Staying Apart, Together: Months of the pandemic made me forget what real joy feels like

Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY
·3 min read

Editor's Note: This is a preview of USA TODAY's newsletter Staying Apart, Together, a guide to help us all cope with a world changed by coronavirus. If you would like it in your inbox on Tuesdays and Saturdays, subscribe here.

Yesterday was the best day of 2020 for me. Full stop.

As loyal readers will know, my husband and I made the big decision to move. We moved in with his parents for a bit while we looked for a house, which many, many other people are doing right now (thanks, low interest rates!). But finally, after a lot of masked house viewings, terrifying bidding wars, second guessing and walking around and around new neighborhoods, we made an offer and it was accepted.

Now don't get me wrong, I have managed to find happiness amid the tragedy of 2020, when I could. We've had at-home date nights, watched hilarious movies and cooed over new babies on Zoom. But real joy, the unfiltered kind that makes you jump up and down even though your in-laws might chuckle at you a little bit, is rare. I forgot what it was like to feel this good.

I'm not naive enough to think that my first house won't come with problems and stressors of its own (fingers crossed for the inspection!), but I am holding onto the glow from this good news for as long as I can. Everything is more difficult during the pandemic, but the happy moments feel so much happier when you make it there.

Today's virtual water cooler chat

DO YOU THINK I'M SHOUTING AT YOU? I'm probably using too many exclamation points! Or am I...

The longer the pandemic goes on, the longer we rely on digital communication to stay in touch with our family and friends. Video chatting gets a lot of attention, but you're also likely texting, emailing and instant messaging more than you used to. At one of our USA TODAY Life staff meetings last month, we discussed how the tone of texts and IMs can be interpreted wildly differently, and that led to friend of the newsletter Carly Mallenbaum pursuing a story about how language is different online.

She writes:

Many young people have a “computer-first mentality” and choose different grammatical tools in messages compared to those who are generally older and grew up doing "more casual writing on postcards,” says linguist Gretchen McCulloch, author of "Because Internet: Understanding the New Rules of Language."

Read the full story here, and maybe enjoy some easier text conversations with Generation Z afterwards.

Feel as though something gets lost in translation when you're messaging someone of a different generation? You're probably right, because people of different ages can ascribe different meanings to punctuation in text.
Feel as though something gets lost in translation when you're messaging someone of a different generation? You're probably right, because people of different ages can ascribe different meanings to punctuation in text.

Today's virtual vacation spot: Niagara Falls

We published a story this weekend in our Travel section about Niagara Falls. And while actually going to the iconic waterfalls may not be possible right now, we have a gallery of gorgeous pictures that are the next best thing. Plus, you won't get wet.

Here are some I loved.

The base of American Falls, as seen from the Maid of the Mist tour boat. Water cascades over the fall at 32 feet per second, producing a thunderous sound.
The base of American Falls, as seen from the Maid of the Mist tour boat. Water cascades over the fall at 32 feet per second, producing a thunderous sound.
Bridal Veil Falls, as seen from Niagara Falls State Park.
Bridal Veil Falls, as seen from Niagara Falls State Park.
Rainbows are a common sight near the Falls.
Rainbows are a common sight near the Falls.

And you can read our full story on the Falls here, including fun facts that are actually fun.

Today's reads

Ella Fitzgerald performs onstage at the Savoy Ballroom in 1940 in the U.S., in a still from the new documentary "Ella Fitzgerald: Just One of Those Things."
Ella Fitzgerald performs onstage at the Savoy Ballroom in 1940 in the U.S., in a still from the new documentary "Ella Fitzgerald: Just One of Those Things."

Today's pets

Who said cats aren't snuggly pets?

Mary Kat and Tiki enjoy a good snooze together.
Mary Kat and Tiki enjoy a good snooze together.

Meet Mary Kat and Tiki, who are amazing at spooning. Their human Lonnie Hull DuPont noted that they look like a certain iconic (and not safe for work) photo of John Lennon and Yoko Ono.

I look forward to their meowing album.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: COVID coping: The pandemic made me forget what real joy feels like