Who said you can’t enjoy happy hours during lockdown?!
Yay, it’s the weekend folks! Though the distinction between weekday and weekend has become non-existent during lockdown for most people, it hasn’t for me. My 4-year-old is on an active online school schedule from Monday -Friday, and his first lesson of the day begins at precisely 8:05 a.m., which he must attend or he’s marked absent. I’m on a fairly good semblance of my regular routine and still get excited for the weekend.
The enthusiasm began early today morning when I woke to an email from Hotstar (an online streaming service similar to Netflix, of which I have a subscription), telling me they had partnered with Disney. I was delighted at this news, because it meant I could show my son many of my personal favourite films that weren’t available on other streaming platforms in India. These include great movies like ‘The Lion King’, ‘Toy Story’, ‘Snow White’, ‘Ice Age’, ‘The Jungle Book’ among others.
I know that it’s possible to download these movies, but I don’t support piracy of any kind and neither should you!
Today afternoon’s entertainment was “Ice Age”, which made my son curious about the geological period it was set in, and all the extinct animals which were the protagonists of the film.
Apart from allowing me to binge on movies, weekends are great since I can enjoy a drink or two without worrying about waking on time the next morning. Last couple of weekends, I’ve been catching up with friends over Whatsapp video calls or Facetime while enjoying a drink. But today I did something new. I signed up for an online Zoom ‘Happy Hours Meet and Greet’ with the members of an organisation called the Ivy Plus Network.
The founder of this organisation, Swati Sahni, set it up because she felt a disconnect among the many Ivy League University Graduates who returned to India, after pursuing their education abroad. The Ivy Plus Network regularly arranges events across various metropolitan cities of India. This month too, they have numerous online workshops and events lined up, to get people stuck in lockdown together virtually.
I signed up for the Meet and Greet happy hour, to connect with new people and see how others are dealing with the lockdown. There were about 18 of us in the chat from places as far off as Rwanda! We spoke about our lockdown routines and shared tips on staying happy and calm, and played a virtual game. It was a pleasant experience and though it didn’t top talking to close friends, it was definitely nice.
So, here’s my daily tip to beat the lockdown blues:
Find an online community with whom you have shared interests. The blogging community is kind of like that, but you can narrow the field more. If you’re a woman, then Malini’s Girl Tribe on Facebook is simply awesome. If you’re a parent, Mommy A-Z is fantastic. There are numerous options that you could check out. Recently, a friend of mine invested in a Kia Seltos car, and connected with other Kia owners on a dedicated group on Facebook! There is no limit to the power of the internet.
Another reason to love the internet is that it allows you to watch old TV shows that you grew up watching.
So, here’s my TV show recommendation for today:
“Dekh Bhai Dekh” is a classic Hindi comedy show about a large joint family in Mumbai and their hilarious shenanigans. If you’re an 80s or 90s kid from India, you’re definitely familiar with this show. Some, though not all, of the episodes can be streamed on Youtube, for the ultimate nostalgic escape. I believe its making a comeback on Doordarshan too.
My favourite TV show of all time, simply for its intelligent writing, is a science fiction thriller on Netflix known as “Dark”. This show will blow your mind!
Speaking of old school escapes, here’s a book I read as a teenager that had a profound effect on me:
“Difficult Daughters” by Manju Kapur is about an extramarital love affair that takes place in Bengal during the Partition of India. I had loved the subtle nuances and layered writing in this one. The author of this book is a friend of my mother-in-law, and now I’m privileged to be part of a writer’s group with both of them. We meet once a month (in normal times), and share our written pieces over wine and laughs. These talented women have taught me plenty on the craft of writing.
On the subject of talented women, I’m leaving you with my blogger recommendations:
That’s all for today folks.
Do check out my daily update videos on Instagram Stories for #LockdownWithTheLadyLawyer and follow me there to stay better connected. Also tell me your favourite TV Shows/ movies/ books/ bloggers with the letter D?
Do svidanya!
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This post has been written for the #AtoZChallenge 2020. My theme this year is #LockdownWithTheLadyLawyer, where I’m journaling my thoughts during the coronavirus lockdown, and sharing numerous recommendations that will help you keep your spirits up.
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