Lockdown season: Making the most of it
In defense of Zoom funerals
The idea of funerals conducted on Zoom “sounds so tacky and degrading,” said Jeremy Smith in Slate.com. But they are part of the new reality, and after attending one for my father’s Uncle Larry recently, “I had the opposite conclusion: A Zoom funeral, in many ways, might be better than an in-person one.” I laughed and cried as speakers scattered across the country offered eulogies that highlighted Larry’s generosity and considerable quirks. “I was also struck by the reminder that I had a host of second cousins I had never met.” Meeting them virtually “but very much faceto-face” suddenly made this commonplace technology seem awe-inspiring. Despite the distance between us, we were “close enough to meet each other’s eyes.”
How to stop ‘doomscrolling’
“In this year of never-ending doom, it’s hard to avoid all the bad news,” said Elizabeth Yuko in Lifehacker.com. Constantly checking newsfeeds and social media is a common coping mechanism, because staying up-to-date helps us feel more in control during a crisis. But if you always reach for your phone as soon as you wake up, “doomscrolling” can erode your mental health. Try to establish some personal rules: No news after dinner, for example, because stress can interfere with sleep. Keep a book or podcast on hand to encourage more positive pastimes, and leave your phone or laptop in another room to minimize temptation. When you do go online, pay attention to how you feel. “If you’re feeling agitated, your body is signaling you to stop what you’re doing,” says psychologist Carla Marie Manly.
Restrooms and the new normal
Finding a public toilet isn’t always easy these days, said Jeanette Marantos in the Los Angeles Times. Many gas stations and restaurants have shuttered their restrooms to protect employees, which leaves you with one option: “lots of strategic planning.” Supermarkets and big-box stores such as Target remain a good bet, and you may want to use a map app to plot stops on longer trips, even calling ahead to determine what’s open. If you prefer more freedom, “do what truck drivers do and reach for a portable urinal.” Options for women include the GoGirl, Tinkle Belle, and Easy Peezy. For privacy, you’ll want the Stansport Pop-up Privacy Shelter, said Jenny Friedler in NYMag .com. Pair the folding tent with a portable toilet such as the Luggable Loo—“and voilà: a private bathroom in the middle of nowhere.”