Beep. Boop. Do the thing.

Hey there, robot.

Today more than ever, I find myself going into full robot mode:
Make a list.
Do the things.
Check the things off the list.
Go to bed.
Feed the dog.
Get up.
Rinse and repeat.

This pandemic is rough on many levels—and in different ways for all of us. We’ve lost the nuances and pleasures of what it means to be human. We miss the random grocery store line encounter that inspired a solution to a design problem. No more effortless, ridiculous, fluid conversations with friends after a sweaty Friday night soccer game under the lights. And hugs from Grandma? Don’t even go there. She’s feeling pretty lonely herself these days after being shut in for eight consecutive months.

Without the rich and subtle connections of the past, days begin to feel mechanical. We seem to just get by via beep-booping our way through tasks. But here’s the thing: Creative humans—in fact, all humans—crave interaction, random encounters, culture, context, and curious experiences now more than ever as we continue to be immersed so fully in digital space, mundane settings, physical isolation, and Zoom screens for hours and days on end.

How can we get back to humanity when we are confined and isolated as we attempt to respect the parameters of this pandemic? This is where we as creative people can use our superpowers to find ourselves again. We need to rediscover the once effortlessly vibrant human that lies within each of us… the same person who has been confined to a Zoom screen with bad wifi, while simultaneously rocking a case of dry-eye and neck pain from a desk made of pillows. Not to mention, no hugs in days.

Let’s promise to do one thing to reconnect with ourselves. Don’t overwhelm yourself with something unrealistic. Have fun with this challenge… play hookie and walk around a neighborhood you’ve never been to. Turn off your phone for 12 hours and go for a hike with a sketchbook. Get together with a friend for a pandemic art creative session using only physical materials. Ask a stranger for a socially distant coffee. Make a late fall bonfire and s’mores with neighbors. Roll around in a leaf pile with a snorkel on (pix or it didn’t happen). Bring your inner child back. This is what we need.

I’m not sure if anyone will read this, but if it even encourages one of you re-connect with yourself and disconnect with your screen for a little bit. more, I’ve done my job here. Signing off…