Coping with Coronavirus: Stimulate the hive mind

Facing unusual circumstances, how do we rise to the challenge of finding things to do that stimulate our minds and increase our capacities?

I have some ideas. For each of them, let me emphasize the importance of responses and interaction being positive. While we have a tendency to believe the negative has to be said, the reality is that we already have an overabundance of negative. So, the interactions I am suggesting below should follow the adage, "If you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all." 

In truth, we can nearly always find something positive to say, and this is certainly a time when we need one other's reassurances. With all of that in mind, here are some ideas for ways that we can continue to interact while keeping our distance:

Short Story Relay 1. Via email or social media, get together a circle of friends, say six of them. Set a period of time to write story segments, say 10 minutes. Each circle member then writes a beginning to a story (either a specified one or one of their choice) and forwards it at the specified time to their next relay partner. Each partner writes additional segments and circulates the accumulated segments to their next relay partners at the specified times.

If there are six relay partners writing for 10 minutes each segment, at the end of four segments (after 40 minutes and four relay hand-offs), they each need to try to point the story in front of them toward a conclusion (this could require a little more time). After the fifth and final hand-off, the anchor (sixth) writers for the stories need to bring what has come to them to conclusions (this also could require a bit more time).

The completed stories are then shared with the whole circle to read, and a time is set to reconvene to discuss the positives of the completed stories via conference call, social media or email. After the discussion, individuals can each choose to edit the story they like best, or the group can jointly work on one or two of the stories they feel have the greatest merit.

Short Story Relay 2. Similar to the “relay” above, a circle of friends starts a story, writing for or a specified period of time.  However, this time, segments are adjusted so that all partners can read the various beginnings and choose which they wish to carry forward, and all partners can subsequently choose the resulting stories they wish continue and conclude. Discussion and editing can take similar or divergent paths.

Story in the Art. Find a photograph of a work of art online. Using one of the relays above or some other version of group effort, use the work of art as the basis for a story. Discuss which of the resulting stories most seem to explain, illuminate or personify the work of art.

Art Relay. Find paint or shop software that can be shared between the relay partners, all at their own home computers. Set an appropriate period of time for starting, handing off, contributing, and concluding a drawing. Start the work with all partners, each in their own way. Circulate to the next in the circle to add touches.

Continue until the last relay partner adds the finishing touches. Discuss the final products. Determine if one or more should be pursued jointly, individually or in another medium.

Design Relay. Find drafting software that can be shared between relay partners. Set appropriate periods of time for different phases of design. Start with something to be designed (car, house, boat, jet, spacecraft, home appliance, etc.). Circulate the developing design among relay members so that each can add to the concept.

Online Scavenger Hunt. Develop a list of items to be found online (photograph of something older than 1,000 years, plans for a home in Thailand, photo of a work of art in Buenos Aires, pattern for a Renaissance costume, codex for Mayan alphabet, musical score for a Zimbabwean song, name of the most venomous snake in Tasmania, etc.).

Time how long it takes everyone to collect everything or set a time limit, and see who finds the most items. Discuss what has been found for each required item and how well some fit the description. Compare and contrast the different results found for each item on the list.

Virtual Tour Conversation. Prepare a "bucket list" of places people in the circle wish to visit but haven't yet. Find virtual tours of those places online. Select the best virtual tour from each place to share with the rest of the circle. Based on the shared links, discuss who would prioritize where to travel, once it is considered safe to do so (and sufficient funds are available).

Gregory Z. Smith is executive director of the Dona Ana Arts Council.