For my first trick, I pursued a hobby in obsessions. Harmless ones, of course, but one that stimulates activity, focus, and self-improvement — through the gaze of social media. Since my friends were already documenting their pandemic exploits by means of gardening or cooking, I figured I had something to build on. Cooking was out of the picture because I’m plant-based and gluten-free (not by choice because I have celiac disease and a liver problem). Gaming was not a good idea because I rage. Plants? That caught my interest. I sought to test it out by interacting with controlled plant-life in Golden Gate Park’s Botanical Garden. Although, the idea of building my own garden was marvelous. I wasn’t as invested as I thought I’d be. For lack of a better excuse — I have issues with commitment. My first attempt was to go to a cactus nursery in Berkeley and build tiny, alien worlds with cacti and succulents. Succulents were a hearty species and I had spent my childhood obsessing about desert plants. It...
