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

OUTDOORS: If there’s one thing New York City does right (there’s a lot, really) it’s parks. It’s also one the thing I miss most. For todays part one, it’s all about a photographic journey through a few of my favorite outdoor destinations: parks

Central Park

Prospect Park

Brooklyn Botanic Gardens

Greenwood Cemetery

Governor’s Island

DUMBO/Brooklyn Bridge Park

Fortunately, sunsets are still something I can experience without leaving home:

ONLINE LEARNING: Kids may not be jazzed about having their classrooms online, but I know a lot of adults who thrive in this type of learning environment. I actually miss school, but I’ll admit, I’m not a quick learner, which is why I think I like distance learning. I can generally take it at my own pace and if I have to hit rewind a few times, that’s okay. Even before the pandemic, you could find loads of online courses in all sorts of subjects; now, there’s even more. Ever want to attend Harvard? Well, you can now (no scholarship required) because they’ve opened up 67 classes you can take that vary from 1-15 weeks. If that’s a little too intimidating, try out Master Classes. I purchased a subscription last year and I really like it. There is such a huge variety of subjects (I really liked Neil Gaiman’s). Here’s a list of other online opportunities:

Skillshare
Future Learn
Coursera
edx
Udemy

This is a great time to learn to code, speak French, or even the art of pasta making. (Think of what you could add to your dating profile!)