Comforting Things, Vol. 4 – Camilla Danaher

“Comforting Things” is a series we started when we all reached out to each other, too angry and sad to do much of anything, and thought about what we could do to make each other feel better. We’ve kept on with variations of the series – “Comforting Films” being a fave – and we’ve decided to bring it back now, as we’re all confined to our homes and facing times that are not only destructive to physical health but to mental health, as well. Twice a week for the next few weeks, Attic writers and editors will take turns sharing what it is that they’re finding comforting in the time of COVID, hoping to create a better sense of community but also, in hope that you may find something that is comforting to you as well. In this latest piece, contributor Camilla Danaher shares the activities that help distract her through stressful days.

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Stress feels almost inevitable for many right now, and I definitely have not been immune to the zeitgeist of the last few months. With all my favorite places closed and only working around five hours a week, I realized I had to get more comfortable with myself. Although I am still a little stressed, these things have truly helped me cope, often unexpectedly. I hope everyone finds their own little comforts right now.

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Watching

To be honest, I haven’t watched much television at all in the past few years. I’ve never had time, or I’ve felt guilty that I wasn’t spending my time productively. Now, I realized, I don’t have to! I’ve enthusiastically enjoyed having guilt-free time to check out all the television I’ve missed, with Mad Men dominating my time.

Embarrassing to admit, but I got to watching Mad Men about a decade after everyone else. Everything about it brings me so much joy—the gorgeous costuming, the drama, the idiocy. I love hating Don and Pete almost as much as I love rooting for Peggy and Joan. Did I mention the costuming? Every outfit is an inspiration.

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Spending Time with My Hamster

Satchel, my adorable Syrian hamster, has always been a source of delight in my life, but lately we’ve had more time together. Whether she’s on my shoulder, biting something she shouldn’t be, or simply eating a seed in her cage, she constantly makes me smile. I hold that everything feels a lot better in the world when you have a furry friend by your side. Having an animal that depends on me when I’m anxious or depressed is really beneficial.

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Revisiting Dance

I’ve never been athletic and have pushed away suggestions of even mild physical activity, but my muscles were so stiff from sitting all day that I started browsing workouts that looked interesting on YouTube.

The next thing I knew, I was in my ballet shoes for the first time in years, following along with ballet barre workouts by Kathryn Morgan. Ballet is so much more difficult than it looks and the beginner workouts left me exhausted, but I actually felt good afterward. Focusing on the expression and technicality of dance lets me forget that I’m doing something good for my body, and gives me something to feel proud of. Ballet has even encouraged me to get a yoga mat so I can do some stretches on my off days, which I never would have considered even three months ago. My limbs feel more limber, and my head is a bit more clear. I swear that my neck being less stiff has even prevented chronic headaches. Not feeling motivated to move? The Royal Opera House’s YouTube now has free livestreams and full-length ballet productions to get you inspired!

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Crafting

Recently I’ve gone down a bit of a sashiko rabbit hole, reading just about every one of Atsushi Futatsuya’s blog posts about the Japanese method of visible mending. This was a natural progression from my interest in cross-stitching, and I recently started a sashiko sampler. The stitch is challenging in a new way, and I appreciate it for its usefulness. Beautifying things we use every day adds some pleasure to the little things.

I’m also crocheting  a big, plush, plum-colored blanket for my grandmother, who lives in another city. Making something for her feels twice as rewarding as crocheting for myself and allows me to feel connected despite the distance. Crocheting blankets is cozy too, because they keep you warm as you work the project. Audiobooks play in the background while I stitch. Currently, I’m finishing Pain, Parties, Work by Elizabeth Winder, a very light history of Sylvia Plath’s internship at Mademoiselle magazine. It has all the warm nostalgia of history without anything genuinely bad happening, which I find perfect.

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Writing

Last but certainly not least, writing has probably calmed my anxiety more than anything else. The short story I’m working on distracts me for hours, where  nothing but the little world I’m creating exists. Exercises in fiction from The 3 A.M. Epiphany are challenging enough to be consuming without frustrating, and I’m trying to learn how to write poetry through the very fun exercises in Stephen Fry’s The Ode Less Travelled. Fry’s book is especially good, because he purposefully writes nothing of quality for his sample exercises. Seeing a poem about what the author would currently like to eat really takes off the pressure of trying to seem profound!

Journaling too is so wonderfully helpful and I wish more people would give it a chance. The experience is made even more intimate by a favorite notebook, a fountain pen and a scented candle. There are of course prompts on the internet if you don’t know what to write, but I enjoy brain-dumping every little feeling I have, so that when I’m finished and I close the book, all of those anxious thoughts are out of my mind and contained in my journal. 

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Camilla Danaher studies Art History and English at Arizona State University. She frequents galleries and coffee shops, where she writes short stories and essays.