Happy New Year! Who among us was not ecstatic to see 2020 end?! Congrats to all of us seniors who may get a vaccine early this year—one positive about aging?! Our New Year’s resolution is to make the 2021 holiday celebrations the biggest and best with ALL family and friends. Well, at least those in the second half of the year!

While we dread winter as it impedes even outdoor gatherings amid strict Covid restrictions, we celebrate the symbolism of the slow return of light following the Winter Solstice. Right now, we are craving something to literally brighten lockup!  Longer days!

Astronauts say the key to surviving in space for months is to set a schedule, indulge in a hobby, go outside, keep a journal, and take time to connect. That journal might reflect your lack of showering, shaving, and hair washing!  Didn’t know astronauts go on spacewalks regularly.

So, we continue to review and check out ideas for filling our day. We only have 16 hours to fill if we get eight hours of sleep.  If not, there is always the option of napping. Some of us would like to sleep all day, but that could lead to a family intervention!

Numbers of things are worth doing daily—coffee and a newspaper or news of some sort to start the day. Put that on your schedule. Then there is the daily eating and tidying up.  Food shopping is a breeze with curbside pick-up and Instacart. And Blue Apron, Green Chef, Freshly, and local restaurants will actually deliver a cooked meal or one easy to prepare. Personal grooming should be done daily, even if it is only tweezing your eyebrows and those unruly chin hairs.

The phone was an incredible invention and continues to be a great way to connect while filling up the long days. It’s a lifeline to family and friends. And kudos to the speaker phone feature! Laundry can be folded, exercise continued, and meals prepared while chatting! And who could survive without it when you are caller 10 in the queue to speak to the Geek Squad or a customer service representative (a true misnomer).

Zoom might be considered an upgrade from the phone. Too bad we didn’t buy their stock as the pandemic took off. Of course, as you know, a video hookup requires that we get out of our PJs. You must be ready at a certain time (put it on the schedule) and have something on below the waist just in case. Beware! If you and your environs appear too unkempt and many wine glasses are in view, the family might stage another intervention. Cooking together looks great on TV commercials, but…. And if you really don’t want to watch cartoons with the grandkids, click the wrong button.

We have all culled our clothes closets (foregoing the rule to throw out anything not worn in a year since we haven’t been anywhere), pantries and kitchens (who needs cupcakes tins for 30 and multiple spring form pans), junk drawers, hall closets, and basements, and rearranged furniture.

We have joined virtual visits of interesting tourist draws around the world, listened to podcasts, signed up for live concerts, participated in on-line book clubs, and are playing lots of bridge on our computers. We have enjoyed zoos, aquariums, and museums that are open, although with limited capacity (and they do need our financial help). We look forward to our mental health rides, which also keep the car battery charged. And we squeeze in some exercise to avoid the Quarantine 19 weight gain. YouTube workout videos can get your feet moving. We do not encourage on-line gambling!

So our Wrinkled Wisdom for today? Wake up, smile, and say, so what’s on the schedule for today?! Keep that to-do list jam-packed. Be creative. When’s the last time you dusted your ceiling fans?  This is a time to be generous. Many are losing jobs and businesses, being evicted, or unable to feed their families. Donate your airline miles to charities; you aren’t flying anywhere soon. And, a warm bubble bath complemented by a quarantini is a great way to end the day!

P.S.  Please share with us what’s on your schedule or crossed off!