How the Traverse Connect team is occupying our down time during social distancing.
While we may be working from home (sweatpants and all) our team is as busy as ever working to provide our business community with the resources and help they need to stay afloat. We have routines and processes in place to help our team be a very effective distributed workforce. We have a daily 9am check-in call for all staff, which is great for accountability and staying on track. We also have a daily 4pm (optional) stand-up for any stucks or cross-team items. We use Asana for project management and Slack is our lifesaver for staying connected to each other. We’ve even hosted a team-wide cocktail hour!
During social distancing it’s been nice to connect as a team on the non-work related items too. So, rather than just share amongst ourselves we’ve decided to share what we’re reading, watching, and listening to with the community so you can freshen up your playlists and watch queues!
BOOKS
Katherine: “Among the Mad” by Jacqueline Winspear. It’s the sixth book in the Maisie Dobbs mystery series. (A genre I have typically never read.) The books transport me to London and help me shut my brain off from everything else begging for its attention.
Liz: Mamma Llama, Go Dog Go, Brown Bear What did you See? (Granddaughters!!!)
Sue R: The Bible. It gives me emotional and spiritual strength.
Jody: I’m switching between two very different e-books checked out from TADL on their Overdrive App. The first is a memoir – “Funny, You Don’t Look Autistic” and the second is a mystery – “A Rule Against Murder“, a book in the Louise Penny series featuring Chief Inspector Gamache.
Brenda: “Lean In” by Sheryl Sandberg. I am always reading at least one book that will provide self improvement. And, “The Power of Now” by Eckhart Tolle. I reached for this book early last week to help me get back to center and re-build resilience.
Molly: “The Jetsetters” by Amanda Eyre Ward: This was the March Reese’s Book Club pick and I can not put it down. This book is about a rather dysfunctional family that includes a mother and her three adult children winding up on a European cruise. I love how each chapter tells the story from a different character’s viewpoint and it is a great book to get lost in.
Mandy: “The Whole-Brain Child” and “No-Drama Discipline”. I am reading these so I can figure out why my young children have complete meltdowns over, from my perspective, the silliest things that don’t matter. The Whole-Brain Child explains the science on how children’s brains are wired and why they react the way they do. No-Drama Discipline provides guidance on how to better handle “meltdowns”. The biggest thing I have learned is that just because something is silly to me, doesn’t mean it isn’t extremely important to them. I am working on connecting with them first and then providing guidance on how to better handle a situation. Great reads for parents with small children!
Lisa: Just finished “Educated” by Tara Westover, and just getting ready to start “Before We Were Yours”. I decided I needed to read the books all my friends were talking about.
Warren: The Lives of the Twelve Caesars – Suetonius. It’s an ancient book that describes the day-to-day lives of the early Roman emperors. I am a big fan of Roman history.
Kristina: I’m currently re-reading all of the “Little House on the Prairie” series by Laura Ingalls Wilder; they’re all about resourcefulness and survival. I’m also reading “Inland” by Téa Obreht because I can’t stay away from a good Western!
Camille: I just finished “Little Fires Everywhere” by Celeste Eng. It’s a dreamy suburban study on motherhood, growing up, and privilege. It’s also been adapted as a new TV series airing on Hulu! Next on my reading list is “Freedom” by Jonathan Franzen.
PODCASTS
Katherine: I continue to turn to my favorite podcast, It’s Been a Minute with Sam Sanders.
Liz: History Chicks – It is little known history about women and it is awesome.
Jody: I occasionally listen to RadioLab, a podcast devoted to investigating topics from a scientific view while making the information fun and accessible to all.
Brenda: I have two, I’m a junky when it comes to self improvement. Listening to Martin Moore’s No Bullshit Leadership and for fun Every Little Thing by Gimlet Media.
Molly: I listen to The Morning Toast: A podcast by millennials for millennials regarding pop culture. I love this podcast because it is very fun and light hearted and keeps me laughing. In a time of so much uncertainty and worry, it’s nice to let your mind become distracted listening to others about the world around you in a not so serious sense. The podcast can be found on Spotify, iHeartRadio, Apple Music, and Stitcher podcasts.
Warren: Marketplace; podcasts and daily radio news program. It’s the best daily business news and economics stories.
Kristina: My Favorite Murder – Lifelong fans of true crime stories Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark tell each other their favorite tales of murder and hear hometown crime stories from friends and fans. I’m definitely a murderino.
Camille: Staying In with Emily & Kumail and Blackout starring Rami Malek (staying in the apocalyptic vein of things). Also This American Life is a classic for when you need a good cry!
MUSIC
Katherine: Musicals. All the time. Specifically, soundtracks on Apple Music and YouTube videos of musical theatre stars singing at home.
Liz: Vinyl! Miles Davis, ALbert King, ELO, Bob Seger, Aida Opera, Don Shirley, Robynn Trower, Jeb Mo, Joe Bonamassa.
Sue R: I Heart Radio – Justin Bieber’s “Picture Perfect”.
Brenda: May Erlewine is on my repeat shuffle! She just wrote a new song Let Me Be (In Love), it has a beautiful melody and message and she is local :)!
Sue H: From 80’s to The Rat Pack
Molly: I listen to Spotify daily! My current favorite playlists include 90’s Throwback and Work From Home which involves more upbeat and lighthearted mainstream music
Mandy: My go to stations to ask Alexa to play are Top Country and Classic Rock.
Lisa : Wow, I’m boring – I listen to the news when I workout in the morning!
Warren: With four people all working/doing school work at home, we have Interlochen classical music on all-day. It helps keep the peace and calm…
Kristina: I mostly enjoy putting on Pandora and letting it roll me away.
Camille: My husband writes music for ads so I’ve had a lot of catchy ‘go buy-me’ jingles stuck in my head of late. I hear them on repeat piping out of his studio! Favourite artist? Listen to BOII 😉
TV & BINGE-WATCH
Katherine: Zooey’s Extraordinary Playlist on NBC and Hulu. Musical theatre in weekly television, what’s not to love?
Liz: Mel Brooks Movies, Giant, Gone With the Wind, Hello Dolly, Phantom of the Opera
Sue R: Sit and Be Fit (Aerobics while sitting) on PBS
Jody: We follow a Youtube channel called “Sailing LaVagabonde“. It follows the sailing adventures of a young Australian couple who met in Greece 5 yrs ago and started sailing the world. It’s a very relaxing escape to watch.
Brenda: I finished Netflix on Sunday.
Sue H: Locke & Key on Netflix.
Molly: I am currently watching Little Fires Everywhere on Hulu, which is a show based on the New York Times Bestseller, Starring Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington. It is about identity and belonging – An individual’s identity is made up of who they are, while an individual’s sense of belonging is defined by where they fit in – and it has been very interesting to watch how the characters evolve into both based on the circumstances around them. It’s a great reminder that everything is not always as it seems from an outside picture.
Mandy: I have been watching Ozark on Netflix. It is about a financial planner that started laundering money for a Mexican Drug Cartel and is now way over his head. Very interesting and hard to turn off at night.
Warren: Whatever the kids want…
Kristina: Whenever I need a good laugh, I watch Derry Girls on Netflix. It’s about a group of friends growing up in 1990s Northern Ireland and attempting to navigate the highs and lows of being teenagers.
Camille: The New Pope on HBO is under-rated and gorgeous! You don’t have to be a Catholic to watch it (probably better if you’re not as it’s a risqué portrayal of the church!). I enjoy this show for its killer soundtrack, outrageously good cinematography, and Tom Ford-esque fashion and glamour shots. Plus – who doesn’t love to watch Jude Law and John Malkovitch on screen?
