Gorgeous lion giving a massive yawn 

A thread: My client got out of 30 years of prison about 6 weeks ago. Since then, people have been telling him that forms he needs are on the web or that they would email something to him. A few days ago, he shyly admitted to me that he doesn't understand what any of that means.

I got him a laptop & we spent a day this weekend going over everything, the diff between cell service & wifi, where to find which things on a phone vs on a laptop. He got comfortable asking "What is the WIFI password here?" & entered it in the right spot. Everything about the laptop was hard -- the icons & cursor, the touchpad, hovering over something for options, closing and opening tabs. Then we made Zoom meeting links, found links in emails, opened Zooms, we muted and unmuted, turned on and off video. We drank a lot of coffee.

Everyone - including DC social services offices, assumes he has figured all this out, that he can function in a digital world, during a pandemic, without a crash course in this stuff. I felt so guilty for presuming he would just figure it out solo...

and I feel guilty for not even recognizing how much there would be for him to learn, and how much it took for him to admit his confusion. When he was in prison, he sent me emails but Corrlinks is not the same as a laptop on your own with no limits and yet, no help.

This even being a possibility is inhumane.

a really excellent way to reduce anxiety is to pick up a new hobby. find something you’re interested in, learn it, then use it as a healthy and productive way to cope.

learn to play guitar

learn how to make interactive stories with the free program Twine

learn how to make pixel art

learn another language

learn how to build a ship in a bottle

learn how to develop your own film

learn how to embroider

learn how to make chiptunes (8-bit music)

learn how to make origami (the art of paper folding)

learn how to make tumblr themes

learn how to make jewelry 

learn how to make candy

learn how to make terrariums

learn how to make your own perfume

learn how to make your own tea

learn how to build birdhouses

learn how to read tarot cards

learn how to make zines

learn how to code

learn how to whittle (wood carving)

learn how to make candles

learn how to make clay figurines

learn how to knit scarves

learn how to become an amateur astronomer

learn some yoyo tricks

learn how to start a collection

learn how to start body building

learn how to edit wikipedia articles

learn how to decorate iphone cases

learn how to do freelance writing

learn how to make your own cards and

learn how to make your own envelopes

learn how to play the ukulele 

learn how to make gifs

learn how to play chess

learn how to juggle

learn how to guerrilla garden

learn how to chart your family history

learn how to keep chickens

learn how to do yoga

learn how to do magic

learn how to raise and breed butterflies

learn how to play dungeons & dragons

learn how to skateboard

learn how to do parkour

learn how to surf

learn how to arrange flowers

So much of what I see reminds me of something I read in a book, when shouldn’t it be the other way around?