Staying Apart, Together: I forgot what real joy felt like

Yesterday was the best day of 2020 for me. Full stop. 

As loyal readers will know, my husband and I made the big decision to move. We moved in with his parents for a bit while we looked for a house, which many, many other people are doing right now (thanks, low interest rates!). But finally, after a lot of masked house viewings, terrifying bidding wars, second guessing and walking around and around new neighborhoods, we made an offer and it was accepted. 

Now don't get me wrong, I have managed to find happiness amid the tragedy of 2020, when I could. We've had at-home date nights, watched hilarious movies and cooed over new babies on Zoom. But real joy, the unfiltered kind that makes you jump up and down even though your in-laws might chuckle at you a little bit, is rare. I forgot what it was like to feel this good. 

I'm not naive enough to think that my first house won't come with problems and stressors of its own (fingers crossed for the inspection!), but I am holding onto the glow from this good news for as long as I can. Everything is more difficult during the pandemic, but the happy moments feel so much happier when you make it there. 

Today's virtual water cooler chat 

DO YOU THINK I'M SHOUTING AT YOU? I'm probably using too many exclamation points! Or am I...

The longer the pandemic goes on, the longer we rely on digital communication to stay in touch with our family and friends. Video chatting gets a lot of attention, but you're also likely texting, emailing and instant messaging more than you used to. At one of our Paste BN Life staff meetings last month, we discussed how the tone of texts and IMs can be interpreted wildly differently, and that led to friend of the newsletter Carly Mallenbaum pursuing a story about how language is different online. 

She writes:

Many young people have a “computer-first mentality” and choose different grammatical tools in messages compared to those who are generally older and grew up doing "more casual writing on postcards,” says linguist Gretchen McCulloch, author of "Because Internet: Understanding the New Rules of Language."

Read the full story here, and maybe enjoy some easier text conversations with Generation Z afterwards. 

Today's virtual vacation spot: Niagara Falls

We published a story this weekend in our Travel section about Niagara Falls. And while actually going to the iconic waterfalls may not be possible right now, we have a gallery of gorgeous pictures that are the next best thing. Plus, you won't get wet. 

Here are some I loved. 

And you can read our full story on the Falls here, including fun facts that are actually fun. 

Today's reads

• Bargain hunters assemble: Amazon Prime Day is coming. Here are 10 deals to look for (and some stuff to buy early) according to our friends at Reviewed.com. 
• Are you ready for the MLB playoffs? The first Astros vs. Twins game starts right about ... now if you open this newsletter as soon as you get it (and who wouldn't?). Here's our preview of what to expect in the game. 
• How to get FREE COFFEE today. 
• I'm not mad at "The Great British Baking Show," I'm just disappointed.
• My colleagues from our Paste BN Network paper Sarasota Herald-Tribune worked on this list of 25 essential songs by Black women, from pop, rock, jazz, blues to hip-hop. Add them to your Spotify playlists immediately. 

Today's TV recommendations

 For Dawn Kruimer in West Milford, NJ

What streaming services do you have? 

Amazon Prime and Netflix

What shows have I watched in quarantine so far? 

"Longmire," "The Ranch," "Dolly Parton's Heartstrings," "Glee," "Bates Motel"

What's my favorite TV show or shows of all time? 

Loved "Longmire"

You should watch...

I love that you're into happy and emotional shows with a hint of horror. If you want something that's akin to "Bates Motel" meets "Glee," try Netflix's "Ratched," produced by "Glee" creator Ryan Murphy. It's an origin story for Nurse Ratched of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." If you want something that is hilarious but will also make you happy cry, I recommend Emmy darling "Schitt's Creek" (also on Netflix). For something with a similar tone and theme to "Longmire," you might like "Goliath" on Amazon, which stars Billy Bob Thornton as a washed-up lawyer who takes on the huge law firm he helped create. 

Today's pets

Who said cats aren't snuggly pets?

Meet Mary Kat and Tiki, who are amazing at spooning. Their human Lonnie Hull DuPont noted that they look like a certain iconic (and not safe for work) photo of John Lennon and Yoko Ono. 

I look forward to their meowing album. 

That's it for this Tuesday. I will back in your inboxes on Saturday morning. Don't forget to send pet pics, TV suggestion requests and coping tips (and your full name and location) to our newsletter email address, stayingaparttogether@usatoday.com. Stay safe, stay well. 

All my very best,

Kelly Lawler