A to Z Challenge: My theme this year is NYC before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
OUTDOORS: If there’s one thing New York City does right (there’s a lot, really) it’s parks. It’s also one the thing I miss most. For todays part one, it’s all about a photographic journey through a few of my favorite outdoor destinations: parks
Central Park
Prospect Park
Brooklyn Botanic Gardens
Greenwood Cemetery
Governor’s Island
DUMBO/Brooklyn Bridge Park
Fortunately, sunsets are still something I can experience without leaving home:
ONLINE LEARNING: Kids may not be jazzed about having their classrooms online, but I know a lot of adults who thrive in this type of learning environment. I actually miss school, but I’ll admit, I’m not a quick learner, which is why I think I like distance learning. I can generally take it at my own pace and if I have to hit rewind a few times, that’s okay. Even before the pandemic, you could find loads of online courses in all sorts of subjects; now, there’s even more. Ever want to attend Harvard? Well, you can now (no scholarship required) because they’ve opened up 67 classes you can take that vary from 1-15 weeks. If that’s a little too intimidating, try out Master Classes. I purchased a subscription last year and I really like it. There is such a huge variety of subjects (I really liked Neil Gaiman’s). Here’s a list of other online opportunities:
Skillshare
Future Learn
Coursera
edx
Udemy
This is a great time to learn to code, speak French, or even the art of pasta making. (Think of what you could add to your dating profile!)
I’ve been down there to Central Park a good 30 years ago. I was most impacted by the Strawberry Fields memorial.
I’ve recently taken an interest in the Master Classes too. The word subscription surprised me. I assumed I would have to purchase each class individually.
BTW I am exploring the podcast This is Love. Very compelling so far.
Strawberry Fields is definitely a poignant memorial, for sure. It can be tough to get a good look at it because tourists swarm around it taking pictures. Yeah, I think the Master Classes membership is worth the annual fee since one class can run you $90, and this way, you have access to them all. Sadly, however, I didn’t really like Margaret Atwood’s, David Mammet’s or David Patterson’s that much. There were a few nuggets of good info in each, but I wasn’t blown away. So glad you’re enjoying This is Love so far. One of the latest ones (#19) is probably one of my favorites.
Such lovely parks! They will be waiting when you return.
I have only ever scratched the surface of online learning. Now is the time to dive deeper!
I didn’t know about the Harvard and Nikon classes, April, so thanks for that heads-up. Right at the moment, we have about a foot of snow to deal with, but just before the storm came, we drove down to Sylvan Dale to pick up beef for the freezer. Just that little drive was like sneaking out on a date when grounded. It was exciting! Small joys feel really big these days.
Haha! It does feel a little rebellious to go out, doesn’t it? Then again, you are a rebel, Pat.