Here’s the script to the video I posted about how I prepare to write letters & card without transferring germs!

SCRIPT

[Part I]

Hi. I’m Naomi Williams, saying hello to you from my home office in Sacramento, California.

I just started offering what I’m calling #PandemicPenpals on Twitter and on Facebook, and I’m sending letters—real mail—to people who, like me, are sitting out the pandemic and might like to have some mail.

And, I am concerned about the ability of these microbes to hang out on paper, so… I’ve looked into this, there’s a very low risk of transmission through the mail. The further away you are from me, the lower that risk is. But some of the people who’ve asked for mail are, actually, neighbors, so I’m being careful with everyone, and just wanted to make this little video to show you how careful I’m being.

So here is a box [of disinfectant wipes] that we’re lucky enough to already have because I’m a little paranoid anyway about germs. I also have gloves. Again, because I was already paranoid about germs.

And this is my little work table, and I’m going to disinfect it. I’m also going to disinfect the parts of the chair that I might touch, like here, the plastic parts, and I’m disinfecting the pens that I might be using.

Okay, so, those are all clean. We’re going to put this over here.

Um, and if you’ll follow me over here, this is the desk I’ve had since I was a child, and in this drawer, which I have not opened in, since before the pandemic, is all my stationery. And I am going to be using some of this stationery. I have lots of blank cards here and some really groovy Japanese stationery here, and this is what I’m going to be sending to people.

One of you will be the recipient of the “Fuck You” card. Somebody I know. Obviously.

Okay, so those are my materials. They’re all very clean. [End Part I]

 

[Part 2]

And, if you’ll follow me to the bathroom—please ignore the really messy hallway. All right. That’s [disinfectant wipe] going in here. I’m going to take the gloves off here. I’ll be washing them later, because I wash them and reuse them. And I’m going to wash my hands, very carefully, so that I don’t transfer any germs to your letter. And I’m not going to sing for you, okay?

All right. I think that’s about 20 seconds…. And then we’ve taken to drying our hands with paper towels so that we don’t have germs lingering on our linens, and putting the garbage right here on the counter and emptying it every day, and now I’m ready to start writing a letter.

So now I’m coming back to my study. And the first person who responded to me is my friend Maureen Wanket, who is a marvelous writer right here in Sacramento, so, Maureen, I am now sitting down at my desk to pick out a card just for you.

Okay. Bye!