Just Good Shit: 03.15.20

Image: Kiyana Salkeld / Just Good Shit

It’s Sunday, and I’m writing my normal Sunday post, but things are not normal right now, and they aren’t going to be normal for a while. I know how hard it can be to admit or accept that, but...this is where we live now. We have no idea how long we’ll be here or what exactly it will look like.

What it will look like, of course, depends to some degree on how willing we are to admit that something we’ve left normal life behind. After several days of strictly only leaving the apartment to take my dog out, it’s been incredibly upsetting to see people posting Instagram stories about their weekend like nothing has changed, or claiming they are “social distancing”…with 10 other people, inside someone’s apartment or at a restaurant.

I don’t know how explain to you that you should care about other people…but I also don’t know how to explain to you that you should care about yourself. We’re all vulnerable. It can be incredibly difficult and overwhelming to admit that, but it’s also simply true, whether we admit it or not.

Admitting this wasn’t fun or easy for me. It’s not fun or easy for anyone! It all fucking sucks!! But…this is where we live now, until we don’t anymore.

Here’s what else I’ve got for you this week.

On the blog

• Just a bunch of gentle ways to entertain yourself without leaving your home

• Just Good Bops: March

• An ode to my two favorite stain removers

• How to wear white clothes year-round without completely ruining them

Writing

• How to Be a Good Neighbor Right Now

• How to Work From Home and Not Feel Like a Lonely Garbage Slug

• How to Work From Home With Roommates Without Losing It Completely'

• How to Tell a Venting Friend ‘Actually, You’re the Jerk Here’

I also edited If Your Aging Parents Are Ignoring Coronavirus Risks, You're Not Alone, and was on CNN on Saturday morning to talk about working from home.

Reading

Note: If you’re already sheltering in place/social distancing and feeling fairly anxious, you might not want to read a lot of the articles below — they will mostly be restating what you already know, and are pretty anxiety-inducing when consumed all at once. (You should read the one about managing your anxiety, though!) That said, these are probably good articles to share with friends and family who think you’re overreacting, or who are going about business as usual.

If you’re not social distancing but really, really could be, or are still wondering if you *really* have to cancel your birthday party or your trip to Vegas, I strongly urge you to read the links below. (And to stay home starting, like, now.)

Your Social Life Is Going on Hiatus, The Cut.

The Extraordinary Decisions Facing Italian Doctors, The Atlantic.

Why outbreaks like coronavirus spread exponentially, and how to “flatten the curve”, The Atlantic.

The U.S. Isn’t Ready for What’s About to Happen, The Atlantic.

Young and Unafraid of the Coronavirus Pandemic? Good for You. Now Stop Killing People, Newsweek.

‘Mild’ May Not Mean What You Think It Means, The Cut.

“Cases classified as ‘mild’ by doctors in China include those that develop into pneumonia, and ‘severe’ means needing machine-assisted breathing.”

Please Just Stay Home!, The Cut.
“Why am I stressing, in this moment, about wanting a chocolate chip cookie? I’ll have one eventually. And then, at that time, I’ll have it.”

A coronavirus cautionary tale from Italy: Don’t do what we did, Boston Globe.

‘It Feels Like a Pause’, The Cut.
What life is like in Italy right now — a couple weeks after people didn’t take COVID-19 seriously.

The Coronavirus Customer-Service Crisis, The Atlantic.

Visiting My Sick Mom Could Put Her Life at Greater Risk. But How Many More Times Will I Get to See Her?, Time.

How Millennials Are Talking To Their Boomer Relatives About The Coronavirus, BuzzFeed News.

Stocking Up Is Impossible When You Lack Enough for Today: Food Banks Struggle as Coronavirus Crisis Intensifies, The Kitchn.

How You Should Get Food During the Pandemic, The Atlantic.

Your New Hobby is Push-Ups, The Cut.

What to Do If Your Anxiety About Coronavirus Feels Overwhelming, SELF.

Don’t Panic: Notes on a Pandemic, John Gorman on Medium.

Donating

This week, I donated to the Food Bank for New York City and Ali Fortney Center, which provides critical services to homeless LGBTQ youth, and which will remain open during the crisis. We’re also buying gift cards and merch from our favorite local restaurants to send dollars their way. If you can afford to be helpful (via cash, time, or other resources) and there’s a local organization or business that needs support, now is the time.

Have a good Sunday. 💛

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