Social distancing.

Being “social”, but “distant”

This is a great description of my personality. I have a gift for ghosting. At a recent event that I hosted, right before real live events went temporarily out of style, according to my friends, “You were there, then you were gone. “

To be fair, the Irish whiskey didn’t help. Under it’s influence, I tend to make sudden and definite decisions…

…but I digress…

We are now in the winter of our social discontent. I have no issues with it. It is absolutely the best thing to do. Flattening the curve is the most important thing we can do right now.

Not buying all the toilet paper we can get our hands on. That is not productive. It’s actually selfish and promotes panic. (you know who you are).

So, I’m in mid-week 3 of this social isolation thing. So this week I am making a list.

A list of things to occupy your time, your mind, the attention span of your “suddenly home with you 24/7 children” ( I can’t imagine. I just cant)

I know, there’s a bunch of these lists.

Here’s mine

My list of 30 things to do during the quarantine,  in no particular order:

 

1 Start a journal or blog. ( I actually started this about a year and a half early)

2 Wash and detail your car . You always talk about “if I just had the time?”. Well guess what?

3 Watch all the really long movies you’ve avoided until now. Then, for extra credit, sit thru “The Irishman”

4 Download Babble or a similar app, and teach yourself a foreign language ( I’m doing this one. Attempt number 26 at Spanish)

5 Finally read  “Les Miserables” or  “The Stand.” Or anything by Umberto Eco

6  Meditate. Try lying down with your eyes closed, palms up and while focusing on your breath. Or spend 20 minutes sitting cross legged and repeat a soothing word to yourself in your head. If you have children, ignore this one.

7 Treat yourself to a 10-step skin care routine you don’t have time for during a normal work week.

8 Watch “Tiger King” Everyone else has.

9 . Put together the most attractive charcuterie board possible using foods you already have in your fridge.

10 Try on all your clothes and determine whether they “spark joy”.

11 Write actual letters to family and friends.

11A Write thank-you notes to first responders and people who have to be out                             there every day.

12 Watch the films that won the Oscars for best picture

13 Watch films that won Independent Spirit Awards for best picture.

14 Watch every Tom Hanks movie chronologically. Start with the series “Busom Buddies” Make Peter Scolari happy

15 Try out at-home aerobics or yoga videos. FOR THE WORKOUT,GUYS!!

16 Take a bubble bath . Candles, glass of wine, music. Then, realize you’re all alone and have a good cry

17  Make a classic cocktail, like a martini.

18 Coloring books: They’re not just for kids. Not anymore.

19 Fold a piece of paper into a fortune teller you put your thumbs and pointer fingers into. Proceed to tell fortunes.

20 Make a list of things for which you are grateful.

21 Buy from your favorite local businesses to help keep them in business. (THIS!)

22 Stop procrastinating and do your income taxes.

23 Rearrange your furniture to make it seem like your home is a totally different space.

24 Order some IKEA furniture, Have your children put it together.

25 Write your will and organize your affairs. Just to get it done, finally.

26 Watch the “Star Wars” movies ( in this and only this order: Rogue One-IV-V-II-III-Solo-VI-VII-VIII-IX)

27 Take a typing course, Bob

28 Watch the San Diego Zoo live cams  Or, again, Tiger King

29 Work Out – staying active during this time is super important. You knew I was going to get around to this, right? Walk, run, get the laundry off of the treadmill, get out the yoga mat you got as a joke, or the exercise band you got as a joke, Walk the block, run the block , take down the bike from it’s “bat hanging” hook in the garage, fill the tires up and take a ride. But do it. Do something. Do anything. Don’t get in the  “ I can’t be expected to exercise in a pandemic”, or “I’ll get back to it after this is over” Down that path lies madness. Or obesity. Or high blood pressure. Or the just plain old pain in the butt of having to drop the “Corona 15”

30 Practice kindness. Don’t be the jackass who buys 17 rolls of T.P because “everyone else is”. Don’t do donuts in intersections because you think this is some sort of “Mad Max” scenario. Help your neighbor. Forgive their eccentricities. We’re not done yet. From all accounts, there’s a ways to go.

Let’s get there together.

Alive.

Happy.

In one piece.

Love to you all.

Talk later,

Bob