Are these the signs of economic life?

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We've been keeping up with the latest headlines...
here are two of our favorites worth sharing.

Your Money

Signs of Life? Perhaps.
Green shoots? Maybe.

While social restrictions (and now curfews) remain in place throughout much of the country, Americans are trying to get back to normal life and normal spending ... or at least to their new normal.

The current numbers in these charts are still way lower than they were six months ago, but a recovery has to start somewhere:

asking iPhone for directions
US restaurant bookings
US hotel occupancy rates
US air travel
US home purchases

Five charts that track the US economy as states reopen
by Hannah Miller, CNBC

Your Life

Americans are getting tired of staying inside. Support for social distancing requirements is falling in the polls. Survey and mobile phone data shows people are starting to trickle out of their homes. Most states, ready or not, are moving to reopen parts of their economies. Here’s how to go out and stay as safe as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic:

Stick to the outdoors
Continue to follow good hygiene practices
Wear a mask
Stay away from crowded settings
Avoid shared surfaces
Continue to limit your outings
Create a “closed circle” with specific friends or family
If you’re in the vulnerable/at-risk health group, be extra careful

It irritates me to hear people say, “It’s my life to risk, if I want to.” While that is true, it is NOT your right to risk others. You cannot assume you are not a carrier, because the spread came from many asymptomatic carriers.

In the words of Sgt. Phil Esterhaus on the 80’s TV show Hill Street Blues, “Let’s be careful out there.”

8 ways to go out and stay safe during the coronavirus pandemic
by German Lopez, Vox

Complexity Simplified

Sad that you can’t go out to eat at a restaurant? Are you tired of thinking what to prepare for meals, shopping, prepping, and cooking? Check out the many great mail order meal-kit companies such as Hello, Fresh, Blue Apron, Plated, Purple Carrot (vegan only), Peach Dish (healthy, Southern cuisine), and my personal favorite, Home Chef. No shopping.
The recipes and meals are primarily healthy. Most of the prep is already done. It’s generally cheaper than dining out and many offer coupons to start. You feel good that you actually prepared the meal, fresh and hot, and within an hour—leaving more time to spend OUTSIDE the kitchen.

Trivia

A: The Great Wall of China, The Hagia Sophia, The Leaning Tower of Pisa, The Washington Monument, The Eiffel Tower, The Taj Mahal, and The Empire State Building
Q: What is the maximum amount of times you can fold a piece of paper in half?

This got us all singing out loud