting to go to the store, like trying my hand at molding a new candle for the Nala's upcoming 22nd birthday and cutting the bug's hair. It would be more fun if the world weren't having such troubles around us and if inter-state visits (you know, like to see norwoodbridge!) weren't a confusing mess of state regulations. It's kind of like the Depression and kind of like wartime, with shortages of things, but different.

Two interesting/good areas:

• I was productive at work this week, full power. I generated stuff for people to read/review, caught up on a bunch of email and also got a lot of reorg-related tactical things out of the way, clearing my plate a bit more to go into strategy with my remaining two teams next week. I also met with my exec coach, which is always interesting and infurating at the same time. Maybe I'll write about her separately.


• My circus costume arrived and it is awe-inspiring. It's a custom-fit catsuit with spikes, and fits like a dream: tight without giving me camel-toe, and super shiny. Just putting it on and experimenting with small motions in front of the mirror gave me choreography ideas. So I have several related projects to do there: figure out my makeup, do the choreography, and sew a matching headpiece for the catsuit out of the 2 extra yards of fabric I bought. I wound up at coraline's house yesterday, chatting at a properly distanced distance in the cold about both our nascent circus acts, and managed to get myself excited about the sewing part of all this; so the machine comes out soon.

Comments

[randysmith]

Yeah, I spent a chunk of the afternoon going over what charities there were in what areas to respond to Covid-19 and came up with a list and a proposal for retargeting our charitable giving this year, which felt ... sorta like the first useful thing I've done in a couple of weeks? It felt good, in any case :-}.

Yay for ramping back up to productive speed and (it sounds like) satisfaction!

[flexagon]

I got sad later on this same day, but yeah... definitely gaining traction with the "new normal". I'm glad that giving money felt good to you. :)

[apfelsingail]

I usually mix some rolled oats into burgers for extra fiber- might be a nice addition to the beer?

[flexagon]

Maybe next time!