10 THINGS GETTING ME THROUGH QUARANTINE ROUND TWO

It has now started making me laugh when people ask how I’m doing.

I mean – I’m fine, I suppose (as in healthy / surviving / doing my best) but the reality is that I’m trapped in 1,200 sq ft with way too many people (and animals) all day long, trying to simultaneously be a parent, teacher, partner, entertainer, chef, housekeeper, nurse – oh ya, and author / entrepreneur without losing my waning grip on my sanity. It’s a lot. Too much, in fact. And while I do my best to enjoy the enjoyable moments, the truth is that this shit really is bananas.

But there are a few items that are getting me by (sometimes by very narrow margins) and we thought it would be wise to give those things the respect they deserve by dedicating this post to them:
The MVPs of Quarantine *ding ding* Round Two.

MVP #1: My Diva Cup
This thing has saved me a minimum of 18 trips to the store since I made the switch in 2019 and that alone is worth a first mention. It’s also saved me hundreds of dollars, spared the Toronto sewage system hundreds of rogue tampons, and kept hella pads out of landfills so THANK YOU AND YOU’RE WELCOME. Menstrual cups 4ever.

MVP #2: My Chapstick
Once upon a time we filmed a segment for Vice that unfortunately never aired, but it wasn’t a total loss because the makeup artist on set that day introduced me to the joy and miracle that is Burt’s Bees tinted chapstick (Hibiscus FTW) that literally makes you look 100x fresher with a financial commitment of like $7. Bless.

MVP #3: My Yoga Mat
I almost forgot that I could, in fact, move my body in ways other than bending over to switch my kid from Zoom to Google Classroom or sprinting up and down the stairs for pencil crayons. Pre-children and even up until I gave birth to my second in 2016, I was a dedicated yogi with 10 years of practice under my belt. Somehow I managed to fall off the wagon for the entirety of Donald Trump’s presidency. Coincidence? I’m not sure. But as it turns out, yoga is similar to riding a bike in that muscle memory does not forget. Movement (slow, steady movement) and the mat that supports me through it have saved me from many quarantine meltdowns (mine, not my kids’).

MVP #4: My iPad Pro (with keyboard attachment)
I have never in my life been in love with a piece of technology… until this second lockdown hit. My Grade-1 e-learner quickly commandeered my MacBook and my JK e-learner took over the iPad Mini which left me with the iPad Pro. This little tech powerhouse has since become my best friend, assistant, entertainment centre, and work partner. It’s allowed me to stay on top of my business during the day (thanks to apps like iCal, Mail, Google Docs / Sheets / Drive, DropBox, Instagram, and iMovie) and entertained me in the evenings (thanks to Apple Music, Netflix, and Apple Podcasts). What makes this baby so sweet (yes, I’m using her right now) is the addition of a full keyboard attachment and iPencil for quick note taking and highlighting. This is the future tech I imagined in grade school computer class and I am SO here for it.

MVP #5: My Masks
I’m not gonna lie to you… I enjoy the masks. In the summer I felt claustrophobic in them but now that it’s cold out, it’s like all my favourite hats have also become fabulous balaclavas making me feel not just safe but also toasty warm. When I add sunglasses to the equation, I feel 100% incognito and that’s a feeling I enjoy. I’ve tried A LOT of these suckers now and my absolute favourites are No Mask No Service and ai Toronto Seoul. They both make masks for kids and adults and ai Toronto Seoul also makes THE COOLEST mask chains that legit make my day a little better on the rare occasion wherein I actually leave the house.

MVP #6: My Weed Stash
Forget about stocking up on toilet paper, when lockdown 2.0 hit, the only thing I was really interested in procuring was some flower, edibles and CBD tea. This has all contributed to an increased enjoyment of outdoor winter activities, heightened patience for all the unpaid jobs I’ve been thrust into, enhanced libido (although Bridgerton deserves a nod for that too), and the fact that I haven’t made a break for it to start a new life (alone) on a deserted island.

MVP #7: My Winter Gear
This year I decided to up my winter-wear game and get in it to win it. The best thing in the world to me right now is the dead-stock Canadian Military fleece 2-piece suit that I bought a few years ago from my favourite Junction shop – Latre – that has officially become my daily “outer shell” winter uniform. I also was gifted an amazing pair of hardcore Sorel winter boots this year that have changed my relatioship with snow for the better. Warm gloves from Roots and a crazy warm hat (my Shit That I Knit one is on heaviest rotation) – plus some coffee and bailey’s in a to-go cup and suddenly I can tolerate Canadian winters. Go figure.

MVP #8: My High-Interest Savings Account
A few months ago I committed to transferring 20% of my monthly earnings into a high interest savings account with Wealthsimple (shout out to going nowhere and doing nothing for allowing this to happen). The idea is that once I have about 3 months salary saved, I’ll then open an investment account and really start to play. Checking in on my account via the WS app on my phone and seeing my money grow with literally no effort on my part (I automated withdrawals and interest accrues on its own) has become one of the most positive and exciting things happening in my life which is why a seemingly boring account managed to land itself on this highly esteemed list of sanity-saving things.

MVP #9: My Skincare Rituals
Honestly, this is less about products than it is about the practice of taking 10 minutes to myself with the bathroom door shut firmly – oftentimes in the middle of the day. For me, this process looks like: a quick cleanse (nothing too hardcore, since I haven’t applied makeup in a million years), followed by a serum (vitamin C is my BFF), followed by an oil (Nannette De Gaspe’s Elixir Noir Face Oil is killin’ it for me right now). The oil is clutch because it provides me with that perfect “slip” for when I give myself a fabulous 5-minute Gua Sha stone massage. I end off the process with a dense moisturizer (because the air in Ontario is officially bone dry) and call it a day. Honestly, my skin has never been better – I consider this my one COVID win.

MVP #10: My AirPod Pros
Honestly, sometimes I’m not even listening to anything. Because of the noise cancelling capacity of these headphones, I’m able to escape from my family (I swear I love them) even when we’re all in the same room (bless). Then, when it’s time for a weekly deep clean of the house, I pop these bad boys in with a sick playlist (lately it’s been a lot of Al Green, Nina Simone, and Childish Gambino) or one of my favourite podcasts (I highly recommend The Cut, The Daily, Oprah’s “Supersoul Conversations,” Brene Brown’s “Unlocking Us,” John Meacham’s “Hope Through History” AND, of course, our brand new podcast: The Rebel Mama Hotline) et voila: escapism without the actual escape.

BONUS SHOUT-OUT: Snacks for my spawn
I’m generally a 3-square-meals-a-day kind of parent because fielding requests for snacks all day (only to hear “I’m not hungry” at mealtime) or becoming someone’s “snack bitch” during public outings constitutes an existential nightmare for me. Even on days spent at home (pre-pandemic) I was never big on placating my kids with food. Now? LOL.

Granola bars and cut fruit and Goldfish and cookies and purée pouches abound. Why? Because chewing is more quiet than talking. That’s why. And if you have further questions, be prepared to be offered a snack.

Alright well that’s it for my lockdown 2.0 MVPs. I’d also like to give a special nod to our girl Mother Nature for holding it down and always having our backs when we need a pavement / earth break. Also food delivery apps (and GA pizza subscription boxes) and wine. They’ve been solid team players too.

Here’s to us never having to publish anything about lockdowns ever again. Cheers.

xx RM