As panic moves across the land and grocery shelves are stripped bare, it’s time to take a look at how people can cope during this scary time. While each Zodiac sign reacts differently, we all have a little bit of each sign in our horoscope. (We all have a little piece of Pisces), so read […]
Okee dokee folks… “Splendid Isolation” is a song by the late, great Warren Zevon. Seventeen years after his death it has now become a theme song for most of the planet. Social distancing is the new norm and we have whittled down the the allowable crowd size from 250 to 10 or fewer. Hugs and […]
This is the truest test of Rhode Island greatness: twice, in the span of three weeks, I have driven *all the way* from Providence to South County just to eat dinner at the recently opened Italian restaurant, Locanda. I’m blaming their Truffled Mushroom and Mascarpone Polenta, which calls to me like the gold calls to the […]
During October 1918, the Providence Public Library closed for three weeks on account of the influenza pandemic, known as the Spanish flu. That year, the outbreak claimed the lives of 941 Providence residents, and another 1,365 people across Rhode Island. In The Providence Journal, the city’s health superintendent suggested: “Keep at arm’s length from everybody,” […]
If you’re bored while stuck at home, and if recent events have not frightened you enough already, you may be brave enough to use this time to catch up on horror movies and learn something about how to avoid being the star of one yourself. This isn’t for those of you who feel like you […]
Bill Bartholomew is host of The Bartholomewtown podcast and frequent Motif contributor. As the coronavirus crisis has unfolded, he’s stood shoulder-to-shoulder with other Motif reporters and independent journalists at Governor Raimondo’s daily press conferences (at least until the governor required reporters to stand 3 feet apart). We recently talked to him about the role of […]
It’s amazing to see the way community members are reaching out to each other to have a little fun from a distance. It’s good for our state and good for our mental health. This list will be updated regularly, so if you’re offering a little virtual fun while we’re hunkering down, let us know! Send […]
These days it is hard to avoid thinking about the COVID-19 outbreak. I am mostly working on climate issues, and I am sure there are conspiracy theories about how they are linked. Conspiracies aside, there is one way that the virus and our climate are definitely linked, and that is through deforestation. Let me explain. […]
And so it began. On March 11, 2020, COVID-19 officially became a world pandemic. So, what does this mean for you? First, let’s talk about the major health issue, which is transmission. There’s no point in giving you numbers, because they change at such a rapid rate, they could easily double between the time I […]
Motif is working to bring you the most up-to-date information in resources, closures and community outreach to help you through this challenging time. State Resources Feeding Kids Community Help Support for Artists Fun from Afar