My Recipe for De-Stressing
Nancy, how are you doing?
Hmmmm, is this a casual greeting or a real question in the time of Election 2020 and COVID-19?
“I was just in the grocery store going, ‘no, no, no’ in every aisle,” I tell my friend via text.
No to the muffin, the scone, the mac and cheese in the prepared foods section. No to the Milano cookies, the loaf of cinnamon raisin bread that would make slammin’ French toast. No to the sodium-laden tortilla chips. No to the rich Talenti Southern Butter Pecan gelato.
Just no.
Keep walking, you and your Ezekiel bread, your salad fixings, your boneless chicken breasts, and your big box of Kashi fiber.
There are better alternatives than stress eating for this 58-year-old with challenging blood pressure.
The first one is TwinsthenewTrend on YouTube.
Have you watched Tim and Fred Williams react to music ranging from hip hop to country to rock to easy listening? They melt away my stress. I can’t watch just one video. Once I venture over to their channel, I know I’m making at least a 30-minute commitment.
There is something so joyful about watching 22-year-olds react to music I grew up with and love. Commenters consistently marvel at the variety of genres, how positive and open they are, and how it feels like you’re getting to experience the songs all over again.
Tim was blown away by my favorite band, Boston, when he listened to More Than a Feeling, Peace of Mind, Long Time. He wiped away a tear the first time he heard Frank Sinatra — Under My Skin — and has reacted to a bunch of his best. He expresses a passion for the instruments in the “old school” music. And in the process I’ve learned that “cold” means good and if a song is a “banger” that is high praise.
I’ve gone down the rabbit hole on all the classic rock, fun dance stuff like the BeeGees and Earth, Wind and Fire, and even some Carpenters and Luciano Pavarotti. See what I mean? Genres galore.
I see they’re now inviting fans on and that’s been enjoyable to watch as well. Not to mention their call to get out the vote. Yes to these guys.