Items

• 2020-04

  Getting our Time Back

  During our everyday lives, we tend to lose so much of our time that we'd like to spend doing things we enjoy such as spending time with family or even just doing hobbies. For example, when you have to work all week you usually spend at least half your weekend catching up on personal chores. During the Covid-19 Pandemic, my family and I were able to get back some of the time we had been spending at school and work, we were able to spend time together instead. We were able to have movie nights, game nights, and meals at the table, and we just enjoyed being together overall. This is so important to me because I value every second I spend with my loved ones, and I was glad we really got a chance to bond during a very stressful time for everyone.
• 
  2021-12

  How My Life Has Changed

  My life feels weird. I feel like everything almost moved too fast, but not fast enough. I think due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we all have a weird feeling of how time works. It seems almost as if the days pass by faster than I can imagine, let alone each month. I blink and the semester is practically at a close. My life feels busy. My days are consumed with school work and nannying, as almost every week feels the same. I try to incorporate different aspects of my daily life into each day to have a feeling of change, yet also normalcy. I personally have faced academic and personal challenges. I feel as though I do not have the same energy I did when in the classroom. I felt like I have lost my passion for learning, as it almost feels more forced than it did before. To do all your work through a computer screen is not easy, let alone to do it for years on end. Personally, I have had a hard time with a lack of communication with family and friends. Some of my peers and I discussed the difficulty with just talking to people now! It just feels so strange. The sudden change to college was weird. I started off at a University and hated it. I think due to COVID, I had a hard time picking out what I needed in a school, as I also didn't know how the upcoming school year would look with the pandemic. I feel as though I have adapted, but I wish things could go back to the way they were. Nothing feels the same anymore and I feel as if my life is slipping through my fingers. Therefore, I try to embrace the time I do have, even though we are still living through the midst of a pandemic.
• 
  2020-11-14T06:24:00

  Seconds to life

  Time can only tell what the future holds in front of us. Two years into this pandemic and time had drained, some having more in the hour glass than others. Cherish the times where you are able to do your favorite things with family. When the time strikes, the unpredictable occurs without a warning in sight. Never take advantage of items in your possession. Never make complaints. Never compare your life to others. The human body is unpredictable to even the highest honor of physicians, be attentive towards loved ones. Most importantly, cherish your own circumstances; there will be days of sorrow and days of joy. Live life to the fullest before your time has reached the gotten of the hole.
• 
  2020-08-22

  HIST30060: Lockdown Knitting

  (HIST30060) Like the people that learnt to bake sourdough, completed dozens of puzzles or took up running; I decided that learning to knit would serve to occupy the time between work and study that didn't involve Netflix. This represents how I benefitted in part from Melbourne's lengthy lockdowns, as opposed to people who may have struggled with added responsibilities like guiding children through schooling on zoom or working in healthcare on the frontlines of the pandemic. Knitting also acted as something I could mark my time with; this picture was taken on my birthday when I decided to make my first jumper. Instead of remembering this time as purely disheartening, with the news of a re instating of lockdown in late August 2020, I also remember it as an exciting period where I really honed in on my new craft.
• 2021-08

  2 Years

  We just got back from a concert in central California. Suddenly, we realized our last concert and last trip out of town was to the same winery, for the same band, with the same friends, on the same weekend in August 2019. How much has changed since then! Felt like yesterday, but also a lifetime ago. Hopefully it won't be another two years before we can see a concert, go to a play or movie theater, sporting event, travel, get back to work, or even leave the house without a mask. Hopefully...
• 
  2021-07-23

  Time

  For me, the pandemic brought a new found attention to the passing of time. My hope for a post-pandemic life is one where we continue to find time for the things we most appreciate and enjoy - like a walk on the beach at low tide.
• 
  2021-03-21

  A tale of the babka

  If you had asked me if I was a baker prior to the year 2020, I would have unequivocally said no. A cook? Yes. But a baker? Absolutely not. But that was before the global Covid-19 pandemic. I worked in the cruise industry prior to the pandemic and I travelled a lot for my job. I was not home enough to really jump into and try to master baking. Following mandatory quarantine in March 2020, I suddenly had extra time on my hands. Further, I was laid-off from my job in early June and ended-up with even more time on my hands. Like so many around the world during quarantine, I took up baking. But unlike the many who tried sourdough, I started with making standard wheat breads and then went straight to enriched breads like babkas or challahs. The photos I am attaching here show my progression as a baker. My first babka was fine and tasted great, but as you can see, I have improved in technique and in flavor over time. My favorite babka recipe comes from King Arthur Flour. As a new baker, I relied on the King Arthur Flour website for flour and yeast tips, baking tools, and recipes. I was too hesitant to add walnuts the first time and I accidently used a quick-rise east instead of standard yeast. As time went on, I felt more comfortable adding walnuts and raisins. I also felt more comfortable working with the dough to perfect the twisting technique of the babka. I relied on trial-and-error for most of my recipes, but I also watched all episodes of the Great British Baking Show and found some videos that gave me the basics of flour, yeast, and water. My family were very surprised by this newfound baking skill. But they enjoyed tasting the results. I have enjoyed bringing people together over food – and I have enjoyed giving loaves as gifts. I am still trying new bread recipes and plan on continuing to bake even as life slowly returns to our new normal.
• 2021-08-04

  Covid Loop

  March of 2020 started like every other March in my life. I was at school worried about my grades, and getting ready for football in the fall. The last day before spring break would be the last time I would enter a classroom for about 5 months. After the shock of realizing the school is closed for the rest of the school year came the simple-minded exciment of a teen with too much time on their hands. The exciment quickly turnt to boredom. The days dragged on, they blurred together so much it was hard to keep track of the day of the week. The fear of catching and spreading a unknown sickness kept me at home. Once the sickness entered my home I was bound to my room like a prisoner in a cell. In my room I'd wake up, grab a granola bar, play video games, grab something for lunch, play video games, and flop back into bed once I was exhausted enough to sleep. Time had no meaning, I went to bed when I was tired, and played video games while I was awake. All the vidoe games kept me engaged and gave the days some meaning. After months stuck in this loop, I was finally able to go out and see other people. School started again shorly after, which is a whole other story.
• 
  2020

  Humorous Memes

  During quarantine I collected many humorous memes about staying at home and the problems that brought. All sorts of subjects were covered: cooking, getting along with your spouse/roommates, homeschooling the kids, learning to bake bread, being stuck at home, sanitizing, facemasks, people hoarding toilet paper, boredom, effects of isolation, etc. Here are a few of those memes.
• 
  2021-03-22

  #JOTPYLesson from wanderlust_wilsons

  wanderlust_wilsons With all this extra time...I pushed myself to get back into running and biking 🚲🏃🏼 #JOTPYlesson
• 
  2021-04-15

  Victory Garden

  A photo of the garden I have started - the pandemic has given me more time at home to tend to something like a garden.
• 
  2021-03-14

  #JOTPYSilver from Kiki

  My silver lining is more time to just play with my kids. My daughter is a 4th grader and I’m guessing the days of Legos, costumes, and acting out plays with stuffed animals will be fading away sooner than later. Having this year at home to enjoy these moments before teenage interests become more fun than playing with her mom, dad, and little brother is something I’m very grateful for.
• 
  02/22/2021

  Robert Williams Oral History, 2021/02/22

  This interview is with Robert Williams who speaks about how working from home during the pandemic had some positive impacts.
• 
  2021-02-11

  Mini Oral History with Dianna Sundell, 02/11/2021

  This is an oral history of my mom, Dianna Sundell, sharing that being able to spend a lot more time with her grandkids (my kids) and having time to bake and make crafts have been positives of the pandemic. The picture is of cinnamon rolls she made based off a copycat Disneyland recipe.
• 
  2020-10-19

  Olivine and their Art

  Sometimes all we have to do in times of stillness is to create, and with some people lucky enough to be granted with a few extra bits of time they create, whether for projects for an art class or for personal reasons, humanity will always be able to communicate complex ideas through the ideography we all know that is art. Olivine is a friend of mine and I wish to share art from all walks of life to this archive to share the story of individual artists and how they speak to us through their art. Whether it be emotion or just an idea for a story, it will always translate between languages and cultures.
• 
  2021-01-16

  Year of the Bibliophile

  Throughout the pandemic, I have committed myself to read something every day, for a minimum of 30 minutes. Whether I am reading opt eds from the Jacobin (my favorite news source), researching academic and scholarly articles, or just immersing myself in a really great work of fiction, I have enjoyed the challenge immensely! I am also here to make the case that reading can be done virtually anywhere. Now, take a moment to consider how you can take full advantage of your busy life to get some reading done. A fifteen-minute break at work, an audiobook during rush hour, perhaps some light reading before bed? Active and mindful reading has not only improved my reading comprehension, but on a more simplistic level; it is a great conversation starter for people who love reading. Finding connection through literature during these trying times has been such a saving grace for me, and I am confident it can do the same for you. -Solidarity
• 2021-01-07

  Christmas in Lockdown

  Christmas in lockdown felt somewhat surreal. Because there was danger outside, in the streets, and a new president, it was very chaotic. The holiday did seemed rushed as well. Everyone felt the same-it was too fast, and felt off. I hope this year we can end off the holidays with a more positive note and spend more time appreciating it.
• 2020-09-07

  Today's Daily Thought... Semester Journal

  This journal entry was written as a part of the American Studies class at California High School in San Ramon, California. I cannot believe it is already almost fall. I was thinking about it yesterday and it makes me really sad. Quarantine took so much of our normal life away, and it all just went by too fast. When I really think about it, so much has happened and changed for me over these months and some of which I wish never ended or changed. All the good times I had feel like a blur and all the rough times went by so slow. I wish I remembered more. In a usual year, I would look forward to Labor Day so much. This year I didn’t get to do what I normally do. Labor day usually comes by so slow because I just cannot wait for it to happen but this year it passed me up. Lately that has been all I could think about.
• 2020-09-23

  life during Covid-19

  This journal entry was written as a part of the American Studies class at California High School in San Ramon, California Throughout Covid-19, I’ve learned that I don’t really have any hobbies or anything that interests me because I realized all I did was playing video games after school. So I changed myself to be more active by doing some workouts and reading every day. Even though the first try didn’t work very well to keep my routine organize, I felt it was getting better each day since there’s much time I can spend my time on myself. I hope this would make my life a little better.
• 
  2020-07-27

  Australian Health Worker quote on exhaustion

  Many of us feel too tired, but we know that we still have several weeks of this to go. Quote from Female aged 52, Specialist Care Doctor. Image created by the Health Worker Voices project: https://mspgh.unimelb.edu.au/healthworkervoices
• 2020-11-21

  Time

  During COVID-19 I had three family members die. The hospitals were not allowing visitors, one thing I would want back from the pandemic was time.
• 
  2020-11-05

  Lethargic Lockdown

  HIST30060 - In reviewing this 'plague' year, I feel that there can be no simple way of explaining the whirlwind of emotions that seemed to fluctuate just as readily and sporadically as our daily covid- case numbers did back in April and May. My first uploaded image is a photograph I took of a note that was found in our letterbox in Balwyn, which we received on the 7th of April. Later we discovered it was made by two younger girls who lived at the bottom of our street, who had been writing similar letters for all our neighbours too! I felt it was very important in this unprecedented time to cherish the small acts of kindness, particularly given the emotional state of lockdown. Despite their relative insignificance, it is these small communal acts which I will cherish, which keep us connected to those around us, while ironically social distancing at the same time. Similarly, the young sisters who made the card are the same age as my niece, 9 years old. I often look at this card and think of how their youth has been irrevocably changed in this pandemic. My second image is a photo I took of Mills beach in Mornington on the 31st of July. I think it will always remind me of the occasion where I snuck down to the Beach, on the premise of doing some 'maintenance' at a family property, which was what I explained to the police who were patrolling the highway. My father has had his bouts with pneumonia in the past, so the family decided that if he could conduct his work from home, then it would be best to get of Melbourne. So my mum and dad were staying down the in Mornington from late March and came back to Melbourne around the start of November. Although we would routinely call eachother on zoom, this photo in a way commemorates the time where I had to sneak down to the beach in order to see them. Though a beautiful sunset at mills beach, there also is a sense of morbid beauty and unease to the photo. It was the only time I think I have ever seen such beautiful weather and calm water, with no boats or people in sight. The third image is a screenshot from a facebook invitation to a party which was created in early March. The guys that made the group event had originally planned to host a get together by December. I think in a sense this does give some explanation in regards to the expectations of corona, and the hysteria that was surrounding it in early March. I think as explained in the screenshot, although we didn't know what to expect, all we did know was that "the next few months are gonna be very long." Recently they updated the invitation from a party that will maybe happen in March next year. Although it may be some form of normality to look forward to, I think that this year more than any other we have learnt to prepare for the worst. Though it is currently listed to go ahead around March next year, part of me thinks it will be delayed again. My fourth image is a screenshot I took from an instagram page called "melb_lockdown," which was created in early April this year. It is an instagram page that features many artful collections of the Melbourne CBD area in black and white photographs. As one who often indulges in photography myself, I think the artist behind the instagram page is always trying to send a message with his work. I think what strikes me most is naturally seeing images of one of the 'most liveable' cities in the world, which is now devoid of the very things that have have given the city it's -claim-to-fame.' The once frenetic energy and vibrancy of the busy Melbourne CBD is now lifeless, colourless, and painfully mundane. My last image, is a meme that a friend of mine sent me. Similarly it is a an Instagram page called 'Covid 19 Funny Memes.' Though very funny, it also highlights a lot of the communal attitudes that have fluctuated and changed through out the pandemic. In late February/ early March, I believe that because it the pandemic was largely still a distant story that was affecting Europe more readily and Australia, it was something we really engaged in a kind of hysteria with. Because we hadn't experienced it, it was something we couldn't truly understand. Certainly these sought of humorous memes were not being created back then. But now I feel having lived with the pandemic for the last 8-9 months, people's attitudes have altered so much. I think because we are now more prepared to satirise, mock or create humorous memes is not to suggest that we have become apathetic towards the pandemic, but I think it shows that we are 'over it.' I think now living with this shadow over our lives for 8 months has taken its toll, and humour may be one way we can attempt to disassociate ourselves from this monotonous cycle.
• 
  2020-08-29

  Building of the house next door: progression

  These are two images of the house being built on the block behind us. Due to us being home all of the time, we have been able to see the slow progress of the house being built. I was looking at this house being built so often, to the point where it wasn’t until two months later that I actually noticed just how much progress had been made. To me, these photos signify the daily repetition of our lives during the pandemic, especially during the lockdown periods. The picture showing the least amount of progress was taken on August 29, 2020 and the one showing more progress was taken on October 30, 2020. HIST30060
• 
  2020-04-03

  HIST30060: It's still May?

  HIST30060: I came across this cartoon on the Instagram story of Melbourne writer Zoe Foster-Blake when it felt like we were in our 5-thousanth day of April. Like historians summarize months, years and decades of time into short essays and books, movies condense long periods of time into montages. However, this past year I have really felt every minute of what would normally condensed.
• 
  2020-10

  Apollo

  As per quarantine, most people have had more time to create. With that time, my friend Apollo has drawn out a picture of him and his boyfriend. As with a lot of queer individuals, art can be a form of escapism and it certainly has come to flourish with the times of quarantine as many closeted individuals find it harder to grow in less than great positions.
• 
  2020-10-14

  Time to Cook

  Before the onset of the corona virus and the lockdowns and quarantines that followed, I had a pretty routine schedule. I would wake up around 7:15am and I would not get home again until about 7pm. Normally I would make something easy for dinner that I could have at least another night in a row. Usually it would just be a meat and a vegetable with fruit for dessert. I would cook the vegetables and the meat in the same pan to save myself the clean up time later as I would normally go to bed around 11pm and not want to waste any more time cleaning than I had to. I also would not stray too far from recipes that I was comfortable with. I would be very upset if I made something terrible after a ling day at work. However now with quarantine, I work from home and my schedule has become quite different. I am able to sleep in a little longer as I do not have to commute anymore. As soon as I am finished work I am already home and can start making dinner as soon as I want. This extra time gives me more flexibility to try new recipes and take chances on foods I may not have tried otherwise. On my lunch break I am able to go food shopping so I am not limited by what ingredients I have on hand. For this meal that I made and posted pictures of, it would be a rare treat to get this on a worknight before COVID-19. This meal took longer, used more ingredients, involved more pots and pans, and took longer to clean up than any pre-quarantine meal that I would make. Yet the payoff was absolutely delicious. To have pan seared scallops in a creamy garlic sauce over wheat spaghetti on a random Wednesday night is one of the few bright sides of quarantine. I am looking forward to the day when all restrictions are lifted and life returns to normal but I will surely miss all the extra time I have to try new recipes, to have my kitchen filled with new and unique scents and for my taste buds to experience diverse ranges of cuisines that my normal schedule precluded.
• 
  2020-04-09

  Food Storage Sourdough Bread

  The pandemic caught me unprepared in many ways. I did not expect to run out of flour or yeast. I regularly bake rolls, muffins, cookies, and other treats several times a week. Just a day before New York shut down, I was at my local wholesale club stocking up on freezer items and canned goods, but could not find yeast or flour. The flour and yeast shortage was real and lasted for months in New York. Sourdough bread recipes started to circulate and I realized it was time to break out our food storage. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I have approximately a year's worth of dry canned whole wheat in my basement. My husband started the sourdough starter. As a the scientist in our family, I figured he would be up to the challenge of experimenting with a starter. After two weeks of tending his starter, he pulled out the wheat grinder. The grinder loudly screamed through the house as a fine flour sifted through the blades. A warm, homey smell settled in the kitchen. Then, he set about making the bread--a twenty-four hour affair. The tang of the starter smelled promising. The last hour of baking we smelled the rich smell of the bread baking in the hot oven. When he pulled it out, we could hardly wait to taste it. The jagged dark crust had the hallmarks of an artisanal loaf of bread. It smelled so good, earthy and hearty. After it cooled, he sliced the bread, cracking through the rough crust into the perfectly textured inside. The flavor was perfectly tangy, with a gorgeous whole wheat texture. Before the pandemic, my husband worked long hours at his lab and would never have had the time to make a loaf of bread that required so many steps and 24 hours. And before, we never had the need to make a starter or to use our food storage wheat.
• March 26, 2020

  COVID Share Your Story #RITtigers #9, Mechanical Engineering Major's Point of view

  Most significantly, I was torn from a place where I finally fit in with my blacksmithing and welding and general maker mindset, and went back to a place where everyone plays basketball and farms, and can’t talk about anything else. I finally fit in somewhere, and it got cut short. I learned to find myself, and now I know that my not fitting in was by no means my fault. I know to stay connected with those who care about me, not necessarily those physically nearby. I know to balance my time better next year. If I could give a message to myself at the start of this semester, what would I say? Take time away from club work, no matter how much they need you, and spend time with your friends. Balance your time.
• 
  2020-07-10

  Friday Art Notes: Riffs on Real Time

  Essay written by the Barbara Lee Chief Curator of the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston, reflecting on a piece of art in the museum's collection. This specific essay highlights the photographic series Rifts on Real Time, created by Leslie Hewitt. The essay itself reflects on the concept of time during of time during the pandemic, and the large amounts of time people have spent inside. In relating the thesis of the art to a common experience for some during the pandemic, the essay highlights how museums are relating their collections to the experiences of living in 2020.
• 
  2020-06-19

  The COVID-19 Experience of a High School Student

  I chose an image of a clock and of a student working. If there is one thing I have learned during this pandemic, it is that I have a lot of time. I have been utilizing this time to exercise more, study for longer periods of time and also just to enjoy myself. The image of the student represents the amount of work that I have had to do online. School has been completely different with the online work rather than going to school five days a week in real life. These two items represent two of the most important factors of my pandemic experience.
• 
  2020-06-01

  Covid Disorientation

  This meme describes the disorientation of having the daily routine suddenly gone because of quarantine.
• 
  05/10/2020

  Poem about Covid-19 by Robin Kay Bell

  Robin Kay Bell marvels at the return of nature during Covid-19 as humans shelter in place.
• 2020-05-22

  It is extremely weird to think...

  It is extremely weird to think that we are living through history right now. I mean, yes, we always are, but this time it is different. This is one of those things that future generations will study in their history classes. Countless terms have been manipulated into our everyday speech and obsessively ingrained in our thoughts: Pandemic, Coronavirus, Quarantine, Social Distance… These titles which seem to be taking over news headlines and social media will end up only a chapter in history. The coronavirus won’t be the main focus of our lives anymore. Right now that sounds impossible, but in time, the obsession will expend itself. It will dissipate, and somehow, things will go back to normal. So, how will we keep history in check? How will we make sure all of our stories go unforgotten? Everyone misses life right now. COVID-19 has killed millions and damaged families and changed all of our lives. Information surrounding the pandemic is reported 24/7. There is never a minute of silence. Frankly, it really depresses me. Just waiting for good news, I focus so much on the most recent developments and news stories. All I really seek, though, is to skip forward to better times. I am a junior in high school. I just turned 17 last month, and I could never explain how exciting the prospect of going back to school is or to even think about attending college next fall! Yet, I’m so nervous that all those experiences are going to be somehow lesser. There is just so much to look forward to, and I’m really scared that I won’t get to fully experience any of it. That no one will. I’m preoccupied with this notion that time is fleeting. However short or long my life may be, it pains me to know that I’ll never be able to fully live it. It’s just not possible. I have to try my best, but life really is too short. That’s why you have to live every single day and make the most of all that comes your way. I take these months, and I’ve used them lazily and without passion. Sure, this time has provided me with college research opportunities and family time, but I want to be out there doing something. I don’t quite know what that means, but it’s more of a feeling rather than a set idea. And not being able to do anything...it sucks. It spawns feelings of purposelessness. But in truth, I only hope to somehow come out stronger and happier. Despite the tragedies that plague us, I’ve made it my mission to find the good in every single day. And I can only hope that all of us can uncover these moments together. To better times. XOXO. Sophie :)
• 
  04/05/2020

  Life at home during the Coronavirus isolation. People are finding that they have a lot of time on their hands--especially at first. Then a "new normal" set in and people became busier.

  During the beginning of the shelter at home order, people were trying to figure out what to do with their time. #homelife, #isolation, #shelterathome, #naps, #eating #ASU #HST580
• 
  05/06/2020

  Circling

  The students are 6th graders at Colorado Academy, a PreK - 12 independent day school in Denver, Colorado. After departing for Spring Break, and not returning to physical school, the students began Learning From Home and taking classes via Zoom. After 8 days in this “new school” the students wrote reflections on their “new reality." They were given complete freedom to craft any type of statement that tapped into their emotions about the change forced upon them by the Coronavirus pandemic. Please note that neither of these pieces was edited by me or by their parents (they actually had not see them until I asked for permission, and I did not read them until they were turned in to be graded).
• 
  2020-04-20

  The Great Indoors

  Poem attempting to capture the mood of stay at home orders and social distancing.
• 
  2020-03-12

  Mr. Atherton's Pandemic Journal

  Semi-daily journal recording the thoughts of a California middle school history teacher in the early days of the pandemic, shared with his students as he wrote it.
• 
  2020-04-26

  My Isolation

  Gennady Khodov provides his reflections on quarantine
• 
  2020-04-24

  Making the worst of it.

  Everyone on Earth has more time than they have had or will ever have again. Luckily for many people, they have been able to do so much. I have not been doing as much as I should be doing. But, that might be ok. I might as well do some relaxing while I have the change, but I also need to keep working so I don't lose too much time. There is much to do and much time to do nothing as well.
• 
  2020-04-23

  Covid, my beaded snake, demonstrates 2 meters of social distancing

  Beaded at about 3 hours a day (= 3 inches), Covid both recorded the passage of time and provided diversion, though truth be told, I’m rather enjoying this time out. There are various event and day markers built into the strand that also provide memory points in its construction.
• 
  2020-04-21

  PARENTHESIS

  A vídeo of the skies during the quarantine.
• 
  2020-04-01

  China Covers Up Severity

  China has been caught now in two major lies. The first early on lying about the numbers that debatably made it a global pandemic and not they are being caught in yet another lie surrounding the death rates and total infection.