None of the links in this post are affiliate links. I’m sharing them because they are either helping me stay grounded, sane, physically fit and laughing, or helping others stay afloat during this difficult time.

As of a week or so ago, I will not be going back to my office until at least April 30th, most likely longer. I’ve been working from home since Friday, March 13, 2020. It’s a good thing I’m not superstitious about Friday the 13th. On the contrary, Friday the 13th is generally lucky for me, which is a good thing. Working from home instead of going to the office is also not a bad thing for me. Having to commute three hours round-trip on the NYC bus and subway system would be a bad thing for me, particularly the part that involves riding the #7 train to and from Main Street Flushing, which is always extremely crowded, and prone to service interruptions and delays. The last place I want to be during a pandemic in NYC is on a crowded #7 train stuck somewhere between Times Square and Main Street Flushing. Thank you, but no thank you!

Main Street Flushing – home of the #7 train

Living alone and being stuck at home by myself isn’t as bad as it might sound. My landlords live upstairs, and I actually like being home alone. Plus, I can take a walk outside, as long as I cover my face and stay a safe distance away from people. I’m very thankful that I’m not stuck at home with other people in my space, because I would so be wearing an orange jumpsuit sooner or later! I don’t know if this is true for other people, but for me, this has alleviated a lot of my social obligation guilt. This whole idea of not having to be anywhere other than my apartment is actually kind of nice for a change. Doing laundry also isn’t an issue when you don’t have to go anywhere, and no one sees more than your head, neck and shoulders on Zoom. Trust me when I say that I plan on dragging out that next trek to the laundromat as long as I possibly can!

Flushing Meadows Corona Park

So, in no particular order, below are links to some things that have been helping me stay grounded, sane, physically fit and laughing, or helping others stay afloat during this difficult time:

• Governor Andrew M. Cuomo – Governor Cuomo’s daily briefings are excellent, and I’m so glad that he’s my Governor! He’s very realistic, candid and to the point, while being reassuring and encouraging at the same time. I think he’s been doing an incredible job throughout this crisis.
• The Daily Social Distancing Show with Trevor Noah on YouTube – Trevor Noah has become my go-to for laughs. I know that no matter how crappy a day I’m having, within a few minutes of watching him, I will be literally snorting with laughter without fail. (My cats, on the other hand, could do without the noise.)
• The Shows Must Go On – Free full-length theatre performances every Friday at 7pm BST, available 48 hours for viewing. I just watched “Jesus Christ Superstar” and cast it to my TV. It was AMAZING!
• headspace – A NY state of mind –  “special NY collection of meditation, sleep, and movement exercises are here to support you through stressful and challenging times”
• NYC Well – Talk/text/chat 24/7 for stress, coping and mental wellness support. They also feature a list of COVID-19 Digital Mental Health Resources
• Let’s Game it Out – My guilty pleasure for sick and twisted humor. “A gaming let’s play channel by some guy named Josh who makes fun-loving videos filled with joy and sarcasm.” Also contains lots of sick and twisted things you can make your games do. My recent purchase of “Overcrowd: A Commute ‘Em Up” is due to this channel. My favorite videos so far are What Normal People Turn Into When Stranded on a Subway Platform – Overcrowd: A Commute ‘Em Up (which is eerily similar to some of my experiences on the #7 train but without working vending machines and bathrooms) and I Built a Theme Park of Perpetual Torment in Planet Coaster, the one that started my addiction to this channel.