A can-do attitude makes all the difference

There's so much we can't do right now, it's important to focus on what we can do. A source told me that for an article I wrote last week, and it's been pinging around in my mind ever since. I might not have gotten to see Mick Foley last weekend (he's rescheduled for mid-June), but there were plenty of apples left in the produce section at a local grocery store, so I could make an apple pie, and that was pretty great. I couldn't visit with friends like I normally do on weekends, but I could build a campfire in my backyard and turn my phone off while I tended it. I am not working from the newsroom these days, but I am able to do my job remotely, which I am so happy about. I've swapped human coworkers for my two cats, the gray one and the black one, who have stepped on the keyboard during group chats exactly as often as you'd expect them to.

I've been so fortunate through this. A lot of people haven't been. I am keenly aware of that, as I work here in my house with its internet and its stockpiles of craft supplies and books and closets just itching to be organized. I'm not dealing with illness or with other people, much. My husband's pretty great. So while I don't have as many fun articles to write about events coming up, I am still talking with sources and working to inform people about what's going on in our region. It's what I can do.

Some things you can do:

Jon Schumer crosses over a bridge in Arena Park as his father, Matt Schumer, follows behind Sunday, Aug. 25, 2019, on the LaCroix Recreation Trail in Cape Girardeau.BEN MATTHEWS

• Go for a walk, run, or bike ride. Dance. Staying active is so important when the temptation is there to curl up on the couch and watch "The Great British Baking Show" contestants wrestle with creme pat and chocolate mirror glaze, forever.
• Call your friends. Staying connected, being in contact with another human being, is important. From a distance.
• Finish tasks you're putting off. I guarantee you'll feel better if you acknowledge there's a task you're avoiding, then do it. For me, that was the census response (took less than 10 minutes!), my taxes, and a basket of fabric strips that I started working into a rug over a year ago. Shake off the guilt and shame and do the thing!
• Organize something. Drawers, closets, that entire room of your house you've walled off because the sheer magnitude of stuff in there, and deciding what to do with all of it -- time to tackle it. I recommend setting a timer for 10 minutes. That helps me. Maybe it'll help you.
• Use the for-special thing. Maybe that's the fancy bubble bath, or the "good" dishes, or the clothes you bought to attend your cousin's wedding and haven't worn since. Maybe a friend gave you some delicious loose-leaf tea for a Christmas gift in 2018 and you haven't taken enough time to properly enjoy it (not that I'm drawing from personal experience or anything). Seize the moment!
• Deep clean. Even if all you do is wipe out your microwave, that's progress!
• Watch movies you haven't watched in ages. I'm halfway through my Will Ferrell movie collection as of this writing.
• Look at old photos. Tell the stories, if you're lucky enough to have someone there who'll listen.
• Take a page out of Susan McClanahan's playbook and make a dish out of food you bought because it seemed like a good idea at the time. I'm coming across all kinds of canned goods I've had all along, and it's nice to be rattling pans and wondering if these ingredients will work together. So far, no major disasters. Casseroles are forgiving.
• Slow your mind. Maybe meditating isn't your thing, but you can still try some breathing exercises. Find a quiet place to sit (I know, easier said than done), get comfortable, let your muscles relax, close your eyes, and breathe in, all the way to the bottom of your lungs. Count while you're doing that. Then, slowly, slowly, exhale for the same count. Repeat.
• Go for a drive. Just don't get out of your car. We have incredible views, and now with plants starting to bud out, there's plenty to look at.
• Get gift certificates. I saw this suggestion online recently, and I think it's a great idea to contact restaurants, haircut providers, anyone else who offers gift certificates, and buy one for the time after we're done with self-quarantine. Gives them a bit of operating capital and gives you something to look forward to. What's not to love?
• Go for a hike. We have so many trails in and near Cape Girardeau! As of this writing, Missouri state park trails are still open, and hiking is a great way to get outside and enjoy the sights, sounds, scents of Missouri's natural areas.
• The Perry County Barn Quilt Trail: If driving is more your style, take a meandering drive through Perry County to check out barn quilts! These painted panels are made to look like quilt blocks, and are a great way to see 49 blocks and the barns they decorate. Maps are available at the Catalyst - Center for Business/Perry County Welcome Center at 508 North Main Street in Perryville, or you can check the trail's Facebook page for more info.

Have fun, be safe, and stay classy, Cape Girardeau.

Get your weekend plans delivered to your inbox. Sign up for the Expedition: Weekend email newsletter. Go to www.semissourian.com/newsletters to find out more.