Welcome to The Best Things We’ve Seen This Week – Vol. 2. Now that a second one is posted we can officially call this a thing and not just a flash in the pan.
Speaking of things that aren’t just a flash in the pan, Monday Governor Kate Brown issued a Stay at Home, Save Lives executive order to all Oregonians to stay in their residences and immediately limit all movement outside their homes except for essential purposes. That order made official what many were starting to do. The City of Eugene’s top priority during the spread of COVID-19 has been the health and safety of the community. In the last week, City staff have worked closely with our public health partners to make sure our community has the most up to date information for resources, services and assistance.
We want this space to be a place where we can share thinks we think people will like, provide tips for getting through your days at home or to just put a smile on your face. But the underlying reason why we are all home right now can’t be forgotten, so our first link this week is to a resources page on the City of Eugene website where you can find the latest information on what the City is doing, key resources and related information.
Now enjoy this heartwarming story about author Ben Goldfarb and how parents looking for homeschool material on Twitter have asked him to create a lesson from his book. What is Goldfarb’s book about? Our state animal.
Roundup
- Speaking of authors creating things for kids, the internet is a wonderful way for us all to connect right now. Children’s author Mo Willems has started doing daily lunch doodle sessions to teach kids how to draw.
- Staying at home doesn’t mean that the kids are the only ones learning, either. Sites like Skillshare have made hundreds of classes free to people (not to mention the access to sites like Linda.com you get for free if you have a Library card). Ivy League colleges are also getting into the action. Yale made a popular online course about“The Science of Wellbeing” available for free, too. Now you can casually drop to your friends that you attended Yale. Extra win.
- If you’re not sensing a trend with a lot of these links, it’s that you can virtually tour some pretty cool things. The Register-Guard wrote a story about the national and local options for viewing art to alleviate stir-craziness.
- Local musicians are also going online to share their work and nationally artists are holding virtual concerts.
- The Hult Center for the Performing Arts has hosted “Wicked”, Jerry Seinfeld and hundreds of other famous acts through its 38 years. Now it’s looking local for the next big thing. The Hult Center is seeking submissions for the first (and hopefully last) Stay Home Talent Show and are encouraging all performers including musicians, actors, singers, dancers, comedians and more to submit a video no longer than three minutes for consideration. Finalists will then be announced April 13 followed by a People’s Choice run-off. Prizes will be awarded to finalists and the People’s Choice winner. Yours truly is already working on their how-many-marshmallows-can-we-fit-in-our-mouth-at-once act, so don’t even think about copying it.
- The city of Fontana, Calif. created a virtual Recreation Center where people can go to find all sorts of activities. Eugene Rec is also working on tons of online, free programming for people that we will roll out in the coming days and weeks. Stay tuned!
- The Oregon Zoo is taking you behind the scenes so you can meet the animals and people who make the place one of the must-see zoos around.
- Speaking of zoo animals, penguins going down stairs is one of the most adorable things you’ll watch this week.
- Here’s why nature live streams are just about as good as seeing the real thing.
Let’s head into the weekend with a smile
And one more thing...