Contributor thoughts on working from home…

Living in beautiful Santa Barbara, I am all about the stay-cations with our amazing beaches, mountains and restaurants it’s never disappointing to come back from a vacation abroad

One of my favorite gems is just a 30-minute jaunt away- The Ojai Valley Inn and Spa . I go there for the day to enjoy spa treatments . They offer poolside meals while you relax sipping on cool cucumber water while gazing at old oak trees .

Since those days seem so long ago as we keep safe in this stay-at-home self-quarantine, I am making my own mini paradise right in my own backyard literally

Which comes to my recipe I have shared which (see page 29) is inspired by Ojai Spa’s Wellness bowl that I have called “Ojai Sun in a Bowl’’

With more time to do things now, I don’t have the excuse that it takes too much prep time or too busy with work I am practicing” dolce far niente” roughly translated as ‘the sweetness of doing nothing’’ or I like to think of it as: the ‘Art of doing Nothing’ The idea is to enjoy life in its simple ways . . a lazy warm afternoon reading under a tree, trying a new dish or baking bread from scratch while listening to new music you’d never really jam to in your gym or car . . . . like Balkan music or 60’s Italian pop . There can be art in everything you do, from cooking and gardening to organizing and clearing clutter to create a mindful space for projects One such project I am reviving again for myself is ‘mail art’ Who doesn’t want to get fun mail now more than ever ? I for one, have spent 50% less time on social media than before and more time to really connect with friends and loved ones in meaningful ways .

—From Kim Reierson, photographer, artist author.

While sheltering-in-place has brought on a myriad of feelings, from the disappointment of cancelled plans to the sadness of not being able to connect with friends and family in person — I’ve managed to find several silver linings during these times Normally, this time of year is packed with events, social obligations, and travel, which I’ve always enjoyed, but having this time to just be at home with nothing on the calendar has turned out to be a welcome respite I’ve been able to slow down in a way unlike ever before, savoring small moments with my husband and daughter, taking the time to do that 1,000-piece puzzle, and call friends I haven’t spoken to in too long I’ve baked sourdough bread from scratch, have learned to get more creative in the kitchen with the ingredients we have on hand, and am no longer saving that bottle of wine for something “special,” because isn’t everyday special in its own way? Speaking of wine, I’ve joined a few virtual wine tastings, either to learn about a new winery or connect with other people in the industry, and am having a weekly virtual “wine hour” with my college friends Though we are all in isolation, in some strange way, I’ve never felt more connected to friends and other people in different parts of the country and world

As a native of Santa Barbara, this place has always been special to me, but I am especially grateful to call Santa Barbara home right now, where we are surrounded by natural beauty and plenty of open space we can take advantage of while maintaining a safe distance . I miss my normal way of life here, but have never appreciated this community and its beauty, charm, and people more, and that in itself is a beautiful thing

--From Hana-Lee Sedgwick, writer, blogger, wanderandwine.com

It was during our spirited singing of “Sanjay Gupta” to the tune of the “Allelujah Chorus” that we knew we were nearing the edge

At that point we paused to make sure we’d taken all the proper steps on the way to the brink It went like this:

Did we binge every single episode of “Ozark” and then go back to start all over again? We did .

Did we feed so many peanuts to the scrub jays that they’re starting to look a little plump? Yes, we did .

If we don’t put out peanuts in the morning do they start zooming into the house every time we open the door to peck at the mason jar? Yes, they do

Did the chipmunks eat all the seedlings in our victory garden? They did

Is the layout of Chris Cuomo’s basement burned into our brains? It is

Do we actually look forward to garbage day? We do .

Did we play golf around the neighborhood with an 8-iron and a tennis ball? We did .

Did we check to see when “Ozark” is returning? Check .

(Side note: Did you know that “Ozark” is 30 episodes in all, some as long as 80 minutes, and they’re still too short?)

Did we discover that peanut butter and jelly is not just for kids? You bet

Did a relative just answer our phone call with the words, “You again?” Not yet, but we feel it’s coming

Did we count our blessings? We did

Did we demand a recount? We did

From Jeff Miller, writer, editor.

My fairy goddaughter Carolina, who lives in England, took an online survey asking her Facebook friends, what they called this down time at home .

She didn’t like the work lockdown (“too much like a prison”); nor did isolation sit well “sounds too lonely and sad” she wrote . Answers ranged from “Hell” to “Staycation” to perhaps the most realistic, “Survival ”

I told her I call it Monktime or Being in the Monastery time I like that term for several reasons One, because it makes me think of jazz pianist/composer Thelonious Monk and it’s a great time to hunker down and listen to some cool jazz It’s also a great time to be monk or nun-like I always wondered it would be like to live like the sequestered nuns in Hollywood that we buy pumpkin bread from at the Monastery of the Angels every Christmas? You cannot see them, but they are there – living behind a wall of secrecy But they live in hermitage with others by choice

I also suggested that since Carolina has two little ones at home, Luna, who is five years old, and Pax who is just two, she could call her life at home MonkeyTime She agreed .

I try to buy myself a week or two every year to work on my own writing . This “new normal” means my writing retreat is at home instead of in a cabin in the woods I’ve used this time to write poetry, work on a manuscript I started last year

My favorite response was “cocooning” Cocoon had a connotation of hope that we will all emerge like butterflies – more beautiful than how we began, flapping our wings in glorious freedom

–From Leslie A. Westbrook, writer, editor, photographer.

Working from home isn’t really work It’s the illusion of work and the art of procrastination “I’ll get to that report right after I go for a run, take a shower, have some breakfast and walk the dog . By then it will be lunch and I always think better on a full stomach … so I’ll make a sandwich . Maybe I’ll get to it tomorrow … nothing good happens on a Monday, anyway ”

As publisher I wear many hats, but basically I sell advertising You know, button-down shirt, slacks, shined shoes During my first week of captivity I actually showered, shaved, and got dressed in my work clothes, knowing full well I wasn’t going to leave the house That behavior stopped on day nine Golf shirt and boxers are the new normal If I Zoom, I shave and put on a clean shirt I hate Zooming Your head never fits on the screen and everyone talks at the same time Just another nail in the coffin for humanity and social interaction

I’ve never watched so much TV news either I’ve developed a Dr Fauci accent and I’m an expert in statistics . Fortunately, my wife has one of those “essential“ jobs and is required to go into work every day. The cottage we rent is way too small for two people to work from home at the same time and her job requirements have probably saved our marriage At her suggestion, I’ve spent a good deal of time rearranging the living room furniture to see if it gives me any more creative energy … better feng shui It doesn’t I did manage to clear a wall-to-wall path for my putting practice though

By now you’ve probably noticed that this issue is a tad on the skinny side That’s what happens when you lose 19 pages of restaurant advertising five weeks before your deadline We missed the deadline That being said, seriously, our restaurants are hurting right now, as are other retailers, but particularly the restaurants

They need our support Buy a gift card to celebrate with later or get some curbside pickup meals . (FYI: Using delivery services doesn’t help because they take too big a bite out of an already very thin profit )

It’s tough to make money in the restaurant business, and the virus has made it that much tougher . Many will close for good or change their serving models to pick-up and delivery The dine-out culture might change permanently I hope not

The first thing I’ll do when we get to leave this house is to make a restaurant reservation for two … cocktails, appetizers, linens … the whole thing It’s not the same when you get the meal delivered I miss the atmosphere, the noise, the people

From Phil Kirkwood, publisher.