The last few days and the next few weeks are sure to test all of us. We have all gone through moments of fear, worry and sadness. Personally, I have found comfort reading the story of Isaac Newton during the Great Plague of London, which killed over one-quarter of London’s population in 1665. Then a student, Newton left school in Cambridge to return to his family during a period of social distancing. While confined to his home with additional time to think and reflect, Newton made some of his greatest discoveries, including gravity. I am hopeful thinking about what ingenuity and creativity might come from this pandemic.
With greatness and growth in mind, I offer some suggestions to help you pass the time.
- For the cultural enthusiast: Get your culture fix on:
- For the budding chef:
- Learn how cooking can change your life and then whip up something magical.
- Start here to learn the basics and see where it takes you.
- A YouTube channel list of the best cooking shows online.
- I love recipes from Smitten Kitchen – delicious and easy to follow instructions.
- For the animal lover:
- Discover your inner zoologist with live streams from the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
- Teach your dog a new trick – shake? roll over? (or maybe just go with the basics of sit and come).
- For the book worm:
- Pick up an e-book from your public library and after you have your library card, download and use Libby to read, listen to audiobooks, and more.
- If you want to read a classic head to Project Gutenberg. Want to bulk up on science research? Head here.
- For the health nut:
- If you’re looking to unwind through yoga, here are a few options. I happen to enjoy these upbeat dance class workouts that originated in Miami.
- Explore the world of meditation through the Headspace app. We could all use some space away from the news.
- For the lifelong learner:
- For online learning courses, this website sets out a lot of options including free courses from Stanford, Harvard, Yale, etc.
- If you’ve been itching to learn some new software, or bulk up on your Excel knowledge, head to Lynda.com – they offer a free month of learning if you want to give it a try.
- There’s no time like the present to understand basic plumbing – you never know when this will come in handy.
- Reignite the Nancy Drew inside of you with these mystery podcasts: Serial (season 1 is the best), Crimetown (season 2 is all about corruption within the city of Detroit), Dirty John (now also turned into a TV series)
- Want to better understand the world around you? A few popular podcasts to check out: 99% Invisible (discover the invisible design all around you), Hidden Brain (discover yourself in more detail), Revisionist History (if you enjoy Malcolm Gladwell) or Hardcore History.
- For our community:
- Research volunteering opportunities in your hometown and mark down the most interesting ones. VolunteerMatch is one place to start. When this situation ends, our communities will need help.
- Many soup kitchens and food banks are looking for volunteers to help make deliveries. Reach out to one near you to see how you can help.
- For the movie fanatic:
- Now that you have the time, check out the 50 best shows on Netflix.
- Watch the 100 classic movies that everyone should see (according to IMDB).
- For your closet:
- Tidy your space the Marie Kondo way. There’s also a fabulous Netflix Series.
- Donate your clothing (no human interaction required). ThredUp will send you a bag (with postage!) to drop in the mail. You may even make a little extra cash depending on the quality and brands of the items.
- For the social butterfly:
- Write actual letters (like with a pen and paper) to family and friends with that stationary you’ve been meaning to use.
- Set up a google hangout chat with friends you haven’t had time to connect with.
BONUS: For the (wannabe) financially savvy
- Create a family balance sheet to better understand your cash flow; evaluate your priorities and reallocate as necessary.
- Review your credit cards to see if you’re still getting the best bang for your buck. The Points Guy is a fantastic resource.
- Consider a Roth IRA conversion, especially while the market is trading at a discount. Money in a Roth IRA will grow tax-free and there are no minimum required distributions when you turn age 70, as there are with IRAs. Note: This is a taxable event so consult a professional to understand if this is right for you.
- Get around to doing your 2019 tax return. You don’t want to be stuck inside post-quarantine because you didn’t get this done while you had the time.
I would love to hear of your moments of greatness to share back with this community – feel free to email me at stephanie@bloomassetmanagement.com! Stay safe.
