Making the most of it – Small Stuff

Saying “Yes” When it’s Easier to Say “No”

April 1, 2026April 16, 2026Posted in Crafty, Discussions & Opinions, Growth, Reflections, Salem, UncategorizedTagged Art, Behavior, Challenges, Choices, Hope, lifestyle, Making the most of it, Opinion, Self Care, TruthLeave a comment

I’m not sure when it started – maybe post October Salem madness and the shutdown – but I started to take more risks. Not risks with my health or well-being, but with my comfort.

During the pandemic, like a lot of us, I started working from home. As the world opened-up, my boss grew increasingly frustrated with the amount of ‘lost time’ that commuting to and from the office caused. We were just as productive, if not more so, working remotely. We are almost 100% remote now. When I did go in, I was using the commuter rail, and we didn’t need the extra expense of a car that was barely used, so we cut down to a single car family years ago. My husband takes our car to work every day, so unless we pre-plan that I drive him, or there is something within walking distance or a cheap rideshare trip, I am here…at home…rarely stepping outside.

Before, I was constantly walking downtown, or taking a quick trip to Joann Fabrics (RIP), or meeting friends for lunch. As those things were taken away by lack of available time or lack of a vehicle, I became complacent with staying at home. When my husband comes home from work, I want to spend time with him (not go out on my own) and he is tired from teaching all day and just wants to relax at home. It’s easy to say “no” to leaving the house when I don’t need to.

With winter coming (and at 6 feet, 2 inches of snow accumulation, it was quite a winter!), I knew that this tendency to nest and not leave the house would only increase, so when I was asked to assist with Santa’s arrival in Salem (he lands on the roof of the Hawthorne Hotel and comes down the fire department’s ladder truck), I said YES. Go caroling for Wassail Weekend? YES. Prep wreaths to be hung downtown? YES. Go to a holiday party where I would only know 2 people? YES! And I’m so glad I did all of them.

I showed up as Mrs.Claus’s Secret Service Elf
(photo credit John Andrews for Creative Collective)

Stepping further out of my comfort zone

We were not going to be home for the holidays because we had booked 2 back-to-back cruises. We told all of our friends that we wouldn’t be participating in exchanging gifts and wouldn’t be able to host. It was so freeing! The only gift I did feel obliged to give was for my boss, who always goes over-the-top with her generous gifts for me. I wracked my brain trying to think of something for her. Call it Gay Audacity^TM or foolishness, but I decided to create watercolor portraits of her 2 cats! What was I thinking? I had just started learning watercolor and playing around with easy subjects, not intricate furry little creatures! I decided to use a lightbox to trace the outlines of the cats from pictures I had because I didn’t trust my rusty freehand skills from drawing them myself. The actual painting took a long time and much trial-and-error. While I am pleased with how they came out (knowing where I was on my learning journey) they still felt very amateurish. She adored them and any hesitation I initially had was swept away by her astonishment at the surprise gift.

When packing for the cruises, perhaps bolstered by her reviews, I decided to bring a travel journal. Each day of the trip, I dedicated 2 pages to writing about what we did or saw, and sketched scenery, objects, and memories around the words, taking photos of those things for later reference. When we got home, I transferred the journal entries into pen, then finalized the sketches and colored them with watercolor. The process was more than I expected (in a good way), and I’ll be releasing a video on why travel journaling can help you to observe and to relive your memories (Link here).

Dusting off some old tools

While we were on the cruise, a friend back home texted me to ask if I would be in a murder mystery event she was putting together at the end of January. YES. It has been ~25 years since I’d been an actor, but up until that point it was my whole life – so I was no stranger, but I was afraid of being rusty. The entire evening was improvised with key plot points and character interaction, but the audience had no idea what was going to happen or who we were. Apparently, we were too good because when the girl collapsed and I ran over, an audience member that was a nurse practitioner pushed me out of the way to attend to the girl. The ‘unconscious’ victim had to whisper “this is part of the show” to her. It was chaotic, but fun. A month later when I ran into the organizer, I thanked her for getting me out of the house. She looked at me funny, but it was true. If I hadn’t said yes, I would have stayed at home, I wouldn’t have had the experience, I’d be wondering if I could have actually pulled it off, and I would have missed the fun.

A few years ago, Kylie, the Executive Director of Salem Main Streets, had posted on Facebook that she had been coerced into performing in the second annual cabaret fundraiser for the local YMCA’s youth arts program and didn’t know what to perform. I may have had a cocktail or two and suggested that as her new Board President, we should do a duet. She called me on it and we were committed. I ended up writing us a spoof of “You’re The Top” by Cole Porter with local Salem flair and it was a big hit. They asked us back the next year and we did “The Ladies Who Lunch.” Other than the opening and closing numbers, those were the only songs we were a part of. Last year, we both branched out with our own solos and a small group number. This year, I have a solo, 3 small group numbers, 2 ensemble numbers, and when they asked me if I would spearhead the lobby activities, what did I say? YES. We will have a cast wall with current pictures attached to pivotal moments from their youth, a wayfinding crossroads sign (for finding the bar, the lounge, the restrooms), and a picture spot. All of this will tie-in with art made by the youth. When it was suggested that we just have a tinsel curtain and a sign for the picture backdrop, I may have taken it a bit too far.

It’s made of 2 strands of battery-operated bulbs that are alternating, so you could turn on the flash feature and it would look like they are chasing around the marquee

I’m also dusting off my grade school crafting skills by making a tortoise shell out of papier mache. My solo is a caveman-themed song and it’s going to show up for about 5 seconds at the end as a top hat. It has already proven way too much work for such a short gag, but now I’m committed.

Honing some of the new tools

After the experiment with the travel journal over the holidays, and the portraits of my boss’ cats, I decided I needed to really work on my technique and learn more about watercolors. I bought a few workbooks and watched lots of videos, but without the motivation of an end product, I found that I didn’t give it the time it deserved. Then I found a challenge by Leslie Stroz of creating 100 tiny treasures over one year. She was starting on the Spring Equinox, which was a week away, so I decided to try it. I spent the week cutting paper down to 2″ x 2″ squares, rounding the corners, finding art prompts for future inspiration, and setting myself up for success by putting my materials in an accessible spot. We are less than 2 weeks in, and I have 7 completed and another 13 sketches waiting for paint. It is my hope that I’ll be able to see some progress after a year’s worth of steady work.

I am also creating a travel journal for the 2 cruises we have booked with friends in April and August. I’ve set-up the book already with dates and locations for each of the days (to make sure I can fit both in one book with pages to spare). We leave in 2 weeks and I hope to have another video posted about the process of making that one from start to finish next month.

Completely new uncomfortable situations

What is all this talk of videos, you ask? Well… my husband is also stepping out of his comfort zone and has created 2 self published books (and counting) on Amazon and has started a YouTube channel! He has a plan in place for content, and I’ve stepped-up by drafting 3 videos to me to tape (as well assisting with his). I don’t know anyone that is comfortable with their moving image or the sound of their recorded voice, but I really hate seeing and hearing myself on camera. It’s something I’m trying to get over, so here we go!

Last year, we had a Tiny Art Spree for the Salem Arts Festival. We handed-out small 4″ x 6″ cardboard box tops to locals to create tiny art and drop it off. They could do anything they wanted with the box top. We had almost 200! At the opening kick-off party of the festival, people paid $5 for a ticket to win one of the pieces, with everyone guaranteed to receive one. When your number was called, you had to run up and grab the piece you wanted from a table where they were all laid out (hence the “spree”). We had the room open for an hour before so people could scope out the art and make a plan for which one they would grab. It was wildly successful, brought together the community, everyone had fun, and everyone went home with original art! I have been thinking of what pieces I want to make for this year’s spree, and stumbled upon one great idea. The problem is: it is a great idea… given all of this reaching for things outside my comfort zone, I decided last night that I would create this idea in full size and enter it into the juried gallery exhibition. (!!!) Let’s hope I can actually create what I have in my head. Stay tuned!

Stepping in and stepping up

One of our main fundraisers for Salem Main Streets is a fashion show (tickets still available). It was an annual event until the pandemic, but when we brought it back in 2025, it was a huge hit. Last year, I was asked to be the Joan Rivers interviewer on the red carpet. We asked someone else to handle that this year, so I was looking forward to actually enjoying the event this year. Last week our MC had to cancel, so guess what? YES. I am stepping in and stepping up to the podium. Wish me luck.

What will you do today to:
Step out of your box
Put your toe over the line
Reach
?

Quarantine Staycations – Part 2

August 7, 2020August 20, 2020Posted in Discussions & Opinions, Family, History, Nature, Popular Culture, Quarantine, Salem, SERIES, Vacation PlanningTagged Camping, Covid-19, Family, Home, Hotels, Kids, Making the most of it, Museums, Planning, Quarantine, Roadtrip, RV, Self Care, Staycation, Trip, Vacation, Zoom FatigueLeave a comment

Note: This is the second installment of a two part series. Part 1 can be found here.

Background:
In an earlier post from April, I offered advice on creating a “Verifiable Weekend” while working from home by either creating or breaking routines (if you missed it, I suggest taking a look at Making Time When It All Blends Together – the weekend section is at the end). With all of our travel plans cancelled and the inability to leave (or return to) the state without a 72-hour COVID-19 negative test, health attestation application, or 14-day quarantine, I have not really thought about taking vacation time. As the end of Summer looms here in New England, and as the Zoom fatigue starts bearing down, however, maybe now is the time to take some time away. I blocked time in my boss’ calendar to make sure she took some time off to de-stress and re-center. I should do the same for myself, and so should you.

Part 2: What if you can leave your house, but can’t leave the state?

Part 1 focused on suggestions for those that have to stay at home. Part 2 will broaden the scope to those that are healthy enough to travel locally, but cannot cross state lines. Since I live in Salem, I will be highlighting day trips within Massachusetts – however, I hope the ideas might inspire you to search for similar trips in your area.

Where to begin?

Planning:
The key to any successful trip, in my opinion, is very careful planning. I chose those words intentionally – I am not saying completely planning every moment, but thinking strategically about the entire trip and being carefully selective in planning key elements. Taking the time to research and make these plans ahead of your vacation will ensure that your time on vacation is spent relaxing and enjoying yourself.

One thing that is very important to schedule: Serendipity. Wait, what?!? “But Eric!”(I hear you say) “Serendipity is defined as the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way. How can I schedule that?!” When planning your vacation, be sure to schedule free time to let unexpected things happen.

Consider these scenarios:
After arriving at your destination, a local gives you a suggestion of something you simply must do when you are there. If you’ve scheduled every moment, you would be forced to chose whether or not to cancel one of your plans to fit the new adventure in. Or maybe, because you’ve scheduled so many activities or tours, there is no time to enjoy the beautiful pool, the fire pit, or the hot tub where you are staying. What if something took longer than you expected on your Day 1 itinerary? If you’ve scheduled serendipity for Day 3, you can go back and finish anything you skipped, or go back to check out that quirky-looking antique book store that you quickly passed during the hidden secrets walking tour.

Brochures found at the local visitors center

Or, if you are adventurous, you can throw caution to wind and play Lobby Brochure Roulette! Each member of your party closes their eyes and grabs a random brochure, then everyone agrees on one of those chosen (depending on cost, distance, if reservations are needed, physical limitations, etc), and that is what you are doing for the day! As a very good friend of ours used to say:

Let whimsy be your blind date!
James Nance, Gentleman & Scholar

Of course, please also schedule downtime. If you go on three major hikes in three days, you are going to need some time to rest and recover.

Day Trips

A few years ago, I noticed that we worked so hard during the week that we never thought about the weekend until we were in it. Sick of wasting time, and longing to do some of the things we always talked about doing, I filled a jar with day trip ideas. The plan was that we would choose one (Friday night or early in the morning) and that would be what we would do. Here is the list I came up with all those years ago, in case you want to start your own Day Trip Jar (again, this is only going to appeal to the Massachusetts crowd, but note there are some out-of-state options included):
DAY TRIPS

Here in Massachusetts, we are in phase 3, step 1 of reopening, which allows for restaurants (indoor and outdoor), hotels, museums, gyms, outdoor venues, and movie theaters to be open. All businesses that have been allowed to open so far have been given very specific and strict restrictions and regulations to keep both their employees and the public safe.

Please research and adhere to all regulations posted by each place you visit. Most businesses require you to wear a mask when in their establishment, and to practice social distancing requirements. A good rule of thumb, when in doubt, is to wear your mask and stay 6 feet from others, even if it is not required. Be a good citizen. Protect yourself and help to protect others.

Finding the Fun: Vacations should be relaxing, yes, but they should also be fun. Whether you have a family, are a solo traveler, or it’s just the two of you, remember to play.

Play Tourist: Is there a museum, attraction, or historic spot in your own home town that you have never been to because that’s for tourists?! Well now is your chance to be a tourist. In all likelihood, the crowds that usually flock to these places are not doing so right now, so you will have the luxury of it not being crowded, and you will be supporting your local economy. Find a walking tour, either self-guided, or by a local expert. We are lucky enough to have Salem Food Tours, and I expect the nationwide trend of eating/playing/drinking locally means that you probably have one in your city, or one nearby. Maybe you can find a tour of haunted places, or hop on a Segway, a trolley, a kayak, a schooner, or a duck boat that brings you all around the city. You’ll be surprised at the things you learn, and you’ll be better prepared with options when you have future visitors that are looking for something to do.

Play Photojournalist: Here on this blog, I tend to let the photos speak for themselves (see Salem Willows, Witchcraft Victims’ Memorial in Danvers, and the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, for examples), usually because I’ve taken too many photos! Try to be more like the staff of The Atlantic: take your camera (or camera phone) with you and take photos of everything you see, noting special details on a small pocket notebook (or in your phone’s Notes), so when you get home, you can create a full narrative of your day. Try making a short slideshow video with narration or subtitles and post it to YouTube, or start a blog and write-out a full story, weaving the photos throughout. If you are a savvy social media Influencer, create interest in your content by posting the photos in a series, releasing one photo at a time with accompanying captions on Facebook, Tumblr, Instagram, Twitter, or Tik Tok. Heck, you could even create your own book to give as gifts! In the same way that playing tourist in a familiar place can make you see things you’ve overlooked, photographing something with the intent to convey the feeling and sense of a place to someone else can be a wonderful exercise in seeing the world in a unique and meaningful way.

Play Researcher: We don’t have children, but this is definitely the kind of thing we would do with them on a regular basis if we did:

1. Pick a location.

2. Go to the Library (or the internet, if your libraries aren’t open) and do research pertinent to that location.

3. Visit the location, where the Researcher acts as guide and teacher for everyone else.

Examples: Pick a historic place and have the researcher point out the things they learned in their research. Find an autobiography of a local person and visit their home, or all of the local places mentioned in the book. Choose a specific period/style/culture and visit an art, history, or science museum, where the researcher acts as docent. Learn about local flora and fauna and take a walk in a nearby forest, beach, or tide pool, where the researcher can identify specimens. Choose one animal or a remote location (like the Serengeti) and visit a zoo where the researcher can teach about the natural habitat or attributes of the animals. Choose a city block that contains many different architectural styles or features and point out the ones they have learned about. Learn about the three major classical orders of columns (Doric, Ionic, & Corinthian) then walk around a city and point them out.

Several of the items found on the Day Trips list lend themselves to these approaches, and I believe these approaches bring a form of engagement to your activities that can make everyone appreciate and enjoy the trip in a special way.

Overnight Trips

As I mentioned earlier, hotels are now open (with restrictions), as well as campgrounds, home shares, and B&B’s in Massachusetts. Basically, the only things not open are arenas, gambling facilities, theme parks, and other high-capacity venues, along with any non-medical close contact services (massage, waxing, etc.). So if your plans involve large gatherings or a stranger getting up-close-and-personal, then you are out of luck.

A lot of the same rules and ideas apply, but keep in mind:
1. Research what is open and what the local regulations are.
2. Wear a mask (bring several – at least one per day, or plan to disinfect it).
3. Always stay socially distant from those people that are not part of your pandemic pod.
4. Find out if you may need to reserve a specific time to enter certain museums or buildings, and plan accordingly.
5. Check all of the meal options in the area. Do the restaurants offer delivery or pick-up? Consider packing a cooler with pre-made muffins, sandwiches, charcuterie, snacks and water to limit the contact with delivery persons to one meal per day.
6. Pack disinfecting wipes, disposable gloves, and hand sanitizer.

Hotels:
If you walk into a hotel and the person behind the desk is not wearing a mask (or wearing it incorrectly), turn right around and stay somewhere else. This goes for any member of the staff.

If you can, check before you book if the hotel is making safety a priority. Feel free to call them and ask what they are doing to curb the pandemic. If you do not feel comfortable with their practices, book somewhere else. The most important thing right now is that you feel safe during your vacation.

Camping:
My husband’s idea of camping is staying on the Club Level at the Wilderness Lodge, but we have family with RVs and campers. I think those that have the money (and parking space) for an RV are the luckiest during this time. While some campgrounds still remain closed, there are many that are open with restrictions (communal bathing houses and restrooms are hard to control). If your hotel room is on wheels in an RV, you have the most control over your environment. You know if every surface has been thoroughly disinfected, and you can sleep in comfort knowing that you are safe. Unfortunately, this is a luxury most of us cannot afford. If you are camping in a tent, the idea is similar, however, you may be beholden to using the campground public facilities, which can be risky.

Home Sharing:
Unlike corporate hotels, Home Share sites have no governance when it comes to requiring compliance with CDC guidelines and keeping a safe and clean accommodation. I suggest, when making your search for such an accommodation, that you only consider properties where you can contact the owner directly and can ask them how they clean the house between guests. If you do go this route, I would highly recommend bringing your own disinfecting wipes and cleaning products. This is easily done, since you are likely driving to this location – no flight restrictions!

Cash or Card?:
COVID-19 has further divided the populace on the question of cash vs. card. I have seen both extremes, with a drive-through cashier refusing to handle a card (even with gloves) to gas station attendants not accepting cash. It’s hard to know what you will face, so I suggest being ready to use either. Remember: you are the visitor, the guest, in this place – act with grace and humility. If someone balks at you handing them cash, whip out your card, do NOT argue with them or become a Karen. They are risking their health, and the health of their families to provide you with whatever service you are asking for, so please be civil and patient.

Packing Clothing:
Unfortunately, I think you will have to pack twice as much as you normally would. We don’t really know how long the coronavirus can stay active on clothing, but if an asymptomatic carrier should cough on you, or you somehow brush against a hard surface that is infected, you are not going to want to wear that clothing again until it’s been washed and disinfected. Pack large zip seal bags in your suitcase to collect dirty laundry, and wash your hands thoroughly after putting them in the bags. When you get home, wear gloves when handling the laundry, or wash thoroughly after putting them in the machine. Make sure you use a high heat setting on the dryer.

Scared yet?

It is certainly not my intention to frighten you out of taking a vacation – just the opposite. I want you to have the vacation you deserve and to do so in a healthy, relaxing, and memorable way. It’s in my nature to plan for the worst and expect the best, but I am also an advocate for adding fun and frivolity to everyday life to keep it interesting.

I hope you enjoyed this series of posts. I’d love to hear your thoughts on how you make the most of your vacation time during a pandemic, and if you’ve taken any of my ideas, I’d absolutely love to hear how it went! Leave a comment below.

Stay safe.

Quarantine Staycations – Part 1

August 5, 2020August 20, 2020Posted in Discussions & Opinions, Disney, Nature, Popular Culture, Quarantine, Reflections, SERIES, Vacation PlanningTagged Covid-19, Home, Making the most of it, Planning, Self Care, Staycation, Vacation, Zoom Fatigue1 Comment

In an earlier post from April, I offered advice on creating a “Verifiable Weekend” while working from home by either creating or breaking routines (if you missed it, I suggest taking a look at Making Time When It All Blends Together – the weekend section is at the end). With all of our travel plans cancelled and the inability to leave (or return to) the state without a 72-hour COVID-19 negative test, health attestation application, or 14-day quarantine, I have not really thought about taking vacation time. As the end of Summer looms here in New England, and as the Zoom fatigue starts bearing down, however, maybe now is the time to take some time away. I blocked time in my boss’ calendar to make sure she took some time off to de-stress and re-center. I should do the same for myself, and so should you.

Where to begin?

Planning:
The key to any successful trip, in my opinion, is very careful planning. I chose those words intentionally – I am not saying completely planning every moment¹, but thinking strategically about the entire trip and being carefully selective in planning key elements. Taking the time to research and make these plans ahead of your vacation will ensure that your time on vacation is spent relaxing and enjoying yourself.

Part 1: What if you have to stay at home?

Think of your space differently:
If you have been working from home l ike some of us, you likely have a room, or just a space, where you work remotely. Plan to erase all signs of work from that space when it’s time for vacation. Put your laptop, notebooks, files, coffee cup, pens, lamps – whatever you added to that space to make it a workspace – into a closet or someplace where it is out of sight and out of mind. You want to be able to use this space during your vacation, and don’t want to be reminded of work. Reclaim it for relaxing. Set-up a puzzle, or a complex board game, or tools for a new hobby on your desk. If you’ve taken over the dining room table for working, make sure it’s cleared and use it for it’s original purpose. Eat all of your meals there².

Change your bedroom into a hotel room by ordering a new set of sheets or duvet cover online, wash them, and wait to put them on until the morning your vacation has officially started. It’s like you’re in a new bed! Put some water bottles and a magazine or two by the bed, and maybe add a bottle of champagne in an ice bucket on the dresser. Plan to “make it an early night” (wink wink) one night and open that bubbly, or plan to wake up on one of the mornings and stay in bed being lazy with a magazine and a mimosa. Make an agreement on who is going to make the coffee and bring it to the other – maybe you switch each day. Order some luxurious bathrobes that you don’t use until the vacation. Spend your lazy day wearing nothing but those robes. If you have the space (and the physical ability), re-arrange the furniture so your bed is in a different spot. If you have the luxury of owning a guest room, stay there during the vacation The idea is that you want to make it not feel like your every day experience.

Turn your bathroom into a Spa. Like the sheets and the bathrobe, maybe you can order a plush set of new towels. They could just be a new color. If you want to go whole-hog, buy a new shower curtain and bath mat to match. Once you have these things, they can be integrated into your everyday or saved for special staycations in the future – either way, you will associate the fond memories made during this time with these items every time you see them. The night before your vacation starts, swap out all of the soap, shampoo, toothpaste and mouthwash with travel toiletries you’ve collected from hotel rooms in the past. If you don’t have any – order some fancy sample-sized bottles (try Ulta, Sephora, Aveda or this guide). Pull all of the facial masks, nail polish, scrubs, bubble baths, and other unused products out from under your sink and use them! Give each other a massage or paint each other’s toes.

Think of food differently:
You may have noticed that I included your coffee cup in the list of things to hide earlier, and I mean it. If you drink from the same mug every day at your “desk,” then hide it and use a different one during your vacation. Do you have unused china tea cups and saucers in a cupboard? Use them. Why not change your coffee brand or blend for this time, or switched to iced coffee or tea? Your morning brew isn’t the only thing that can receive an upgrade. If you do have a set of dishes that is only used for special occasions, use it for all of your meals. This is a special occasion, and you’d be surprised how a plain old lunch sandwich can look right-at-home on an antique Royal Doulton gold-rimmed salad plate!

If you have the money (and you might, since you are saving so much in airfare, hotel, and other costs!), plan to order delivery for every dinner. Think of it as Room Service. Alternately, you can pre-plan most of your meals by prepping them in advance, start a trial meal subscription service to coincide with your vacation, make your own box based on a recipe you’ve been wanting to try, or find a complicated or time-consuming recipe that will give you a chance to work together in the kitchen preparing the meal. Try your hand at making croissants from scratch. The process can take 2-3 days (mostly downtime), and on the day they are baked, plan to enjoy breakfast croissants with jam, picnic sandwiches on croissants, and maybe a croissant bread pudding for dessert that night. Can’t think of meals? Research the menus from your favorite restaurants, or ones that you’ve always wanted to go to, and try to re-create a dish that intrigues you. When planning any this out, think of clean-up. There is no maid coming in to clean your room every day, and you don’t want to spend most of your time washing dishes.

Do you ever make Brunch at home? If not, now is the time to do so. Similarly, if you skip breakfast during the work week, think of taking the time to make yourself a full breakfast – pretend you’re at a diner and make some eggs, bacon, toast and homefries. Now is the time to indulge in a doughnut or bagel from the local bakery. Dust off that waffle iron you’ve barely used, or prepare an overnight breakfast casserole that you can slip in the oven while you are making coffee to bring back to bed for your loved one.

Turn lunch into a picnic, even if you don’t have an outdoor space. Picnics can be romantic (and bug free) in the living room, in bed, or on the floor of the kitchen. We have 2 parking spots behind our condo, and we’ve been using the empty one lately as a patio where we set-up beach chairs and sit with our coffee or read a book. And, I don’t think I really need to give you permission, but remember: You are on vacation, so wine, beer and cocktails (especially fruity or frozen) are acceptable during any waking hour of a vacation. A Mimosa or a Bloody Mary during breakfast/brunch, wine with lunch or dinner, a preprandial and/or postprandial cocktail, or a nightcap are all acceptable (in moderation – best not to include all in one day – don’t overdo it). Invest in some proper glassware³, decorations and garnishes if you are going for something tropical. Find a few new drinks to try. I highly recommend diving into a few episodes of How to Drink.

Think of activities differently:
What types of activities do you usually do on vacation? Do you go to theme parks, camping, hiking, site seeing, or maybe for a cultural experience? Try to find correlations in the activities you are able to do while confined to home with your favorite aspects of your typical vacation.

Keep in mind these three tenets of successful quarantine staycationing:

Enjoy this time off from work: You deserve it.
Relive and cherish the memories of past vacations.
Do not dwell on the fact that you cannot be there right now.

If you do find yourself becoming depressed, start to plan your future trip. Even if you can’t book a date, you can start to make a list of what you want to do, and start a budget to be ready for that moment when you will be able to take that dream vacation.

If your typical vacation revolves around a theme park, really think of what it is that you most enjoy during those trips. Is it the food? The entertainment? The attractions? The togetherness? The food can be recreated (even Dole Whips) with just a little effort. Try making one of your favorite special treats. Find a playlist online of the theme park’s music and play it while making and eating these treats. Look through those photo albums that you made that are collecting dust on the shelf (or the 137 photos and videos you took on your phone last time) and re-live those memories (or live vicariously through someone else’s). Find videos of the parades, rides, or fireworks that you love and watch them together.

If your typical vacation involves camping and hiking, see what national parks or campgrounds in your area are open and accepting visitors. Pitch your tent in the living room (or make one out of blankets) or in your back yard. Turn off the lights and turn on a p ersonal planetarium while you tell scary stories around some candles or a flashlight. Turn off the air conditioning and open all the windows to listen the sounds of the outdoors. Get a field guide of local flora or fauna to identify things in your neighborhood, or download a mobile app to track local bird sightings in your yard. Spend most of your time outdoors, including meals. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, or you are forced to stay indoors, use this time to plan your next adventure. Research a National Park you’ve always wanted to visit, or read accounts of hikers on a trail you feel you aren’t ready for. Work on a puzzle of a place you have been, reliving stories from that trip, perhaps while listening (or creating) the ambient sounds of that location.

If international travel is your raison d’être, spend your time at home immersing yourself in a culture you either have experienced, or wish to. Learn the language, or, if you are already fluent, work it into your daily speech. Try your hand at the cuisine, taking care to research regional specialties and new ingredients. Watch movies or television from this culture (subtitles optional), read a biography of one of their most influential residents, listen to the music, search for an online museum where you can view the art and history, study the map to find interesting regions or towns to research, and take notes in a journal to reference when you are finally able to visit these places.

If a quick weekend in NYC is your go-to vacation, sign up for a free 7-day trial of Broa dwayHD, make yourself a sausage roll (extra onions), listen to some live jazz, do some online window shopping (with or without breakfast), watch Sex & the City (or any of these movies – be sure to pick a few from different eras), take a drone flight over your favorite neighborhood, visit the Met, the Guggenheim, or the Statue of Liberty, and put this on in the background.

Think of clothing differently:
If you’ve been wearing pajama bottoms with a dress shirt and tie for your video calls at work, change things up by wearing actual matching clothes. Think of what you would pack (or go ahead an pack) in a suitcase for your typical vacation. Make it a game by choosing your possible outfits before the vacation, and then only allowing yourself to wear those clothes you’ve “brought with you.” Don’t forget a bathing suit for the pool, or evening wear for the elegant dinner you were planning. Maybe it is warm where you are, but you were planning a cruise to Alaska: crank-up the A.C. and put on your winter clothes indoors (don’t forget your scarf). Or maybe it’s winter, and you were planning a Walt Disney World trip to Florida: turn-up the heat and wear your shorts, tshirts, and bathing suit indoors. Often, people buy new clothes for a vacation, especially for cruises. Think about where you are going, and what you might need to buy. Maybe you need a sarong or a cover-up for the cabana, or big floppy hat for the beach, or some appropriately themed accessories.

In conclusion:
However you spend your time away from your virtual office, remember to enjoy yourself. Vacations are a privilege, but also a reward for the hard work we’ve put in. Make the most of what you have and what you can do, but do it for fun and for relaxation.

I hope these suggestions and tools will help you to make the most of your time off during these difficult and uneasy times. If you have suggestions or ideas of ways to enhance your own staycations, please comment below. And if you take any of my advice, I’ve love to hear about it!

¹ Our Disney friends all know about my “Psycho Disney Day Planner” – a spreadsheet that is customized for each trip that plots out each day in 30 minute blocks where we can insert dining reservations, FastPasses, parade or show times, park hours, confirmation numbers, flights, and other details all on one page view. It’s extremely helpful in visualizing how the trip will flow. We take special care to include whimsy and serendipity into the scheduling, as well as rest and pool days. One day, I may share the template on Disneypages.com, or I may try to offer it as a paid service or tool for others.

² We have seen a lot of death and heard a lot of stories of regret in the past few years, so we are both of the opinion that you should use what you have now, while you can. That includes using the “good china” and silver as often as you’d like and eating at the dining room table every day (not only on holidays).

³ My Nana used to say that tea tasted best out of a bone china cup and saucer. I stand by that, and add that proper cocktails should always be served in the proper glassware (and NEVER in plastic cups)!

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