Right now, a lot of people are covering other people’s songs. They’re sitting home on quarantine, they’re messing around with acoustic guitars, and they’re staring soulfully into their webcams, sharing their own versions of their favorite tunes.

Adam Schlesinger’s Incandescent Songwriting Talent Adam Schlesinger, who died on Wednesday, at fifty-two, of complications from covid-19, had an unusual public profile. He was a successful musician—very successful, by any reasonable measure. He played in acclaimed bands; he composed songs and scores for movies and Broadway and television shows. He won a Grammy and three »

EVERY YEAR, AROUND this time, we always like to celebrate springtime with a bright moodboard of the all the beautiful things there are to look forward to: blossoming pink magnolias and bicycle rides, spectacular sunsets by the sea, light spring jackets and bouquets of white tulips―and while things feel like they may never been the same again, we created this moodboard for happier days to come…

SPENT MOST of the day Wednesday convalescing on the sofa by the fire, having fallen ill the night before with what is most likely the stomach flu, possibly brought on by food poisoning. It was most unpleasant, but given the current state of things in the world, could have been much, much worse, and for that I am grateful …

I have seen people preoccupied lately with all kind of topics―finances, careers, relationships―and I realize how easy it is these days to fall into a whirlwind of negative thoughts. But in order to remain positive and keep the good thoughts flowing, you have to fill your time with beautiful things: with art, books, music and inspiring stories.

Everything feels new, unbelievable, overwhelming. At the same time, it feels as if we’ve walked into an old recurring dream. In a way, we have. We’ve seen it before, on TV and in blockbusters. We knew roughly what it would be like, and somehow this makes the encounter not less strange, but more so.