The coronavirus has put a stop to almost every aspect of normal life. But it could be the perfect time to pick up a new hobby or learn something new using online resources.
Nearly every country on the planet has confirmed cases of coronavirus, meaning millions of people are quarantined. With children out of school and most people staying home from work, those same millions of people are deciding how to spend their time.
Creative and helpful types online have made the options endless. They are using technology to share and teach their talents to the rest of us. You can also use this down-time learn something new or continue to progress in a discipline you enjoy.
Perfect your cooking skills
Take this extra time at home to learn how to cook like a Michelin-starred chef, specifically Massimo Bottura of Osteria Francescana. His restaurant in Modena closed earlier this month to keep people safe, but Bottura is now bringing his Italian cooking style into your home every day. In his Instagram series “Kitchen Quarantine,” you’ll hear Italian and English descriptions of how he puts delicious recipes together, and it’s fantastico. It goes live at 8 p.m. CET, but if you miss the livestream, you can find the videos on the Fine Dining Lovers website. You’ll smile spending time with his fun-loving family, who all play a part. His wife, Lara, and son, Charlie, chip in with the preparation, taking photos and taste-testing. His daughter, Alexa, films and helps narrate.
Listen to a living room concert
Instagram Live has been the home for impromptu concerts from musicians of all genres. Using the hashtag #TogetherAtHome, Pink, Chris Martin of Coldplay, John Legend and others have popped on so far to share their talents. The World Health Organization collaborated with Global Citizen to bring us the virtual concert series Together at Home: WHO-Global Citizen Solidarity Sessions, and artists often use the hashtag on Twitter to take requests. It may not be a bad idea to start following that hashtag since you never know who may decide to perform for you next for free.
Learn to draw
The Kennedy Center YouTube page is helping everyone up their doodle skills with lessons from children’s author and illustrator Mo Willems. Willems brought us The Pigeon, Knuffle Bunny and Elephant and Piggie series and now brings us into his studio for the next few weeks with “Lunch Doodles.” He posts new episodes every day at 1 p.m. EST, and he teaches how to draw and even make finger puppets. Willems’ message for all of us: “You might be isolated, but you’re not alone.”
Take a dance class
Los Angeles based CLI Studios has an impressive choreographer/teacher roster of more than 200, including co-founder tWitch from “Ellen” and “So You Think You Can Dance.” Normally they create programs with and for dance studios to train teachers and help studios with live interactive and on-demand classes. But when most studios had to shut down, CEO and co-founder Jon Arpino said they launched their #keepdancing campaign.
“We have been running free live dances classes all week to give our Studio Partners time to put together a game plan,” he said in an email, “and to help the millions of dancers that want to keep dancing while at home.”
CLI Studios has offered these free streaming classes in various dance styles, and Arpino said thousands of dancers from more than 100 countries have joined in so far. I took a contemporary dance class where the choreographer taught a simple combination in about 30 minutes to a Paul Simon song. It was fun, got my heart rate going and took my mind off coronavirus for a while.
Go on a virtual museum tour
Google Arts and Culture has an amazing walkthrough of the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy, that utilizes Google Street View. Around two million people visit the galleries each year. Even though they are closed for now, you can walk the halls and take your time exploring online. Don’t miss the magnificent ceiling frescoes by Alessandro Allori and Sandro Botticelli’s “The birth of Venus.”
For kids, consider the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. Your little ones will love looking at the “Sea Monsters Unearthed” exhibit and the “Hall of Fossils,” especially the Jurassic Dinosaurs section. You can zoom in to read and see even the smallest details.
Yes, it can be trying to keep your mind and body occupied while sequestered in your home or apartment. But, thanks to tech at our fingertips, we can all come through this time a little smarter and maybe even a little more talented.