Quarantine stories

The Ithaca-based Cherry Artists’ Collective will livestream a theatrical event sharing stories of life during the COVID-19 pandemic, May 1-9.

The program of short plays, “Felt Sad, Posted a Frog (and Other Streams of Global Quarantine),” is co-directed by Samuel Buggeln, the collective’s artistic director, and Beth F. Milles, associate professor of performing and media arts.

“This is about the anxiety of this time and the heart of being an artist right now,” Milles said.

Buggeln reached out to playwrights from around the world, many with past involvement in Cherry Arts productions. Writers who contributed original plays include associate professor of English Lyrae Van Clief-Stefanon (who wrote about three female friends communicating and sharing animal memes and videos), and playwrights from Serbia, El Salvador, Berlin, Buenos Aires and Bucharest (Ithaca College professor Saviana Stanescu). The six plays will be woven into one performance, featuring local actors.

Performances are May 1-2 and May 7-8 at 7:30 p.m., and May 9 at 2:30 p.m., all times EDT. Tickets are $15 and up, with sliding-scale pricing; purchase online. Ticket buyers will be notified by email with a link to the livestream about one hour before performances begin.

Learning activities for kids

Cornell Kids@Home continues to roll out a variety of new videos and online educational activities to keep kids busy and engaged.

The offerings include natural history presentations by experts at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, a junior gardening program and links to related resources in the Ithaca area; Cornell history and trivia; Zoom classes for ages 5 and up offered by the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art; and animation, photography and citizen science activities for older kids and teens.

The programs are intended to share university resources with children and families this spring, in lieu of Bring a Child to Work Day.

Resiliency, time management training

The Division of Human Resources is offering ongoing training opportunities for staff, led by organizational development and effectiveness professionals. Staff members can access a variety of resources, including trainings to build resiliency and navigate the challenges of working from home.

Upcoming training sessions include Working in Uncertain Times, May 1 at 2 p.m. and May 8 at 2:30 p.m.; and Time Management While Working Remotely, May 5 at 11 a.m. and May 6 at 1 p.m., with tips and tools for success while dealing with the challenges of this unique time.

Composting ins and outs

Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulture educator Carla Crim gives a free, live Zoom presentation May 4 at 10 a.m., about turning household food scraps and yard waste into “garden gold.”

The discussion covers different methods of outdoor composting and indoor vermicomposting, and how to incorporate compost into your home garden. Register online by May 3.

Wednesday workouts

Cornell Wellness staff are leading virtual Wednesday workout sessions on Facebook Live and Zoom, May 6 and 13 from noon-1 p.m.

The live workouts run for 45 to 60 minutes and can be cardio-, strength-, agility- or flexibility-focused.

Family fitness sessions and workouts for kids also are available at the Cornell Wellness site in pre-recorded sessions on Zoom, along with archived workshops, meditation and relaxation sessions, and group fitness classes.

Writing tips

If you’re a graduate or professional student, postdoctoral associate or faculty member balancing a writing project with other responsibilities this spring, Cornell’s Graduate Writing Service tutors have you covered.

The John S. Knight Institute for Writing in the Disciplines is offering advice, messages of support and writing tips from graduate student tutors in a short video, “Writing During a Pandemic?!? Tips from the GWS.”

In the video, graduate students Benedetta Carnaghi (history), Jayme Kilburn (performing and media arts) and Carol-Rose Little (linguistics) provide their advice, encouragement, camaraderie and humor (one strategy: “Eat lots of brownies”) to academics working on dissertation chapters, journal articles, conference presentations and other projects.