#quarantinelife week 10 – graduation, bootstrapping, singing from windows...and singing sitcoms

WEEK 10!? Yes, week 10. Ten looooong weeks that started as two. For 10 weeks now, we've been quarantined, sitting at home working away while some of us with children have helped them do the same. Of course, those of us lucky enough to not be counted among the country's 38.6 million unemployed are grateful (CNN just reported that 43 states have record-high unemployment). Those of us whose children finish school this week, or have already done so, are even more grateful. Reminding me again that there is just so much to be thankful for, even today. We have our jobs and soon we won't have to teach our kids, a summer break I haven't looked forward to like this in some time.

Some of us will return to the office, someday, we are hearing. More on that below. And some restaurants and retail are opening up again in the golden state and all around. It seems all 50 states are in some fashion moving toward being more open. Still, events seem to be virtual, and marketing and PR still require daily evaluation (and sometimes adjustment) of best practices. Funding and company building is still happening, but also with adjustment. And zoom meetings are still the norm.

I don't know about you, but I'm getting tired of COVID-19. I'm ready to return to hugging my friends, even seeing my friends. And I'm ready to not have to worry about whether an elderly family member or one close to my heart who happens to have a compromised immune system is in danger. And I'm really ready for people with opposing views (on all sides) to stop making this all about them. Peace, harmony and a little compassion is not a lot to ask, is it?

To that point, you may not hear from me next week. With no end in sight, we are moving to a more periodic distribution, and we are moving distribution from our client inbox to LinkedIn for all. We may even toy with a new format, perhaps covering the news that isn't related to COVID. Or maybe not. This newsletter, like this era, doesn't have a playbook so we'll see how it evolves sometime after week 11.

With that, here's the news for week 10 of sheltering in place, as it relates to working from home, startups and marketing, brought to you from my sofa this time around. As always, a light dose of my favorite performances and pop culture and a sprinkle of humor to make it all digestible. Happy Memorial Day Weekend! Make the most of it!

Headline news. Coronavirus and COVID-19 stole 1.22 million headlines this week. We are starting to see some online newsletters including roundups of COVID news followed by sections of non-related news. Yes, news is happening that is not related to a virus. Maybe I'm not the only one getting tired of this pandemic. Still, like it or not, it is sticking with us a while. So, continue to use your noggin before sending out a release. Continue to send out news that is news, and hold that which is not (a good practice even when we aren't in the middle of a pandemic with no foreseeable end). As always, continue to show your respect to reporters who are trying to work from home, just like you. #wereallinthistogether

Unemployment. The numbers keep rising. According to CNN, another 2.4 million people applied for unemployment this week. The seasonally adjusted rate for the week ending May 9 was 17.2%. Now, this was as of Thursday. It's entirely possible that number rose today.

Put on your boots and strap up. The Information reported that Seed funding terms are changing. From mandating burn rates to forcing teams to re-vest equity, investors are looking for some protection – a swing in the other direction from recent years. The article also says that the earliest investors are reserving their dry powder to stick with companies through multiple rounds if necessary. Another trend emerging is a return to bootstrapping.

The changing face of society. The Washington Post wrote a few hundred words on face masks. This included YouTube makeup tutorials on how to fashion your eyes in the Mask Era and predictions on future trends in shapes and looks. One prediction that seems fairly safe: hospitals will opt for the plain and simple.

“That feeling of ripping off your bra, or taking off your heels — it’s the same type of feeling,” says Basnight, the hospital worker who does makeup tutorials on YouTube. “It’s just a relief to have it off of your face.”

Socializing this weekend. It's Memorial Day Weekend. I can't wrap my head around this. TIME laid out what it means to socialize during a pandemic. The CDC is recommending we keep our distance, but fatigue is setting in. Avoid large gatherings, stay outside, wear masks, wash your hands...what else can we do? Bottom line: it comes down to limiting our human contact, something we as humans aren't wired to do. Enjoy the weekend, but be mindful doing so.

Summer plans and some politics. KFF also released a poll revealing that travel plans are not starting up anytime soon. Only 23% plan to fly, 32% plan to stay in a hotel, and 19% will attend a sporting event in the next three months. On the political front, 40% of Republicans view the economy as the top issue facing our country, while 32% of Democrats are worried about healthcare. It's probably not a surprise that one party is more apt to travel than the other, too. I found this interesting since my political views are not necessarily related to how I plan to spend my summer, so I guess I'm an outlier. But I've always been a political outlier, so not much surprise there I guess.

We all need a laugh. Goldie Hawn set off on another public service campaign this week, turning to Instagram to tell people to laugh. Long-time partner Kurt Russell participated, and daughter Kate took the queue and posted her own content to get the laugh out. Here's what People had to say about it.

Drug donations, exploration and cold truths. Gilead increased its donation of remdesivir from 607,000 to 940,000 doses, STAT reported this week. This is enough to treat between 30,000 and 55,000 additional patients. TechCrunch reported that ChromaCode scored money from Adjuvant Capital to identify COVID-19 and other infectious diseases – technology based on research from CalTech. And an infectious disease reporter at STAT underscored that we may need to temper our expectations on a vaccine and be grateful for something that doesn't eradicate COVID-19 but at least lessens its blow. Right now, I'd take that.

Singing from the Windows. Something else I'd take about now is some calming music from Dave. His songs have melted my heart since I was barely a working adult. I've seen him in at least five cities (many of them multiple times over). The Dave Matthews Band started in Virginia, where my sister-in-law went to med school. I guess with that in mind, it's no surprise that Dave paid tribute to the UVA Class of 2020 with this song he wrote during the pandemic. So hats off to all the grads, from the mouth of Dave. Be still my heart.

Return to the office. The WSJ looked at how many large companies including Apple, Box, Facebook and Alphabet are approaching the return to the office, which may mean not returning to the office this year. TechCrunch covered Facebook's move to encourage remote work and create hubs in Dallas, Denver and Atlanta, and NPR reported half of Facebook's employees could be remote in next decade. Bloomberg shared how banks are returning to work, with Credit Suisse offering antibody testing and JPMorgan holding to a 50% capacity ratio for its offices. CBS News also reported that New York City is testing ultraviolet light to kill coronavirus on subways and buses. LinkedIn just started a new column, Beyond the Call, which looks at how companies are supporting employees and others through COVID-19. It's a good read if you want a little inspiration. And another column I've been enjoying on LinkedIn is Working Together. This installment talked about inclusion and parity. It includes a link to an interview with Patagonia CEO Rose Marcario, who talked about the importance of caregiving, and it also linked to an HBR article on leading through anxiety, not always easy to do, yet more of us are doing it.

Internships go virtual. Speaking of leadership, the Silicon Valley Business Journal reported that many tech internships are moving to a virtual and remote format. It's nice to see that businesses are not forgetting their role in leading and inspiring our future generation. Called micro-internships, these learning opportunities are project-based. Some companies are also taking creative approaches to giving back. NetApp, for example, is paying its interns to also volunteer with organizations providing charitable services. Great example of teaching the value of community to next-gen employees. A TIME article pointed out that 20% of employers interviewed by the National Association of Colleges and Employers are rescinding their internships, to put some perspective on things and what a gift a good internship can be for today's college class.

Other virtual events. On the conference circuit, SXSW went virtual this week with SXSW Sessions On-demand now available on YouTube. CB Insights will run its Tech Conference online June 16-18, featuring big names like Eric Topol and Steve Case. And Apple is holding its developer conference June 22 online. Outlets like Entrepreneur and EBN continue to host webinars on everything from understanding PPP loan forgiveness to preparing for work post-quarantine (including trends to watch in next six to 18 months).

Tracking the virus, tracking your state. USA Today runs a regular state by state update on reopening. This week you can get a tooth filled in Arkansas. In Connecticut, you may be able to go into the office, eat at an outdoor restaurant or visit an outdoor museum or zoo. And in Florida, Walt Disney World began reopening with its shopping and entertainment complex, though its signature theme park remains closed. Oahu beaches opened this week as well, and the Island State confirmed that mandatory quarantine on travelers would end on May 31. USA Today also runs a regular update tracking the number of cases and deaths worldwide, in the U.S. and by state, below for easy reference.

Potty humor. Anyone who has kids knows what this means. But in the age of COVID-19, potty humor has taken on all new meaning. At the urgency of Adam Lashinksy in his daily Data Sheet, I turned to Fortune to find out where has all the TP gone.

A young woman captures the image of college students living out the depression. This week's everyday person who caught my attention also caught the attention of a national correspondent and earned the cover of TIME. The story is a solid piece that shares the perspective of this year's college grads, told through a photo expose created by one graduate, Hannah Beier, who directed the piece virtually over FaceTime. Go Hannah and friends who shared their lives, their thoughts and their images.

"Rather than brave a job market battered by COVID-19, some in the Class of 2020 are seeking refuge in graduate school. But that presents its own conundrum. As of 2019, nearly 7 in 10 college students graduated with student loans, with an average tab of nearly $30,000. Going to graduate school can mean –taking on even more debt."

I remember that song! And onto lighter things, let's ring in the long weekend with a little Holderness Family fun, if sitcom songs were about quarantine.