Dispatches from the before-time

You know what I mean

Make a list of the last few things you remember doing before the pandemic impacted you. That might mean: the last few nights you spent out before pubic health measures included staying home, or, the last few errands you ran to make sure you had everything you thought you’d need, or, maybe that means the thing you were doing when you heard someone close to you had COVID. “Impacted you” can mean a lot of things, and each iteration of impact could be a writing prompt in and of itself.

For me, I immediately think of how conversation turned to Wuhan on a night out in January 2020. Or, to the long-lines in the grocery stores in March. Or, the funeral I couldn’t attend in April. All layers of different moments in the early stages of the pandemic, and each a standalone essay waiting to happen. So, let’s write.