And now for a little bit of lighter stuff:
In the interests of public social health, I went to the Internet to look for ideas for tried-and-true ways to help us all through the present crisis. I found plenty of websites devoted to “100 ways to be calm” and “Forty-five ways to help your neighbor through a crisis” and “twenty-five yoga poses to do every morning to feel good” and so on and so on. As a public service to our members, I have created a comprehensive list of things to do when you don’t know what to do. In essence, when there is nothing but bad news and you want to feel better, the simplest thing to do is to shut off the television or radio. But some of us want to know what is going on. So here it is, how to cope. I have already presented some advice in previous newsletters, but the war goes on and we need some refreshing ideas. And if some of the ideas seem dumb, blame the Internet. Here goes:
- Move the furniture around. If it’s too heavy, try moving some of the tchachkas. It refreshes the atmosphere.
- Straighten up the junk drawer. Everyone has one. Get rid of anything from the last century unless it has a vital use.
- Clean up things in your home that normally get overlooked: wash your pillows, clean the filters in your washing machine/dish washer/air conditioner. They will all smell better and work more efficiently.
- Clean your walking shoes. Make white look white and other colors shine out.
- You can try learning a new language. It keeps your brain cells sharp.
- Head outside. Get some fresh air. Walk around and really see where you are going.
- Go for a picnic. Invite a friend or two and break out some wine or beer.
- Start a garden. If you don’t have outdoor space then turn your windowsill into a miniature park.
- Take a drive, in your own car or on the local bus. Go around and see new places.
- Hit the beach. Slather on the sunscreen and go for some fun in the sun. And you can do it in the winter as well. The crashing waves soothe the soul.
- If you’ve got YouTube (and who doesn’t?) you can tour the great museums of the world, see outstanding movies and operas, get the greatest books and generally see the world from your armchair. You just have to click a few keys.
- Start an aquarium. Watching the fish (who have a reported attention span of three to five seconds) can be as good as Zen.
- Watch an old movie. The older the better.
- Bake some cookies. It takes more skill than you may think. Practice makes perfect.
- Call or text an old friend. Catch up on news and views.
- Exercise. Check the Web for appropriate age levels. Do it all – tai chi, chair yoga, floor yoga and all the other possibilities on YouTube.
- And while you’re on YouTube, check out old comedy movies or television shows. The possibilities are almost infinite. You’ll pass the time pleasurably and pickle your brain cells simultaneously.
- When you have a little time on your hands, try doing something you’ve been putting off. Paint that wall you’ve always wanted to paint, hang up a picture, or fix that squeaky door.