The Better Show
Things we've learned during COVID-19
Episode Summary
Since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, daily life has changed dramatically and our collective outlook for the future is very different than what it was just weeks ago. On this episode, we reflect on what we've learned from this experience. We discuss the aspects that have been most difficult for us, what has surprised us most, and the things we have seen that have been the most heartwarming.
Episode Notes
Show Notes
- 5:59 — March describes experiencing a “background stress” with a source that is hard to pinpoint.
- 7:29 — Ian and Darren joke about how one of the most stressful things about sheltering in place is the never-ending "bad hair days" now that we haven’t been able to go to the barber.
- 8:41 — We take a detour to appreciate the Floebee! self-haircutting product from the 1980's.
- 10:50 — Ian shares his difficulty in setting boundaries between his “work time” and his “personal time”.
- 14:02 — Darren is completely losing track of the days of the week confusing Wednesdays with Saturdays.
- 15:57 — March reflects on how quickly all of our circumstances changed.
- 19:19 — Darren is surprised by how much we still don’t know about this strain of Coronavirus and how different the guidance from experts changes from day to day.
- 20:51 — Ian is enjoying working from home way more than he would have expected and no longer feels like an “outsider” when attending meetings remotely.
- 26:02 — Ian is grateful for the reduced pollution and positive impact social distancing has had on the environment and hopes we find ways to use this moment as a turning point for changing destructive habits we otherwise haven’t considered.
- 29:17 — March takes solace in the improved sense of solidarity among his community in Ireland.
- 30:50 — Darren describes a silver lining for him for the shelter at home situation is having more quality time with his wife, Mardee, and their Boston Terrier, Maggie.
- 32:12 — March is surprised by how effective the “stay-at-home” orders have been in the West despite the cultural value on individual liberty.
- 34:55 — Darren describes how he was briefly rendered speechless by the sheer magnitude of the jobless claims in the US.
- 36:33 — Ian reflects on how people’s social circles are defined by the value of relationships instead of geographic proximity.
- 38:35 — March has a deeper appreciation for the impact of technology as a force for good in the world.
- 40:37 — Darren shares the heartwarming feeling he’s had watching communities globally appreciate the brave work of medical front line workers.
- 42:10 — Ian applauds the respect finally coming to the role teachers play in our society.
- 43:50 — March and Ian share some additional observations about the result of the COVID-19 pandemic including: the public’s awareness of medical data, the role of the office in one’s work experience, and the idea of anonymity being a thing of the past.
- 48:52 — Darren calls for planning to start on some publicly significant way to celebrate our successful emergence from the COVID-19 pandemic.
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