Take Away Twenty (-17 Part 4)
Photo by Mistofer Christopher - Intension Design Desk and my busy workspace.
“Tidy Desk. Tidy Mind. Cluttered Desk. Busy Mind.”
After 4 months of Quarantine had passed, I began to tire of sitting down all day. Sitting defeats glute goals. Enter the tripod standing desk pro, a walnut desk that can be adjusted from 2.8 feet to 6 feet tall. Regardless of whether or not you are a seven foot tall human, average size, or small version, this desk is for you. I can stand, sit, dance, throw scarves in the air, demonstrate squats and duck walks or maintain graceful carriage for video presentations. And when everything is over, I pack it up, place the tripod in a bag and take it to the park, a picnic, a lake, and play monopoly, chess, Uno and Kaluki. (Visit their website and use promo CM20 to receive a discount if you need to acquire one for yourself)
“Why did they label it social distancing? It’s physical distancing. You can’t take the social out of humans.” Mistofer Christopher
When I first heard of Zoom, I immediately thought of the 90’s Mazda commercial in which the midwestern, pale little boy stood on the side of the interstate, dressed in shirt and tie on the side of the freeway and whispered Zoom-Zoom. What are you doing there by yourself, little boy?
Zoom has facilitated early bird coffee talk, family reunions, music concerts, poetry readings, creative brainstorm sessions, religious meetings, volunteer work, happy hours, charades, dance-offs, virtual classes, movie nights, Bible Workshops, a date. I have been able to connect with friends from different lifetimes and regions of the world. One day my Texan friend introduced me to her little Nigerian dwarf goat and the next day I was in Cyprus on an anger management Bible workshop. Then, I took a walk in the Amish market in Indiana past the black buggies where they sell crack donuts. Next I went to a spoken-word event in Florida where under the spoken writ, weavers wove verbs with wit, whemmling words and phrases as they upend everything in the Mind Wunderkammer.
My favorite zoom memory is Tea-time. BYOT. Bring your own tea or other adult liquid comfort. The appointment was for 9:30 EST. By 10:00 EST time, after comparing notes on drinks, Amijah** said with a slightly pained and hesitating confessional voice: “Guys, I have to tell you something.”
“What’s up?” a voice chirped.
“It’s kind of hard.” Amijah answered.
“Let’s make it easy for you.” I said turning off my video. One by one we turned off our videos. Then the names on the screens started to change to: Friar Tuck, Peter, Mary, The Godfather, Hesus Cristo, Your Mother. At first she was puzzled, then she burst into laughter and started to talk. There’s something cathartic about the black box of confessional.
Namaste means: Nah…Imma stay in bed today. Sometimes you just need to stay in bed for another snooze cycle. Sleep is medicine.
Get up and Go Music for movement, motivation.
a. Booty Swing – Parov Stelar
b. Restless Leg Syndrome- Sharitt Casette
c. We No Speak Americano - Yolanda Be Cool & DCUP
d. Khatwet Serena (Serena’s Step) – Hossam Ramzy
e. Wicked Games – Para for Cuva Feat. Anna Naklab
f. Whiskey Bird – Hazmat Modine
“I ordered a chicken and an egg from Amazon. I’ll let you know what happens.”
**Amijah– (French, friend of Jah) name has been changed.