I live in what I have to describe as a goth/solarpunk collective, in a small house with a large garden. Because of a (possibly not coronavirus) illness I had, I’ve been self-isolating for more than a month now. Here’s a look at my quarantine life with 4 roommates:
- We all have projects we’re working on. A lot of them revolve around the garden or home improvement. There are new bike hooks on the carport and a pulley system to hang the kayaks. No one is in charge.
- Time has lost all meaning. I wake up around 11 now, usually to something strange happening in the living room, like a sword fight, or an 80s workout video.
- Someone ends up baking something at least once a day. Yesterday Roger made scones and clotted cream. Today I made garlic rosemary cornbread. I am eating better than ever before because there is time for it.
- We set up a booth with seeds and vegetable starts along the road, free for anyone. It’s the one resource we have that easily translates into helping our community.
- I only put on bras for photo shoots and the video parties we host about once a week.
- I’m in the midst of creating a complete tarot deck. I think it will be called the Isolation Tarot. The suits are currently Eyes, Serpents, Caverns (okay, they’re vulvas, I admit it) and Tentacles. I’m almost done with the Minor Arcana and I haven’t started the Major Arcana yet.
- We’re trying to make friends with the crows by putting out unsalted peanuts whenever we see them. Mixed results so far.
- I started a YouTube channel where I read poetry but I have no finished the book that I meant to publish last month.
- We have a swing and a trampoline. These are getting a lot of use, and I’m so grateful that my roommates set them up last year.
- I’ve started yelling at airplanes. When they fly over my neighborhood, I yell “Shoo, sky demons!” until they’re gone. Then I go back to gardening.
Collective living: pretty damn nice in the midst of a crisis.
K. D. Hume 