The Covid life has familiarized many of us not only with the concept of Working From Home, but also Working Out From Home. Personally, I am doing two or three Zoom workouts each week, which helps to fill up the time I used to spend leaving the house to socialize with other humans. Another thing we can claim a heightened familiarity with (compared to one year ago): Wipes. Did you ever imagine that you would spend such a large percentage of your waking hours wiping things? I sure didn’t. And yet here we are; all about the wipes.
With Spring Cleaning on everyone’s minds, you may be thrilled to know that there is a wipe made just for freshening up your workout gear. JasmineSeven Mat & Body Yoga Wipes are uniquely formulated to be gentle yet effective in naturally cleaning your active gear (and yourself). These wipes contain Tea Tree Oil, which gently cleanses, while the addition of fragrant Lavender delivers a soothing, fresh scent. All-natural and non-toxic, they are safe and gentle enough for your use on skin, so you can use one to freshen up yourself and another to get your mat ready for your next yoga session!
While looking through my archives of street art photography, I noticed a few random photos that have dicks in them. This seemed funny to me, and I was ‘hard up’ (pun intended) for an idea, so I decided to make a post out of street art with dicks in it. I’ll add more pics of dicks to the post as time goes on. Because why not? There are more dicks out there waiting to be discovered; of this I am quite sure. I do not know the artist responsible for the banana-as-dick fetish-themed piece above (it might even be an ad), but when you’re feelin’ it, who gives a shit?
I saw this fun piece in SoHo last summer, when Covid was still kind of a new thing and the George Floyd murder was making people (rightfully) lose their minds. Is it any wonder that such a volatile social climate spawned this bold message of “Racist(s) Can Suck My Dino Dick” emblazoned above a masked woman riding a, well, Blue Dinosaur-Dick-hybird? I think not.
Let’s zoom in for a closer look:
Ride ’em Cowgirl!
This piece is by Pure.Genius, whose murals are always topical, and lots of fun. And speaking of fun, please take a closer look at the outfit on the ‘rider’ and tell me you don’t think this lady is modeled after Walt Disney’sSnow White. Because of course she is.
I call this one Mr. Potato Dick. If you know who the artist is, please leave it in the comments!
99 Cents Dream (2020) is part of an eponymous series from photographer Graham MacIndoe taken primarily in New York City since March 2020, when the pandemic changed our lives practically overnight. MacIndoe took the opportunity to venture out into different parts of the city and was captivated by the quietness of the streets, the feeling of isolation, and people walking through the unfamiliar landscape of shuttered stores and restaurants. The estrangement of human interaction he often saw and felt made him view the city and its inhabitants differently. Things he may not have noticed before, like gestures, graffiti and shadows, became more pronounced because of the mostly empty sidewalks and streets. Many of the scenes he encountered brought to mind the book Lanark by the Scottish author Alisdair Gray, which in part describes the city and its disappearing residents. These pictures are about displacement and a lack of belonging and a feeling that something is not quite right, which of course was the case before Covid-19 arrived.
Photographed in The National Arts Club in Gramercy Park, Manhattan.
Above Graphic Depicts The Actual Current Length of My Hair (All Photos and Images By Gail)
It was actually one year ago yesterday that my employer asked if we wouldn’t mind working from home for “a few weeks” while they got this Covid 19 thing sorted out. Several months later, we were advised to ‘arrange a time’ to come into the building and pack up all of our personal belongs, because we would not be expected to return to the office — pandemic guidelines permitting — until our company relocates to midtown in the summer of 2021. This news felt somewhat surreal, but also pretty sweet; because by June I’d grown very comfortable with hardly ever leaving my house.
Pomchies, the Arizona based company that launched the now popular Pom Mask line in response to the need for comfortable, breathable face masks at the onset of Covid19 has just expanded the line to include double-layered, reversible masks with a filter pocket, along with fresh spring colors and patterns, children’s mask two-packs and new Pom Mask holders.
Double Layer Mask with Filter Inserted
The new double layered Pom Masks are reversible and designed with a pocket for filter insertion. Color combinations currently include choices such as Navy and Black (pictured above), Black and Bottle Green, Grey and Black, Camo and Black, Snake Skin and Grey, Leopard and Black, and Dragon Fruit (bright Pink) and Aqua — so you can stay fashionable while keeping safe at all times! Pomchies keeps sustainability in mind with two of the masks being made from Repreve fabric, which is produced from recycled water bottles.
We all miss traveling and hope that by the summer, with active vaccination, we’ll be able to take at least some shorter trips to select destinations. But even today, some people need to take flights for work or drive to visit relatives they care for. Whether you’re planning your vacation, or just want to feel safer on a business trip, there are a few precautions you can take in these difficult times.
Here’s how to travel during a pandemic.
The Basic Rules
When traveling, make sure you learn the destination’s safety requirements, but even if the place, e.g., doesn’t call for wearing a mask at all times, you might want to use common sense and put one on when in busy spots.
Maintaining social distance will remain a good idea for some time even with the pandemic situation getting better, so keep 6 feet apart when possible.
The same goes for avoiding sick people, washing and sanitizing hands, not touching your face, and covering your mouth when coughing and sneezing.
Lodging
When choosing a hotel or other accommodation, make sure you check their website or call ahead to learn about their safety protocols.
Things to look for are wearing masks and using gloves for staff, advanced cleaning procedures, social distancing, set protocols if someone gets sick, contactless check-in and payment, and hand sanitizer available at all places. It’s also essential to have enough time between guests in the room to get it cleaned and aired properly.
It will not hurt if you disinfect the doorknobs, countertops, faucets, and other high-touch surfaces when you arrive yourself. Make sure you pack alcohol sanitizers, disinfectant wipes, gloves, and masks.
Also, pack enough changes of clothes to avoid bringing in germs from outside. High-quality v-neck shirts, like the ones from Fresh Clean Tees, will be perfect for any trip as they come in multiple colors and go with everything.
Flying
Flying can feel a little scary. Even if summer sees things getting much better, it’s smart to take extra precautions. Choose the airlines that are clear about their safety protocols and implement them throughout the entire process from check-in, boarding to the flight itself.
Wear a mask at all times and have a few of them to switch if your flight is longer. Minimize the interaction with other passengers, use hand sanitizers and bring your own food on the plane.
Car Travel
If you’re traveling by car, you might feel safer, and it’s highly recommended if there’s an option to do so. Depending on your location, you might need to be more or less vigilant about minimizing your stops and activities. However, pack all the proper supplies and some food for the road, so you don’t have to stop to eat too often.
If you choose to eat on the road, opt for restaurants that offer a drive-thru, curbside service, or have outdoor seating. We also recommend stocking up on water if you’re driving to remote locations and suggests investing in good quality water cans instead of plastic bottles.
Plan, Plan, Plan
You probably have your usual routines during holidays, but currently, you might need to reconsider some of them. Skip the indoor theme parks, big crowded squares, shops, bars, and clubs. Focus on outdoor activities, nature parks, drive-in movie theaters, outdoor dining, picnicking, and entertainment venues you know have taken all the needed safety measures.
There might be an app available in your destination that updates on the COVID-19 situation, so you can check which areas are safe and which to avoid.
Be Flexible
We all want to return to making plans and enjoying our lives, but we still need to be flexible and cancel certain activities if needed. If you don’t feel comfortable, or you learn about health risks in certain destinations, cancel those plans and opt for another activity. Even in cases where you already paid for, e.g., a tour, you should still cancel if you don’t feel safe.
Lastly, if you or your family member feels unwell, just stay home. Don’t forget to check the recommendations of the U.S. CDC before traveling.
In this modern Covid life that we live, do you find that your hands are perpetually red and chapped from constant washing, as well as endlessly wiping down counters and household surfaces with disinfectant wipes that can dry your skin even further? Not to mention, but you can see I am about to, the fact that for many months wipes were difficult, if not impossible, to even find on the shelves. I think we can all relate to the intimate new relationship that we have with disinfectant wipes; a product that, prior to March of 2020, I will confess to having purchased maybe once or twice in my entire life. Just being serious.
Now that wipes of all sorts are back in-stock in most stores, it’s nice to have the option of using a brand made with natural ingredients that are also gentler on your skin. Elyptol, makers of multi-use cleaning essentials, has just launched its all-natural cleaning wipes in Target stores nationwide and on Target.com. I recently received a package of Elyptol Natural Cleaning Wipes for use here in the Chickpad so that I can let you know how they work. Here are my findings.
Before you can start using the wipes, you will a need short tutorial (not provided on the container, but provided here by me) on how to remove the lid (which surprisingly neither twists off nor pops off easily) from the Elyptol Wipes container. First, get a large spoon from the kitchen, turn the container on its side, and nudge the edge the spoon’s bowl underneath the rim of the lid, then push the lid up and off.
