Tuesday, April 7, 2020

Love In the Time Of Quarantine

I recently asked a question in the BCP Facebook group, and I received the kind of wonderful answers I've come to expect from our readers. The answers were so good I felt like they deserved to be compiled here.

The question was "A couple friends of mine got together right about the time this quarantine really kicked off. It's making dating a bit more difficult for them, as all their normal activities have kinda dried up. So, I want to put together a list for them. Let's call it Love In the Time Of Quarantine. Give me your best ideas for dates in this strange time."
  • My first idea was Netflix and Chill, for whatever your definition of "chill." I'm a movie buff and kind of a homebody, so that one is right up my alley, and got a few recommendations in the group. There was also a recommendation for Netflix Party, which allows you to watch movies in sync even when you're not together. Even without a quarantine, this is a pretty cool trick.
  • A few folks suggested board games. This can be incredible, or incredibly dangerous. Be sure you know your partner well, and pick safe board games. Quarantine is not the time for Risk or Monopoly.
  • If it's safe and legal in your area, go enjoy a park, maybe even take a picnic. Conversation should be nice, because traffic will probably be far lighter than usual.
  • Similar to the board game suggestion, burning an evening in multiplayer video games can be a blast. Again, it's very couple-dependent, as my wife and I have very different taste in games, making this idea a non-starter for us.
  • Several folks brought up cooking dinner. This can be way more fun than it initially sounds: Turn on some tunes, break out the pans, and make something awesome! You've got an activity keeping you going for 30 minutes or more, and when you're done you have food. Everybody wins!
  • If you don't have a park or hiking trail, maybe just go for a drive. You're in your car, so you're not at risk of contracting anything, and car rides are great for both scenery and conversation. Some of my best dates even in normal times have involved long rides.
  • Cartoon Rewind. Make it Saturday morning any day of the week! Between YouTube and streaming services, all of the great cartoons of all our youths are available on demand. Forget being adults for a couple hours and embrace your inner children.
  • Throw a two-person party. Pick a decade, pick a movie, pick a theme. Bump the tunes, rock the appropriate wardrobe, and get down with your bad selves.
  • Probably my favorite suggestion on the list, from a fun and practical standpoint, is "act like teenagers that got grounded." Make phone calls or Skype while hiding under the covers for some extra amusement.
  • The suggestion I fell most in love with was to write each other letters. Not emails, but pen, paper, and postage letters. I'm a hopeless romantic, and this sings to me. I was a prolific letter-writer for many years because I had a relationship that involved a lot of letters -- not because of distance, but because the romance of it appealed to both of us. It worked for our grandparents and some of our parents, and it really is something special.
Some folks see challenges with the current social environment, and they're not wrong. Doing anything social is very tough right now, but challenges also provide opportunities and rewards for folks who are innovative and creative.

Lokidude

2 comments:

  1. I think that this will go down as one of my favorite posts. Because you don't have to be in a quarantine situation,or just dating. It is something fun that you can do with your significant other, for a change of pace,that is inexpensive, different, fun, and if you have been together for a long time, will perhaps allow for time to just sit together, maybe on a drive,and talk about your journey together, the good, and the bad, and how all parts of it have drawn you closer together.
    I know that if not for the rain, I would never have learned to appreciate the sunshine. If not for the pain, I would not have known joy. If not for loss, I would not have learned to appreciate the things that I have.

    Thank You, Loki, for this, a topic that, while slightly different from the usual bullets and beans, is the most memorable to me, because it reminds me to look for joy.

    pigpen51

    ReplyDelete
  2. When she was on the other side of the planet for work, she and I used Gaze and Rabbit. They're apps that allow you to watch movies over the internet together. I went to thrift shops and got physical DVDs, but there are lots of apps that use Netflix as well.

    ReplyDelete

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