Magic entered 2020 as more than twenty residents and ended as twelve. Some departures were longplanned; others reflected people’s social relations beyond Magic and different COVID-19 risk tolerance. We who remained found the pandemic impetus to reflect, to learn, to grow, and to love. Diana and Harper shared dog-walking for neighbors. Ali grew vegetables for all. Resident PhD Kathy Hug gave a stirring commencement address to celebrate two residents’ earning master’s degrees. Andrew, Jeff, Hilary, Ali, and David re-floored the shop. Robin, Jeff, David, Andrew, and Hilary “chopped wood and carried water” while strategic planning. We hosted “dinners-at-a-distance.” Everyone pitched in to plant shrubs and vines, build trellises, lay mulch, and move the piano of Jeff’s youth from Los Angeles to the 373 upstairs commons.
Valuescience
We renovated the Magic website (ecomagic.org) to emphasize integrated valuescience theory and practice. We Zoomed weekly theory classes to include people living outside Magic, and we modified practices such as weekly yoga in Peers Park to be more COVID-19 prudent. We updated the course website (valuescience.org) to make syllabus, quizzes, readings, and other resources freely available.
Silicon Valley Barcode of Life
After early 2020 presentations to a total audience of 200, Jen and Hil had recruited ample volunteers to collect another round of arthropods for DNA barcoding. With COVID-19, they shelved that plan, and pivoted to drafting a report of biodiversity at Hidden Villa, revamping the SVBOL website, and conducting a pilot DNA barcoding for the Mono Lake Committee.
Habitat Stewardship
In January, Magic planted and maintained prior “Second 100 Years” plantings with dozens of volunteers. One group supported a collaboration with biology professor Tad Fukami (pictured at event with son) in an experiment to study monkey flower microbiome. Then came COVID-19. We suspended work with outside volunteers, and watered and maintained these and prior years’ plantings with in-house crews.
Reduce Waste. Feed People.
A fundamental purpose of Magic is direct service to those in need. This year vulnerable populations bore the additional burden of pandemic. We started 2020 collecting donated food at the California Avenue Farmers’ Market as we have for more than a decade. Then COVID-19 arrived. People lost jobs. Our social service agency partners scrambled to serve a growing client base. Farmers kept giving. We collected, sorted, and delivered. Agency partners bundled and distributed. Hungry people enjoyed this agape feast, and all who contributed celebrated.
Magic Family
When COVID came, we adapted. Harper, Andrew, and Hil became even more ripped. David and Jeff biked to empty beaches. Ali and Hil wrote for Nature Methods. Harper became everyone’s barber and built a road bike from spare parts. Jeff Zoomed with his band. Jen completed artwork commissions and made premier recordings of 5/4 waltzes. We celebrated Jen’s and Hil’s 21st birthdays with dinner at the ocean. When 100°F heat and wildfire smoke came, we adapted. Rohit loaned his car to the younger set for their first solo road trip, an escape to the Smith River. Hilary, Jen, and David found refuge with David’s sister and brother-in-law in Colorado. At Thanksgiving, we recommitted to sharing privilege!
