The Covid-19 pandemic has put the enitre world in a state of lockdown. We are no longer able to do a lot of things that we used to take for granted. Simple pleasures such as, catching a movie, having dinner with loved ones in your favorite restaurant, riding the metro, and even going for a stroll around the block is no longer possible.

If the latest IMF projections are any indication, a real recovery would take years. If the economic experts are to be believed, we come to the harsh conclusion that we are in it for the long haul. Once we get over the initial shock, there is more doom, and gloom on the way with companies set to reduce workforce, and freeze hiring. Unemployed folks are going to find it extra difficult to find a new job, and the ones that are already working will have hold on to their dear jobs. In hard times such as this, it is all the more important to look at the bright side and plan ahead. Our new found extra time could be put to good use. Keeping these in mind, I have taken up additional projects for betterment during this period, which I shall list below.

Learning how to learn

This course has been in my to-do list for a long time. It’s a bit ironic considering the fact that understanding and beating procrastination is one of the central tenets of this course. There is no better time to learn the skills that are taught in this course. I have learned a lot about how the brain works, best practices to learn, and retain what you have learned. The course is aimed not just for students, but anyone who wishes to learn, and enrich their lives from what they have learned. I am only two weeks into this four week course, but I already feel that everyone should be aware of the techniques taught in this course to improve their study habits, and study outcome. So, I do recommend it, and I shall write a detailed blog post once I complete the course. You can study Learning how to learn for free ($49 if you want a verified certificate) at Coursera.

Become a better cook

I am not new to cooking. My first attempt at cooking was a decade ago in 2009, when I moved to Sweden for my master’s degree. The high cost of living meant that I had to quickly graduate from making instant noodles, and sandwiches to a decent cook in relatively short time. I enjoyed this period of my life, and made good progress with my culinary skills. Things changed after my marriage to Ranju (who is awesome cook), who took over the kitchen duties from me. I happy being the assistant chef, helping out occasionally but I rarely cooked on my own.

Things are different now though. I am cooking again, starting with simple stir fries and noodle soups. I slowly progressed to making simple curries, and Indian dishes. I started to make use of the oven that came with the cooking range. Cooking with a different heat source is challenging, and the resulting food sure is delicious. I also happen to be reading “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat” by Samin Nosrat. So, I view this period as a good opportunity to practice many things I’ve learned from this book. Oh, by the way, this book is a great place to start if you want to improve your cooking, and do not know where to start.

Sugar free April

Ranju and I decided to skip added sugar for the whole month of April. We avoid foods with high, or added sugar, except for the 2-3 cheat meals we have during week. This means no more milkshakes, ice cream, and even the 1 teaspoon sugar that we add to the tea we take. In addition to this, we avoid high glycemic fruits such as grapes. It is okay to consume fruits on the lower end (<55 on the index) of the Glycemic Index. So, apple, oranges, and plum, etc. are good. We are also avoiding starchy foods like potatoes, and rice on most days, having substituted it with wheat-based chapattis, and rotis.

I have noticed that my energy levels are much more consistent now, probably due to far fewer spikes in insulin levels. This has helped me put in couple of good hours during the usual afternoon slump between 13:00 and 16:00 hours. I’ve already lost 0.7 kgs just two weeks into this experiment. It has been so successful, I have decided to continue this after April.

Phone-a-friend.

Before the lockdown, we were all too busy to stay in touch with near and dear ones. This is especially true for me, as I rarely make calls except on special occasions. These days, I am making a concentrated effort to call up old friends now that I have plenty of time. To kick things started, I had a long (2+ hours) of Zoom meeting with a group of my oldest friends, who are now living in different parts of the world, spread across 5 continents. This was such a great experience, as all of us had never gathered at the same time since 2005.

I am now calling a friend or a family member every two days to catch up. I feel that this helps me deal with the social isolation that comes with the great lockdown. We may be at faraway places, but it need not feel that way. Thanks to technology, we are now better connected than ever. So, let’s make good use of it.

Wholesome entertainment

You can only achieve so much productivity in a day. It’s important to let your hair down and relax as well. Since I won’t be getting my movie fix in the theaters in the foreseeable future, I am putting my HD TV to good use. Instead of mindlessly consuming YouTube videos, I decided to watch some good movies instead.

I had watched the Oscar winning Korean movie Parasite in February, and it opened my eyes, and ears to world cinema. I had seen some Swedish, and German movies during my stay in Sweden, but I realized that I had not seen any new foreign films in the years that followed. A quick google search revealed Empire magazine’s 100 greatest films from world cinema, which goes like this:

From Brazil to Japan to France and Senegal, from Neo-Realism to Dogme to J-horror, we’ve compiled a list of the very best films not in the English language (note: features, not documentaries). So rustle up some sushi, strike up a gauloise and make sure you’ve locked your bicycle as we count down the top 100 world cinema movies…

As humans we come from different places, belong to many cultures, and speak many languages, but human emotions, pain, and suffering are universal. After watching half a dozen movies from this list, it was enlightening to realize that. It was time well spent.