Hey, friends! We’re back (if you consider quarantined at home back). What a difference a week makes. Like most of you, we’ve spent the better part of the past 7 days trying to stock up on food while simultaneously avoiding the grocery store, trying to create some sense of normalcy while self-quarantined at home, trying to go on lots of 6 foot apart walks, all while trying to understand what’s happening to our world.
There’s a strong argument to be made for taking this bad situation and turning it into something resembling a good situation. But we aren’t going to make that argument. Angie won’t let us. Not yet anyway. There’s always next week.
Last Friday.
L: so this should be totally easy to manage
A: totally
L: i mean
L: who doesn’t love some time in the house when you’re told you can’t leave
L: and can’t interact with other humans
A: you know how much i love sitting home and not leaving
A: and not moving
A: and not leaving
L: haha
A: but all joking aside, this new normal is already hard
A: and guess what?
A: i hate new normals
A: i just finished getting used to a new normal with my damn achilles
A: wait
A: i think i overuse the phrase new normal
So, just like that, we’ve adjusted to our new normal.
And by adjusted, we mean we haven’t adjusted at all.
Angie’s baking her own bread, for god’s sake.
And in case you didn’t know, Angie hasn’t eaten bread in decades.
We struggled over what to write about this week.
No topic felt appropriate.
So we’ve landed here, on a highlight reel.
A snapshot of the things we’ve noticed this week.
The things that made us think and cry and laugh.
But mostly laugh.
The highlight reel (aka our evolving top 10-ish)
1. Expanding our vocabulary
We’re learning new words and phrases. It started with #socialdistancing and #selfquarantine and #flattenthecurve. But now that we’ve dug into full-time isolation, we’re learning some even newer words and phrases. Such as #familydistancing and #rehomed. Some of us are even coming up with new phrases to overuse. One friend has a #coronacrush on Andrew Cuomo. But our most recent favorite? #fuckloadoftogetherness
Bottom line? This is uncharted territory and we’re all figuring it out as we go along. The encouraging part is that people are reaching out to others to find common ground. Always makes you feel better when you realize you’re not alone.
2. Everyone working from home + new normals + so many meals together = uncharted territory
3. Martinis and mimosas and margaritas, oh my
Virtual happy hours, extremely early happy hours, so so many happy hours. After non-essential travel was banned in the country where she lives, we got a text from a friend asking us to confirm that the liquor store is considered essential. One thing we promise? It is and we’re not judging.
A: just poured a glass of wine
L: it’s 3:32 pm
A: i know what time it is
A: and day 3 is almost over!
L: we now call 3:32 pm almost over?
A: yes, that’s what we do now
4. Vanity
And on Day 4-ish, they became even more vain.
5. Creativity
Turns out, these little millennials can do more than make tik tok videos and create snapchat streaks. Angie face-time’d her 12-year old nephew yesterday and he told her about the so-much-fun game he played with his friend. For an hour they rode their bikes around and only spoke to each other in British accents. Wait, that qualifies as a so-much-fun-game now? Imagine what they’ll come up with on Day 10!
And, speaking of creativity, remember the days when we complained about the long CVS receipt? Who’s laughing now?!
6. Rated PG-13
Received a screenshot of this text convo from a friend; don’t even ask who the friend is.
7. For those of you home with elementary school aged kids
We got a text from a friend telling us she’s instituting mandatory recess every day at 1pm, and she’s locking her kids outside. This shit ain’t easy.
8. Parents
Many of us are at that funny age and stage where, in the face of this craziness, we are struggling with being parents to our children and being children to our parents. This image of a son at his father’s nursing home, where he isn’t allowed inside to visit, moved us. And the meme below? How did this happen?
So the thing is this, we’re not exactly sure what’s even funny anymore and what’s not. What we know for sure is that behind the laughter, there are lots of things to feel sad about. Canceled graduations, postponed celebrations, experiences cut short, businesses closing, loved ones struggling, eating too many carbs.
Last night.
A: hi
A: so you want some of the bread i just baked?
A: i can leave it on your doorstep
A: or meet you on the driveway 6 feet away and toss it to you
A: bc that’s not weird
L: haha
A: one last meme before i go to sleep
A: and wake up
A: and it’s tomorrow
A: and we do it all again
Later that night.
L: one more
L: just can’t stop
Stay safe, friends. 'See you' next week.
#socialdistancing #selfquarantine #flattenthecurve #familydistancing #coronacrush #andrewcuomo #fuckloadoftogetherness #grownandflown #day1 #day4 #day10 #CVS #jessseinfeld #shondarhimes #staysafe