Pardon Me For Asking: coronavirus

Thursday, April 02, 2020

Brooklyn Documentarian Encourages People To Talk About Their Changing 'Coronavirus Lives' As Part Of An Interactive Audio Project

Back in 2012, Pardon Me For Asking introduced its readers to Jamie Courville, a Carroll Gardens/ Gowanus transplant from Texas. At the time, Jamie was working on a series of audio portraits that are deeply moving and inspirational. "Audio portraits in the first person are an effective way to inform, educate, inspire and let people know they are not alone," she explained to us.

We recently spoke with Jamie, who introduced us to another audio project that she has been working on. She writes:

"In November 2011, I started an “anonymous” interactive audio project called ListenBeHeard. I would post questions and invite people to call in and leave voice messages with an answer. The line was also open for anyone to vent about anything at any time. I decided it is time to dust off the project.

Things are changing fast out there. I want people to call in and leave an anonymous (or not) message talking about the coronavirus. What is your life like now? What has changed in the last week? What is coming? What are you nervous about? What is overblown? I will collect and share the voicemails from time to time. I think it is important to have a record of this. Plus, it is cathartic to call. More info on my in-progress website here.

My work tends to focus on people going through life-changing or difficult circumstances, and often tries to make the world a less lonely place. If this doesn’t fit that bill I don’t know what does.

I think it is time to dust this project off. The new number is (516) 595-9365. Please participate. To do so, call or email a voice memo to listenbeheard@gmail.com. That number is just for you. Nobody will ever answer that line and you never have to say your name. If you call the number, pick a place where you have the best phone reception possible.

Anyone have a guess on the first topic? Anyone?

What are you thinking about COVID-19? What is going on with the coronavirus?"

Please consider participating. Expressing ourselves on this topic may help relieve some stress. Besides, we all know we are all sitting at home with plenty of time on our hands.

Just as an aside, Jamie and her husband Chris Reynolds have been working on Gowanus Current for the past few years. Gowanus Current is documentary "chronicling rapid changes to a notoriously polluted neighborhood in Brooklyn. It explores the struggles of its stakeholders and the textures of a transforming landscape, asking what is truly valuable in a community."

To make a tax-deductible donation to help keep Gowanus Current going, please click here.

Monday, March 23, 2020

Carroll Gardens Corona Diary: Social Distancing

Nerd Be Cool

Caputo's Fine Food

Farmacy

Carroll Gardens residents continues to adapt to life under Covid-19 as best as possible. So are the merchants who remain open to serve the community by offering take-out service. A big thank you to them. It can't be easy.

The order of the day for them and for us is 'social distancing' to keep us safe. Some establishments seem to be taking things pretty seriously, which is great.

Nerd Be Cool at 518 Court Street has been really good about creating a culture of social distancing - people have been doing it on their own but now they've put up a sign and here you can see the results

Caputo's Fine Food at 460 Court Street is also on board and has changed its hours temporarily

Brooklyn Bread at 412 Court Street approached social distancing with a bit off humor, telling its customer that they can come in, but can't stay.

Farmacy, has closed on March 16, and will be closed "until we design a way to serve you in the safest and sweetest of ways" A sign in the window encourages people to purchase a gift card to support small businesses.

Some bars, however, were a bit less careful about making sure their customers keep a safe distance from each other this week-end. We understand that they are trying to survive through this difficult time by selling take-out drinks to boost their revenue, but caution should still be the order of the time.

Bar Bruno, the Mexican bistro at 520 Henry Street, for example, offered take out margaritas, but patrons were gathering on the sidewalk "as though it was happy hour, socializing from the bar's outdoor benches or seated in groups across the street by Mazzola", as one resident reported to us.