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#NotBadNews: Iconic Telephone Booths Serve a Whole New Purpose

From social-distancing cats to the most bizarre things to come from quarantine, this is what made us smile today.

Welcome to #NotBadNews, our new (and hopefully short-lived) daily column where we round up the good, surprising, and weird things that have happened around the world during this coronavirus pandemic.

Lockdown at The Grand Budapest Hotel

This TikTok user showed us how to quarantine in style–director Wed Anderson’s style, that is. She showed us how one of his indie-film characters might spend a day inside—a letter from a loved one, eyeliner, and a sad record.

This user nailed the Anderson-look we’ve come to love all while making quarantine exceptionally stylish.

Postcards From Quarantine

After being asked to send a friend’s grandpa, who was becoming lonely during lockdown, travel writer Corrina Allen-Kiersons had an idea, why not send a postcard? After hearing how happy her friend’s grandpa was to receive the note, Allen-Kierson decided to take her idea a step further, coordinating with different nursing homes to get cards to the elderly during this time of loneliness.

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She has now set up an Instagram account dedicated to these postcards and is asking you to join in on the project!

 

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We’ve all collected postcards on our travels that now reside in a box inside a drawer, untouched—so let’s finally give them a purpose! Join this cause, or send a postcard to your own isolating senior as a way of saying, “Miss you, and see you soon.”

Maybe We’re Having…Too Much Alone Time

Sure, quarantine has resulted in some really beautiful things. Our Earth is healing and people are calling their parents way more than ever before, but some things to come from quarantine have been straight-up bizarre.

First, we had the John Mulaney makeup tutorials, where TikTok users applied makeup to the sound of his standup routines.

@fayvouriteJohn mulaney skits as Hogwart houses: Ravenclaw 🦅 ##harrypotter ##canadalife ##hogwartshouse ##makeup ##killyourvibe ##makeuptutorial♬ original sound – god_john_mulaney

Though the whole concept is pretty nonsensical and seems to have come out of nowhere, it did gain a lot of traction. So much so, John Mulaney himself tweeted about it.

That was the first thing that made us think, “Maybe too much alone time is a bad thing.” And then this happened, confirming what we thought to be true.

Froggy bread—taking quarantine’s love for bread and combining it with…a frog.

Again, I can’t say that we understand this, but like John Mulaney makeup tutorials, it’s become quite popular.

To each their own, and if it helps you stay sane or entertained, we’re all about it. Perhaps we’re pro-froggy bread after all.

The Phone Booth Equipped With More Than a Phone

In Scotland, some phone booths have been remastered into something new to help those struggling due to the coronavirus. The places where residents once made calls now come equipped with cleaning supplies and canned goods.

Despite people taking what they need from these spots, these phone booths have remained full thanks to donations from residents and businesses in the communities. This is an awesome way to anonymously help your neighbors who might be struggling!

Please, 6-Feet Apart

These cats know how to follow the rules. With social-distancing marks in place for those waiting to enter, this shop in the Philippines welcomed a group of strays to their line.


Is there anything a cat loves more than trying to squeeze themselves into a tight space? These social-distancing circles were practically made for them.

Check-in every day for an update on the wonderful and weird things happening in our current coronavirus world.