Here is what the Academic Innovation Team in Undergraduate Studies is up to while #HailingFromHome...
Currently watching:
April: Currently, any free time I have is spent watching videos posted by my graduate school professors :)
Olivia: Little Fires Everywhere, Good Girls, the final season of Schitt's Creek (sad!), and slowly making our way through Superstore. I'm looking forward to digging into the new seasons of Ozark, Better Call Saul, and Killing Eve when the queue clears!
Lisa: Rewatching all of the Star Wars films in chronological release order! And our dog and two cats wanting snuggles all the time.
Julia: I watched the whole series of Containment, not sure why...
Kathy: Lucifer (Netflix) - don't judge; Samantha is watching Criminal Minds, so I'll watch that with her if I'm not busy; the sun, so I can go on to the back porch and bask; my Bishons - demanding attention from us, play-fighting with each other, and the dogs resting/sleeping
Gloria: Ozark
Currently listening to:
April: I typically listen to music at home (and sometimes work). This usually includes either 90s music or classical – it depends on my mood.
Olivia: Uncanny Valley on Audible
Lisa: My favorite band, The Hold Steady, has been releasing recordings every Friday of live shows – so fun!
Julia: My dog Halo snoring at my feet.
Kathy: Music on Amazon: I have eclectic tastes, so there's pop, country, hip hop, rock, hard rock (Scott calls the hard rock I listen to my "angst" music).
Gloria: Podcasts on rotation – Heavyweight, Revisionist History, Without Fail, Gangster Capitalism
Currently reading:
April: Besides my grad school textbooks and higher ed policy resources... I've been reading my old recipes. I found quite a few gems and it has been fun "getting back to the basics" making the classics. I even found an Easter recipe and letter dated 1988 from my Nunny (paternal grandmother) who passed away several years ago.
Olivia: Eric Klinenberg's Heat Wave: A Social Autopsy of Disaster in Chicago
Lisa: Atomic Habits by James Clear, Whiskey Masterclass by Lew Bryson, and the backlog of magazines that have been piling up on the coffee table.
Julia: I have been reading my favorite food blogs in search of new treats to make.
Kathy: Emails (of course); just downloaded 2 Kindle books – one about Polio, and one about the 1918 Flu Pandemic.
Gloria: Becoming by Michelle Obama
Currently cooking or baking:
April: Julia shared with me a soft pretzels recipe and it is our new favorite! I get the dough ready and my son does the rest. We love the smell of them baking and eat them right up warm out of the oven.
Olivia: I recently ordered the best sellers box from Steel City Salt Company (their online store is delivering!) and I am loving trying them on everything!
Lisa: Bread & pizza from scratch!! And bourbon French toast from said bread.
Julia: There are just too many to list them all! Getting back into baking has been a real treat during this time. Skyla and I have made A LOT of macaroons, soft pretzels and bread.
Kathy: Almost anything pasta, whatever we have in the house to make for meals and snacks.
Gloria: PB and J
Drink of choice:
April: Hot tea – it is the most comforting.
Olivia: Water has been the MVP for me. It's easy to get dehydrated when you're home all day, plus refilling my glass is a good excuse to get up from my desk.
Lisa: I’ve been sipping on whiskeys from our collection and recollecting the fun memories around getting each bottle.
Julia: My day starts out with a frothy latte with one pump of vanilla, then I make a cup of green tea. Sometimes, I need two cups. Then it’s water for the rest of the day.
Kathy: Coffee with cream, milk, water, soda, and, if the mood hits me, I’ll drink a black cherry Mike’s Hard in the evening.
Gloria: Scotch!
One thing I'm letting go of:
April: Make-up. I'm letting go of make-up. I've honestly never been a huge fan and now I love not wearing it!
Olivia: Planning. It's making me crazy trying to see if I can figure out what things are going to look like in a few months, so I'm just taking it one day at a time for now.
Lisa: Trying to keep the dining room table tidy.
Julia: Having the kids on a schedule. I'm letting them sleep in, get up whenever they naturally wake up and set their day as they see fit. So far, we are all working well together.
Kathy: I am trying to let go of my attempts to control this ever-changing situation we're in, and try to "go with the flow" more.
Gloria: Going to the gym.
One thing I'm welcoming into my new normal:
April: Walks around our neighborhood with my husband are now a part of my regular routine. This was just sporadic for me before, but I don't think I could ever give it up now!
Olivia: New kinds of communication. It's been nice to see and communicate with the team in new ways, or eat lunch with friends on FaceTime, or call someone up with no real purpose, just to say hi.
Lisa: The extra two hours a day that I'm not spending commuting to and from work!
Julia: I have loved having more time in the mornings, time that I would have been in the car commuting. It means longer runs to enjoy each sunrise, time to bake muffins or scones, and time to prepare for the day.
Kathy: Different types of distractions; eating meals together all the time, spending more time around my family, not having to ride on 2 buses to get to and from work.
Gloria: Piano time.
My favorite surprise during this time:
April: My son is currently a high school senior. This has all been a rollercoaster of emotions for us. But, a true surprise has been the gift of family time. He is our youngest and will be in college soon at Pitt. We have grown closer and are spending some time together doing fun things I don't think we would have otherwise.
Olivia: My friends and I wrote, rehearsed, shot, edited and distributed an original musical called "While We Wait" – and we did it all virtually. It's been wild. And so awesome and rewarding!
Lisa: My favorite chocolatier can deliver his amazing treats to my doorstep in a couple days.
Julia: All of the new painted rocks that have popped up around my neighborhood have been a special surprise. Almost every outing brings a new thoughtful message or happy painting. These little rocks make me happy!
Kathy: I don't really like surprises. I can't say I've had one!
Gloria: Discovering beautiful houses and streets during neighborhood walks.
When this is over, I'm really looking forward to...
April: Hugging my oldest son. He is out in the world, working every day and his work is still considered essential. I worry about him constantly, but he is taking so many precautions, including not visiting me. I just can’t wait to physically see him and know he is okay.
Olivia: Eventually taking a vacation. I was supposed to go on the Golden Girls cruise in March and I had to miss it. It broke my heart!
Lisa: Giving my parents a big hug, and then going out to dinner in a restaurant.
Julia: Visiting my family and traveling.
Kathy: Seeing everyone at work again! Being able to interact and spend time with family and friends, and giving hugs and kisses, without fear of possibly transmitting something to them. I’m also starting to realize how important it is being outside, to walk away from whatever it is you’re doing, so you can recharge and “be yourself."
Gloria: Hugs. Coffee shops. Making travel plans. Petting all the animals I see in the park.