Pandemic

Show notes We're bringing you a trio of short interviews on this week's pod. We check in with pianist Michael Kaeshammer from his home on Vancouver Island to talk about his boost of creativity through self-isolation, how that output compares to his past work, his outlook on a post-pandemic music…

Photo: ShutterstockSmall businesses have been hit especially hard during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the one Cynthia Daniels runs. As an event planner in Memphis, Daniels’ work quickly dried up. Then in May, when she wasn’t able to visit her mother in Atlanta, she decided to send a package full of…

Women laughing alone with iPhones.Photo: ShutterstockI don’t need to tell you how dark the state of the world is lately—I’m confident you know. What you might not know, however, is that podcast listenership has been down since the pandemic shuttered our workplaces and canceled our commutes, which is unfortunate, given…

Photo: ShutterstockEven as we adjust to the new normal of travel in the midst of a global pandemic, airlines are changing their policies to make it easier for crews to physically distance from passengers. One of the ways they are doing so is by limiting in-flight snack and beverage services.…

Photo: ShutterstockYou might’ve been a nervous flyer pre-pandemic, but there’s no question that getting on an airplane will be far more trepidatious for everyone as air travel slowly becomes a thing people do again. Owing to the health crisis of the past several months, planes around the world have been…

Photo: ShutterstockGiven the need for physical distancing, it’ll be a while before many of us feel comfortable with an in-person personal training session. But given that pandemic life is leaving many of us all a little more sedentary than normal, establishing a fitness routine is even more important—and online personal…

Graphic: ShutterstockIf you’re one of the millions of people who have either lost their jobs during the pandemic, or have had your hours or workload reduced, you may have considered applying to be a contact tracer. If this is the case—or if you’re just curious about how the process works—you…

Photo: Elizabeh Yuko’s Very Smart FriendAlong with the companies that make hand sanitizer and toilet paper, puzzle manufacturers and sellers have been doing a brisk business lately. With everyone confined to their homes for the past few months, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve had more time for slower-paced activities.…

Photo: ShutterstockA few months ago, you may not have given a second thought to the concept of “virtual travel.” After all, if you were someone with the time, money and inclination to travel, you could essentially just... go somewhere if you wanted to. Thanks to the COVID-19 global pandemic, that…

Image: ShutterstockDisposable face masks are an efficient way of protecting yourself and others during the coronavirus pandemic—as long as you dispose of them correctly. Don’t toss a used mask into the road or onto the sidewalk. (I don’t know about you, but I’ve seen a lot of little blue masks…