Notes for the Next Pandemic

and I hope that it doesn’t happen again in my lifetime…

Never play poker with Brenna Reese, she gets weird hands like 4-of-a-kind Aces.

Livestream something super ordinary like visiting the tulips at Myriad Gardens OKC.

Take on a home project that took you 10 years to be inspired to do, like dig up a front garden for some curb appeal.

Play tennis whenever you can, and don’t worry about the rules, or your knees. Who needs knees?

Go Mural Hunting around your city or nearby town. If you find a really great one, sit and stare at it for awhile — what else do you have to do?

Send snail mail, or start a blog, or do both.

Set up a backpacking tent on top of your bed and turn your bedroom into a five-star campground.

Walk around a rural cemetery, you’ll be alone and you can’t catch anything from the dead.

If you want to stockpile something other than toilet paper and hand sanitizer, may I suggest puzzles.

If you see a large group of people hurting, find out why they are hurting and what you can do to not pile onto that pain. Listen more than you speak.

Spend as much time in the sun as you can, you are going to miss being outside when it gets too cold.

Disconnect from the modern world for awhile, deactivate social media and seek out real-life human interaction (safely).

Quixx is an awesome dice game that we are still enjoying during this pandemic. Get a few sets, so if you have been exposed, everyone can have their own dice.

It’s hard to church at home, it’s easier if you have someone to church with. Call it Sunday Brunch.

Everyone is going to make Banana Bread, if you want the best, you will need to get the America’s Test Kitchen recipe for Ultimate Banana Bread.

I hope you have a sister, because you should take up fishing with her.

The world is going to feel like it is burning down, literally and emotionally. Hold on, ask for help if you start feeling like you can’t.

Wear a mask if you are asked, it’s not a big deal.