W42ST Daily 3/20/2020 - Why we need Iceland right now

TELL YOUR FRIENDS TO SIGN UP HERE So, The Met Gala has been postponed “indefinitely.” The French Open, originally scheduled for May, has been moved to September. Glastonbury music festival, the New Orleans Jazz Festival, Coachella, and Saturday Night Live … all cancelled, dammit. But Eurovision too? Really? The high camp, global phenomenon that brought us Abba? ’99 Luftballons’? Conchita Wurst? This really is the worst.

But COVID-19 – I’m here to tell you, you can’t spoil all our fun. There’s a petition to ensure that Iceland’s entry – ‘Think About Things’ by Daði og Gagnamagnið – should win. The lyrics, says new father Daði, were inspired as he gazed at his 10-month-old daughter and wondered what on earth she was thinking about him, life, and the world around her.

“It’s so weird,” he says. “You have your newborn child, and you love it so much and unconditionally, yet you have no idea what the child is thinking about you or the world in general. ‘Think About Things’ is just me wondering what Áróra thinks of me now, and how she will think about things in the future, how she will definitely change my perspective of life as time goes on, just by thinking about everything differently and with her own vision and drawing her own conclusions about the world.”

I’ll leave those thoughts there for a moment.

Watch this vid, smile, then learn the dance steps. We’ll reconvene in a week’s time for a dance party, OK?

THE NEW NORMAL NEWSLETTER
You may notice a small difference to your usual Friday missive. It’s earlier for a start (*eyeroll). And there are no events, for obvious reasons. But what you might have missed is that we’re now writing to you daily. I know! It’s a trip, right? In these days of social isolation, we need to stay more connected than ever. Some mornings you’ll get Phil; other mornings you’ll get me – but we promise to be a drama-free, fun-filled start to your day. If you want to get the daily, sign up below. Otherwise, you’ll continue to get me on a Friday. We’ll get through this together, friends.

#WFH SCAVENGER HUNT
Let’s play! You have 24 hours to find the following items. Send me a photograph of your trawl and you’ll win a four-pack of toilet paper.

A photograph of you as a child Something that makes you happy Something that grows Something valuable Something musical Something beginning with H Something beginning with A Two things beginning with P Something beginning with Y
(Did you see what I did there?) Something you received as a gift from someone you love

SHARE THE GLOVE
Ousia restaurant is organizing a latex glove drive, to donate unused latex kitchen and cleaning gloves to charitable organizations and health centers that need them. Here’s all the info.

LET’S MOVE
Choreographer Jessica Chen and the J Chen Project will be leading a 20 to 30-minute movement session at noon today. It’s open to anyone, any age. Click this link at 12 noon today to join in.

TP IN TOWN
A reader informed me yesterday that CVS on W42nd -10th Ave has toilet tissue and paper towels, and Food Emporium has also taking delivery of the much-needed TP. Meanwhile, in upstate NY (which is where I am right now) ….

#WFH READER HACKS
“So happy to hear your upbeat newsletter – really, thanks.

“I’m sure to fill you in on all the things I’m doing to pass the time and enjoy life (much cooking, a thing I love to do) but right now it’s all about reconnecting with my love of puzzles

“I purchased several puzzles, all covers of New York magazine – is there any better picture than a picture of the city we all love? My/our first venture is, but of course, a puzzle of Hell’s Kitchen, maybe even the corner I live on. And, hey, I got the first piece in place. Yay me!”

HENRY

“I’m filling my time cooking, listening to my beloved new Broadway musical obsession Moulin Rouge (I’ve seen it 4xs, so I can see it in my mind as I listen to the soundtrack), and working on a crochet project that I should have finished in Dec 2019. In the coming days I will have to figure out how to teach elementary music to my 400 students online as my school district transitions to online learning. I’ll be drawing upon our Broadway community’s resources to enhance their learning. Your cultural breaks links are going to be a great help.

“I have to say waking up when my body is ready and wearing my comfy clothes is a blessing.”

LEANNE

“Thank you so much for doing this – it is a real lifeline. I am elderly (73) and live alone. I also have COPD from a lifetime of second-hand smoke from others so I am very worried. I am trying to stay sane. I am still trying to stay active as sitting on the couch all day is not good. Monday I went outside to walk but there were too many people on the sidewalk and I got scared and went back home. Yesterday I walked the length of my hallway over and over. Boring but effective. I may try the online things you so helpfully linked to.”

KAREN

NAME GAME
You’ve been given the power to spread something positive with the same ease as COVID-19 – what do you choose?

I’ll go first. Hi everyone, my name is Ruth, and I want to spread compassion and forgiveness (OK, so I chose two things). Who’s next?
Question comes courtesy of Rog Law, king of the name game @ Mark Fisher Fitness