Think Your Way Through the Pandemic
/There are some small blessings that have emerged from the pandemic. One of them is my weekly Tuesday Zoom call with my three Portland gal pals. At the start of the pandemic, my friend Roberta suggested a weekly discussion group to talk about topics that we were interested in. In particular, she wanted to talk about an article that she had read from The Atlantic by David Brooks about the problematic rise of the nuclear family. We held our first Zoom talk on a Tuesday afternoon on March 24th, and we have kept this up most Tuesdays since.
Our Think & Drink, as the weekly meeting has come to be known, is like a low commitment book club. Monthly book clubs are demanding. I'm sure many of you can relate. You join a book club with good intentions. At the start, everyone reads the book, and the discussion is lively. But soon, your book club becomes a wine club where most of your time is spent catching up, then superficially speak about the book because half the members didn't finish the book. Soon, life takes over, and the group disbands.
Think & Drinks are different because:
a) the time commitment to prepare for the meeting is low,
b) we discuss critical and timely things going on in the world, and
c) most importantly, it is a time to connect and talk about how what is happening in our life during the pandemic
My Think & Drink Crew: Briana, Marisha, Roberta, and me; photo by Briana Linden
Basically, it’s four gal pals hanging out to check-in and to talk about topics important to us. For our Think & Drink, we talk about issues like feminism, racism, democracy, parenthood, relationships, psychology, science, and so much more. We also talk about things we are facing personally - like how hard it is to show up as our best selves at this time - as mothers, professionals, and partners. These weekly check-ins have seriously kept me sane during these crazy times.
Think & Drinks work like this:
Before the session, one person selects a topic in the form of an article, a podcast, or a show (we rotate this responsibility)
Everyone reads, listens, or watches the assignment.
We meet every Tuesday by Zoom to discuss it, with a drink or without
Here are some articles we have discussed over the last several months:
David Brooks’ "The Nuclear Family was a Mistake" article in the Atlantic
W. Kamau Belle's article in Medium called "Me and Bruce Lee would like to have a word with you"
"It is Time for Reparations" by Nikole Hannah-Jones from the NY Times Magazine
”Considering a Coronavirus Divorce? You're in Good Company” an Opinion by Kim Brooks in the New York Times
Here are some of the podcasts we have discussed:
"How to Slay Sexism Like a Professional" on the Unladylike podcast
On Being's "Notice the Rage, Notice the Silence" interview with Resmaa Menakem
Brene Brown's show Unlocking us with Ibrama Kindi on "How to be an Anti-racist"
And some documentaries or shows we've discussed:
Saving Capitalism (Netflix) based on the book of the same name by Robert Reich
Connected: the Dirt Episode (Netflix) on the incredible ways the world is connected
We start by catching up on our personal lives, sharing and reflecting on our daily joys and challenges. Then, we talk about the assigned topic, starting first with the person who picked the article. That person describes why she chose it, and afterward, we talk about what stood out to us about the piece and how it relates to our lives or what's going on in the broader culture.
When I say that this weekly Tuesday meeting has been my saving grace through the pandemic, I'm not overstating. I love these women, and I especially love that we get to reflect on important topics that affect us as individuals and as a community.
Try this out with a group of people with whom you like spending time. The topics we choose are deeply personal to us, but you can choose anything for your learning sessions. Another friend and I discussed doing a monthly Asian-American film discussion group, something we tried to do many years ago when we lived together in New York City. Maybe you form a group to educate yourself on how to better budget for the future. Maybe you study the art of comedy. Pick a genre or pick a topic. Anything is game.
Scheduled check-ins are also is a great way to connect with other entrepreneurs. You can form a Think & Drink to discuss business issues or entrepreneurship challenges. Another option is to form a group to keep each other accountable, also known as an Accountability Pod. This type of group is made up of people who are working towards a common goal. I recently formed an accountability pod with some successful female entrepreneurs who are all developing on-line classes. We share insights on creating and developing our curriculum and our online businesses, and we help each other make important decisions.
The options to connect, learn, and collaborate, even while distanced, are endless. Try out a Think & Drink or an Accountability Pod and tell me how it goes. I hope you’ll cherish the experience as much as I do.