Facemasks & New Beginnings

I’m doing a short post this week. It may be short, but it’s oh so sweet.

(I’m working on a larger piece for the coming weeks).

On the day the US Dept. of Labor announced another 3 million filed for unemployment (bringing the overall US total now to 30 million out of work), I started my new job. And have a terrific boss. It was a relief to have some good news in the midst of legitimate gloom and doom. And if it’s any indication of brighter things to come, I unbelievably had a second offer and another on the way. Onboarding a new job remotely has been a hoot and not for the faint of heart. But having worked for two fintech startups, both based remotely, I’m an old pro of sorts. Don’t sweat the small stuff. I’m hoping that America can collectively find a way to safely open up the country and allow people to get back to work, at least in some capacity. Failing that we will at least have the option to drink disinfectant. I hear it has great healing powers. Protects from COVID. The best.

This week we took a rare family outing to watch Blue Angels Thunderbirds fly over New York City to salute frontline COVID-19 responders. No passports required. We were not alone. Apparently, everyone got the memo. The entire neighborhood joined us. It was the most people I’ve seen together in one place in two months. Everyone temporarily relaxed the “I’ll punch you in the face if you stand 2 feet from me” rule. The mood was giddy. There is definitely a pent-up demand to get out of the house.

I was glad to see many more people wearing masks. Is it me or does everyone now get a 10 out of 10? With nothing else to discern but the eyes, everyone looks exotic and beautiful. I guess it’s really true, the eyes are the gateway to the soul. Time to discard that surgical mask, looking like we have all been let out of Bellevue Hospital on a day pass. Street fashion has come to the rescue. And I was not to be outdone. I had an in.

My friend Stacy Igel designed a new facemask line for Boy Meets Girl and teamed up with Survivor Corps to bring community masks to the masses. A portion of the proceeds go to Glam4Good’s Critical Aid Fund which helps fund PPE to healthcare workers. I was happy to contribute, because I was sick of wearing a jockstrap on my face.

You can buy the masks here:

This one is particularly good for my running, I can breathe while I wear it.

In the meantime, stay safe, stay healthy and wash those damn hands.