Let’s face it.
We are all slowly, methodically losing our shit. But we won’t stop fighting it! Save our Democracy! Save our schools! Save our sanity!!! Here are some mindless things we are doing to save our own mortal souls through laughter and distraction:
Jaime - I can’t really explain it but watching this guy guess paint colors as they’re being mixed is the distraction I never knew I needed. You won’t regret it.
Haley - an oldie but a goodie: “it’s not that hard to understand please just read the stats.”
Hannah - I’m about 10 years late to the Game of Thrones bandwagon, but I figure it’ll keep me distracted for the next year at least. If anyone can draw me a diagram of all the characters and plot points, I’d appreciate it.
Rebecca - Father of the Bride Part 3ish. If you are a fan of the FOTB franchise this will not disappoint. Steve Martin and Diane Keaton are back and it’s the perfect feel-good “mini movie” we need right now. Also, it’s raising money for World Central Kitchen — a great cause!
Molly - I am taking up a new hobby and I suggest you do too - buy this cross-stitch kit from Etsy. The shop owner, @Grandmabewildin, is someone I’d like to meet. As a bonus, she also has “OMG, Please Make It Stop” for sale.
Bonus distraction that helps people - https://www.lasagnalove.org/ - sign up to help make lasagna for a family in need in the DC area!
Save Halloween!
We know everyone is counting down to Election Day, but first - there’s Halloween. If you have children, this crisis just got more real for them if trick or treating is cancelled. For those who are fine not participating, totally acceptable to just turn your lights off. For that matter, you can do that any year, I’m not judging. But I’ve been scouring the internet for ideas and here’s what we have so far:
Write to your listserv and organize your neighbors - our neighborhood is seriously committed to finding a way for the kids to have a tiny bit of normal. They are organizing which houses are 'safe’ and finding ways to safely distribute candy.
How do you distribute candy? Buy a PVC tube and set up a ladder or find a way to elevate and shoot candy down to the side walk. One-way candy delivery!
Another friend is putting candy in her lawn with glow sticks taped on to mark them.
Host a mini costume parade in the park - you can still socially distance and your kids can see each others’ costumes in person.
This website has different ideas based on what phase or zone you’re in and what might be considered acceptable or safe: https://www.halloween2020.org.
Go for quality or quantity. Drop some serious dough on a high-quality costume or go to Target and buy several! Why not do a different costume every day? Fun tip - shop the post-Halloween sales and wrap those suckers up for Christmas or Hannukah for a ‘pretend play’ gift. My mom did this one year with 10 costumes in one giant bag and my kids went NUTS.
Postcards for votes
We are big fans of @PatinkinMandy on Twitter and watching him and his wife has to be one of the most heartening things on the internet right now. They are impassioned activists and on our list of people we’d like to have at our post-COVID dinner party. They love writing postcards and phone banking for Joe Biden and to Flip the Senate. Here are two sites to check out if you’re interested in joining Mandy and Kathryn on their efforts!
https://postcardstoswingstates.com/
https://togetherfor2020.org/resources/postcard-mailers/
Phone / Text Banking opportunities
MONDAY 10/12 → Text Bank for Rep. Gina Ortiz Jones (TX-23)
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm ET | Register here for the Zoom link
Co-Hosts: Haley Brown, Rachel Kline, and Dao Nguyen
TUESDAY 10/13 → Phone Bank for Xochitl Torres Small (NM-02)
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm ET | Register here for the Zoom link
Co-Hosts: Oscar Ramirez, Aaron Trujillo, and Dao Nguyen
THURSDAY 10/15 → Phone Bank for Abby Finkenauer (IA-01)
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm ET | Register here for the Zoom link (*Check the box for Oct. 15 5:00pm–7:00pm CDT)
Co-Hosts: Molly Grady, Vonnie Hampel, Radha Mohan, and Dao Nguyen
SATURDAY 10/17 → Phone Bank for Hillary Scholten (MI-03)
12:00 pm - 3:00 pm ET | Register here for the Zoom link
Co-Hosts: Haley Brown, Rachel Kline, Anne MacMillan, and Dao Nguyen