In the before times, before COVID that is, we were spoiled at the notion of going out to meet friends and family at restaurants, parks, and on vacations seemingly whenever we wanted. Even the idea of flaking or rescheduling to lie instead on our couches doing nothing seemed normal and decadent. Never before would we have imagined that we would be confined and socially distanced from our loved ones and coworkers for such a long time in forced isolation. Oh to go back to that time. A term heard recently is Coronacoaster. 

Coronacoaster, noun: The ups and downs of a pandemic. One day you're loving your bubble, doing workouts, baking sourdough bread and going for long walks and the next you're crying, drinking gin for breakfast and missing people you don't even like.

Many of us have felt this ebb and flow of emotions. To take the edge off, we've become great connaisseurs of media from our phones, TVs, and tablets while we watch streaming services on demand or endlessly scroll. Many have taken up new hobbies like guitar, baking, or exercise. Those in my own household are now playing guitar, piano, (quite poorly but we're trying) and our ability to keep a garden alive and producing is shocking to all involved. People are sharing their stories online, the successes and the hardships, and we thought we'd share our favorites distractions, that aren't NETFLIX or Amazon Prime, and educational platforms with you. 

Design Blogs:

Hunker:  


We get lost in the pages of this home improvement and design blog constantly. The articles feed one into another and before you know it you've redesigned your closets, cleaned your oven with organic cleaner you made yourself, and created homemade gifts from your recycling bin for your whole family. 

Christen Ales Design on Insta:

Watch out! You'll get sucked into her beautiful world of gorgeous style and textiles and be charmed by her fun personality and cute family. Don't miss her website for more inspiration here.

Apartment Therapy:

This staple of the design world will keep your brain occupied in those moments when COVID has you overwhelmed. The bright spaces and innovative design will help your creative juices flow and perhaps inspire your next DIY project.

Clay Imports:

Getting excited about tile isn't something we thought we'd ever we'd experience but with each photo on Austin's own Clay Imports Instagram page we are more inspired to tile everything!

Educational Apps & Sites:

TED.com:


If you haven't been introduced to TED before this then you're welcome. There isn't a more interesting, inspiring, or educational site out there that covers so many various topics discussed by incredibly interesting speakers. Get on and search for a topic or, better yet, see where TED will take you organically.

MasterClass:


This one isn't free but it offers an amazing array of classes given by the best instructors in their industry. Learn fashion from Anna Wintour, learn guitar from Tom Morello, or conservation from Jane Goodall. It's amazing!

Udemy Online Classes:


This is another favorite that, while not free, gives the most bang for your buck. You can learn about topics from basic WordPress design to neuroscience for parents, from baking to enneagram. There is seriously something for everyone at a very reasonable price with frequent sales.

Games:

Best Fiends:


This is a puzzle game we can't get enough of right now. It's easy to play but challenging enough to keep you occupied for as long of a break as you need. I don't pay for any of the additional stuff but they make it super easy to play without the microtransactions.

Monument Valley:


This one from a few years ago has aged well and offers a gentle yet beautiful puzzle experience. You can get it from the app store on your phone. I bet you can't put it down once you start! Also, we read that there is a movie in the works based on this one. Should be interesting!

Words With Friends:

This is one we deleted a while ago and then came back to during the pandemic as a way to reach out to and play with friends and family. It's fun to interact with folks you can't see whenever you want over a game like this. I highly recommend getting your quaran-team on board with this one.

While we're all separated during the upside downtimes, we hope that you take some inspiration from this and find something new to occupy your brain with. Learn something new, play something new, record and share something new. Whatever you do, let us know about it! We want to know what games you're playing and what is keeping you occupied these days.