Dean Young

Apologies that I fell off the map. I’ve been working from home since last Friday and I’ve found it very difficult to compartmentalize and focus enough to read and write these things.

I’m incredibly fortunate to have a job and to be able to work from home — I’m just not very good at it. I’m a creature of routine and now I’m trying to adapt to a new routine. I’ll try my best to get back on track.

I know everyone’s struggling right now. My fear is that it’ll get much, much worse before things improve. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you need anything. If the very least I can do is provide some things to read while this pandemic consumes us, I hope that can help in some small way.

I’m an extrovert to a pretty extreme degree, so self-isolation is a real challenge. I’m trying to see it as an opportunity to catch up on reading books I’ve neglected and to research and write some things I’ve put off. Maybe even a little poetry — who knows. I’ll share if something comes out of it.

My friend Adam recorded a lovely Tom Waits cover I thought I’d share with you. I’m catching up on music, too. Since everyone else is doing it, here’s a playlist of what’s been keeping me sane:

Anyway, some belated reading for you:

• Density Is Normally Good for Us. That Will Be True After Coronavirus, Too. via NYT

• Thomas Piketty Takes On the Ideology of Inequality via Boston Review

• State health director’s passion come from Youngstown via The Vindicator

• A new documentary shows how opinions on public housing are changing via Curbed

• Social Distancing? You Might Be Fighting Climate Change, Too via NYT