Staying Apart, Together: I'm very invested in saying a virtual hello

Happy Tuesday, friends. How is the week going for you?

As I logged on this morning from home for the millionth or so time, I noticed some of the new habits I've developed in our "new normal." I sign on every day in our Microsoft Teams chat with a greeting and a gif, and I put an incredible amount of thought into that silly little moving image. 

Sometimes my gif represents the TV show I'm currently watching. I sent out a flood of "Supernatural" images when I started watching the long-running series. Sometimes my gif is the show I'm writing about, like this morning when I posted a gif from a certain popular Netflix drama, because I'm interviewing the cast today,  and I wanted input from my coworkers on  which questions I should ask (more on that next week, I promise). Sometimes, it's just a cute animal gif. Sometimes we just need cute animal gifs. 

Maybe I put a little too much thought into what is the work-from-home equivalent of saying "hi" when you walk into the office, but as our social interaction moves more online, perfecting my virtual hello has become more important to me. If I can't say hi in person, I can at least do the very best greeting online. 

Today's mailbag

I'm taking some space in today's edition to highlight two emails I've received recently. 

Reader Steven Branson has a question about being polite in a pandemic world: 

I have a client who wants to meet in person. My wife and I are over 60 and have been very careful about social distancing. I worry that this client is not so careful. (And he is over 70!) Do you have a diplomatic way to say that I just want to have a phone call instead?

I ran into this issue when my husband and I were interviewing realtors. One wanted to meet in her office, and I sent an email back simply saying "anyway we can do a Zoom call instead?" She immediately said OK. Hopefully a simple, polite request will work for your client. If he pushes back you can always get more specific about your risk level or perhaps request an outdoor, masked and distanced meeting (public parks with multiple picnic tables have worked for me, you sit at opposing tables and keep masks on). I'm sorry you have to make this request of your client. Keep me posted! And here is a story we wrote about navigating relationships and decorum during this time. And another one. 

Katie McLaughlin in Seattle wrote in to say she was having a tough day, and shared some things that were helping her cope. Here are a few of her ideas:

• Watching TV like "Masterchef" and "Songland."
• Texting some friends. When I’m feeling at my worst, it’s the hardest to reach out to friends and express how I’m feeling. 
• Looking at cute animals makes me smile and typically laugh no matter how low I’m feeling. 
• I also took a big long bath. There’s something for me about water and especially the warmth of a hot bath. I put a few drops of lavender essential oil in too.
• Meditation is an amazing tool that I frequently forget to leverage. Did one on Loving Myself on the Insight Timer app and it was really perfect. I don’t think we’re loving ourselves enough during this extremely challenging time.

I heartily endorse all of these, especially a long bath. 

If anyone has advice for Steve, I will pass it along. Or if you have tips like Katie's, I may feature them in a future newsletter. Email stayingaparttogether@usatoday.com.

Today's reads

• My colleague Erin Jensen interviewed Pauly Shore about a new Showtime documentary about his mother's famed comedy club, which was an incubator for legendary comedians. 
• Making Halloween at home plans? Our film critic Brian Truitt recommendsthese 10 scary movies for thrills and chills from the comfort of your own couch. 
• Here's what to expect from the virtual NHL draft. 
• Can a boss forbid employees from traveling during pandemic? Do you have to accept your boss's invite for "team-building"? Readers wanted an HR expert's advice, and we have the answers. 
• Prepare to feel old. "Gilmore Girls" is 20. I wrote about my relationship to the beloved series. 
• Dare I say it, but winter is coming. Some stuff you may want to stock up on for a winter spent mostly at home. This stuff might just sell out – my parents were on a mad hunt for an outdoor heater or fire-pit last weekend. 

Today's TV (and meditation) recommendation

Today I'm highlighting something that encapsulates this newsletter: A TV show designed to help us all cope with the world right now. 

HBO Max, in partnership with mental health and sleep aid app Calm, has a new TV series aimed to soothe you: "A World of Calm." 

The ten-episode series combines mesmerizing imagery with narration from celebrities such as Idris Elba, Keanu Reeves, Kate Winslet, Nicole Kidman and Mahershala Ali. Here's how the streaming service describes the series:

"Transporting the viewer into tranquility through scientifically-engineered narratives, enchanting music and astounding footage, to naturally calm your body and soothe the mind. Each story is brought to life by a different iconic voice and will take viewers on a journey everywhere from a noodle maker’s kitchen in Seattle, to the forests of Latvia, and beyond our solar system to the outer stretches of the universe."

Yeah, I can get behind that. The series is now streaming. 

Don't forget to keep your requests for TV recommendations coming! Email stayingaparttogether@usatoday.com with what streaming services you have, what your favorite shows are, and what you've already watched in quarantine (along with your full name and location) and I can give you personalized suggestions!

Today's pet

October is Adopt a Shelter Dog Month, which means I had to highlight a rescued good boy or girl. Meet Danny, whose smile will melt your heart. 

According to his human, Linda Rigell, Danny is "a greyhound ex-racer that I adopted 7 years ago. He is a neighborhood sweetheart." 

Keep sending in pet pictures, they're the best part of this newsletter (and I write most of it). And this October I especially want to feature dog adoptees (and cats too, of course).

That's it for this Tuesday. I will back in your inboxes on Saturday morning. Stay safe, stay well. You're all great. 

All my very best,

Kelly Lawler