Staying Connected During Quarantine

This is How We Quaranteam

Every time the Linden team gets together virtually (Fridays for lunch or for happy hour, depending on where the week has taken us), we give each other long answers to the question, “What have you been up to?” or “How was your week?” even if the answer hasn’t changed all that much since last time we asked. It just feels good to talk about; it feels good to connect on similar ideas and activities or to be inspired by the stories and choices our teammates are making.

We’d like to share with you some of the things we’ve been up to, and some things we have learned during our time working from home, sheltering in place and trying to make sense of what exactly is this new way of life. Maybe it’ll encourage you to try something new, or help you recognize that, sometimes, doing nothing at all is exactly what you should be doing. You may also want to listen to this playlist we compiled of feel-good songs – ones that make us smile or feel something positive, get up and dance or just nod along to the rhythm. We hope it makes you groove, too.

I posed five simple, leading questions to my team:

1. Have you started any new hobbies or revisited any old interests or activities?

2. Read any good books lately? Watched any especially awesome movies or shows?

3. What are you doing to take care of yourself?

4. How are you staying connected with your people?

5. Is there anything you would recommend to other people to read / watch / do because it’s uplifting or fun or funny or in some way inspiring or helpful?

The team’s answers are at the same time unique and similar and in some instances all too familiar. I tried writing this blog a few different ways, putting their comments together while somehow still maintaining the integrity of their individual voices, but in the end, it’s much more interesting – and powerful – to hear from each person and about their experiences individually. So, here’s what they had to say.

1. Hobbies & Activities
Cooking and baking! I’ve had more time to revisit this hobby and try out some new recipes. I’ve also ordered a couple new cookbooks and have had time to revisit some of my favorite ones.

One of my all-time favorites was a gift I received from friends and family for my bridal shower. It includes some of the first photos Joel and I took together where we decided to document making eggnog and going to get our Christmas tree, since it’s one of our favorite traditions. The book has recipes from my friends and family and also includes some kitchen wisdom/marriage advice! It gives me all the feels and I usually cry when I look through it or use it. I really enjoy cooking and it’s something Joel and I love to do together.

I’ve been testing myself too. I love it when I can cook recipes without following a recipe card, when I can cruise through a recipe because I know it by heart. This also gives me all the feels since it’s how my mom, dad and grandma cook. We often laugh about their vague recipe cards since they say things like “cook until just right” or “make a nice gravy” and rarely have specific measurements.

Typically, I cook with a good glass of red wine in hand and will turn on our record player instead of the TV or music from a streaming service. It’s a different vibe, I don’t know why but it is!

2. Books & Movies
I am so close to finishing I’ll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman’s Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara. It’s taken me a while since the book sometimes kept me up at night. BUT I am determined to complete it!

I’ve binge-watched some great shows!

• “Good Girls”
• “Dead to Me”
• “Little Fires Everywhere”
• “Dexter”
• “Tiger King”
• And we’re re-watching “The Office.”

3. Self-Care
I’ve been more intentional about taking time to myself — sometimes taking walks by myself, reading or online shopping (ha!) in another room from Joel. Or I catch up on my favorite shows while he goes and plays video games with his buddies. I’ve also been better about simple self-care things like drinking more water, doing face masks at night and sticking to a workout routine.

4. Staying Connected
We’ve been having a lot more video calls with friends and family. We’ve talked to a lot of friends that we typically only see a few times a year and now we’re seeing them weekly on video calls. It’s made us realize it’s a lot easier to stay connected. I think this is something we’ll continue to do after things go back to “normal.”

We have a friend group on Snapchat, too, and we send updates to each other daily. This group started doing “cooking with COVID” which is really just someone showing a meal they’re cooking but it’s always entertaining and we’ve shared a few recipes!

I’ve also had some especially long phone calls with best friends that I’ve always “been meaning to call” or “need to make time to call.” Turns out making time is easier than you think!

5. Staying Sane
I recommend really trying to identify what helps manage your stress. This time has caused me so much anxiety and worry, so taking time to cook, or take a walk, or just binge a show has been really important for my mental health. And don’t feel guilty about whatever that is! I found I was being really hard on myself the first month or so of COVID-19 because I wasn’t spending time on some new home or DIY projects that other people had time to do now that they had more downtime. It helped to remind myself that:

• I’m still working full time and should stop comparing myself to other people, and
• Everyone relaxes differently and sometimes just sitting and watching a show is A-OK.

I also did a social media purge! I found some great, inspiring accounts to follow and stopped following some that didn’t lift me up.

1. Hobbies & Activities
I have gotten back into a regular workout routine! However, finding dumbbells has been impossible … so I have used things like paint cans and water jugs. Either way, I’m feeling like I have more energy which I am trying to redirect at housework.

2. Books & Movies
I haven’t seen any memorable movies lately but I have binged multiple seasons of “The Office!”

3. Self-Care
I have been challenging myself to drink at least 2 40oz bottles of water a day. It’s actually not that hard.

4. Staying Connected
We have been doing weekly video calls with friends and family. I’m actually talking to more people more often than I did before sheltering at home!

5. Staying Sane
Since we can’t be in the office, I suggest everyone watch “The Office” before it leaves Netflix. There is a ton of inspiring/helpful stuff out there but for me, laughing is where it’s at.

1. Hobbies & Activities
Aside from endless hours of Google window shopping, I’ve finally been able to try out some of the plant-based recipes I’ve been saving to my Pinterest board for the past year and a half. I’ve learned you can do just about anything with a chickpea!

2. Books & Movies
Although it makes little sense, and as an avid reader I’m ashamed to say this out loud, but my reading has actually come to a standstill during quarantine. I have a nightstand full of books that just aren’t calling my name. I have, however, spent endless hours devouring just about every British and Scottish whodunits and dramas I can find on Netflix or Hulu.

3. Self-Care
Lots of things, actually. Lots of the things that the rest of the world seems to be embracing as well. Long daily walks with the dogs to soak up the sun and sometimes the rain gives me all the feels. I top-off my walks with a strength training or HIIT workout to get my heart pumping. Long drives with my 15-year-old at the wheel, although downright blood-curdling at times, can also be surprisingly soothing and allows me to close my eyes for just a minute (I mean a second, definitely less than a second), and take a deep breath and hope that sometime soon one of these road trips will culminate into a final destination far away from the walls of our home. And then there’s beer, and wine, and frosty cocktails.

4. Staying Connected
Ah, Zoom calls … as a veteran WFH-er and homebody, I like to seriously joke that thanks to Zoom I’m more social than ever. I’m now in regular contact with friends from all over the country. Social distancing has brought me closer to old friends that I’d taken for granted for too long!

5. Staying Sane
Tune into live concerts from your favorite artists, create a shared playlist with friends on a music app, dust off your record player, listen to music, period. It is just so good for the soul.

1. Hobbies & Activities
I’ve started journaling again which has been a helpful way to not only document this interesting time, but it’s helped me sift through my own thoughts. I had forgotten how therapeutic writing with pen and paper can be at the end of the day. I have a blank, unguided journal but I’ve also found this guided journal to be helpful as well.

Assigning myself creative projects just for fun, whether it’s painting or learning a new Tik-Tok dance, has helped me focus my energy and be silly.

2. Books & Movies
Early on in quarantine, I listened to the podcast “The Happiness Lab” by Dr. Laurie Santos. She had a special set of coronavirus episodes that I found especially beneficial right now – my favorite was episode #3.

As far as television and movies go, I’ve been re-watching my favorites from the 90’s like “It Takes Two,” “Pretty Woman,” “The Parent Trap” and “Heavyweights.” Old habits die hard and I’m still re-watching “The Office,” over and over. It’s comforting. 

3. Self-Care
I’ve been taking walks every day, or should I say my dog has insisted on walking me. Getting outside in nature (rain or shine) has been essential.

4. Staying Connected
I’ve spent more time talking on my phone than ever before, which as a talker I really enjoy. It’s the small things like snail mail or leaving a treat on a friend’s doorstep that has really helped me stay connected.

5. Staying Sane

• An extra cup (or two) of coffee always helps.
• SGN by John Krasinski has consistently made me smile and happy cry.
• Join in your 8 pm neighborhood howl.

1. Hobbies & Activities
My activities have included:

• Purging and evaluating years’ worth of accumulation in the house.
• Pulled out the old drawing pad and pencils again.
• Mowing! I love to mow.

2. Books & Movies
I’m loving the Outlander series of novels by Diana Gabaldon.

3. Self-Care
I love walking my dogs. The weather has been wonderful to get out and enjoy!

4. Staying Connected
Just doing the Google Meet happy hour and lunches with my Linden co-workers!

5. Staying Sane
Breathe fresh air and enjoy the outdoors.

1. Hobbies & Activities
The first week of quarantine I was like, “let’s do this!” I got out all of my neglected knitting projects, walked around the yard and house looking for work I could do and talked endlessly about my plans for the month (one month!). Now I’m much more focused; the garden is planted, I’ve almost finished painting the living room and the knitting bag is gathering dust in the corner.

2. Books & Movies
I usually get books from the library. When that wasn’t available, I went through the books I had bought and hadn’t read yet and picked out Dombey and Sonby Charles Dickens. I love reading Dickens but my family doesn’t always (really doesn’t ever) get the humor when I read the passages out loud. Here is Dickens’ description of the Wooden Midshipman shop from Chapter 4:

“Such extraordinary precautions were taken in every instance to save room, and keep the thing compact; and so much practical navigation was fitted, and cushioned, and screwed into every box … that the shop itself, partaking of the general infection, seemed almost to become a snug, sea-going, ship-shape concern, wanting only good sea-room, in the event of an unexpected launch, to work its way securely to any desert island in the world.”

3. Self-Care
I’m exercising more and still following the health orders to avoid getting sick.

4. Staying Connected
We have a weekly Zoom call with my family. They are in Iowa, Texas and Wyoming so it’s fun to compare how different states are handling the pandemic.

5. Staying Sane
This is a great time to be old-fashioned. Play cards and board games, learn a new craft. When Charles Dickens was writing, he would publish his books chapter-by-chapter in magazines. Victorian families would gather around and read the newest chapter out loud. I want to read the books out loud with my family – I’m planning to start with Great Expectations.

1. Hobbies & Activities
Nope. Haha. Honestly, I feel like I’ve had less time in the past few months than I had when the world was “normal.” Working from home full time (which I am truly grateful to be able to do) with a toddler is … time consuming. But I have really loved having the surprise opportunity to be around my little guy all the time – he’s an amazing creature. I also love that we have recently broadened the circle of people we see, and the aforementioned creature hangs out with his grandparents a couple of days a week.

2. Books & Movies
Books! My first love! I recently read Untamed by Glennon Doyle and really, really connected with it. I also read The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy, which absolutely filled my heart, and The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware, which was just fun.

3. Self-Care
I’ve been making as much time as I can to move. For me, movement is meditation. Several local gyms and studios have been hosting live yoga classes, spin classes and other opportunities to connect from home-to-home, mat-to-mat and bike-to-bike over social media, and they’ve truly helped me stay sane. I also really love riding my bike with my son – he absolutely rips on his Strider and a ride around the park is a truly joyful experience.

4. Staying Connected
Snail mail is my favorite! I’ve been sending fun and random and sometimes sappy things to friends and family and don’t plan to stop. Ever. There are also virtual happy hours, loads of FaceTime calls, virtual game nights, and conversations with the neighbors through the fence or out front over driveway-beers.

5. Staying Sane
Move. Breathe. Go outside.

1. Hobbies & Activities
Always continuing hobbies are knitting scarves and creating new plants from my old plants. I am obsessed with knitting the same scarf over and over again, it keeps me busy when watching TV and it’s good for these tired, old hands. I will end up donating these to the Fort Collins Homeless Shelter. I think I better start some hats and mittens too.

I am currently revisiting a new activity that happens every spring and that’s mowing our lawn. I have divided the area into five distinct plots and each takes me about 30 minutes a day, so after five days I just begin again over and over and over again, but I am pushing the mower so it’s great exercise!!

3. Self-Care
My great-niece – who is 12 – and I have begun to practice yoga. She has her own yoga cards and I am using a book that I purchased when I was 18 when I first started practicing. Don’t think that I have been yoga-ing for over 50 years, I haven’t, but whenever I go back to it I follow this wonderful program. We are trying to do this for at least 20 minutes a day. I am hoping that this will put the spring back in my step that I have been missing.

4. Staying Connected
My best friends and I who live in different parts of the country do what we have been doing for a long time – texting! Usually, I start the political commentary due to some news bit that I heard or watched, my one friend talks about her sweet grandsons who are not quite 3 and 1, my other friend keeps track of our fourth friend who has early-onset Parkinson’s Dementia.

My family is an entirely different story. Since my brother and sis-in-law live upstairs we socially distance all of the time. My niece and her fiancé live next door so we are socially distancing constantly. Since my husband and I have never stopped working outside of our home, we sometimes forget this is going on. Quite frankly, we get an “F” for keeping away from our family … shhhhhhh it’s our secret.

5. Staying Sane
I think just living my life is a joy; I wish I could give that syndrome to everyone!

This may not be “uplifting” but I’m passionate about it: please pay attention to what is happening in our government, if you don’t like what you see, you can change it by voting for those who support your agenda. If you do like what you see, you can keep it going by voting for those who are providing you with what you want. The key is VOTING!! Please make sure that you and your people are registered to vote and will vote; it’s the only way that our country will accomplish what YOU think is important … and please recycle!

Listen to our staff’s favorite, feel-good, work-from-home tunes on Spotify.