Another week in virtual lockdown. How’s it going for you? For me there is a kind of swirl of vagueness or dizziness, as I’m not always certain what day it is. It’s like being inside a Las Vegas casino – except with windows. It strikes me as weird, given that so little is going on, how the weeks still seem to be spinning out quickly. And a new observation: outside those windows I am hearing more car sounds. Where are people going? A few weeks ago there was hardly a single vehicle on the city streets.

I’m not bored and I’m not despairing, exactly, but I’m not making the most of this time. I’m weaning myself off being constantly battered by the news. I do watch the news at night, which I’m positive is not great for falling asleep, but at least it’s contained, as they say.

I speak to my family more than ever, as I suspect you all do as well. (In fact, I just got off the phone with my brother Norman, and we both worked ourselves up into frothing anger. Whoops!) I have no doubt that we will get through this together, if we are patient. The more I think about it, the more I’m convinced we have to be doubly cautious than has been advertised. We will probably suffer through COVID-19 through most of the year. So stay home, friends, as much as you can.

Lisa Birnbach Zoom chats with Billy Shore - Co-Founder of NO KID HUNGRY

Our guest this week, Billy Shore, runs NO KID HUNGRY, a campaign that is making sure children who were fed at school are being fed now that schools are closed. He is an expert on poverty and hunger, and cofounded Share Our Strength, which he still leads 35 years ago.

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Now, Lisa Birnbach’s Five Things that made her life better this week:

1. Cooking boo boos. Now that I’m a fulltime chef de cuisine, I’ve made some blunders. I made a cauliflower pasta dish that was just chalky. My partner made a meatloaf using rice instead of breadcrumbs that was …. Interesting. But there’s always wine during the Quarantine, and we’re learning.

2. Clementines. Whenever we go to the market, we pick up a bag of clementines or mandarin oranges. I never loved them as much as I do now. I guess they’re preventing my scurvy from staying inside.

3. My video doctor’s appointment. I had one yesterday and it was really good. First of all, my doctor’s office is way on the other side of town and in a hospital – which of course is now a COVID hospital. But the main thing I liked, is it felt like a house call. When we were little, sometimes our situations called for the doctor to come to our house in the evening, rather than risk our getting worse or inflicting our contagion on the other kids in the waiting room. The moment our pediatrician showed up I felt better. And if we were his last visit, my father would offer him a brandy or scotch when our examination was over. I couldn’t offer my doctor a brandy – it was the middle of the day, and she was at her apartment, but it had all those “feels”.

4. The videos that entertainers are offering nightly, daily, weekly – sure they love to entertain, they love an audience, but they are doing this for us, to give us diversions and enjoyment. It’s generosity. Check out your favorite performers on instagram or twitter !

5. Healthcare Workers, Essential Workers, and all the people at our hardware store and local market and all of the people still working those jobs. I thank them when I go out. I appreciate their efforts more than I can say. Will we ever be able to thank them enough?

Billy Shore’s 5 Things:

1. His family

2. Creating opportunities for others to share their strength

3. His bike

4. Being a volunteer firefighter

5. Writing

More About Billy Shore

Co-Founder and executive chair of Share Our Strength - parent organization for the No Kid Hungry campaign national nonprofit that is ending childhood hunger in America.

Website: www.ShareOurStrength.com

Twitter: @BillShore

Instagram @billshore

No Kid Hungry Instagram @NoKidHungry

No Kid Hungry Twitter @NoKidHungry

No Kid Hungry Website: www.nokidhungry.org