Arts Alive San Antonio

Last week, we, here, at ARTS ALIVE SA, came up with the idea of a survey that, we thought, might lift people’s spirits at this time of fear and uncertainty. Our little survey was not scientifically designed. We just asked about 100 folks to share their experiences and tell us about the positive, comforting “silver linings” of life in semi-lockdown. Since we are an arts publication, most of those people are associated with the arts. As I said, it’s an ad-hoc survey.

Still, it was satisfying to read that so many have found productive, satisfying and creative ways to cope with imposed restrictions and life in isolation. Thank you all for sharing!

Along the way, we also learned that we probably chose the wrong week to conduct the survey. After sending the first batch of emails, we quickly received at least fifteen automatic “Out of Office” replies. The message: It’s vacation time!!!  Well, we hope you did not travel and did not vacation in crowded environments. On the other hand, if you simply decided that you needed a vacation from the tyranny of digital devices, congratulations! I need to be on a tropical island to accomplish that feat.

So, what did the respondents say?

A great deal! Common themes appeared in clusters of replies, but there were a few unique remarks, as well.

Rather than tabulate how many said X and how many said Y, we decided to list the range of positive experiences respondents told us about and quote directly from some responses. Here goes!

• Rediscovering the great outdoors. Many discovered and explored parks and natural areas in Bexar County which provided both physical and mental benefits. One mother said: “We have spent countless hours on the Salado Creek Greenway biking and watching the expansion grow and grow… The pandemic has forced us to prioritize outdoor adventures allowing us more time to visit state parks for hikes and dips in the river.”

Another person wrote: “Just more time outside with mother nature,” and quite a few others basically echoed that in various ways, including working in the garden. A well-known writer talked about improved health. “Because of all the walking and working out, I’m feeling healthier than ever. A strange thing to say during a pandemic, but it’s true. I’ve caught fewer colds than normally come with winter because of being distanced from nearly everyone.” He went on to comment on all the interesting things he’s been noticing during his walks in his neighborhood.

• Reconnecting with relatives and friends. Forced isolation has spurred a need to reach out and reconnect with people who live near and far. One woman who loves to travel noted: “I found myself keeping in touch with my friends in England, Scotland, Germany and Turkey.” Another remarked that she communicates with her distant children and grandchildren every day now. “We seem closer than ever,” she wrote. And yet another was delighted to hear from her “best childhood friend.” And a poet got to explore and understand “the dimensions of distance and the currents within closeness,” as well as “the edges of empathy.” (He’s got a seed of a poem right there!)

•  Learning new things and developing new skills. A good number of respondents have used the time to learn new things, sometimes out of necessity. Learning how to use Zoom was No. 1 “A very useful tool,” said a lawyer. “Improving my technology skills and learning new platforms,” wrote another person. This person and several others also learned how to effectively teach online. A prominent artist also spoke of getting comfortable with “virtual communities.” A novelist discovered the joy of piano playing, something she had loved to do as a child. And a flamenco dancer took the opportunity to study in Spain with prominent masters of the genre, in addition to applying for her Executive MBA degree.

• Work. Practically all respondents cited having more uninterrupted time to pursue their work and, in some cases, reinvent it to some degree, even in professions that normally require “going to the office.” 

• Tackling postponed projects. Quite a few respondents said the lockdown had finally forced them to overcome procrastination and tackle long-postponed projects such as organizing photos, decluttering closets, cleaning up the garage, and in one case, a serious downsizing to a smaller residence. Trimming trees, painting fences and planting “a COVID garden” were also mentioned. One of our dearest friends even listed a hip replacement as a project she decided to undertake in order to get ready for travel when it becomes a normal thing to do again.

• Reading. Many turned to streaming services for entertainment but reading actual books is back in a big way, at least in this group. “In 2020 we read more books than in any other year in our lives,” wrote an Austin couple. And they were hardly the only ones. Unfortunately, no one mentioned specific titles so, we can’t tell you which “pandemic books” have been most popular. 

• Food and cooking. Almost all participants mentioned cooking as an important part of what made the semi-lockdown more bearable. From trying or developing new recipes, to couples cooking together and cooking with children, it seems, that the families that cook together carry the isolation burden together.

• Other practical things.  A UTSA prof had three brief entries on his list: Reduced traffic, Reduced noise & Cleaner air. Yes, indeed, those are definitely, benefits. The organizer of a major art festival also mentioned lighter traffic, in addition to fewer people in the stores, the pleasant discovery of eating outdoors, better sleeping hours (also cited by others) and this: “The bread, sandwiches and pastries at Extra Fine Bakery. Who knew bread making like this could happen in SA!”

Saving on gas, driving less, enjoying movies at home, saving money, taking better care of pets and not having to wear heels, have all appeared in more than one email. And here’s good practical advice from a respected journalist: “If you adjust your computer camera just right and keep a suit jackets handy, you can do Zoom/Teams meetings in your pajamas and slippers.”

• Self-evaluation/ Pondering the Future. “It’s been a good way to evaluate what makes you happy and where you want your life to be,” wrote a PR specialist who decided to change jobs in the middle of the new wave of COVID spread. This attitude was shared by another respondent who said, “…. (2020) was also a year of reflection, a year when time slowed down and gave us time to reconnect with family and friends – and hopefully ourselves – in a fundamental and meaningful way. A time to rethink what the future can be…” He went on to thank “2020 for time and inspiration.”

The need to dwell “on things to be thankful for” and spend time “reflecting on life” appeared in multiple responses phrased in a number of ways. An artist friend found that the pandemic allowed her to “get in touch with the spiritual side through meditation, and being thankful for the smallest and greatest things.”

Unique comments:

“I discovered that my hair is curly.”
 “I’ve become much more inclined to shoot the finger at mean, aggressive drivers, who seem to be proliferating…”  
 “The need to help others.”
“People, for the most part, look better with masks on.”
“Because all of our venues closed, I built a stage and an outdoor amphitheater in my backyard. We have staged three live productions there so far.”
“Discovering small mom-and-pop stores all over the country (online).”
“The realization that even a garage is comfortable enough to visit with family and friends.”
“You don’t have to visit in-laws during the holidays”
“Not wanting people to touch me, is now an acceptable practice.”
“Don’t ever miss the Home Happy Hour!”
“Feeling like I am sharing an experience – even though it’s bad – with every person on earth.”

 Our remarks: As we already pointed out, this was a limited survey of a creative group of people. They indeed found silver linings to this difficult period.  We would like to add one: helping others to get through this time should be on everyone’s agenda and it’s a gratifying thing to do, in small and big ways

If the “Out-of-Office” crowd – and others – send additional insights, we’ll be happy to pass along their observations. And we would love to hear from all our readers via comments. BTW, the reason we had to limit this survey to about 100 individuals is simple: we don’t have the staff to process hundreds or thousands of entries.

                                                            HAPPY NEW YEAR!