While my social distancing routine over the past few weeks has indeed been comfortable (it’s pretty much consisted of me sitting on the couch, devouring hot Cheetos and binge-watching a Netflix docuseries about tigers and crime), I’m starting to think that my time could probably be better spent elsewhere. For those also feeling a bit like this, I’d like to remind you of another, more wholesome quarantine pastime: e-books. Though city libraries have closed physical locations across the state due to coronavirus, they are still providing e-book options. The San Antonio Public Library has more than 230,000 digital books, audiobooks, magazines, and movies for library cardholders to choose from. Public libraries like those in Amarillo, Longview, Dallas, and Houston are also continuing to provide digital content. And if you haven’t yet signed up for a library card, don’t fret. Libraries like Austin’s and El Paso’s offer an option for city residents to apply for a free virtual card and get reading. And you wouldn’t be alone in doing it: The Austin Public Library has processed more than six hundred e-cards in the last two weeks.

—Meara Isenberg, editorial intern

To-Go Margaritas (and To-Go Beer and To-Go Cocktails)

Amid these uneasy times, with the whole of Texas on lockdown because of the ongoing viral pandemic, it’s more important than ever to keep in mind (and prayer, if you’re the praying kind) all of those who provide for us. Yes, the first responders, the doctors, the nurses, the caregivers, the peace officers, and the like. But we must also remember to not forget the countless restaurants, restaurant workers, and bars, bartenders, and waitstaff who have been hit so hard with the shutdown. There’s a whole lot of uneasiness out there right now, which is, of course, understandable. But there are also plenty of silver linings to be found. It was just a few short weeks ago, after all, that to-go margaritas (and to-go beer and to-go cocktails) were the stuff of dreams (and prayers, for the praying kind). Well, dreams do sometimes come true, and the Lord, as they say, does indeed work in mysterious ways. So, here’s to the to-go margaritas (and to-go beer and to-go cocktails). May they endure well beyond this cursed coronavirus. (Pro tip: Ask for them without ice and then just add that at home.) Be safe, y’all. Salud!

—The Texanist

Farwell, by Broken Revival

The roads were busy, the weather was sunny, the world was buzzing, and amid all this, my emotions ran high from listening to Farwell for the first time. In the masterful debut album from Texas duo Broken Revival, the couple perform raw, authentic melodies over the backdrop of heartfelt Americana music. They sing about personal struggles, hardworking Texas ladies, and, above all else, taking a leap of faith to pursue their dreams. Listening to the album the first time was transformative, but the song “Future and Promise” sent a chill down my spine when revisiting it in this quieter world—it embodies the yearning to pursue what you most desire, and serves as a reminder to be hopeful of the good things waiting on the other side of hard times.

—Carson Buffett, production coordinator

Kidding

Kidding’s lead actor, Jim Carrey, is not a Texan, but the show is just as reliant on gripping performances by costars including the talented Cole Allen, a native Austinite, who plays two characters as Carrey’s twin sons—so I think it’s safe to claim it. The show revolves around a Mister Rogers type of character whose stage name is Mr. Pickles (played by Carrey), his television show for kids, and his family dealing with grief. After a life-altering accident, Mr. Pickles is forced to come face-to-face with himself and his own emotions, his tumultuous relationships with his family, and the unknown of what comes next. It’s at times dark and humorous, at other times heartbreaking and sincere—overall, it’s the most genuine TV series I’ve watched in a while.

—Arielle Avila, editorial coordinator