Welcome. We’re still working from home, those of us with work, anyway, those of us who can afford to be home, those who don’t have to commute to essential jobs as the pandemic continues on its silent path.
But sometime over the course of the last couple of weeks — as states began slowly to reopen, as Americans took to the streets in protest at racial injustice, as people began to vote in primaries, to pick up flowers at the market, to visit the beach — the mood of our lives at home seemed to shift a little, away from being on lockdown and toward a hesitant new normal, outside. It is thrilling to be there.
But it is not what it was, nor will it be, not anytime soon. We’re learning new protocols. We’re adjusting our routines. And if we’re joyous to be able to take a long walk in the woods or down a wide avenue under bluebird skies, we’re also aware that there is a lot that we still cannot do in the world, but only at home.
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And so, we still advocate reading: this week, Jesmyn Ward. And so we still advocate exploring the world’s great paintings: Wesley Morris recently recommended Faith Ringgold’s “American People Series #20: Die.” We want you to listen to music and make sheet-pan shrimp scampi. We want you to use your computer to explore the world, to imagine yourself living in Port Townsend, Washington, say, to imagine yourself in this house. We want you to play games.
That’s what At Home is, after all: a library of diversion for those moments when you’re sheltered alone or with family, wondering how to make sense of the world outside. We champion art and beauty and thought and deliciousness, and our best ideas for how to live a full and cultured life in a pandemic appear below. We publish more of them every day. Please visit.
And let us know what you think!
How to deal.
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We’re dealing with unprecedented issues, and there’s no playbook for how to handle life right now. Or there wasn’t one until Tara Parker-Pope came along. Some people are considering expanding their social lives with a coronavirus pod, but there are dos and don’ts to that concept. Whenever you decide to have friends over, consider having them bring their own … everything.
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Our friends at The Upshot interviewed 511 epidemiologists about when they expect to return to certain aspects of their life. They do not seem to be in a rush. But one thing to prioritize, in terms of tasks to do in person, is a visit to the dentist.
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And even if all of that sounds a bit too bold for you, you might be interested in what experts had to say about how we can safely hug our loved ones.
What to eat.
How to pass the time.
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In the latest installment of our “The World Through a Lens” photo series, Greta Rybus checked in with a family maintaining sheep shearing traditions on an island in Maine.
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The hardest part of writing a poem is finding the right words, so give yourself a head start by borrowing words from newspapers and magazines.
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And all it took to unlock the raw power of Pete Davidson was a director like Judd Apatow who focuses on the personal. They came together for “The King of Staten Island,” overcoming a setup that was “fraught with the possibility of failure.”
Like what you see?
You can always find much more to read, watch and do every day on At Home. And you can email us: athome@nytimes.com.
