A Letter to My Community
Published April 17, 2020
Dear Foodies,
I know it’s been a while since I’ve posted.
Like many of you, I’m experiencing a new way of life due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Remote work, closing of local business, and online teaching are a few of the changes I’m sure you’ve experienced as well. I hope that you are staying safe and healthy during this time.
If you’ve been a reader of this blog, you know I’m a stay-in-your-lane type of gal. I only write about food though I have interests in many industries.
But today, I’d like to talk about more than food. I’d like to check-in with all of you and share a bit of what I’ve been up to.
While this may be a step outside of my normal foodie post, I think it’s important to share the ways we’re surviving this pandemic, and connect with one another as a support system.
Social Distancing and Working Remote
I’m lucky that my full-time job is agile enough to pivot to remote work. I’m still doing a normal workday, just from my kitchen table. This week marked one month since our company started working remotely.
I love working digitally. I save at least five hours a day without my commute, which gives me time to work on my hobbies, take care of my house, and spend time with my family.
The challenging part of social distancing is the need to constantly be connected.
I’ve finally scheduled a routine that allows me to take breaks and look away from my computer. Group chats, emails, and meetings pop up frequently, making it stressful to step away from the computer.
I find that it’s helpful in the mornings to set task lists for the day, so that I have something consistent to work on — both personally and professionally. That way during my breaks and after work, I continue to accomplish the goals/tasks that matter most to me.
I will also say this: Just because we’re trapped in our homes doesn’t mean you have to be productive.
It’s not all true that you have to “use this time of social distancing to better yourself.” Sometimes, you need to spend a day in bed binge-watching Netflix. Sometimes, you’ll want to cook a ten-course meal for dinner. Life is about balance, and I encourage you to find yours.
Staying Creative
Since I haven’t been blogging about food, I thought you might be interested in the other creative activities I’m doing outside of my work hours.
If you’re a part of Instagram’s art community, you can see the flood of artist appreciation posts, free art tutorials, and art challenges to keep people occupied while they’re social distancing.
Drawing challenges like #Quarantober (which is a play on the popular #Inktober challenge), allow artists to participate in daily prompts where people share their interpretations of the prompt’s challenge.
I’ve decided to participate in #Quarantober and have successfully shared one new illustration per day.
While that may not sound like a big deal, for a perfectionist like me, that’s a win. Normally I spend weeks working on a drawing, because I try to translate the complex image in my head onto the page. Having to complete a drawing per day has allowed me to be more organic with what I create.
Over the course of #Quarantober (which is a few days from ending!), I’ve tested new techniques, learned how to animate simple drawings, and branched outside my normal thinking when it comes to concepts.
Here are some of my favorite drawings from the challenge. I try to draw foodie images as they relate to the prompt. My style, at this point, is cartoony with attention to textures and small details.
What’s Next For Foodies?
While we don’t know when the food industry will recover from the effects of the Coronavirus, I encourage you to continue supporting your local businesses in the ways that you can.
Whether that’s sharing your favorite meals on social media, leaving a review, or ordering takeout, we can each do our part to donate and support to the businesses and communities in our lives.
For the K. Martinelli blog, I hope to start consistently sharing recipe videos, as I had done in the past. I am glad that I had a break during this time to regroup, but I’m ready to jump back into cooking.
We’re in this Together
While the United States is still in the midst of testing and reopening our economy (as are many countries around the world), I want you to know that I’m here for you, in my small piece of the internet.
Feel free to reach out through the blog or on social media. Whether you have foodie questions, or would like to talk about life, I’m happy to be available as a resource, so that we get through this time together.