Everyone seems to be creating a podcast these days, and there are so many it can be overwhelming to choose which ones you want to listen to most. There are plenty of podcasts about the strange and unusual, but I'd love to know which ones Freaky Phenomena followers like best.
The New York Public Library recently listed the 125 books that people love most (written for adults), and I have to say they couldn't have posted it at a better time. Many people are home reading now, so what better time is there to share some of the most popular reads?
A lot of people turn to sweets and comfort foods in times of uncertainty and stress, myself included. When you're trying to eat a no-sugar diet, this can be challenging! I've been able to make a lot of treats the low-carb way, but you also have to be careful with your sweeteners. Too much can upset your stomach!
Most of us are feeling at least some fear right now, but there is a lot of inspiration to lean into in this time of uncertainty. Let's share some of the stories we've felt inspired and encouraged by this week.
The CDC's reduction of current guidelines for healthcare workers doesn't mean anything is better or more accessible; it means they're lowering the bar and making our healthcare workers more vulnerable in order to ensure they can keep working. That's how desperate the United States is now, and that's how terrible the effects of capitalism are when people go out and buy a bunch of masks to hoard for themselves.
Many of us are ordered to be at home during this global pandemic, and as scary as this time is, it's inspiring to see so many people, from business owners to private citizens, working together to help keep this a connected world. Bars and restaurants, forced to close their dining areas, have adapted quickly to takeout and drive-thru options, some of which even include cocktails!
Maybe you're out of good booze, but you have some wine, or even some good tea flavors on hand. Maybe you're being creative and mixing things you've never even thought of mixing before. Maybe you stocked up and you have a full bar and you're practicing your Mixology while you're stuck at home. We all might be in this together, but we're all dealing with different circumstances in different ways here.
My state's refusing to make non-essential workers stay at home and too many are going about business as usual. We need National Paid Sick Leave, among other forms of aid right now, to stop this virus.
With so many of us at home right now, lots of animal sanctuaries, zoos and nature centers are streaming their wildlife for us to view, and it's wonderful of them to do that. But I keep going back to the Log Bridge videos on YouTube! I guess I just love to see the wide variety of fauna who cross the log as well as those who show up behind it.
Ambient office = 59 nanosieverts per hour
Ambient outside = 96 nanosieverts per hour
While social distancing isn't pleasant for everyone, many people are finding ways to cope and still talk to their friends every day. Some are even playing games, like the people in Spain who play BINGO out their windows.
While this virus is scary, one of the best things about it is that it has shown us some of the most beautiful parts of humanity. From Spaniards playing BINGO out their windows to Italians singing out theirs, celebs doing everything from hosting dance parties to reading books to children, the spirit of community is alive and well. That's not to say there's plenty of hate and hoarding, because there's that, too, but there's also a lot of connection and inspiration going on.
All jokes aside, I've always suspected that cats bond to their humans closely. They choose us; every cat I've ever adopted chose someone of their own in the house to be theirs. The cat I selected chose my husband, the cat he selected chose me, etc. And when I lost my cat of 12 years, my heart absolutely broke. It's been almost two years and I'm still not over it. She was one of my best friends in the world.
Are you a creamy soup lover? Oh I am! I love a hearty soup, too, but there's something ever so comforting about a creamy soup. Spicy, cheesy potato soup is my absolute favorite; my husband actually fries the potatoes with brown sugar and cayenne pepper first for an extra kick.
So now I definitely want to try this jalapeno popper chicken soup. It looks creamy and delicious, and it has bacon! I'm not one for bacon in soup unless the bacon is homemade and fresh, and this is that.
Movies that take place in the 1980s but weren't actually made during that time period usually fall into two categories: an attempt to be authentic or straightup mockery. I'd have to say that I enjoy both, as an 80s kid, but I have to give props to the shows that really pull off a realistic setting and tone.
Have you ever found yourself admiring a fake plant only to realize it was plastic? I've actually tried to smell plastic flowers before! I figured that was pretty bad, but now I feel for this woman who spent a lot of time watering what she believed was a real plant.
My kid and I have been making our way through the Poetry for Young People series, getting to know various poets by immersing ourselves into their work. This week we're reading Emily Dickinson's collection, which is much simpler than some of the others.
The art in Poetry for Young People: Emily Dickinson is fairly stark, not taking up full pages like Rober Frost's. This works really well for the style of her poetry. The lack of titles on each poem is another big difference. My kiddo likes how larger vocabulary words are defined at the bottom of each page, too.
In some states where coronavirus has spread more widely, staying home isn't a choice anymore. People in quarantine eagerly await the end of this pandemic and either work from home or try to find things to do while stuck there. On the other hand, in states without mandated quarantines, many Americans are going about business as usual, which we've come to know is rather irresponsible. It's exactly the reason why Italy's virus spread so quickly when no one took the warnings seriously.
Wouldn't it be great if we could bend the ears of our favorite TV show writers and ask them to run plots, scenes, jokes and other elements we'd like to see in our favorite shows? After 21 years of television, Family Guy has featured a bit of everything, and sometimes a little too much of everything. But like any show, it still has plenty of topics it hasn't yet covered.
