Category Archives: 2020 A to Z Challenge

B: Broadway & Bidets

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A to Z Challenge: My theme this year is NYC before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BROADWAY: I’m up to 19 Broadway shows; 14 since we moved here last March. TKTS, the discounted ticket vendor had become my go-to app. With the exception of a few, I knew little to nothing about most of the performances before seeing them, which is I believe is half the fun.

Technically, Cyrano was off-Broadway, but up until the mid-1800s, the heart of Broadway was located at Union Square where we got to see Mr. Dinklage. Check out TheaterSeatStore for some fun facts about the history of Broadway, like this gem:

“During the back half of the century, there were fewer prostitutes in the audience which in turn increased the number of women who attended theater.”

Because performances are suspended, actors are finding ways to raise money AND still keep us entertained. The #BWayHandWashChallenge encourages Broadway stars to sing show tunes while washing their hands for 20 seconds, all the while raising money for theater charities.

On to another hygiene challenge . . .

BIDETS: That’s what in those boxes. Not one, but two bidets.

Do we need two? No. Do we need one? No. Does The Husband need to sleep at night? Yes. Not knowing where his next roll of toilet paper was going to come from, simply became too much–for us both.

Surprisingly, unlike a lot of places, it hasn’t been an issue getting tissue here in Brooklyn. I hope I can return these bidets.

A: Arts Calendar & Apartment Life 24/7

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A to Z Challenge: My theme this year is NYC before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

ARTS CALENDAR: It only took me a year to figure out I needed one. New York City is a busy place, comprised with only what I can describe as an incessant plethora of activities. I shouldn’t have been surprised, given it was one of the reasons we moved here; I just didn’t realize it’d require a pocket guide to keep track.

March was shaping up to be a busy month of culture for me with a variety of new museum exhibits, poetry workshops and readings, and concerts. I can’t bring myself to the turn the page and see Elton John, Barclays Center, written under April 11. Who knew March would be the longest month of nothing.

Fortunately, most museums have opened up their virtual doors so we can at least check out exhibits from afar, but otherwise, it’s all on hold as the world grapples with a pandemic.

But hey, that’s just the way it goes. Most things will get rescheduled. It’s not the end of the world . . . wait . . . *thinks about it* . . . so anyway . . .

APARTMENT LIFE 24/7: The Husband and I have both worked from home for at least ten years, so this new normal shouldn’t be so new, yet somehow, our 800+ square foot space suddenly feels a bit smaller.

Like, why do his toenail clipping sound so much louder? Has that faucet always dripped? What’s that smell? When did that annoying tick of yours start? It’s almost time for my 10:00 a.m. nap.

We have our respective wings in our 2b/2b, rectangle-shaped apartment. At the end of the day, we’ll meet in the middle for dinner and TV time. We’re fortunate to have lots of natural light, so when we eventually emerge from hiding, our eyes should be able to withstand the daylight.

After I completed my novel, I had planned to reward myself by taking a little time to wander museums in the mornings, but that got nixed before I could say MoMa. Now, waiting for agents to respond to my queries is like watching those toenails grow.

It’s Day 1 of this A to Z Challenge and as you can tell, the snark has set in.

2020 A to Z Blogging Challenge

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Oops, I did it again. Another year went by without blogging, even though I said I would. Turns out, NYC has a lot of shiny objects. Plus, I’ve focused my writing energy on my YA manuscript, ROAD NOISE. For the last ten months or so, I wrote Monday-Friday, from about 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and completed the book two weeks ago. It’s now in the cyber hands of a couple of agents (a hopeful assumption).

So timing is perfect to jump into the 2020 A to Z Blogging Challenge that starts April 1. The last time I participated in this challenge was back in 2015 and I really enjoyed it. You can check out those posts here.

This time around, I’ll be blogging about my experiences as a new New Yorker over the past year, as well as our new New Yorker life of being homebound in a small apartment during this pandemic. The city that never sleeps is definitely in for a long nap. So basically, each post will have two of each letter; a before and during, if you will.

Hopefully, this blogging challenge will give me something to focus on instead of my worrying about our friends and family back in Colorado, especially our son who attends college in Boulder.

Until then, stay safe and wash you hands.