The minute that businesses started closing or asking employees to work from home, when stay-at-home became the new way to say quarantine, a whole army of motivational gurus began spouting about how we could all take advantage of this “extra” time. Learn new skills, come out of this “downtime” more competitive. Start a beginner. Six weeks from now end up on top of the world. Or twelve weeks, or something more than that.
Never mind that we no longer know what “on top of the world” means. I’d just like to know who has so much time on their hands? Not those who are unofficially homeschooling their kids with teachers trying to impart something to fidgety minds via internet. Nor those who are dealing with kids that aren’t even getting online schooling. Not those who are working from home while also dealing with family and other distractions they don’t normally have. Not those who are trying to find work from home because their regular job no longer exists.
Whoever it is, some folks are learning to sew. I myself have made about thirty masks, and have thanked my mother’s memory for teaching me to sew probably a hundred times in the past weeks. But if I had to learn it now, under pressure? I’m afraid my masks would be more of the Halloween than the protective type.
Some people didn’t have that advantage. I’ve fielded a number of questions from the sewing and craft section of various markets lately. Including one from a woman who asked me—thread and fabric in hand—did I think she should also buy needles?
Yes, you should buy needles.
She didn’t say that because she was really wondering. I could tell by the look in her eye, it was more that she needed to narrate her life aloud right now. As if she could only believe what was going on if she could hear it said outside her own head. “First I’ll get some fabric and some elastic…then I’ll make a mask….”
Several people asked me for the pattern for the mask I was wearing and I sent them to the JoAnn Fabrics site. Pretty straightforward. Of course, now masks seem to be available everywhere. If I’d waited…well it would have been less work, but I guess I can take comfort in the ability to coordinate my mask with my outfit.
Mad New Skillz
Where
are
all those
I hear have
so much newfound time?
Who are they, who learn languages
on a whim with just one free moment? I‘ve
fewer free
hours than pre-virus. No fancy
dishes cooked here, no
art. No time
to turn
my
self
new,
no
new leaf, new
skills, not even some
new jeans since nothing can be tried.
The Phoenix won’t rise, and after quenching the fire, mud
washes down the drain. What myth is this,
the idea of free time?
Now nothing
runs
free.
Taking issue with skillz vs skills?
I don’t mean any old skills, you know. Level up, and all that jazz.
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