Looks like we’re in this for the long haul, so buckle up—and keep your distance from those you don’t live with! I know, I know, we’re going to be hearing that a lot. It’s boring but it helps to remind us that this is serious business. For some, it will test our very relationships, if China’s experiences with being cooped up for endless weeks is any measure. (Spoiler alert if you don’t want to read the article: apparently as soon as people were released from physical distancing, lots of couples headed straight for the divorce office.)

But I want to keep this week’s post light, so I’ve compiled a list of some fun things watch and listen to, which I’m hoping will remind us that we still have cute stuff, funny stuff, educational stuff, and the arts. Oh, and there’s a little sports thrown in too.

While away your time on zoo cams, featuring live footage of animals that have been cooped up all their lives (see, it could be worse). There isn’t always a whole lotta action, but the wild kingdom can remind us to take life as it comes. Why not just laze around for a spell? If you’re working from home, be careful; you could get sucked into watching too-cute-for-words baby hippo Fiona over and over again when you should be finishing that report for the boss.

• Smithsonian Zoo in DC
• San Diego Zoo
• Houston Zoo
• Kansas City Zoo
• Louis Zoo
• Cincinnati Zoo

Missing visits to the museum? Get your own tour of the Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum from the comfort of your couch. Here’s a list of other virtual tours you can take of museums around the world. And even more here.

If you like to learn, this list of “amazing educational resources” should keep you busy for weeks, if not years! There’s enough fun and learning here for all age groups.

Bummed because you can’t get much exercise? Why not create your own treadmill? (Actually, for safety reasons, I’m not recommending this, though it is worth a laugh). But you don’t need a treadmill to get those laps in, as this Frenchman demonstrates by running a marathon on his balcony.

And lastly, if you like the arts, check out Italian opera tenor Maurizio Marchini serenading Florence from his balcony. The very end is especially cute. If you like opera—and even if you don’t or don’t know whether you do because you’ve never seen one—now’s your chance to see some great performances without having to rent a tux or gown, or spend tons of money on a fancy pre-show dinner. The Metropolitan Opera of NY has nightly streams, which change each week.

And what family entertainment showcase would be complete without The Sound of Music? This clever rendition of Maria and the Von Trapp family reminds us to keep our distance and wash our hands. By the way, now’s a good time to watch the film because it shows the resilience of families in the face of the enemy.  

If you have coping tips or self-care strategies you’d like to share, send me an email. I’ll write about them in future posts.

Be well and take care.