Staying Apart, Together: The quarantine hobbies and habits that will last
At this point it's clear that I'm never going to stop watching cooking videos.
It started, as all things in 2020 do, as a quarantine hobby. First I watched nearly all the YouTube videos from Bon Appetit (unfortunately right before the magazine became wrapped up in scandal). Then there were a few furious nights of letting cookie decorating videos autoplay on Instagram, an experience that goes beyond mesmerizing into something far more like trance-inducing (try not to get sucked in when you search the hashtag). Recently I've discovered the Babbish Culinary Universe on YouTube, mostly because my favorite BA alum Sohla El-Waylly has a new show there. I find the original "Binging with Babbish" videos, where a chef recreates silly foods from movies and TV, very soothing.
Pre-pandemic I did not have time for this. In addition to commuting, socializing with friends and leaving my house to do more than grocery shop, I had so many TV shows to get to for work that watching anything that I might not write a story about seemed frivolous.
When all this is over, some things will go back to "normal," but I think some hobbies and habits will stick with us. I am enjoying watching TV (or rather, YouTube videos), that have nothing to do with work. I want to make time for that, no matter what. Reminds me of why I became a TV critic in the first place.
Before we get too far into today's newsletter, I want to say for those of you who have emailed to ask about it: We did indeed buy the fancy vacuum. I'm elated.
Today's advice from astronauts (yes, actual astronauts)
We talk a lot about coping with stress and loneliness in this newsletter, but have you ever tried to cope with stress and loneliness while also being in space? Well, these astronauts have.
Astronauts and scientists have learned a lot about how to manage loneliness — tips that feel especially relevant today. Our friends at The Storytellers Project, a very cool part of the Paste BN Network, spoke with astronauts about their experiences with isolation and the lessons they learned that can help the rest of us hanging out in quarantine.
- Pursue meaningful work: “Make something your mission,” says Dorit Donoviel, director of the NASA-funded Translational Research Institute for Space Health. “It must be meaningful and important to you, personally, not just a list of tasks.” For example, an astronaut's day is on a strict schedule, with time for experiments, maintenance, calls, meals, and exercise. But each thing is central to mission success, so people feel a sense of purpose even when doing a seemingly mundane task.
- Make meals matter: In space, mealtime is still a daily ritual, and space food has come a long way from ’60s-era Tang. While social isolation makes meal sharing with others outside our bubbles difficult, cooking with those in your bubble and trying new flavors can make the drudgery of dinner prep into a collective time for connecting.
You can see more tips here, and feel extra good about the advice, because you know, astronauts.
And if you want to hear more stories from space, you can tune in tomorrow night 8 p.m. EDT/5 p.m. PDT on the Storytellers’ Facebook page, YouTube channel or website. The Storytellers Project is a nationwide series of storytelling nights curated by our newsrooms. They feature everyone from community members to public figures, to, well, astronauts, sharing true, first-person stories as a way of developing empathy. It's been all virtual since the pandemic started, which means you can be a part of it no matter where you are.
Today's mailbag
Have I mentioned how much I love getting emails from you? And I love sharing them back with the whole group.
First up, some coping strategies from Kammy Sislofsky in Fontana, California:
"Music is my go-to coping strategy:
- Classical music, especially baroque relaxes me - favorite Handel's "Water Music." It melts my cares away.
- Disneyland music, especially background music from Fantasyland and the steel drums from Adventureland. This is not music from the Disney movies, but from Disneyland Park, a place that has been a happy part of my life for over 50 years. This music transports me to one of my happy places. :)
- Music from my junior high years (1976-78). I used to come home from school, turn on the radio and listen to the songs until it was time for dinner. I wrote down the names and artists of the songs because it was fun. Being 13 years old was difficult, but music made me forget the tough stuff."
I, too, get so nostalgic and happy when I hear music from my middle school years. It's probably not as good as classic rock from the 70s, but Dashboard Confessional did OK.
Karen Kitchel shared how giving back makes her feel better during all of this tragedy.
"What I have found to bring joy to my endless days at home is to find a way to give back each week to organizations or individuals who are in need. I think about the dinner or glass of wine I am NOT going out to have and use those dollars. In previous years, we would go to concerts, on trips, and buy new clothes. The money we’re not spending is now being used to help others, and it is very gratifying."
And finally another story of a kid who we should all aspire to imitate from Sallie Luedtke.
"I enjoyed your story about the 13 year-old making a memorial quilt. It reminded me of my granddaughter, who is diabetic. She is beading mask chains for masks, then she donates all that she makes to (diabetes research). I am indeed proud of her."
Please keep sending me your thoughts, your stories, your questions about TV to stayingaparttogether@usatoday.com. We're all in this together.
Today's reads
- Alright, alright, alright: We spoke with the man himself, Matthew McConaughey, about his memoir, "Greenlights." "I remember writing this down: 'The words on this page need to be worthy of being signed by anonymous but also be words that only I could have written,'" he says. "And that was sort of my North Star of what I wanted it to be."
- Can the Dodgers finally win the World Series? Our experts ponder. (I'll be rooting for them, as a Cubs fan I almost always pull for the National League team in the World Series if my Cubbies don't make it.)
- Today's stock market advice, specifically for retirees.
- Your smile might get more expensive soon. We dig into the reason dental bills are going up amid the pandemic.
- If you are planning a fall, pandemic-safe road trip, AAA says these are the 10 most popular destinations.
Today's pet
Let's all bask in the glow of this sweet, sleeping cat Eva.
Says Nikki Benjamin in Pittsburgh, "This is my 11½ year old, very vocal kitty named Eva. Eva and I have been together for 10 years and she has been my constant and fuzziest companion! I probably would have lost my mind during quarantine if she hadn't been around. Our fur babies make our lives so much better!"
I appreciate that you call her a kitty even though she's 11½. All cats are kittens and all dogs are puppies.
That's it for this Tuesday. I will back in your inboxes on Saturday morning. Don't forget to send pet pics, TV recommendation requests and coping tips (and your full name and location) to our new newsletter email address, stayingaparttogether@usatoday.com.
All my very best,
Kelly Lawler