5 Things I’m Doing to Stay Culturally Engaged During the Pandemic

It’s a stressful time for anyone, regardless of how healthy you are. Thankfully, I am still working during this pandemic — albeit remotely. But that means I’m missing out on a lot of the great stuff that is being offered to keep people entertained and enlightened.

It makes sense, however, that when I do engage, I’ve been resorting to something familiar for the sense of comfort it gives me. But I also still want something ‘new’. So, I’ve compromised — and am looking at new things from creators I’m familiar with. Here are five things I’ve been doing to stay culturally engaged.

The Thrilling Adventure Hour was a podcast written in the style of old-time radio. You can read a longer review on my website. They did a live stream episode on March 22 to benefit food banks (and you can still purchase it here), and it was awesome. (The highlight for me was a toss-up between Mark Gagliardi with foam tentacles and Busy Philipps doing a costume change.) They’re doing another one on April 11, with tickets helping food banks in LA, NY, Seattle, Detroit, New Orleans, and elsewhere.

Additionally, I’ve been watching John Finnemore’s “Cabin Fever” episodes. If you’re unfamiliar with the radio series Cabin Pressure, it was a 27-episode sitcom about a private charter company. You can read a mini-recommendation in this article I wrote back in 2017 when it was being rebroadcast. Well, on March 22, Finnemore started a series of short videos titled ‘Cabin Fever’, where he took the character he played in the series, Arthur Shappey, and has him present new ‘episodes’, all titled “Fitton”. They are clever and interactive (he held a guessing game for one), and immensely enjoyable. You can see them on his YouTube channel.

Mary Chapin Carpenter is one of my favorite singers. I don’t know if it’s because I grew up in the Midwest in the 80s, but her songs speak to me on a very basic level. About two weeks ago on her Facebook page, she started doing live streams of her performing a song a day. What makes them even better is that her dog just doesn’t want to leave her alone, and has stolen the show more than once — but Carpenter shows she’s a true professional by not breaking no matter how many times the dog wants attention.

I’ve also been re-watching movies I enjoyed in the past, letting my brain stay engaged. Being an annual pass holder, I was able to get a really good deal on the streaming service Disney+. So, last week, I pulled up the movie Frozen. (After all, I want to see her sing about her kingdom of isolation!) However, in their ‘if you liked this, you may like this’ section, they recommended the mini-series Lego Frozen Northern Lights, which originally aired on the Disney Channel back in 2016. Now, I don’t know how familiar you are with the Lego video games or movies they’ve been doing for various IPs (you can read my review of Lego DC Comics Super Heroes – Justice League: Cosmic Clash I wrote in 2016 here), but Lego pulls no punches when it comes to self-deprecating comedy. This series is no different: whether it’s Olaf telling Elsa that they’re defying gravity, multiple jokes about Elsa’s sashaying hips during the “Let it Go” song in the original, or having people almost breaking into song only to have it interrupted, the series is a lighthearted piece of fun that is enjoyable to watch.

Finally, I’m a geek through and through. And my go-to comfort ‘food’ when I’m feeling stressed or down is fan fiction. I’ve been a member of the Hugo-winning archival site Archive of Our Own since 2013, but have been a lover of fanfic since way before then. My current go-to — despite my feelings on how the fourth series went — is Sherlock fan fiction. And yes, I am a die-hard JohnLock shipper, and was even before the BBC version had premiered. There’s something relaxing about reading new stories involving characters I’m already familiar with, tackling things in a way that brings me hope.

Of course, this is only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. I briefly mentioned several things in the ‘Angie Geeks Out’ segment of my last podcast, as well as some items in my “How to Still Be a Geek in the Middle of a Pandemic” article. I’m also sharing quite a few things on both my Contents May Vary Facebook page as well as my Geek Out Los Angeles Facebook page. And I have a whole email folder filled with things I hope to find the time and energy for, including a drone tour of the Broad’s Infinity Room, live concerts from The Doubleclicks and other singers, and free books from all over the place.

Stay safe and geeky during this time. See all my 5 Fandom Friday posts here.