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| How to Thrive in Online Life | How to Thrive in Online Life |
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| This article is part of the On Tech newsletter. You can sign up here to receive it weekdays. | This article is part of the On Tech newsletter. You can sign up here to receive it weekdays. |
| Like for many of you, my life has become detached from the physical world. I’m having drinks with buddies on Zoom, chatting with my boss on Google Hangouts and texting up a storm with my dad and sister. | Like for many of you, my life has become detached from the physical world. I’m having drinks with buddies on Zoom, chatting with my boss on Google Hangouts and texting up a storm with my dad and sister. |
| Maybe you are crushing this life lived through screens. I am not. | Maybe you are crushing this life lived through screens. I am not. |
| I need to see real people! I need to talk out loud — to people, not to my slowly dying houseplants. | I need to see real people! I need to talk out loud — to people, not to my slowly dying houseplants. |
| I needed professional help for this. Professional video gamer help. | I needed professional help for this. Professional video gamer help. |
| I called — on Zoom, of course — Thomas Biery, a 24-year-old who works in marketing and has a second life streaming video games to his followers. | I called — on Zoom, of course — Thomas Biery, a 24-year-old who works in marketing and has a second life streaming video games to his followers. |
| While this extremely online life is new to me, Thomas has been living it for years. He assured me that we can sustain meaningful connections over broadband — and, forced into the virtual world, we might even become a more honest version of ourselves. | While this extremely online life is new to me, Thomas has been living it for years. He assured me that we can sustain meaningful connections over broadband — and, forced into the virtual world, we might even become a more honest version of ourselves. |
| Thomas goes by “strawbiery” on the Twitch streaming site, where he plays video games or watches odd cartoons, while a webcam catches everything he does. Participants follow along live and chime in with text messages. (There’s more below about video games for quarantine life.) | Thomas goes by “strawbiery” on the Twitch streaming site, where he plays video games or watches odd cartoons, while a webcam catches everything he does. Participants follow along live and chime in with text messages. (There’s more below about video games for quarantine life.) |
| Thomas and his fans share photos of their pets in online chat rooms. They tease him for bad jokes and mail him masks featuring Jar Jar Binks, the “Star Wars” character that people love to hate. (The origins of this prank were complicated.) These are vibrant connections, no matter that they’re virtual. | Thomas and his fans share photos of their pets in online chat rooms. They tease him for bad jokes and mail him masks featuring Jar Jar Binks, the “Star Wars” character that people love to hate. (The origins of this prank were complicated.) These are vibrant connections, no matter that they’re virtual. |
| The other heartening message from Thomas is that you have the freedom to be a different you online, if you want. | The other heartening message from Thomas is that you have the freedom to be a different you online, if you want. |
| Thomas said he’s an introvert, and it’s hard for him to feel comfortable in real life. | Thomas said he’s an introvert, and it’s hard for him to feel comfortable in real life. |
| “It’s the total opposite when I’m streaming,” he said. “It’s so easy for me to just forget that the camera is there, to forget that I’m even broadcasting myself. There is something in your brain that has to turn off and be comfortable in the space you’re in.” | “It’s the total opposite when I’m streaming,” he said. “It’s so easy for me to just forget that the camera is there, to forget that I’m even broadcasting myself. There is something in your brain that has to turn off and be comfortable in the space you’re in.” |
| You can feel Thomas’s ease in his unabashedly unvarnished Twitch streams. He munches on snacks and interrupts what he’s doing to talk to his girlfriend. He occasionally blurts out lines from “SpongeBob” cartoons. | You can feel Thomas’s ease in his unabashedly unvarnished Twitch streams. He munches on snacks and interrupts what he’s doing to talk to his girlfriend. He occasionally blurts out lines from “SpongeBob” cartoons. |
| His advice for our temporarily hermit lives is to be unpolished. Don’t try to hide the chaos and the weirdness. | His advice for our temporarily hermit lives is to be unpolished. Don’t try to hide the chaos and the weirdness. |
| “I think it is a very necessary way to cope with what is a very difficult situation,” he said. | “I think it is a very necessary way to cope with what is a very difficult situation,” he said. |
| I’m with Thomas. I resolve to be comfortable in the very strange space I’m in. Let’s embrace the mess — to a point. Your co-workers don’t need to see your piles of dirty laundry. | I’m with Thomas. I resolve to be comfortable in the very strange space I’m in. Let’s embrace the mess — to a point. Your co-workers don’t need to see your piles of dirty laundry. |
| We can still be human — and maybe more humane — if we connect through webcams for awhile. I can do this. Your kids can do this. Joe Biden can probably even do this. We will be OK. | We can still be human — and maybe more humane — if we connect through webcams for awhile. I can do this. Your kids can do this. Joe Biden can probably even do this. We will be OK. |
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| I told Thomas that I’m not a video game person. At all. My gaming pretty much stopped with Brick Breaker for the Blackberry. | I told Thomas that I’m not a video game person. At all. My gaming pretty much stopped with Brick Breaker for the Blackberry. |
| But being cooped up inside, people are flocking to Twitch and other spots to play games or interact. It was fun for me to watch Bob Ross videos on Twitch, and drop in on a bare-bones Finnish talk show. (I don’t speak Finnish.) | But being cooped up inside, people are flocking to Twitch and other spots to play games or interact. It was fun for me to watch Bob Ross videos on Twitch, and drop in on a bare-bones Finnish talk show. (I don’t speak Finnish.) |
| For the uninitiated like me, The New York Times’s Seth Schiesel has published a guide for video game novices. There are other ideas for games to play with your kids, and another guide for more experienced types who are bored with whatever they’ve been mashing on. One of these games is called I Am Bread. The mission is to…toast bread. | For the uninitiated like me, The New York Times’s Seth Schiesel has published a guide for video game novices. There are other ideas for games to play with your kids, and another guide for more experienced types who are bored with whatever they’ve been mashing on. One of these games is called I Am Bread. The mission is to…toast bread. |
| The Wirecutter, a product recommendation site owned by The Times, has suggestions for virtual reality goggles to play video games and more. And Amazon, the company behind Twitch, also has big plans for other types of games. | The Wirecutter, a product recommendation site owned by The Times, has suggestions for virtual reality goggles to play video games and more. And Amazon, the company behind Twitch, also has big plans for other types of games. |
| Updated June 24, 2020 | |
| Scientists around the country have tried to identify everyday materials that do a good job of filtering microscopic particles. In recent tests, HEPA furnace filters scored high, as did vacuum cleaner bags, fabric similar to flannel pajamas and those of 600-count pillowcases. Other materials tested included layered coffee filters and scarves and bandannas. These scored lower, but still captured a small percentage of particles. | |
| A commentary published this month on the website of the British Journal of Sports Medicine points out that covering your face during exercise “comes with issues of potential breathing restriction and discomfort” and requires “balancing benefits versus possible adverse events.” Masks do alter exercise, says Cedric X. Bryant, the president and chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise, a nonprofit organization that funds exercise research and certifies fitness professionals. “In my personal experience,” he says, “heart rates are higher at the same relative intensity when you wear a mask.” Some people also could experience lightheadedness during familiar workouts while masked, says Len Kravitz, a professor of exercise science at the University of New Mexico. | A commentary published this month on the website of the British Journal of Sports Medicine points out that covering your face during exercise “comes with issues of potential breathing restriction and discomfort” and requires “balancing benefits versus possible adverse events.” Masks do alter exercise, says Cedric X. Bryant, the president and chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise, a nonprofit organization that funds exercise research and certifies fitness professionals. “In my personal experience,” he says, “heart rates are higher at the same relative intensity when you wear a mask.” Some people also could experience lightheadedness during familiar workouts while masked, says Len Kravitz, a professor of exercise science at the University of New Mexico. |
| The steroid, dexamethasone, is the first treatment shown to reduce mortality in severely ill patients, according to scientists in Britain. The drug appears to reduce inflammation caused by the immune system, protecting the tissues. In the study, dexamethasone reduced deaths of patients on ventilators by one-third, and deaths of patients on oxygen by one-fifth. | The steroid, dexamethasone, is the first treatment shown to reduce mortality in severely ill patients, according to scientists in Britain. The drug appears to reduce inflammation caused by the immune system, protecting the tissues. In the study, dexamethasone reduced deaths of patients on ventilators by one-third, and deaths of patients on oxygen by one-fifth. |
| The coronavirus emergency relief package gives many American workers paid leave if they need to take time off because of the virus. It gives qualified workers two weeks of paid sick leave if they are ill, quarantined or seeking diagnosis or preventive care for coronavirus, or if they are caring for sick family members. It gives 12 weeks of paid leave to people caring for children whose schools are closed or whose child care provider is unavailable because of the coronavirus. It is the first time the United States has had widespread federally mandated paid leave, and includes people who don’t typically get such benefits, like part-time and gig economy workers. But the measure excludes at least half of private-sector workers, including those at the country’s largest employers, and gives small employers significant leeway to deny leave. | The coronavirus emergency relief package gives many American workers paid leave if they need to take time off because of the virus. It gives qualified workers two weeks of paid sick leave if they are ill, quarantined or seeking diagnosis or preventive care for coronavirus, or if they are caring for sick family members. It gives 12 weeks of paid leave to people caring for children whose schools are closed or whose child care provider is unavailable because of the coronavirus. It is the first time the United States has had widespread federally mandated paid leave, and includes people who don’t typically get such benefits, like part-time and gig economy workers. But the measure excludes at least half of private-sector workers, including those at the country’s largest employers, and gives small employers significant leeway to deny leave. |
| So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement. | So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement. |
| Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks. | Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks. |
| A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study. | A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study. |
| The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nation’s job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April. | The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nation’s job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April. |
| Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days. | Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days. |
| If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.) | If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.) |
| If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others. | If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others. |
| I’ll be chatting live Monday on Twitter with Kara Swisher, a Times contributing opinion writer and a veteran technology journalist. We’re going to talk about what big technology companies (like Amazon and Google) are doing in this pandemic for us, their employees and communities. We’ll also discuss if our relationship with technology and tech companies is permanently changing. | I’ll be chatting live Monday on Twitter with Kara Swisher, a Times contributing opinion writer and a veteran technology journalist. We’re going to talk about what big technology companies (like Amazon and Google) are doing in this pandemic for us, their employees and communities. We’ll also discuss if our relationship with technology and tech companies is permanently changing. |
| Trust me, you need a little Kara in your life. You can watch live on my Twitter account (@ShiraOvide) on Monday, April 6, at 3 p.m. Eastern time. Send your questions about big tech to ontech@nytimes.com. Please put “Kara talk” in the subject line. | Trust me, you need a little Kara in your life. You can watch live on my Twitter account (@ShiraOvide) on Monday, April 6, at 3 p.m. Eastern time. Send your questions about big tech to ontech@nytimes.com. Please put “Kara talk” in the subject line. |
| How an unproven coronavirus treatment from a “simple country doctor” reached the mainstream: It was “a jumble of facts, falsehoods and viral rumors patched together from Twitter threads and shards of online news, amplified by armchair experts and professional partisans and pumped through the warp-speed accelerator of social media.” Read more from my colleagues, Kevin Roose and Matthew Rosenberg. | How an unproven coronavirus treatment from a “simple country doctor” reached the mainstream: It was “a jumble of facts, falsehoods and viral rumors patched together from Twitter threads and shards of online news, amplified by armchair experts and professional partisans and pumped through the warp-speed accelerator of social media.” Read more from my colleagues, Kevin Roose and Matthew Rosenberg. |
| Yes, more boring things online, please! Challenging friends to share badly drawn virtual carrots, as a writer for The Goods by Vox described, is exactly the kind of banal activity that Kevin encouraged for a healthier internet. The more people share good stuff online, even the silly things, the more it drowns out the shouting and snark. | Yes, more boring things online, please! Challenging friends to share badly drawn virtual carrots, as a writer for The Goods by Vox described, is exactly the kind of banal activity that Kevin encouraged for a healthier internet. The more people share good stuff online, even the silly things, the more it drowns out the shouting and snark. |
| “He’s not smart or articulate.” That’s how Amazon’s top lawyer described how to discredit a warehouse worker who protested the company’s health protection measures, according to a company memo reviewed by Vice News. Amazon said it was doing all it can to protect employees working during a pandemic | “He’s not smart or articulate.” That’s how Amazon’s top lawyer described how to discredit a warehouse worker who protested the company’s health protection measures, according to a company memo reviewed by Vice News. Amazon said it was doing all it can to protect employees working during a pandemic |
| Not everyone can afford to stay home: An analysis of smartphone location data by my colleagues shows people in wealthier neighborhoods in the United States have reduced their movements far more than those in the poorest areas. | Not everyone can afford to stay home: An analysis of smartphone location data by my colleagues shows people in wealthier neighborhoods in the United States have reduced their movements far more than those in the poorest areas. |
| “The Wisteria wiggles like it’s excited for something.” Here’s a Twitter thread started by Anil Dash, a tech executive, about what people are glimpsing outside their windows. | “The Wisteria wiggles like it’s excited for something.” Here’s a Twitter thread started by Anil Dash, a tech executive, about what people are glimpsing outside their windows. |
| Tell us what celebrity video or virtual fitness class is making you happy in unsettled times. Please share your finds with us at ontech@nytimes.com (and put “hugs” in the subject line). We may feature some in the newsletter. | Tell us what celebrity video or virtual fitness class is making you happy in unsettled times. Please share your finds with us at ontech@nytimes.com (and put “hugs” in the subject line). We may feature some in the newsletter. |
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