Alone TOgether
a zine
Front cover: Rose Parade Rosemary Scanlon
Alone Together Reflections on Solitude, Social Distancing & Quarantine
Hello friends! Moriah and I (pictured here: drinking alone, together) would like to invite you to participate in a little zine making project. Feels like a rather topsy turvy time with the ever evolving concerns related to COVID-19 and lots of us are practicing social distancing or self isolation. So perhaps the perfect time for a collaborative creative endeavour to stay connected?! The theme is, you guessed it, “alone together” and we would love to hear/see your own observations and reflections on solitude, social distancing, and/or quarantine. Whether it is a personal experience you’d like to sketch or write about or a screenshot of something you’ve seen online or in the media that has captured your attention, we would love to compile a little catalogue of these experiences and ideas.
Sent from Liz via Facebook Messenger March 16, 2020
Corona Hiaku Wayfarer is closed. Dr. Hanley on the Ceeb. Wish I had T.P.
Gavin
Beth
And I will build you a nest My love Not woven With grass and twigs But from the brittle bones Of our parents’ disappointments. Saliva and glitter
But in an uncertain world This upcycled chaos Will keep you Sheltered and warm Away from And apart from All the whispers of things that cannot be cured.
The leftover Downy feathers That spill forth From my winter sleeve It might not seem much My child
Aislinn
Views from quarantine
Sharilynn
covid e-collage Leigh
Rebecca
Kyra
Liz’s bed is usually always perfectly made Moriah
My favourite internet thing about the pandemic Alex
blovid 19+ Moriah
It’s been 5 minutes since I last checked my phone. It’s been burning a hole through my pocket and I can’t stop looking at it. How many people in the world have covid? What about now? And then now? What new emergency or apocalyptic measure has been put in place? I’m on vacation at a beach in Brazil and I’m more stressed than when I was in the middle of working a film festival last month. My flight leaves in three days and I’m not sure if Air Canada will cancel flights before I’m set to fly or I’ll get covid and won’t be allowed back into the country. Last week my dad - a doctor - said we’re not as risk here because it’s so hot in Brazil the virus won’t survive. This virus is like Harry and Meghan and dgaf what you or anyone thinks. Theres now hundreds of cases of coronavirus in the country and restaurants and bars are closing around us.
Vivian
So much for a beach vacation... But there’s some small solaces: seeing the friendliness of strangers in a foreign country; Watching videos of a new puppy my friend got because they’re at home for the long haul; FaceTiming with pals and recognizing that others are in the same boat. It’s going to be a long couple weeks of quarantine when I get home. Already planning all the projects I can catch up on when I’m back. All the funny shows I’m going to have to stream to maintain my sanity. And all the fashion shows I’ll have for my dog when that sanity disappears. Maybe it’ll also prove to be the perfect time for some solo psychedlic healing. Sending love to all my pals that are weathering this storm alone together. I can see you from my window.
This photo was snapped in New York just days before the city went on lockdown. Feels eerily like being alone together.
Leigh
Chelsea
Brussel sprouts, carrots, potatoes, celery, garlic roasted in the oven. The bottom, convection oven. Yes, I have two ovens. In fact, this one level house on stilts, overlooking the sprawling metropolis of Iqaluit, is the nicest place I have ever lived in my life. Or, fanciest. There are many things competing for my emotions right now. Life is incredibly immediate and visceral. I am trying to feel them all. When I shake with anger because my boss makes a poor decision, I know it is likely the looming pandemic or rapidly unraveling secret of family trauma that is actually affecting me. I edit a story about the government giving each hunting and trapping association in the territory $25K so they can get country food, to support hunters. Realizing that this is the government’s first priority is surreal and beautiful. As I edit I try to think of ways to fool the company I work for into believing that my tenants are increasing my rent to $2100 because both of my roommates got laid off and my rent is subsidized and my company is getting a break at the current rent of $1450 - does this make sense?
I want to be creative and participate in the softer side of the world but right now it is all precipices, dropping away from me in every direction I look. I am not alone, everywhere I turn somebody needs something and I am the only one who can help. What can I do for myself? I can get home from work, put on six layers of wool and my running shoes and sprint through the mild minus 15 air until my lungs sear, until the light is the delicate blue in between sunset and darkness that made me fall in love with this fucking place, not running from anything but running to a place of containment. I can roast vegetables and iron my will not to look at the spiralling world of twitter. I can call home and hope my mom answers, hope we can finally lay the awful knot of truth of our family on the table, sit together and unravel it. Maybe I’ll hold out my arms like I do with her when she turns her skeins of wool into balls, we can do it together. I can follow through on this creative commitment, corral the wild horses of fear that gallop across my soul when I see a blank page. These words are the fences.
Meagan
Views from Self-Isolation Taylor
Erin
Heart Hunt #heartsofwhitehorse
Here’s how we can do it too! All you have to do is put a heart in your window! That’s it! Color it, paint it, cut it out, print it from the printer, whatever! Be creative! Then we can get outside, walk around see how many hearts we can find! It would be awesome to post pictures of your finds on facebook/instagram and continue to share the kindness/support. It’s easy! No human contact. Get fresh air (alone or with members of your household). Just put a heart in your window. #heartsofwhitehorse
Jodie
Taryn
Love in the time of Corona Aubyn
How to cook the perfect poached egg at Vivian Belik’s apartment (aka self isolation HQ) Step 1: Find tiniest pot in pot cupboard, fill just over halfway with water, place on tiniest burner and bring to boil on MAX. Step 2: Once water is boiling, reduce heat to the midway point between 5 & 6 and allow water to settle down for 1 minute. Step 3: Using slotted spoon, stir water to create jacuzzi like atmosphere in pot. Step 4: Oh so gently, crack your egg just above the surface of the water, into the centre of the jacuzzi. Set a timer for 3.5 minutes and do not touch that egg! Once the white has solidified, you can offer a gentle nudge to ensure the egg is not sticking to the bottom of the pot. Step 5: When the timer chimes, use slotted spoon to lift egg out of pot and allow to briefly drip dry whilst suspended over the top of the pot. Step 6: Salt and pepper that little egg and ENJOY!
Liz
Paula
Austin
IG DEEP DIVE Liz
Hannah
Patron Saint of Sourdough Natalka
MY Phone usage Monica
Quarantine care package Liz
How Terrace House Is Getting Me Through Social Distancing The unrelenting news of COVID-19, remembering to wash my hands but not to touch my face, cancelling my vacation next week and trying to stay inside and away from my friends is making me feel just a little anxious. But when everything feels like it’s become too much and I need a break from it all, I know I can turn to my good friends - YOU. YOU and Torichan. Babachan and Tokui. Shono and of course, Yamachan. They are the six panellists on Terrace House. The kinder, gentler Japanese answer to The Real World.
Six strangers live together in a house, but they’re not “getting real.” There is no hair-pulling, drink-throwing drama. There is crying-because-your-house-mates-ate-theexpensive-steaks-a-client-gave-you drama. I find Terrace House so soothing. This is not the first time I’ve turned to this show in a difficult time. But with the uncertainty around COVID-19 and trying to socially distance, my love for this show has grown and feels like the best binge watch for these times. (I’m not ashamed to say I’ve binged all 24 episodes of the latest season, Tokyo: 2019-2020 in four days. Several Northwestel threshold notices have landed in my inbox.) One reason Terrace House is soothing is it’s boring. During the panellists’ segments, they often celebrate those mundane moments. The romance of a summer evening walk to the corner store with your crush provokes three minutes of commentary from two of the hosts. Scenes rarely take place outside the house unless two members go on a date or a brief scene at work. So many scenes happen in the kitchen and dining room - celebrating birthdays, learning how to cook. HOURS of this show are devoted to life’s small moments.
The drama, again, is low-key. Maybe one in ten episodes have a small blow up. For the most part, the housemates are kind with each other. It shows every “good morning” and “thank you” and “you’re home!” One guy easily finds a way to compliment his housemate who is learning to cook, even if he did put tofu in with the pasta while it boiled. When we’re spending less time together these days, it’s comforting to see these roommates enjoying time together. But the biggest reason watching Terrace House has helped is because it’s in Japanese and is subtitled. That means I can’t watch an episode but really be scrolling through my work email and Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for all the latest news on COVID-19. I can actually shut out what’s happening in the world for 40 minutes. I put Terrace House on. I put my phone down. And the anxiety slips away.
Jane
COVID-19 Crossword Gen, Sarah and Taiga
True Colors You with the sad eyes Don’t be discouraged Oh I realize Its hard to take courage In a world full of people You can lose sight of it all And the darkness inside you Can make you feel so small But I see your true colors
Shining through I see your true colors And that’s why I love you So don’t be afraid to let them show Your true colors True colors are beautiful Like a rainbow Show me a smile then Don’t be unhappy, can’t remember
Ok, secret confession. True Colors by Phil Collins is one of my favorite all time sing along songs. It’s just so silly but also so great. As I queued up this song the other day to belt out in my kitchen I thought damn, this is almost too real right now but it’s also so perfect. P.S. Fun fact. Stingray is releasing their music app for free the month of April and they have a karaoke app. Just sayin’.
When I last saw you laughing If this world makes you crazy And you’ve taken all you can bear You call me up Because you know I’ll be there And I’ll see your true colors Shining through
I see your true colors And that’s why I love you So don’t be afraid to let them show Your true colors True colors are beautiful Like a rainbow
Jodie
thank you BUDS Leigh Ayton Vivian Belik Sarah Chan Aislinn Cornett Erin Corbett Meagan Deuling Alex Dezan Gen Gagnon Gavin Gardiner Chelsea Jeffrey Natalka Luciuk Shari-Lynn MacLellan
Jodie MacMillan Hannah McDonald Rebecca Manias Paula Mowat Aubyn O’Grady Beth Paul Austin Roe Monica Sharma Jane Sponagle Taylor Tiefenbach Taryn Turner Kyra Yong
Probably talking about how much our eyes hurt from crying Moriah
Made out of love for eachother and for our friends XO Liz and Moriah
March 2020
