Queen of Sassy Mouth's Quarantine 2020 TikToks

by Marisa Balletti-Lavoie

We all know what happened in March 2020. The world spun into an tailspin of confusion, an unprecedented pandemic, leaving most of us home bound. I was lucky enough to be able to stay home during the Quarantine, and grateful that my studio is located within my house and I could visit it, even if it was all by my lonesome.

For the most part, I was happy to be home. 2019 had been a whirlwind of a year, culminating at the end of January 2020 in Nashville, TN. While attending Imaging USA, I received my Photographic Craftsman Degree from the Professional Photographers of America. The pursuit of my Craftsman had been a 10 month determined drive, and to be honest, I was tired after it. My business was hopping, I took on the job of social media goddess for the American Society of Photographers, and I was all steam ahead for a roaring 2020! Then, the brakes got pulled. It was a terrifying relief.

My husband took advantage of an empty office and clear highways, and continued commuting to work. The first time I got in the car with him after a month or two of being home, I could tell that his inner race car driver was enjoying the fast drive to work a little to much. The radio station DJ's had to start to remind people about speed limits.

I eventually started to feel like TJ's house pet. Home during the day, lounging about, creating, cleaning, grooming, waiting for my person to come home and pay me attention. I eventually had to have a breakdown on him, and tell him although his daily routine had remained somewhat the same, mine had been flipped completely upside down. The struggle was real, as it was for so many, I was suffering the loss of my business, clients, human interaction, and everyday hustle that I was used to.

Looking back at this collection of TikToks made from March 13, 2020 - Mid May 2020 is very triggering for me. So many emotions tied in to them, trying to face fear & loneliness with humor, sass and the determination to keep creating SOMETHING when it would have been so easy to just do NOTHING. That is not my character, and this random collection of bits & clips of that time will always hold a special place in my heart.

Marisa