It’s Fri-yeah, Don't Let FOMO outweigh Staying Safe Over The Weekend and Beyond

It’s Fri-yeah Friday and the start of July 4^th weekend.  This is normally a very busy time with large gatherings of family and friends, fireworks, parades, arts & crafts fairs and traffic. 

We are in the middle of a pandemic and our normal behaviors have been put on yield.  Before doing any activities determine your motivation first.  Then ask the following questions as you are tempted to venture out this weekend.  

1)                  Is there any urgency to be anywhere?

2)                  Does risk of exposure outweigh your personal FOMO?

3)                  What behaviors can I conduct to mitigate risk and stress?

I have been extremely alarmed since the start of this pandemic and have been trying to post positive ways to make the best of the situation.  If you follow me on FB or IG I share these with the hashtag  #funthingstodowhilesocialdistancing.

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME

Perhaps Dorothy had it right in The Wizard of Oz.  My strongest recommendation is to stay home and watch HAMILTON and other movies streaming this weekend.  The Boston Globe also shares some other safe things you can do here.

In the midst of writing this post I discovered an amazing resource for any Covid questions with links to where one can find potential answers.  CLICK HERE .

No matter what you do this weekend it is imperative to practice smart behavior.  On Morning Joe this morning Health Care Expert Dr. Leana Wen recommended  5 actions to follow.  

I am writing this blog to go a bit more in depth with details.

TRAVEL

Driving your own car is your safest best-wear gloves if you need to get gas and try to minimize restroom usage.   Thus don’t drink too much before your trip. I, personally minimize my travel as I would not use a public restroom.  Bring your own food if possible and if you need to stop try going off the road to a local place with curbside pickup.

Airlines are packing travelers in. It is impossible to stay even 6 ft apart.  There is no way to know who you are sitting near, where your food came from, who touched the surface before you and how droplets travel in such a confined space.  Only travel if an absolute emergency and even then if you it is better to drive.

Buses-check local area for social distancing protocols.  Surfaces and air space are a risk, thus I would not take public transportation.

Ride Share-I would be hesitant.  Think …Who was in the vehicle before you?.  What about the driver? Who has she/he been exposed to? 

HOSTING GUESTS

If you do have company I would verify they have not been near anyone or traveled in a hot zone for at least 2 weeks before even inviting or welcoming them to your home.  I would make it clear that you have been following safe protocols and can not risk exposure. 

Set up chairs that are 6 plus feet apart in your yard.

If they need the rest room,  have them use one dedicated guest facility and clean it after they leave. 

Ideally its best if guests bring their own food and utensils.  If not use papergoods and serve individual portions vs family style. 

GOING TO THE BEACH-

image below says it all

GOING OUT TO EAT

If you comfortably feel you do want to go out to eat here are some recommendations:

I am sharing this post from the Newton Needham Chamber of Commerce newsletter and and have edited it a bit.  These practices/protocols should be followed anywhere you go for services.

10 ways to help

our restaurants this summer

The upcoming three-day holiday weekend provides a perfect opportunity to help local restaurants come back, safely and successfully.

Here’s ten ways you all help our restaurants and their employees while dining out this weekend and all summer long.

1.     Don’t go if you don’t feel well. Don’t risk others’ health for a chance to enjoy a burger and fries.

2.     Wear a mask. Not while eating, but all other times. Face coverings aren’t for your protection as much as they are for the protection of the employees and your fellow diners. Show respect to your server and staff who will be working hard to provide you with a fulfilling and safe experience. They’ll be working hard to ensure your safety. Show that you care about their well-being too.

3.     Keep your distance. Social distancing rules exist for a reason. As happy as you may be to see your long-lost college roommate sitting at another table, wave and make plans to Facetime later.

4.     Go easy on the staff. They’re taking a risk coming to work. They’re cleaning every surface you touch. And it’s hot wearing a mask while working as a short order cook or carrying plates of food outside in the 90-degree heat. Try and place your full order at one time so they don’t have to run back and forth.

5.     Expect to pay more. If you’ve been to the grocery store, you’ve seen how food prices have gone up. Restaurateurs also have a lot of fixed costs (rent, insurance, utilities, equipment) and new added costs, including PPE and cleaning protocols, but fewer customers to cover them. Prices need to go up.

6.     Leave a great tip. Social distancing requirements have reduced the number of seats and, therefore, customers over the course of a shift. Tip 20 percent or more. 25 percent would be appropriate in these times.

7.     Don’t be a no-show. With limited seating, every customer matters. If you make a reservation and can’t keep it, cancel as soon as possible, not ten minutes before. Don’t be the person who makes multiple reservations for the same night, so you can decide where to go later.

8.     Expect that things will be different. The menu may have changed. The silverware may be plastic. Ketchup may come in packets. Certain ingredients may not be available.  Go with the flow and enjoy.

9.     Don’t linger. Enjoy your meal. Enjoy desert. Then let someone else enjoy your seat (right after your hardworking wait person wipes it all down!)

10.  Don’t yap on Yelp. We’re all adjusting to a whole new way of doing things. If you were disappointed by something or have other feedback, talk to a manager.

NETWORKING/MEETING NEW PEOPLE  and even DATING TIPS

Okay I don't have all the answers but the comic at the top basically says most of it.  Zoom, FT and real phone conversations are the best first step.  I am available to meet new clients using any medium and enjoy a first coffee Zoom these days as a substitute for meeting at Starbucks.  

I know I have not covered everything but I wanted to post this blog before the weekend kicks off.   The bottom line is to be SMART, be SAFE and always ask yourself if an activity is worth the potential risk of COVID19. I can’t think of any activity I would want to do where I could answer YES.

I wish you and your family a Happy and Safe Holiday.  This is a time to create new memories under "new normal" circumstances.  It will be a new history to share in the future with your children, grandchildren and generations to come so make the best of it!!

Wendy is a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Needham.  She enjoys coffee, walking her dog, theater/arts, reading, writing, travel and meeting new people.  She always welcomes the opportunity to have a virtual coffee now that we are amidst the “new normal”.  Check out her website at www.wendybcb.com or her fb page @wendybcb as she posts up to date content to meet the ever changing marketplace.

There's No Place Like Home

We all want to feel grounded and have a special safe place we can journey towards or return to for comfort.  I recently saw the movie "Judy" and was reminded of this theme as I listened to Renee Zellweger chant the words of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" as she portrayed the role of Judy Garland.  (She did an amazing performance and in my opinion deserves an Oscar Nomination.) What struck me most as I sat through the movie was how important the ideology of this song is and it's relevance today.  

To me the idea of home is having a place of comfort to return to at the end of a long day.  For many it is a destiny that will bring happiness to our mundane lives.  During the holidays we often fantasize about returning to the home where we grew up.  As an adult this can be a positive feeling or a void of lost memories.  I tend to get emotional when I hear this song.  All young people wanted to be "Dorothy's" and seek their futures on the other end of the rainbow.    Towards the end of the movie you learn what a tragic life Judy Garland actually had and that her rainbow place was just a fantasy.  Sadly she succumbed to many outside pressures and was never able to define the image of her true home.   

Home can be a tiny cottage,  a large house,  a tent or for some just a place away from danger.  Home is the environment you hopefully choose to live.  Ideally it should be a place with people that make you comfortable and things you enjoy being surrounded by.   

I had started this blog post over a month ago but hadn't quite finished it.  In holding off,  I read a great article today about story telling in the WSJ.  The thesis of the article was the importance of story telling that should be shared and passed from one generation to the next.   Although one may not appreciate hearing some family lore these are often part of who we are (the foundation of our homes).  When we think about home and sharing time with family and friends over the holidays perhaps it is the string of stories that bring commonality and comfort to each of us.  

The older I get the more I wish I had listened and taken better notes of my family history as many of the first hand storytellers are no longer with us.  (Embrace the chance to listen to each other and only take out the your technology tools to take notes and keep records vs. checking your social media.  The opportunity cost of FOMO is higher amongst those who are present with you to share their stories. You can always catch up on your friends posts at a later time.)  As the holiday season approaches I hope you will embrace this time and enjoy positive feelings as you voyage towards that place you call home.  

Wendy is a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Needham.  She loves helping people find their dream homes.   Check out her website at www.wendybcb.com or find her on facebook @wendybcb.