Category: Personal

2020 Gratitude: Interior Design

I am not the only one who feels this way!

Little by little over quarantine, I have added little decorations to my apartment. In the “before times,” I would plop onto my couch for an hour or so every night, and therefore didn’t think too much about my surroundings. However, now that I am home literally all the time, I’ve invested more in the ambience and ergonomics of my living space – anything to make the days more bearable!

One of my favorite purchases of quarantine, as indicated by my tweet above, is a desk! I got it from Wayfair and it is perfect for my needs – it’s narrow and foldable, but still sturdy. I topped it all off with a laptop stand and a phone stand to keep things fairly sleek and organized (if you don’t look at my headphone cords).

Before getting a desk, I tried eking by with a lap desk, occasionally using one of our dressers as a standing desk. I tried making things more ergonomic – propping my computer up on the table with books, sitting on a stack of pillows, using a lumbar pillows – but, at the end of the day, having an actual desk with an actual chair has been the best thing for my body. My posture is better and, as a result, my joints and muscles feel better!

I’ve also invested in more art for the apartment! Researching different pieces and putting them up have been a big source of joy for me in quarantine. I’m actually surprised that we didn’t invest in art sooner because it’s been so nice to have the empty spaces in our home filled with things that make me happy!

Though I love all of our art, my two favorites are definitely the “Note to self” tapestry by Morgan Harper Nichols and the “Pilipinas” print by Bianca Austria. Like many others, I’ve become more conscious of how and where I spend my money, and am happy to support female POC artists who are making beautiful things!

My last favorite “thing” I’ve bought for the house in quarantine has been a floor pillow – but not just any floor pillow! A cat floor pillow! I was hesitant about the design, thinking that it was too cartoon-y to match with everything else in our apartment, but it ended up being love at first sight. It’s poofy and sturdy and very comfortable to sit on, and, as I’ve mentioned many different times, it’s another tiny pop of joy that has carried me through quarantine.

Look at those eyes! Tell me that they don’t make you happy!

2020 Gratitude: Squishmallow Family

A happy Christmas family get-together!

One of the greatest tragedies in my life is that my boyfriend and I are very allergic to pets. Even stepping foot into a home that’s shared with a cat and/or dog will cause me to start sneezing uncontrollably! Instead of owning real, living pets, we have pivoted to collecting Squishmallows – big, cartoony animal pillows.

A busy day

We’ve given them names, personalities, and arrange them around the house as if they are doing things and talking to each other. We even have short conversations with them (which is embarrassing to admit! but it does stretch my improv muscles, which is nice!) It is all very silly! In the absence of real pets, however, they’ve been another cute, little joy that have carried both of us through quarantine.

2020 Gratitude: Daily Walks

I try to take a preventative approach to my health – both mental and physical. When lockdowns first started, I knew I had to find some way to go outside in order to not feel so cooped up and let my body (and mind) breathe.

I used to publicly post all of my walks on Strava, but stopped in August, when my count reached 91 total walks (!!!). I have kept tracking them in the app, and have been relying on the regular walk challenges (sometimes 4 times a week, sometimes 50K in a month) to force myself out, even when it feels tough.

Though I used to feel bad about not going for runs anymore, I soon realized that my body needed a break after an intense marathon training season. I’ve also taken advantage of the lack of races to explore alternate forms of exercise that I would not have normally taken up when I was running 5 days a week, like strength training and pilates.

My favorite parts of taking these walks have been exploring my neighborhood and soaking in the sunshine and greenery around me. Though I suspected that being out and about was important for my mental health before (again, I was out running 5 days a week!), taking these walks on my own accord throughout the year has truly hammered that point home for me. I’ve even noticed a dip in my mood and temperament when I don’t get out and move my body outside.