Al Roker’s pure-hearted Instagram page, which is already a blessing during ordinary times, but nowadays, I adore his cooking videos and the behind-the-scenes looks at the kitchen table set-up where he broadcasts.
The TODAY Show anchors in general. I was raised as a staunch TODAY loyalist. My mother and I talk about anchors’ major life events as if they’re neighbors’ doings, I had a VHS tape of Katie Couric’s Sesame Street episode, and I spent weekdays off in high school watching Kathie Lee and Hoda. Seeing the current team talk via their Brady Bunch isolation boxes (and occasionally crack, just like we do at home) is bittersweet, but everyone’s dedication to their jobs and delivering both the news and joy is very comforting.
The Elwood City Limits podcast. I discovered this episodic recap of PBS Kids’ Arthur a few months ago, but I couldn’t get into it. I crave background noise more than ever now that I’m back to working from home, so bingeing two or three episodes per day is just a perfect dose of nostalgia and humor.
Reading fanfic with reader inserts. I wrote fanfiction back in the day and sometimes used original characters, but I think my time predated the trend of fluff involving a character referred to as “you” and an established TV or book character. This is honestly the most indulgent habit I’ve resorted to lately — there are attractive men on TV and sometimes I like to pretend I live in their characters’ universe. So sue me.
The news that SNL was producing an episode remotely. The office Zoom meeting sketch made me cackle, which was sorely needed.
Christian Borle’s physical comedy in Season 2 of Smash.
HBO streaming some of its content for free. It just may be enough for me to try out Succession and Big Little Lies.
The return of feel-good favorite Call the Midwife, although the first episode about a diphtheria outbreak and patients quarantining hit a little too close to home. Healthcare workers are superheroes, guys.
Don’t ask me why, but Zach Braff’s recollection on the new Scrubs rewatch podcast of people telling him he looks like “Anne Hathaway’s boyfriend who went to jail” inspired an unexpectedly strong giggle from me.
This cast parody of the Full House theme song made me smile.
All of the quarantine house memes. I’m firmly House 5 on the Bachelor-themed one (although we’ll have to evict Chad Johnson), House 5 on Friends, and 2 on the Kardashian one.
Bookworms and Fangirls 