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Staying Apart, Together: Putting on jewelry is my Tuesday self-care

Kelly Lawler   | Paste BN

Today, I put on earrings for the first time in months. 

Work-from-home life has definitely changed how we dress and style ourselves. Some of us are letting gray hair shine, or we're ditching uncomfortable footwear. Loungewear clothes have been selling out. And, it makes sense. Without business formal (or casual) dress codes at an office, why get into a tight skirt that needs ironing? Why spend money on hair dye if the grays aren't bothering you on Zoom calls? Why wear high heels to walk around your living room?

But I noticed that while wearing workout shorts and plain T-shirts everyday was comfortable, there was something missing. Don't get me wrong, I love my new morning routine (roll out of bed, get coffee, throw on clothes, wash my face and walk to my computer), but I do miss getting dressed up and loving my look. My therapist even validated this impulse, noting that taking care of your appearance is a form of self-care. 

So I'm not going all the way to black tie, but I did put on my favorite small earrings (yeah, it felt weird after months) and a necklace to go with one of my nicer shirts. It didn't take too long, but I got a little thrill from it, and so far every time I look in the mirror that thrill returns. 

Imagine how giddy I could become if I put on makeup. Maybe that's a project for next week. 

Today's cautiously optimistic news

Dawn is breaking on a COVID-19 vaccine. 

At least, it's early morning on Paste BN's vaccine clock, our project where we ask a panel of experts how close they think we are to a widely available vaccine. For August, the clock’s hands stand at 6 a.m., two hours closer to noon than in June, the first month of estimates. 

Paste BN's expert panelists, increasingly optimistic about the prospect of a readily available vaccine, are concerned about who will get it first, how doses will be shipped, and what messages the government must send so Americans trust getting one.

As the tantalizing prospect of an immunization for COVID-19 comes into focus, educating the public about how the vaccines will work and the painstaking process required to approve them will be key to getting people to line up once they’re available.

See our full story here. 

Today's work from home tips: Internship edition

During the pandemic many companies have made their internships virtual. But do you get the same experience Zooming in to office meetings? Paste BN Life's summer intern Jenna Ryu offers her thoughts and her pros and cons for taking this educational and work experience online. 

  • Pro: A virtual internship overcomes many financial and geographic barriers that students face. An obvious perk of working online is avoiding the costly and time-consuming commute. However, another hidden benefit is the ability to explore options beyond the local job market. 
  • Con: After 3 months, I still feel like I don't truly 'know' my co-workers or the company culture. One of the biggest downsides of working from home is limited interactions with your co-workers. I can't just stop by my editor's desk to chit-chat, and there's less casual getting-to-know-you conversation.
  • Pro: You'll learn how to manage your time before your first job out of school.
    An internship is a stepping stone to your future full-time job – which requires independence, self-reliance and self-motivation. Without having your boss physically there to keep you on track, there's more pressure to do things correctly on your own. 

See her full assessment here, and hopefully she can help you (or your child or niece or nephew or grandkid) determine if a virtual internship is the right step in the pandemic economy. 

Today's reads

Today's TV recommendations

Which streaming services do you have?   ​​​​

Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney Plus 

What shows have you watched in quarantine so far?

"New Girl," "That Girl," "Laugh In," "Blue Bloods," "Monk," "Hollywood," "Grace and Frankie," "The Dick Van Dyke Show," "Unorthodox," "100 Humans," "Sweet Magnolias," "The Crown," "Diagnosis," "Atypical," "Baby Ballroom," "Comedians of the World," "Explained," "Orange is the New Black," "Psych," "Magnum, P.I.," "3rd Rock from the Sun," "Veep," "The Handmaid's Tale" and "Tiny House World"

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

Hard to pick, but maybe "3rd Rock from the Sun"

-Nancy Austin in Bluffton, South Carolina

You should watch...

First I want to commend you on your binge-watching ability, which rivals my own (the number of shows I have watched during quarantine so far will remain undisclosed, thanks). Your taste is also as eclectic as mine, so let me know if you want to be friends IRL when the pandemic is over. But back to what you should watch next. If you want more easy-going USA Network "blue skies" programming like "Psych" and "Monk," I recommend "Burn Notice" and "Royal Pains" (both on Amazon), about an out-of-work spy and a doctor to the wealthy in the Hamptons, respectively. For classic-style sitcoms like "3rd Rock," "The Ranch" and "One Day at a Time" on Netflix are both great (with very different tones, "One Day" is more earnest). For a documentary, Netflix's "Babies" talks about the science of infancy and child development.

Today's pet

I've never seen a fluffier dog than Zorra the English Sheepdog, who is only four months-old. 

Her human Steve Scott says she got her name because she "reminded us of Zorro from the TV and movies with the black mask! She's almost potty trained and loves to snuggle on my lap and makes most of the hassles of the day go away."

Zorra, you look infinitely snuggle-able. 

Before I sign off, I wanted to let you know that we have a shiny new email address just for the newsletter! So from now on, please send pet pics, TV recommendation requests and coping tips to stayingaparttogether@usatoday.com. This way when my editor Alison Maxwell or anyone else fills in, they will have access to your emails. And I can keep your stuff separate from all the PR pitches I get. And just a reminder if you send anything in that we might put in the newsletter (a pic or tip or TV ask), you need to include your full name and where you're located! That way no one thinks I made you up. 

That's all for this Tuesday. Stay safe, stay well, and the newsletter will be back in your inboxes on Saturday morning.

All my very best,

Kelly Lawler

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