Temporary titles for temporary times

Well, it's been a long time since I wrote in the blog. To be honest, my kids got busy and I didn't make time for my art or my writing. I have since decided that it is crucial to my soul that I keep creating, so I don't yell at my kids or myself. Or eat too much candy, or get sucked into Twitter or Netflix or all the other distractions that keep us from the creative life.

As I write this, we are at the end of day 2 of the coronavirus social quarantine. My kids are home from school for the next 3 weeks and I am trying to work with them in the apartment. My husband's office has also been closed & shit over here is real. Our 900 square feet, 2 bedroom offers no relief from each other & there has been some tension. The spare TV was moved into the kids bedroom, so that their screentime will not interfere with the "office" in the living room and the second "office" in our bedroom. As we live in a condo community with many older folks, we have been taking the stairwell up & down 27 floors! That's right, I now have a free gym membership and will one day utter these words to younger generations: " Back when we had the corona pandemic we had to walk up and down 27 floors with our groceries! So quite your pissin and moanin. And give grandma some social distancing."

I'm trying to keep the kids busy with activities and adventures other than the screens.....which has temporarily made me a teacher, a chef, an adventure guide, a baseball coach(although I'm terrified of the ball) and a therapist. I take each day as it comes and hour by hour. We are in this together. Before this past week, I would scream about too much screen time & feel guilty for letting my kids have too much of it on bad days. Now, on day 2 that ship has sailed!

But, in this time, we have to be gentle with ourselves and it's Ok to have the screens parent our kids if we need to work or think or hide or cry.

This shit is scary.

I was originally gonna name this painting
"Screen time is OVER!"
But, in light of the current situation, the temporary title is now:

Screen time is OVER / I'm trying to work, go find something to watch on a screen
11x14 Acrylic & googly eyes on canvas with 1.5 inch profile 

I'm trying to work, go find something to watch on a screen!

As my late mother in law always said: "Take care of each other"
So, that's what I plan to do.
-Cheree