How Quickly Television Has Adapted

I was watching Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives the other night, and was amazed at how quickly they had adapted the show to deal with Covid -19.  Usually Guy Fieri goes around the country in his vintage Mustang, visiting small restaurants turning out amazing food.  Because he can not do that right now, they have adapted.  Guy has a spectacular outdoor kitchen in his home in Northern California.  He has returned to restaurants he visited in the past, asked the chefs to send them the ingredients for one of their famous dishes, and let Guy cook the dish in his outdoor kitchen.  Thanks to Zoom, the four chefs he highlighted were on the screen, Guy in the middle doing the cooking at their direction, and a lot of chit chat going on between Guy and the various chefs.  It was a thoroughly entertaining show.  I was amazed at how quickly they got the show up and running.  There's a lot of technology involved, but it worked.  What a great adaptation to a difficult time.

Of course news shows and programs like 20-20, have also adapted.  Everyone is broadcasting from their homes, and have been for several weeks.  Television has changed the way they do things so quickly, I find it amazing.  Meterorlogists  broadcasting from their homes, Chris Cuomo coming to you live from his basement,  all the investigative reporters working from home.  I have to confess that I love looking at their homes?  They're usually in the kitchen area or the living room or a study.  The one interesting thing I have noticed is that all the reporters have bookshelves in the background.  They're all readers!!

Several years ago NBC tried to have Fritz Coleman, longtime weather man in LA, do the weather in both LA and San Diego.  Apparently it didn't work at that time.  My guess is, that today it would.  Very interesting how things change.  I try to look at the good, which is difficult right now, but I am optimistic because of our ingenuity.  Where there's a will, there's a way, and television has certainly figured out a way to continue to bring us quality programming.

Covid 19 Affecting Mental Health

Have you noticed an uptick in the number of adds on TV for mental health services?  I think everyone is experiencing some sort of anxiety, stress or fear.  Apps like Calm to calm you down have been around for awhile, but people are using them more these days.  My health care provider now has a phone service for customers to talk to a psychologist about their fears.  Many drugs on TV are offering relief for anxiety. 

I am also having difficulty sleeping.  I don't think I'm anxious or stressed, but obviously I am.  It's just an unimaginable feeling that things will never be the same again.  One of my friends keeps asking me, "When will this be over?"  The answer is, it will not be over until there is a vaccine that can prevent it.  That may be years away.  Like the flu, the vaccine they are working on now may prevent us from getting a bad case, just as current flu shots do not necessarily prevent the flu, but just keep you from getting a life threatening flu.  The answer is, we just don't know how long we will be so confined. 

From what I understand, within a few weeks, restrictions will start to be lifted.  You will be able to play tennis and golf (and pickleball), you will be able to walk the beach, surf and boogie board, and hike.  You will probably soon be able to dine in outdoor restaurants with some social distancing.  You will not be going to concerts or dance clubs any time soon.  You will be able to fly, but seating will be changed, possibly leaving the middle seat empty.  Lufthansa sent out a memo today requiring ALL crew and passengers to wear face coverings while flying through August 15.  I'm sure many other airlines are doing something similar.

Bottom line, we just don't know how long this will last, and we have to just go with the flow.  Enjoy the simple things, and sometime soon we will be back to doing some of what we used to enjoy.  It's kind of how things changed after 9-11.  We had to get used to new security, new restrictions at airports and large gatherings, etc.  Some things were never the same after 9-11, it will be the same for Covid 19.  I've always called life a roller coaster ride.  We are at the bottom of the hill now, and hopefully will soon be going up.