Staying Apart, Together: Making the best of quarantine mood swings

At a virtual appointment with my doctor this week, she asked a simple question: Are you feeling better?

Even about a specific issue unrelated to the pandemic, it's a loaded question. Am I feeling better? Is my depression better, or did I just not read the news today? Am I feeling worse, or do I just feel stir crazy in my apartment and don't want to watch more TV?

I shared these concerns and she, thankfully, reminded me that I'm not alone in feeling this way. For me, at least, quarantine has been a series of emotional highs and lows. As many of you can probably attest, the pandemic has caused my mood to be frequently low. But the moments of happiness I can find – celebrations over Zoom, playing a board game with my husband, going for a walk in perfect weather, learning a friend is pregnant – those feel exaggerated since we don't get to be joyful and have fun as frequently as usual. Heck, I did a little dance this week just learning that my co-worker Brett Molina started watching "The Great British Baking Show."

I just try to ride my moods as best I can, be thankful for my health and take care of myself. I know I've said that before, but, hey, good advice doesn't have an expiration date. 

Today's celebration: Christmas in July

I have a friend whose birthday is Christmas Day, and she always has her birthday party in July, when people can actually get together without busy holiday schedules. 

She's obviously not the first person to think of Christmas in July, and especially as the pandemic rages, there is something alluring about finding a little holiday cheer amid a heat wave. And I'm not the only one who thinks so. 

My colleague Jennifer McClellan wrote about her daughter's desire for some red and green festivities:

One day in lockdown, my pre-K daughter wanted to pretend it was Christmas. We decorated sugar cookies with red and green sprinkles, made Santa hats from construction paper and watched Will Ferrell prance around New York City in tights proclaiming, “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.”

I myself have been struck by a desire to buy gifts for friends and family (self-soothing retail therapy) to help combat quarantine boredom. I sent my sister advanced Rubik's Cubes (Triangle shapes! More than nine squares per side!) after she mastered the usual one as a quarantine hobby. 

Our friends in the Paste BN NETWORK even compiled a list of 25 ways to celebrate Christmas in July. My favorite? Watching the best Muppets Christmas special. It's not "The Muppets Christmas Carol." It's "Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas," thank you very much.  

What the world needs now are more Muppets: Asbury Park Press entertainment writer Alex Biese says, “We need Emmet Otter this year, regardless of the season. Jim Henson’s charming and poignant film ‘Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas’ originally aired as a television special in 1977 and is currently streaming via Amazon Prime. The film is a timeless and tender story of working-class folks just trying to get by with the power of love, community and some great songs by Paul Williams.’’

Go to the story here for 24 more ideas. 

Today's reads

• No Halloween in 2020? As we get into the dog days of summer, we're already wondering what a coronavirus fall will look like. 
• We talked to the author of kids' book "Wearing a Mask Says I Love You." "The mask needed its hero story," Dr. Jen Welter told my colleague Cydney Henderson. "As coaches, we're always looking for ways to reach people because if you can’t reach them, you can’t teach them."
• Let's all enjoy very cute pictures of Prince George for his 7th birthday. 
• This one is more of a listen: On Sunday, a special episode of our daily news podcast "5 Things" will look back on the legacy U.S. Rep. John Lewis and his work with the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee and historic marches from Selma to Montgomery in 1965. You'll learn how Lewis' start in Nashville continues to inspire protests for racial justice in 2020. Podcast publishes tomorrow morning here. 

Today's TV recommendations 

Which streaming services do you have?

Netflix

What shows have you watched in quarantine so far?

"Schitt’s Creek," "Grace and Frankie" and going to "Criminal Minds" on and off.

What's your favorite TV show (or shows) of all time?

"China Beach," from the 1980s. It has been the only show that I could watch about the Vietnam conflict that gave a true human context. I think this would be an opportunity for the generations younger than us to see what human interaction in a very negative setting can be.

– Robyn T. 

You should watch ...

I have to admit my age to say that I've never seen "China Beach," but maybe I've got a recommendation of my own now. Since you've been enjoying sunny sitcoms (love both of those) on Netflix, I would recommend "One Day at a Time," which is a solid reboot of the Norman Lear classic (he is involved, and I got to talk him about it once briefly, and it was so wonderful to talk to him). For a crime drama with a twist, I love "Person of Interest," which is about a tech genius (Michael Emerson) and a former CIA operative (Jim Caviezel) using a backdoor into government surveillance to try to prevent crimes and save lives. Eventually it gets pretty philosophical about artificial intelligence, which I love, but if science fiction isn't your game, you can stick to the first few procedural-style seasons. 

Which streaming services do you have?

Netflix, Prime, local PBS/KET-KY, YouTube

What shows have you watched in quarantine so far?

Documentaries, "The Night Shift," "Emergency Down Under"

What's your favorite TV show (or shows) of all time?

"Nova," "Nature," "Wild (anywhere)," "Antiques Roadshow," "Good Eats," "This Old House"

– Steve W.

You should watch ...

Netflix has a great selection of documentaries, including nature docs. I love "Our Planet," narrated by David Attenborough and produced by the creators of "Planet Earth," "Frozen Planet" and "Blue Planet." It also has a bunch of Ken Burns docs, and "Prohibition" is one of the lighter choices (although if you're ready for a time/emotion investment, "The Vietnam War" is exquisite). A food documentary that hits on a lot of the same concepts as "Good Eats" is "Cooked," based on Michale Pollan's book. It goes into the history of cooking, from an evolutionary and biological perspective. I've never thought so much about chewing before! 

Keep emailing klawler@usatoday.com in your responses to questions, and I'll keep the suggestions coming! 

Today's pet

I'm biased because I grew up with a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, but oh, my gosh, look at these cuties. 

From owner Liz: "Gracie and Katie cat are best buds and love to hang out in Katie’s cat tree and wait for deliveries."

A dog in a cat tree? I can't handle it. 

That's all for this Saturday. Stay safe, stay well, and the newsletter will be back in your inboxes on Tuesday afternoon. As always, feel free to fill out our survey to help shape the direction of this newsletter. We want to offer whatever will help you the most. 

All my very best,

Kelly Lawler