Pre Lockdown Tips
Omicron is either going to be a big deal or it won’t be, but let’s not all go buy toilet paper. Here’s a couple things you actually do need in case we move in to some variety of lockdown:
Go Cut Your Hair - do it. Don’t spend this winter looking super shaggy. Dudes over 35, if you haven’t grown a beard yet, there’s a reason. Don’t let this shutdown winter push you into a beard thing that isn’t working for anyone.
Be Charitable and do Mutual Aid - Lockdowns impact different people differently. So does cold weather. All signs point to me and my family staying warm this winter in our home. We have some money to get out to people in a more trying situation. Maybe you do too.
Read Out of Your Bubble - I found in the real shutdown that I just never received news from outside of my self-selected liberal bubble. You don’t have to read every 4,000 word article in the New York Times about the Trump voter who also believes in psychedelics. But, seek out some inputs of information that are the equivalent of the lunch with the across the aisle colleague, something similar to grabbing the WSJ cause it was all that was left en route to your ceramic throne.
Routine ZOOM Hangs - If we get to the “no social” thing and I sincerely hope we don’t, I’ll be scheduling routine, recurring ZOOMs. The more you do ZOOMs the closer they get to human connection. They are still woefully far from human connection, but that regularity helps. So seek that out in your schedule.
Do Things Arounds The House - I got a bunch done in my house during the last lockdown and it really started cooking after I got a list set up and started knocking things off of it.
Listen to the Radio - Obviously you listening to the radio is good for me. I’m a radio host. You listening to the Current is even better. And I love what happens on the Current, I start my mornings with Jill Riley, I bump Mary Lucia on the ride home and my Sundays start with United States of Americana with Bill Deville. I think The Current is pretty great to listen to most any hour of the day. I also swear by Rhythm Revue from WBGO on Saturday mornings out of Newark. I listen to Larry Mizell Jr. on KEXP a couple afternoons a week as well. Radio is great, it gives me room to think that I don’t get from podcasts, but room to connect and engage that I don’t get from streaming or my record collection.
Be Awesome to Your Partner - These lockdowns are hard. I didn’t really understand how hard the first one was on my unemployed, newly given birth wife until after. I knew it wasn’t wonderful, but I didn’t digest how hard until later. Huge mistake. Ask questions, voluntarily take things off your partner’s plate. Don’t assume things are cool.
Know the First Things You’ll Get Back To - A light at the end of the tunnel helps. If we are facing this lockdown what is the first thing you’re going to do when it’s done?
Attend the Heiruspecs Show on December 3rd at Turf Club - The Turf Club requires everyone to be vaxxed or pass that negative test. And our show is going to be great. Buy tickets now, good idea!