03/15/2026
In the surrounding days here in the NYC metro area, we're getting all of these reminders of the 1st days of what would eventually turn into the global COVID 19 pandemic - First day my friends and neighbors were sent home from their office jobs, first time I stood in line outside the grocery store and then acted like I was on Supermarket Sweep when I was finally let in, the press conference that announced I'd have a curfew as an adult, etc.
It was a time of great unknowns and it comes across in this zine. Within these pages you'll find a lot of fear and anxiety, but also hope and humor. I mention in the intro that I didn't want to make a "COVID" zine, but in the end I'm really glad I did. I mean, this issue spans the first six weeks of one of the strangest periods of my life and now I have a written account of it, with some pencil reviews sprinkled in.
Fun fact - I, to date, have never bought a mask. When COVID first broke and it was suggested we wear masks, we made them at my job. Access to fabric and sewing machines were a great advantage at the time. Then we hit the phase where "fun" masks were part of the initial lock down spending spree and some people were nice enough to gift a few to me. From there we moved on to the point where the disposables were everywhere and that brings us to today. Despite never buying a mask, I've worn many, but still have caught COVID twice.
PS - I still have the card that my pal sent me in the early days of lockdown and six years later, they still look like pencils to me.
