Staying Apart, Together: I am actually looking forward to losing an hour of sleep... kind of
As someone who loves sleep, I'm looking on the bright side of losing an hour of it this weekend due to daylight savings time.
Sleep during the pandemic has been tough for a lot of people. For me, it's meant more trouble falling asleep, and once I finally do, more vivid stress dreams. Fun, right? That's why I like to get as much of it as I can, when I can.
So, my tactic for this weekend is pretty simple – getting in bed early! I've found that unwinding at night with a book is great way for me to give my mind a break from the stress of the day (and give my eyes a much-needed break from screens).
But, I also totally understand the plus side of this annual ritual, namely getting more daylight at the end of the day as the weather warms.
A bit more about me: My name is Sara Moniuszko, and I'm our Lifestyle and Wellness reporter. I'm filling in for Kelly Lawler this week. I recently moved from Virginia to New York, and one of my favorite post-work rituals has been walking around and exploring my new neighborhood. Personally, I am looking forward to having more daylight in the evenings so I can enjoy being outside later into the evenings.
Maybe you feel the exact opposite and are dreading adjusting the clocks – plenty of people do, according to my colleague Doyle Rice. But love it or hate it, changing our clocks to daylight saving time is coming at 2 a.m. Sunday.
To read more about daylight savings and the controversy around this practice, click here.
Is there an end date in sight?
After months of hearing about how the "darkest days" were ahead of us in the battle against COVID-19, I felt hopeful hearing President Joe Biden take a more optimistic tone during his first primetime address as president Thursday. He offered a glimmer of hope that Americans may see some semblance of normalcy by Independence Day, my colleagues Joey Garrison and Courtney Subramanian write.
Of course, I won't stop taking precautions yet, but it's helpful to know progress is being made.
Biden directed states to make all American adults eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccines no later than May 1. He also vowed that if Americans "do our part" in the coming weeks, friends and families will be able to join together in small groups in time for Fourth of July celebrations.
Read more about Biden's address here.
An ode to mute buttons
For the past year, many Americans have lived and worked remotely, navigating Zoom calls and Slack channels to do our jobs, managing our kids' school lives, and staying connected with friends virtually.
And as my colleague Brett Molina writes, it's only 2021, but we may already have the phrase of the decade: "I thought I was on mute." Or maybe it's "Sorry, I was on mute," or "You're still on mute."
There has, perhaps, been no larger symbol of virtual life in the pandemic than the mute button.
Think about the number of conversations you've had to restart because that dreaded red slash across the microphone icon was enabled, or, maybe worse, the work meeting where a "hot mic" led to an uncomfortable exchange about muting.
Relive the best (and worst) moments of the mute button by reading Brett's full story here.
Today's reads
- Did you know Arizona doesn't adjust its clocks for daylight savings? Yeah! Find out why here.
- The Grammy Awards are this Sunday! Take a look back at the most memorable fashion from the past 20 years.
- Happy birthday, Ken! The iconic doll turned 60 Thursday and we took a look at how he's still "continuing to evolve and grow."
- The pandemic didn't just change how we work, dress and shop, it also changed the way we watched TV. My colleagues on the TV team (Gary Levin, Kelly Lawler, Bill Keveney and Erin Jensen) broke down how.
Today's pet
Meet Theodore.
Theodore, Thee for short (or Theodore Fitzgerald when he's in trouble), is my cat who, like me, LOVES to sleep! So in honor of daylight savings this weekend, here's a cute picture of him catching some Z's. And yes, he's a very lanky boy. And yes, I love that his nose matches this blanket!
Thanks for reading! You'll be hearing from Kelly again on Tuesday. Until then, remember you can send pet photos, coping tips, TV thoughts and anything else to stayingaparttogether@usatoday.com.
Wishing you all the best,
Sara Moniuszko