JIM PAINE EMILY NYGREN

How do you spend your free time?

39, SUPERIOR 28, DULUTH

COVID has allowed me to fulfill my not-so-secret desire to never leave the house. The free time I have is spent with friends playing board games or reading with our two cats. When I do leave the house, I enjoy hiking Duluth trails or up the shore.

Tell us about an influential person in your life.

My grandma Katie saw the world in bold, bright colors. She played piano and sang with her friends (which was anyone who stopped by) until she died at 92. I started piano lessons a little over a year ago and it’s been a wonderful experience to learn something new again.

Where is your favorite place in Duluth/Superior?

Wherever I find a quiet place on the beach to stick my toes in. Preferably past Park Point or down along the St. Louis River.

What have you learned in your time spent at home during the pandemic?

Social connections can be strengthened without in-person contact. You can find opportunities to stay connected and show people you care even from far away. Also, there really is an art to writing a letter — and I haven’t mastered it yet.

Where is your favorite place in Duluth/Superior?

Girl Scout Point, technically called “Second Point” in Billings Park, commands an incredible view of the St. Louis River expanding into the bay. It’s also relatively unknown, so the spot stays private. And, of course, Wisconsin Point is easily Superior’s greatest place.

What have you learned in your time spent at home during the pandemic?

I’ve tried to use the time to “restart” the work of the city and explore opportunities to come back stronger from the pandemic. It’s a strange crisis that gives you more free time than less, so it presents a priceless opportunity to read, learn and grow.