Hi, how are you? I hope you're doing fine. The past six months have been so strange. I try to keep up with recent news and I can't help but to feel sad to see how we all get to this point. I'm not pointing fingers at who is at fault here and who is not, I feel that we all contributed to the mess we have created today.

Reading the news has made me think how bleak the world seems to be right now. It's like all the problems we held off for so long are now attacking us all at once. Where should we start? Just to name a few we have global warming, global pandemic, institutional racism, never ending wars in many parts of the world and these are just the tip of the iceberg, I mean the list is endless.
There are days where seeing the news and scrolling through my social media can feel overwhelming. I can only assume that all of us are trying to make sense of this hellish nightmare that we're currently in. Therefore I'm always glad whenever I found a positive news article because it feels like ray of hope.

Through being in quarantined and social distancing for over four months, I realize how much I take my freedom for granted. The simplest thing such as grocery shopping now feels like a field trip to me. I also realize how privileged I am to be in a position where I can still work from home. I guess what I'm trying to say is that the global pandemic has taught me to be thankful of the simplest things in life, things that I might often overlook.

On a lighter note, I get inspired by seeing how my friends deal with the pandemic. Many of them started their own food business! I guess creativity kicks in when you have time on your hands. Obviously the downside from this is the weight gain due to me eating bunch of food I bought from them. But seriously though they all taste so good and you know that any good food always nourishes the soul. Some of them have also taken interest in decorating their bed room including myself. Probably because their bed room has become the space they spent most of their time in. It's amazing how storage boxes and little knick knacks can truly change the atmosphere of a room. I also see my friends taken up new hobbies, from painting, knitting, to cycling.  I lately really enjoy my evening walk around the neighborhood. 5.30 pm sky never fails to calm me down. It's really nice to see that people are trying to find their own ways to stay positive amid this stressful times.

To remember the fun things I did during quarantine, here are couple of activities I did at home.

• I learned how to do (very basic) Photoshop

• I learned how to drill a wall.

• Played loads of games with my family. Jackbox, Monopoly, and foosball are now my family's go to game. 

• Tried out a few recipes which consists of small-bites pizzas, lemon pepper wings, honey bbq wings, and (misshapen but delicious) cinnamon roll. 

We're all currently in uncharted waters. The problems we're facing today won't probably be gone anytime soon. Till then, I hope we can get through all of this together. Learn new skills, explore new hobbies, be aware of what's happening around you, donate to charities or organizations that you believe in and make sure to not be too hard on yourself. 

To my friends and whoever random people reading this post, I hope you and your loved ones are healthy and safe. Take care.