Finding fun and doing good in difficult times
We all know these are not normal times.
We’re being called to put our duty to the larger community first. There are heroes among us — it is humbling and powerful to witness the courage of our first responders. And for others of us, we’re sheltering at home and adjusting to a new rhythm of daily life.
At Outmark® our tagline is “It’s fun to be good.” In that spirit, we thought we’d take a look at some of the ways we can find fun and do good amidst the tumult and uncertainty around us.
Fun
Many of us are turning to artists and authors for wisdom, hope, or entertainment. Here are some of our Outmarkians’ top recommendations:
Read
- Circe by Madeline Miller
- A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
- All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
- Educated by Tara Westover
- Rising Strong by Brené Brown
- Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
- Pretty Things by Janelle Brown
- In Five Years by Rebecca Serle
Watch
- Schitt’s Creek on Netflix (our top pick!)
- The Stranger on Netflix
- Ozark on Netflix
- New Girl on Netflix
- Rams on Amazon Prime
- Knives Out on Amazon Prime
- Gather up the family and watch old home movies together
Listen
- On Being with Krista Tippett podcast
- Revisionist History with Malcolm Gladwell podcast
- Jónsi
- Ripe
- El Mal Querer by Rosalía
- Mood Booster playlist on Spotify
Other Fun
- Take free online Ivy League courses
- Download Jackbox games and play virtually with your friends and family
Good
Many of us are looking for ways we can do good, aside from following social distancing protocols. Here are a few ideas:
Serve
- Sew masks for local healthcare workers. Designer Ashton Michael has provided a pattern and tutorial here.
- Make a neighborhood list of people who are willing to donate, or at low cost, help other neighbors—professionals offering free tutoring or music lessons, grocery store runs, lawn service, etc.
- Connect with your neighbors to create bulk orders from small local florists, bakeries, etc. You can place an order and then items are dropped off to one location for pick-up.
Donate
- Donate blood. And if you’re able to donate plasma, it’s very much needed.
- One of our neighbors in Issaquah is raising funds to feed ER and ICU workers by buying meals from local small restaurants — helping keep those businesses afloat while also supporting our medical heroes. Donate here or start your own local version!
- For youth experiencing homelessness, these are perilous times. A local coffee company in Minneapolis helps these youth with job training and employment, and they are in need of extra support right now. Learn more.
Uplift
- Decorate your windows with positive messages for your neighbors to see, or put your holiday lights back up for a little extra joy.
- Put a thank-you note on your door for any people delivering packages to see.
- Start a neighborhood bear hunt: put a stuffed bear in your window for kids to find. Here’s one of ours:
Outmark created some fun and encouraging window signs. Simply download them, print out and post in your window! (P.S. they also make a fun coloring project for kids.)
Seen any ads lately that seem like they’re having a little too much fun and not thinking about their environment? Here’s one simple rule to market well and have fun during a crisis.
