Brian Jeffrey
Welcome to #NotBadNews, our new (and hopefully short-lived) daily column where we round up the good, surprising, and weird things that have happened around the world during this coronavirus pandemic.
It’s another day of good news here at Fodor’s, featuring our new furry co-workers and Disney giving back. Give yourself a break from the coronavirus coverage, take a well-deserved breather, and enjoy these stories that made us feel something other than dread.
A Man in France Goes the Distance
Nothing could get in the way of Elisha Nochomovitz’s fitness, not even isolation. To prove so, he ran an entire marathon all in the comfort of his own home.
#Coronavirus : près de Toulouse, il court un marathon sur son balcon https://t.co/J7S1ViB4aP pic.twitter.com/gzrDKFkleV
— France Bleu Occitanie (@bleuoccitanie) March 19, 2020
We congratulate him on this huge accomplishment, and while this is fitness inspiration at its peak, we’ll probably just stick to our short walks and yoga videos.
The Happiest Place on Earth Lends a Helping Hand
In semi-sad news, Disneyland announced its closure (for the time being) a week ago; in news that is guaranteed to make you feel good about the world, they plan to donate all the food that would have been used during that time to a local food bank.
“While closely following food safety guidelines, excess inventory of dairy, fruit, vegetables, packaged goods and banquet meals is being donated to Second Harvest Food Bank, whose mission is to end hunger in Orange County.”
We commend the park for taking this step and look forward to seeing what other businesses follow. While Disneyland might not be open to visitors, they are still finding a way to bring happiness to us at home.
Hollywood’s Mind Has Still Not Been Found
On Wednesday we shared some bizarre videos of Kristin Chenoweth and Judy Dench, products of self-isolation boredom (they were wild, to say the least). Today we learned they are not alone, with Madonna joining the ranks of celebrities who are turning mandated alone time into performance art.
Living in Special Times…………thank GOD for imagination and fried fish! 🐠🐠🐠 #quarantine #covid_19 #staysafe #becreative pic.twitter.com/AsStqQObOO
— Madonna (@Madonna) March 20, 2020
While we aren’t sure we completely understand this video (Madonna continues to be an anomaly), the pure insanity of it did make us laugh. Celebrities: It is okay to go for a walk and get some air now and again.
A Home for the Homeless
In news we could not be happier to report, hotels in Oakland, California are opening their doors to the homeless. The government has reserved hundreds of rooms to shelter those without a home, an initiative they hope helps prevent the further spread of coronavirus.
For those wondering how they can help the homeless population in their city, look into your local shelter’s social media for advice and tips on what you can do.
The US Can Stop Stressing About Some Loans (Temporarily)
There is a lot of money worry happening in the world right now, with many wondering how they’re going to make ends meet. In order to help alleviate some of that financial burden, New York has declared that they will stop collecting all state debt until at least April 15.
NEW: Effective immediately, @NewYorkStateAG & I are suspending state debt collection.
NYers with student debt, medical debt & other state-referred debt will have payments frozen for at least 30 days.
We’re doing all we can to support those suffering financially due to #COVID19.
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) March 17, 2020
For those living outside of New York, Trump has stated that loans will stop accruing interest until we are past this pandemic. Even better than just waiving interest is the news that federal lenders will allow borrowers to suspend their student loans and loan payments without penalty for at least the next 60 days.
A sigh of relief for one less thing we have to worry about.
We Have a New Favorite Coworker
One Instagram has been dedicated to the work-from-home coworker: our pets.
While some are hard at work, others are hard at work ensuring we don’t work, and some are just helping us waste some time.
my new wfh coworker is so needy, I can’t get anything done 🙄 pic.twitter.com/FyIeLY45GO
— Kevin P. Johnson (@OkayJoJay) March 19, 2020
Day 5 of Coronavirus lock down, stacking Pringles pic.twitter.com/LOj2Y4SwNk
— Carlos (@_sweet_bread) March 18, 2020
We’re fine with either and welcome more time spent with these guys, as well as a reason to go for a mid-day walk.
INSIDER TIPThere’s no need to sugar-coat it, being home alone all day can start to feel a little sad. If you are someone with the time and resources, now could be the perfect opportunity to foster a pet. Check-in with your local shelter, many of whom need your help now more than ever!
Check-in every day for an update on the wonderful and weird things happening in our current coronavirus world.
Written by: Fodor
