The ways 2020 has changed us, plus a book writing ecourse
Did you have any particularly LOW moment during 2020? I mean, there is the obvious collective letdown brought on by ALL THE THINGS.For me, days were spent either "toddler butlering" in my kitchen or working in my office putting together the new book, filling orders from the shop, general taking over of the world. Very little time was spent in silent contemplation since all the moments in between were taken up with the news, exponential graphs and shared stories of who got it and where... followed by WHO DID YOU SAY and WHERE?!?!?A year ago, there were articles questioning how much screen time is okay for children. HA! Those articles died a quick death the moment we were all snug at home, vacillating between "Parenting Is Wonderful" and "Parenting is Boring."Thank you Disney+. A year ago, the news was filled with protests. Now we look back at all those mask-less protests and think "germs... all those GERMS."During a rather low point this summer, I was at home but I wasn't butlering or at the helm. I was watching gardening shows. One after another. Each one, same theme: plant the seeds, water, prune, feed, look at final blooms and vegetables. Repeat.I even created a mini theatre for Amélie... big chair, blankies, snacks, stuffies, iPad. An ask mommy for nothing zone. Even the lovely Christophe was watching me, visibly concerned.The only moves I made were when I clicked "Next Episode" and "Skip Intro."Then a glorious thing happened. This miraculous, wonderful thing that is a non-event for most people. I was sitting at the beach with Amélie. We have a small secluded beach near our house that only locals know about or use. An elderly couple was walking out of the water and the man was wearing a shirt that said simply: 2018.What a weird funny shirt.
And I thought back to 2018: Cancer, baby, living in between houses, renovations, care, needles, drugs, drains, waiting rooms, gowns, fear, hope, hats.And I laughed. One thing 2020 is not, it is not 2018, which reigns supreme as the worst year of my life.Then ZOOM happened, and ecourses about how to make ecourses, and exercise dance on YouTube.Humans are so very adaptable. This little gem is the direct result of my pivot after that moment with the 2018 shirt:
I made a whole book writing ecourse after not even knowing how to post a video with my phone. This is what 2020 does to us. It propels us forward with complicated technology that makes us weep right before we master it and feel like super heroes.But I think it's an upgrade from gardening shows, mental health-wise. It gave my mind something to chew on as I filled cups, wiped spills, peeled apples, changed channels, etc.The course is a collection of all the things I know about writing books, all the things other authors have said, and all the things learned along the way. And it is full of videos and handouts and homework. Very scholarly.Then I had to learn how to activate the thing, which was another week of watching gardening shows. But I got there and it works. Check out the fancy landing page. Had to learn how to do that as well. Glory be!For you, dear reader, it's up and running. If this is your year to write a book, let's do it together. Or if you simply need something for your brain to chew on rather than exponential graphs of COVID, the course is good for that as well. It was certainly good for me.
