To Do 04.09.20

Binge: Parks & Recreation

Now that we can’t “go” to work, either through temporary closures or layoffs, it might be bittersweet to watch workplace ensemble comedies like 30 Rock or Brooklyn Nine-Nine. ButWeekly reporter Pam Marino, in her own words, suggests you take a few shifts with Parks and Rec. “What began as a mockumentary style sitcom in the vein of The Office eventually ditched the premise and went on to be its own powerhouse workplace comedy. It stars Amy Poehler as the persistently optimistic and organized public servant Leslie Knope, assistant director of the Pawnee Parks and Recreation Department. She’s surrounded by coworkers played by Nick Offerman, Rahsida Jones, Aziz Ansari, Aubrey Plaza and Chris Pratt, among others. Start with Season 2 and watch through Season 7. It was panned when Season 1 premiered in 2009, but found its legs the next year and took off running.” It’s available on Netflix.

Listen: Bach

The Carmel Bach Festival is proceeding with caution toward their 2020 season in July, knowing that circumstances can change drastically and suddenly. (For instance: they announced on April 6 that the festival’s artistic director and principal conductor Paul Goodwin has decided to step down after the 2021 season.) They sent another announcement that reads, “Music raises our spirits and connects our community, and we look forward to the time when we can be together again in a live performance environment.” And they included links to classical music online from the likes of the Metropolitan Opera and the Philadelphia Orchestra. But maybe the most impressive and pertinent (to their own mission) is to the website called All of Bach. It’s a project of the Netherlands Bach Society to perform, record and share high quality recordings of J.S. Bach’s works – all of them, from full-scale concerts to intimate house shows. They release new videos each Tuesday and Thursday and plan to have them all by their 100th anniversary in 2022. They’ve done almost 300; Bach composed 1,128 pieces. bachvereniging.nl/en/allofbach.

Browse: Coronavirus Memes

Memes are succinct visual jokes created quickly by the online community to play off or defuse big cultural moments. And they can hit their targets with a resonance that just pings off our own thoughts and feelings. Coronavirus, sheltering in place, face masks, sanitizer, stocking up, illness, pandemic, social distancing. All serious stuff. But also rich fodder, if you’re up for it (the humor and empathy might alleviate some anxiety), for meme-ification. There’s the pic of a dude wearing a coffee filter like a medical face mask. He’s written in a marker on it “coughy filter.” There’s the one with a dog and master (the latter wearing a post-surgery cone around his head) with the headline “It’s for your own good. You’ve got to stop touching your face.” Websites like Vulture and Parade have curated some of them for you (though Parade’s list fixates on toilet paper to a weird degree). And a bunch of them – not as curated – are floating around on Twitter. Enjoy and share your favorites; that’s how the better memes come out on top in the Darwinian arena that is social media.

Learn: Do-It-Yourself Repair

You probably have some home repair projects you’ve been meaning to get to. Or you need constructive work to do to occupy your mind, your hands and your time. Or, because stuff still breaks and wears down, you might have some repairs you have to do. My go-to is YouTube, where folks love to share their expertise on such things. I’ve learned everything from installing a dishwasher to unclogging a drain, from replacing car headlights to fixing a leaky freezer with a turkey baster (full disclosure: that last one hasn’t quite worked yet). Some tutorials are better than others, so check the vetting in the comments. Be careful you don’t start a project where you have to go to a store that may be closed to buy a part or tools that may not be in stock. If you rent, see if your landlord will let you do the repair and credit it to your rent. And unless you are licensed and trained, don’t mess with electrical wiring if you can avoid it. YouTube.com.