Good morning, Monday. How we doin' out there?
I so appreciated the flurry of texts and phone calls I received when I posted about my ongoing insomnia on Facebook. I'm not sure why everybody was so worried, but it was very sweet. Truth is, I've been an insomniac for years, and this situation is not helping. I don't think it's the stress (though I am sure that's part of it), I think it has much to do with the lack of stimulation from the outside world. I'm used to going to the gym at 6 am, running home to shower for the office, jumping into the city, working all day, and like all of you, coming home in time for dinner or sometimes going out after work with friends. By the time it's lights out, I'm usually solid. Nowadays? Not so much.
And as we look forward to another month of this, I'm amazed at how many people out there are trying to figure out what comes next. I'm talking mostly about marketing and branding types who are now in a mad scramble/frenzy to figure out how to connect with our new normal. My response? Who the heck knows. Nobody does. But the big opportunities are all about action- clever memes about social distancing aside, brands will need to not just show and tell- they'll need to do. And do again. In these unprecedented times, I believe it's less about what you say and more about what you do. It's all about a human first approach, but if it even seems like pandering, no bueno. That should always be true. Always.
One thing I was thinking about as I was desperately seeking inspiration this weekend- I wonder if all of this shut-in stuff will take us somewhere unexpected or more yang. If you think about the 70s in New York, a time when the city was broke and basically on fire, the reaction from its residents was dance, dance, dance. Plus there was a huge influx of creativity here- from art to music to fashion. Now we all know that all of that fun had some serious consequences (an epic epidemic for the ages and then some), but I'm thinking about how we will all feel when we can leave the damn house again. Think dress up done right. Think dancing and partying and toasting the end of this war. Think meals out with friends and splurging a bit because we are in dark times. Now mind you- many will be left with very little money at the end of this- so if you think this is all about luxury, it isn't. For some, it will be- those same people getting underground haircuts and retreating to homes in the Hamptons to escape Corona city. But for many, there will be creative ways to approach a happy hedonism. I'm praying this is the case, because I need some fun. And some disco. And something glam and silky to wear after this quintessential loungewear moment.
Many probably think the opposite- that all of this will cause us to rethink our priorities, our sense of space, how we work/live and otherwise and how we will never eat from a buffet again (thank god for that). But I don't think we'll be entering a time of mindfulness. That's kind of what's happening now. It's true we all needed this grand reset, we were all moving too fast, consuming too much, and juggling a lot. But when we can leave our homes again and hug our friends and families and drink and eat in all of our favorite spots, there's no doubt some sunniness will take over after so much sadness. A little decadence. I'm down. I was looking at pictures of Farrah and Liza and Bianca and yes. That feels right to me. And since I'm turning 50 in July, maybe my party (if I have one) will be an homage to the dancing days of disco. Which is funny, because I've fantasized about that idea long before this scourge on humanity.
Maybe I really am just sleep deprived/depraved, but I know I can't be alone in wanting a bit of silliness and sexiness when this is over. I'll take a side dish of punk rock vitriol and creative chaos a la the other side of the 70s like CBGB, too. All of it. Truth is, none of us can ever know what's coming in this crazy world. And that's the biggest lesson there is. Please stay healthy and safe- I am in no way minimizing the darkness of this pandemic. But after darkness, you know what comes next. Lord knows we need some light.
Cause that's what's up from my Brooklyn bunker. Yours, in disco dresses and decadent daydreams. XO