#WFH Diaries: Celine Faledam of The Many
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc globally, we're checking in with the people in the creative industry to see how they're doing. Here, we catch up with Celine Faledam, associate creative director at The Many.
Give us a one-line bio of yourself.
I play Celine in this dramedy. And I'm going through something.
Where are you living right now, and who's with you?
It's me. And my selves. It's like a never-ending sesh of psychoanalysis.
In Venice Beach, California.
What's your work situation like at the moment?
It's the "chaos" of the creative process 90 percent of the time. Because we're figuring out with brands how to communicate in a world that isn't relevant beyond just what's right in front of them. There are a lot less distractions to run away from the chaos (no kidding) so you're left with embracing it. I'm actually most comfortable and still in this heightened state of paradoxically routine panic and pandemonium (I had been wondering when I would use that word one day).
Describe your socializing strategy.
The grocery store is ZE place. It's fascinating; people bring interesting parts of themselves there at the moment. Not unsubscribing yet!
Otherwise, Fibbage games and video calls with the fam' and friends across the world, between time zones. We've tried Hangouts, FB Messenger, House Party and Zoom. Still trying to figure out what is best. Realizing it's less about the app not working and just us being us.
How are you dealing with childcare, if applicable?
Always looking for ways to take care of my inner child.
This is the part in the questionnaire when I tell myself I need to avoid being meta. But at the same time ... #coronavirus.
What are you reading?
I'm re-reading I Feel Bad About My Neck. I love Nora Ephron's spins on life's dramas. It's playful yet profound. Great for now.
What are you watching?
Binge watching my co-workers on Zoom. Some great content.
What are you listening to?
Well, I'm catching myself listening to silence (yeah). You hear so much. And then, the birds start chirping. And you realize it'd been a while since they had been chirping that much. Also, my Spotify Daily Mix 3—Dinah Washington, Peggy Lee, Nina Simone, Django Reinhardt, Billie Holiday ...
How are you staying fit?
I run six-ish miles by the ocean every morning; all L.A. County beaches are technically closed as of a couple of days ago but … I haven't been arrested yet. I won't. If I do, I'll run.
Have you taken up a hobby?
Interior design, I guess! Spending life at home makes me realize I actually wasn't inhabiting my space. Now I want to put the wonders of the outside in.
Any tips for getting necessities?
Protein powder. No one fights over this. And you're sure to get your daily dose of proteins.
An awkward moment since all this started.
Answering these questions and realizing the way I cope with confinement is by being outside as much as I can. Clearly not coping?
Best work email you got since all this started.
It wasn't an email; it was everyone singing happy birthday to me last week on our morning whole agency video call. It was weird and nice.
An aha! moment since all this started.
I'll have long hair by the time my hairdresser sees clients again.
What's your theory on how this is going to play out?
When this started to get "very real," I wondered whether the pressure cooker had indeed exploded or if we'd just manage to lower the heat in time. With the implications in our industry, I wondered whether we'd remember this as the weeks when the time stood still or when we raced against time itself. And is there such a thing as time anymore? All in all, it's a giant reset for us all; we're being asked to reinvent ourselves, to ask the right questions. So, from my privileged HQ in Venice Beach, California, I'm optimistic. It's an upgrade. And creativity is blooming.
