Covid Bites

Story time (covid style) for special little ones scattered all over the world. This first in the series is dedicated to little Conrad.

It's Thanksgiving week. There is lot there is to be cranky about right now and in Anna's case this has been a particularly hard few months. But she reminds us that whether it's Covid grief, or loss of Thanksgiving tradition or the death of a spouse, to be respectful of each other's pain, no matter what it looks like. In her graceful way, Anna talks about building a muscle of gratefulness to provide you with a banked counter balance for those hard times so that when we do have "those days" we can dig into those grateful banked moments.

Jarrod discusses the notion of focusing on the tomorrow, what you can control, reminding us that this will eventually pass (but giving some suggestion on how to maintain sanity until we do).

Twyla is my North Dakotan friend who is now living in Minneapolis after spending some time in New York. She lives in Golden Valley, a suburb of Minneapolis, is amicably divorced with two teenagers, Tuco and Ronnie. She is an avid gardner, wine drinker, beer drinker, dinner and party host, Twyla alternately loves and hates people. She is an independent IT consultant who specializes in business analysis, team leadership, development and general fire fighting. Twyla likes to build things and build things with people. Three pizza ovens for example. Bringing people together and community are a personal mission for Twyla, connecting people and expanding minds, sharing ideas and helping people inspire each other is what keeps her up at night, in a good way.

Alex was working as an Animal scientist in South Africa in the dairy and beef fields. He loved his work, travelling the country and working with farmers, relishing the chance to be part of the food supply chain. The Covid hit and challenged him to find his why, pack up his life and unpack it again but this time based on his rules and not what life had dictated.

Louise is a South African turned Kiwi and is an organizational development coordinator for Nelson's regional district health board. That is Nelson in New Zealand, she is 17 hours ahead of me in the Midwest. Louise is married with two boys, one water snail and a guppy. Last time we spoke, 6 months ago, her boys were extremely busy building and doing various activities, her guppy was lonely, the snail was an escape artist, her 8 year old had a covid goal of learning to tie his shoe laces, and her husband was learning pilates and yoga (which Louise might have recorded)...

Joscelin is a self-employed consultant to the Hospitality industry and is based in South Africa. Last time we spoke Jos shared with us the impacts of Covid on herself, as well as her friends and colleagues in the tourism industry. When Covid hit and forced shut - downs Jos was on the front lines of being impacted. Today, 6 months later, we are reconnecting to find out what Covid looks like for her now (and her friends and colleagues) 6 months in.

Georgette is a Scottish with a hint of Africa in her blood. Our paths crossed in Junior school and since then she has left South African sunsets and moved back to Scotland where she works as a software analyst in Edinborough, is the mother of 2 with one still in the nest although the cat has moved into take her oldest son's place (or is attempting to at least). She is a keen cyclist (something unfortunately curtailed during lockdown) and is missing holidays and the sun.

Hetal, a Zimbabwean who now calls Australia home, talks to us from down under and brings us into her life talking about topics like immigration trauma, dealing with separation and the need to stay positive but more importantly lessons she has learned along the way to actually be positive.

Episode 31, a month of covid conversations reflection from Viv, your host of covid bites. Thanks for joining me.

Kayako was born and raised in Japan, lived in Minnesota and now calls Seattle, WA home. She recently recently won 2nd place in a short film category with the reception to be held in London but Covid had other plans. Kayako talks to us about cooking, trying new things that she has "always been meaning to do" and discovering the art of jump roping to help seal with the Covid love handles.

Lorna lives with her family in Johannesburg, South Africa and brings us into her life during this time. She talks about the importance of having family close by, loving her kids fiercely, to never waste a good crisis and reminding us to breathe...one day at a time.

Heather invites us into her life and shares with us her journey on what started as an art project with her kids and has now become a national way of saying THANK U to all the medical workers, first responders, truck drivers and grocery store clerks around the country during Covid. She reminds us of the beauty of gratitude, how much she misses hugging her friends and family and that it is ok to "lower the bar" when it comes to parenting because it is just about being gentler with ourselves, our families and our expectations during this time.

Jason, who originally hails from Zimbabwe, is an avid traveler of over 40 countries and is now living in Russia. He talks to us about being a small business owner, what it's like to go out based on a pass and how he almost bought a hotel in Zanzibar right before Covid hit.

Linda talks to us about having her son back home with her, missing the freedom of going out and the impacts to local theaters during this time. Also how she finds pleasure in baking for others and listening to audio books to keep her sanity.

Jarrod hails from Wisconsin and has been in Minnesota for the last 20 years. He introduces us to Cliff Clavin, the concept of technology enabling humanness and his advice for coping with depression during this time.

Aimee invites us into her life during Covid, sharing with us what it's like to have a birthday during lockdown and connections to a local fire department. She is grateful for the extra simplicity and reduction of hustle this time has brought us and the healing power of landscaping.

Donna lives in Minnesota with her husband and 4 year old terrier. When she is not healing people through massage she is playing host to bar trivia...that is until Covid. Donna invites us into her life as a massage therapist during this time, what it's like to live with someone who doesn't like massage and reminds us that even with the emotional ups and downs that this time brings to allow ourselves the peace to do things simply for the sake of doing them and nothing more.

AnneMarie a born and raised Minnesotan brings us into her world of the implications of being self-employed right now, missing the opportunity to just connect with people and how she possibly has gotten a glimpse into what her future life in retirement could look like...and she's not impressed!

Melissa is an introverted Pisces who got used to being at home and the alone time when Covid hit. She tells us how she has learned to cherish being at home with her family and talks to us about learning to be ok with the bar minimum when it comes to expectations on ourselves.

Rebecca joins us from Wiltshire, UK where she brings us into the world of disability and the impacts of new restrictions during Covid. She reminds us think about all deaths as equal and nothing less for those with preexisting conditions.

Jacob is a native Minnesotan who works for a large online retailer training their new truck drivers during covid...remotely. He talks to us about working to ensure we still get our toilet paper, things he has learned to appreciate and reminds us of the need for a positive attitude during this time.

Dylan is a Minnesota native who lived in Minneapolis with his wife and step son. He works is supply chain and talks to use about the importance of truck drivers during this time and the strain they are taking. He reminds us in this time to take a step back, have a deep breath and remind yourself of immediate things to be grateful for.

Jos is a hotel software consultant living in Johannesburg South Africa. She brings us into her world for a few minutes and talks to us about the huge impact covid has had on her, her friends and colleagues in tourism industry. She gives us gentle reminder of what we should be grateful for and that as hard as this may be there is light at the end of the tunnel and now and after, just love each other a bit more and make an effort to be present.

Lindsay, a South African living in London invites us into her life inbetween baby nap time during Covid. She talks about things she is grateful for, how much she just misses a hug, and the love that comes with being a new mum (even with the lack of sleep).

Alex is a Zimbabwean living in South Africa with his wife and son whom they home school. Alex is a huge fan of Simon Sinek and reminds us to slow down, use this time to assess what (and who) is really important and life the live you were meant to live rather than the one you were given.

Daisy and her sister Matilda join us from down under and chat to us about their life during covid, what they love doing and some advice they would give to other kiddos in the same boat.

Matt is a Zimbabwean now living in Australia with his family. He chats to us about life during covid, things he has dusted off and started doing again and the annoyance of toilet paper pandemonium.

Melinda, a Minnesota native moved to Switzerland just prior to lockdown. She invites us into a look at how the Swiss are doing lockdown, French Tuesdays with her husband as well as other activities to maintain her sanity and some aha moments this experience has given her.

Heather originally Zimbabwean is now living in England with her family. She tells us what her life is like now working from home full time and also navigating distance learning with her 11 year old twins. She tells us about the importance of setting time aside for herself with exercise and also remembering to use this time to remember and not to waste.

Marcus is a recently turned 11 year old who lives with his family in Minneapolis. He tells us what it's like to be at home during this time, the advantages (& disadvantages) of distance learning, being in lock down with his sister and things he has learned to appreciate.

Twyla joins us from Minneapolis as she talks to us about what she and her kids did to say thank you to first responders, a head nod to Martin Luther and her concerns during covid for her and her family.

Susan lives in Minneapolis and was recently furloughed as a result of the Covid situation. She talks to us about the emotions that go with this new situation, her plans to move forward and how we are more resilient than we think we are.

Janelle joins us from St. Paul, Minnesota where she talks to us about the the importance of finding balance at work, how her company has stepped up during this time and the importance of finding creative ways of doing usual things like birthdays and connecting with relatives differently.

The internet decided to social distance...this episode is a pickup of where we left off

This episode introduces us to Shelley, an old school friend who is now living in Manchester. Lockdown has affected the amount of work for Shelley but she is learning to navigate that and at least the sun is out to help with the days and mum is on video chat to help with gardening.

Anna talks to us on day 2 of distance learning with a 16 year old. She brings us into her life of bundt cakes, what it means to be an extrovert in this quiet time and how she is keeping in touch with her mum with a dash of yoga on the side.

Louise chats to us Nelson, New Zealand and fills us in about life since lockdown began and how her husband is keeping the boys (and her) entertained during this time and reminding us also about the importance of slowing down and spending some family time together.

Di gives offers us a glimpse into her life through the Covid lens of waking up at 2.30am to start her day and the importance of slowing down time, something we always have control of but now should take advantage of.

In this episode we hear from Gayle. A mom of 2 Michigan transplant who now lives in Minnesota and is a practicing psychotherapist. Gayle brings us into her life for 15 minutes as she tells us about how they will be celebrating her youngest child's birthday and learning to appreciate the communication tools we have always had access to but never really bothered using when it comes to connecting with family far and wide.