What did the Polygon staff spend their weekend watching? Whether its the latest virally popular Netflix series, discovering an animated gem, or educating ourselves in older genre classics, most of us find something worth recommending before we head back to work.

And as usual, the answers range widely, as some people check out whats new and popular on streaming services, and some return to past favorites. So heres what were watching right now, and what you might enjoy watching as well. Head to the comments to drop in your own recommendations.

The Great British Baking Show is back! A new season of Netflixs baking competition series (known as The Great British Bake Off overseas) kicked off with Cake Week on Friday, a thoroughly polite dustup involving Battenbergs, pineapple upside-down cakes, and fondant-wrapped busts of famous people composed of cake sponge. The first episode of the new season was full of delicious drama to the point of being overbaked: cakes were hastily microwaved, accidentally knocked onto the floor, melted into puddles, and savaged by Paul Hollywood. One baker even combined bubble gum and soda flavors in a cake that makes one wonder if theyve ever seen Prue and Paul give an opinion on taste. But the star of the show was baker Daves tribute to former Blink-182 guitarist Tom DeLonge.

The shows showstopper challenge demanded that bakers create a bust of one of their heroes from cake. Construction-based bakes are always stressful to watch, but this particular challenge was pure you tried comedy. Cribbing from Netflixs own Nailed It!, almost every cake hero was a melted, blobby mess, but it was Three Flavours of Tom DeLonge that reached viral hit status on Twitter. I feel for the bakers; cake sponge does not have sculptural qualities of clay or marble, so everyone deserves an A for effort. The Great British Baking Shows graphics department also deserves praise for the delightful interior shots of DeLonges head. If theres one way to start a season, its with the fondant flesh of a pop punk legend (that no one on the show seems to know).

It was a momentous episode, not just for Three Flavours of Tom DeLonge. New co-host Matt Lucas joined the show, replacing Sandi Toksvig, and brought a fun, slightly creepy energy to the proceedings. It was also the first GBBO season filmed during lockdown the show is being produced in a bubble, an extra layer of challenge for this seasons bakers. Im delighted that appointment television is here again. Michael McWhertor

The Great British Baking Show Collection 8 is streaming on Netflix.

And everything else were watching...

A handful of movies from my childhood blew my little brain: Gattaca, Tron, and Contact. I havent watched any of these films in two decades, so I figure what better way to pass quarantine than see how they hit my grown-up noggin.

I began my nostalgia tour this weekend with Contact, which I enjoyed, just not as much as I did as a kid. Jodie Foster plays an astronomer searching for intelligent life (and meaning) in the universe, while slowly falling in love with a journalist/political influencer/self-help icon played by Matthew McConaughey. As a grown-up, the central man of science vs. woman of faith debate feels more polemical Id forgotten that McConaughey plays a preacher-turned-spiritual guru to the President of the United States. The core message feels a little thinner (especially compared to the more recent Arrival) but the story is no less propulsive, particularly the final 40 minutes which play like an acid trip at the planetarium. Getting older can be a drag, but heres a positive: we get to rewatch great films, discovering new things to love, seeing them, in a way, for the first time with a fresh perspective. Now to see if Tron holds up to my impossible childhood expectations! Chris Plante

Contact is streaming on HBO Max.

I slept on Doctor Sleep. Reviews from last falls sequel to The Shining were mixed (and our critics take was dire!). But in the months after the movie bombed at the box office, I only heard good things about Hush and Geralds Game director Mike Flanagans take on the Stephen King novel including praise for an extended cut that turned a two-and-a-half-hour movie into a three-hour-movie. Having respected a lot of Flanagans past work, and feeling high off his Netflix series The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor (more on that after the embargo next month), I finally carved out time to witness what many saw as a misguided attempt to build on Stanley Kubricks cinematic legacy. [Note: I opted for the theatrical cut.]

Heeeeeeeeeres Johnny with a take: Doctor Sleep is fantastic. Using traces of Kubricks movie as nightmarish memories, Flanagan ties the paths of recovering alcoholic Dan Torrance (Ewan McGregor), superpowered shiner Abra Stone (Kyliegh Curran), and Rose the Hat (Rebecca Ferguson), the psychic leader of a soul-sucking, immortal cult, together into a sprawling mythological epic. Similar to the two Haunting series, Flanagan has a sense for how to keep Kings literary flavor intact, and the characters grounded in reality. The violence is vicious trigger warning: Rose and her gang feed on helpless kids like Jacob Tremblay! the theme of self-destruction is as terrifying as the supernatural, and the eventual stretch of story that leads Dan back to the Overlook hotel feels earned. For me, the movie doesnt feel like a Shining sequel at all, and more of what Id always hoped wed get out of a Dark Tower adaptation: A mesmerizing collision of fantasy and reality staged atop a bedrock of mythology. Matt Patches

Doctor Sleep is streaming on HBO Max and HBO Go.

There is a scene in Eli Roths grueling cannibal exploitation horror film The Green Inferno that almost made my 100-minute investment in the film feel worth it: A group of protestors, held captive by native people after their plane crashes in the jungle, are fed a mysterious meal. Upon realizing that they are consuming their recently departed friend Samantha, the lone vegan in the group slashes her own throat. Immediately following her death by suicide, one of her fellow protestors concocts a plan to stuff her stomach with his weed stash, hoping that their captors will get so stoned when they cook her, that the prisoners will be able to escape amid the confusion. Yet another protestor decides this is an opportune moment to masturbate, which he justifies as a release to clear his mind. Disgusted, a third protestor starts to strangle the wanker, leading to the inspired closed captioning description [tugging intensifies].

It is an ugly, bewildering scene that skyrockets The Green Inferno into wild, text-your-friends you seeing this shit?! absurdist territory. I cant necessarily recommend The Green Inferno, a brutally gory and smug reproach of slacktivism, but if youre interested in watching this particular scene, it takes place approximately 69 minutes into the film. MM

The Green Inferno is streaming on Netflix.

As a kid, I only knew about King of the Hill from an online mini golf Flash game I would play with my siblings on the family computer. Recommended by my Texan buddy who said the show is an accurate depiction of Texas life, Ive finally been watching the series and ... I am addicted. I found out Bobby Hills voice actress also voiced Pajama Sam, the star of one of Humongous Entertainments old computer games, and my life hasnt been quite the same since. My friend said they were interested in using charcoal to grill some Korean BBQ, and I only half-ironically scolded them for not using propane. Thats where my life is at this moment. Julia Lee

King of the Hill is streaming on Hulu.

Having completed (and loved) Strong Girl Bong-soon, I dug around Netflixs impressive catalogue of supernatural Korean shows to find something else lightheart. Mystic Pop-up Bar is mostly lighthearted but also occasionally complicated and sad, and I definitely found myself reaching for the tissues as I polished the show off over the weekend.

The no-nonsense bar owner Weol-ju (Hwang Jung-eum) is an afterlife reject, forced to settle the grudges of 100,000 souls or be destroyed. With only a few more conflicts to resolve and less than a month to do it, shes feeling the pressure. If only she could harness the powers of sweet Han Kang-bae (Yook Sung-jae), who can make people confess their deepest truth with only a touch. Even with the help of gentle former-cop Chief Gwi (Choi Won-young), shes going to have a hard time fighting off rogue demons and reincarnated menaces to get it done.

The show takes its time unraveling its backstory (there is 500 years worth!), constantly hinting at the truth and rarely pulling a gotcha! style twist. Plus the food theres no shortage of glamorous food shots that will remind you to stop and eat while you marathon this incredibly engaging, moving show. Jenna Stoeber

Mystic Pop-up Bar is streaming on Netflix.

The thing about the Paddington movies is that they are perfect. Ive seen them before, but rewatched them over the weekend with my partner, who had not seen them, with Paddington on Saturday night and Paddington 2 on Sunday night. I honestly had forgotten that they are actually kind of emotionally harrowing, and ended up crying a few times.

If youre not familiar with Paddington Bear, the general gist of the story is that a polite little bear named Paddington is trying to make his way in the city of London after leaving his home in darkest Peru. Its just a sweet time for everyone. Ben Whishaw provides Paddingtons voice in the films, and Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant star as the villains in the first and second film, respectively. A third Paddington is supposedly on the way, or at least it had better be. Karen Han

Paddington/Paddington 2 are available to rent on Amazon.

If you watched The Mandalorian and thought this Pedro Pascal guy sure does a good job playing a reticent mercenary, but I wonder what hed be like as a chatty mercenary instead? And also wore a helmet where I could actually see his face? then youd have as good of a time as I did watching this low-budget sci-fi flick.

Centered around a financially struggling father and daughter who search alien moons and planets for valuable commodities, Prospect isnt trying to tell an expansive or existential story. Instead it focuses on the relationships that people choose (or are forced into) when living on the ragged edge of society. The practical effects do an extraordinary job of making the world feel tactile and lived in and the Pacific Northwest location is made just alien enough to seem otherworldly. And despite some similarities to Pascals role as the Mandalorian, his roguish performance is quite different here, not the least because we can see that charismatic face. Clayton Ashley

Prospect is streaming on Hulu

When the news gets inescapably heavy and depressing, as it did last week, its tempting to retreat into something completely undemanding and unchallenging, and also potentially fun and pretty. Thats why I finally watched Trolls: World Tour, which just arrived on Hulu after an early stint in the premium rental $20 trenches. The original Trolls movie is a surprisingly good time its surreal and almost obscenely perky, with some lively original songs that bring a subversive edge to its feel-good kid-movie vibe. The whole thing is consciously designed like an acid trip, complete with DayGlo colors and warping landscapes full of unexpected singing flowers and talking objects. So Id hoped for something similar from the sequel.

I didnt get it the sequels a pretty standard kids quest movie, with a villain (voiced by Crazy Ex-Girlfriends Rachel Bloom) out to steal everyones uniqueness, and heroes (Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake) using music to stop her. The frustrating thing about the film for an adult viewer: the whole point of the plot is that all music is equally valid and that pop may be fun, but it shouldnt overshadow other music, and yet all the music in the film is fed through a pop filter anyway.

But the visual design! The Trolls films are built around the conceit that the stories are being told through scrapbooks after the fact, so the entire world is designed like a crafting party, with fabric buildings, yarn stages, and a felt balloon. My absolute favorite images included a gorgeous canyon made of piled-up quilts, a pond where the foamy edge of the water is the ragged, frayed edge of a piece of cloth, and a waterfall consisting of silver ribbons. The songs are kinda boring and the plots pretty rote, but this film is shockingly beautiful and thought-through in all the design elements. Tasha Robinson

Trolls: World Tour is streaming on Hulu and rentable on Amazon.

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Great British Baking Show is back on Netflix and coming for Nailed It - Polygon

Alma Matters is a Poynter newsletter designed to provide ideas, news and insight to those in the journalism education community.Subscribe here to get Alma Matters delivered to you.

Have I mentioned Im a big fan of takeovers? Im a big fan of takeovers. Heres what happened when the Guardian US gave a special section to American first-time voters.

Student media leaders would be wise to consider working with diverse student groups or communities to allow them the same luxury with a newspaper section or TV or radio show. Yes, you could still edit the work, but make it easier by outlying some journalism basics (be factual, write short) and getting your temporary recruits to focus on first-person essays and personal photographs. Plan a little extra production time for fact-checking and permissions and let me know how your campus responds!

Because Im a fan of takeovers, Ive written about it before (tips!). Along those lines

My friend Rich Cameron puts out a daily (!!!) email newsletter about journalism in secondary and higher ed in California (heres his Facebook group where you can get more info). On Tuesday he noted a trend of first-person pieces. He wrote, Since the pandemic began more and more colleges have gone to first-person features. Their numbers are fewer this semester than last spring, but Im beginning to see some in high school publications as well.

A good first-person essay still needs editing and guidance. Here are two oldie-but-goodies from Poynters archives:

And here are four examples of personal essays:

You can share the examples above with the non-journalists youre asking to write/shoot for your publication for inspiration. Then let them have free rein to tell their own stories for your audience.

The latest in the How to Be a Reporter series from the Washington Post: Covering the White House. I am a huge fan of these videos, and think they make incredible classroom fodder. Of course, videos take time, money, coordination and planning, but if you find these useful, maybe drop an email to libby.casey@washpost.com and tell her how much you value them in your classroom. Heck, CC this martin.baron@washpost.com guy for fun.

Young journalists, take note. Deanna Schwartz is the managing editor of the Huntington News at Northeastern University, and shes been burning up the professional journalism space (Poynter, the Objective) with important stories about her student journalism experience. The Lead editor Taylor Blatchford and I are always looking for pitches from student journalists, as are plenty of other places (think CJR and Neiman Lab) and its great experience to learn to pitch to editors.

I recently stumbled across The Big List of Class Discussion Strategies and thought it could prove helpful. I particularly liked TQE: This protocol has students come up with their own Thoughts, lingering Questions, and Epiphanies from an assigned reading. Teachers who have used this method say it has generated some of the richest conversations they have ever heard from students!

I love it when people say, Be careful. You dont want to get burned out. As though burnout is easily avoidable something you would just cross the street to escape, like a swarm of bees or a group of hockey fans after their team lost the Stanley Cup.

Thats why I surprised myself this week after reading about the three key signs of burnout by thinking, Wait, there are signs?

My friends at Jumpline, a community hub to support journalism educators, linked to this Inside Higher Ed column in their newsletter this week. Beating Pandemic Burnout feels so spot on, and I wanted to pass it along to you in case you, too, have been avoiding a self-diagnosis of burnout. This is just what hard work is like! I pride myself on my work ethic! Etc.

It reminds me that the most important thing right now isnt pedagogy, but people.

The single biggest action Ive taken in Pandemica is to commit to a nightly walk at 6 p.m. I set my entire day by it, and its remarkable how the rest of my family has accepted and worked around my little corner of self-care. I cant recommend this kind of movement enough.Try to walk a few nights this week even for just a few minutes. See how you feel with a little movement and fresh air.

Also in my self-care world, Im going to take some time this weekend to finish the novel Hamnet by Maggie OFarrell and try to watch The Post again, because I want to enjoy once again that subtle moment where Meryl Streep as Katharine Graham orders publication. I think those are the kind of joyful moments health professionals are urging us to seize.

And hey. Dont burn out.

Barbara Allen is the director of college programming. She can be reached atballen@poynter.orgor on Twitter, @barbara_allen_

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In support of student media handoffs and the power of personal essays - Poynter

I, like many other steadfast fiction readers, generally would not touch a non-fiction book with a ten-foot pole, preferring stories that offer an escape from my own mundane life. Once in a blue moon, I grudgingly venture into the world of non-fiction, feeling like I need to expand my repertoire of books, only to mentally check out after the first few pages. Why would I read about real life when imagination can conjure up scenarios that are so much more interesting? However, this year marked a surprising change for me. I entered the world of non-fiction books, and this time, I stuck around.

This adjustment came amid a time of extraordinary change, namely the emergence of COVID-19. During the long months of quarantine, many, inspired by online blogs or extreme boredom, decided to make use of their isolation by embarking on self-improvement journeys. As COVID-19 spread through the country and people were forced to remain home, online yoga, meditation and mental health resources started popping up on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok. I watched as my friends began undertaking self-improvement journeys, posting about their morning quarantine yoga flows, mediation sessions and Chloe Ting workout challenges.

Unfortunately, I was not one of the productive quarantine types. Besides reading and baking a lot, I did not respond to complete social isolation with increased motivation like some others, who seemed to be checking off every life goal during quarantine (starting a podcast, really?). Nonetheless, I surprisingly ended up participating in the aforementioned self-help trend. This summer I took a roadtrip across the country, and eight hours into the third day I was getting stir crazy from the boredom and monotony of the drive. Desperate for some entertainment, I looked for free audiobooks on Spotify. The only book I could find was Mark Mansons The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*ck. Having nothing else to do, I started listening and found myself immediately engrossed in the authors philosophy on life. Five hours later, I had listened to the whole book, and it was through this experience that I stumbled onto a new genre of reading: self-help books.

After Mansons book, I read two other self-help books in quick succession, Daring Greatly by Brene Brown and How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. What I found most interesting about these three books was how different each authors message was. I found myself wondering, how do I know who to believe? Some ideas resonated more deeply with me than others, and I tended to lean toward the books that had practical applicability in my life or related to the issues I was currently facing.

Each author approaches giving advice differently. Manson talks about his failures bluntly, and explains the experiences that led him to his current philosophy on life. His personal style is straightforward, unsparing and often raunchy. Rather than telling readers to be positive and look on the bright side like I had expected from self-help books, he speaks frankly about what he thinks is wrong with people nowadays, and how they can fix themselves. Manson does not have a background in psychology or experience studying his ideas in practice, he simply explains his theory on having a fulfilling life and acknowledges his openness to being wrong and having more to learn.

Brene Brown, on the other hand, has a somewhat different personal style from Manson; she is understanding, relatable and funny. I felt like I was having a conversation with a friend, as she took me through her own experiences with vulnerability and opening up. Brown also has a strong background in research and the study of human emotion, vulnerability, shame and leadership. She is therefore able to base all of her ideas on years of meticulous research, and grounds her recommendations in facts and studies. This came through in her book, as she references study after study that support her suggestions. I found myself trusting her due to the enormous amount of research that she presented as evidence, as well as her approachable and genuine personal voice.

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie diverged the most from the two other books. Carnegie suggests psychology-based techniques for becoming a more likeable and charismatic person, proposing tips on ways to make people like you, win people to agree with your way of thinking and change people without arousing resentment. I felt mildly embarrassed to be reading this book, feeling like I was being given insider information on how to trick people into liking me.

In every book, I noticed the authors experiences and background subtly intertwining themselves with their recommendation for how others could transform their lives. They viewed the world through the lenses of their own lives, and as a result, their conclusions included ideas that might not work for everyone. For example, Brene Brown spoke a lot about her perfectionistic tendencies and how to mitigate them. Personally, I am not a perfectionist, so this portion of the book went entirely over my head. Manson, meanwhile, recounted his experiences dropping everything to travel the world, something I have always dreamed of doing. His findings were extremely interesting and clearly life-altering for him; however, his methods may not be the most suitable for everyone. Carnegie gave advice based on psychological techniques on how to make others like you. For me this did not resonate, as some of the strategies that Carnegie suggested seemed manipulative and underhanded to me.

Reading these three wildly different books helped me understand that self-help books are not one-size-fits-all. Each book was a bestseller and incredibly popular among readers, and yet I had extremely different reactions to each one. I ended up picking and choosing the ideas that fit my own life and disregarding the rest. My struggles may not be the same as the authors, and so it only makes sense that some of the techniques that helped them may not be as beneficial to my own life. Therefore the biggest suggestion I have for others looking to read self-help books is to take everything you read with a grain of salt, and read a variety of different books to find ideas that resonate with your own life.

I am surprised to find myself seeking out these non-fiction books now. But there is something to be learned from hearing an outside perspective on how to successfully go through life. Reading these books took me out of my own life briefly, and exposed me to the findings of people who had undergone journeys of self-improvement. Though by no means a quick fix to anything, I did appreciate the push these books gave me to examine my own life and how I might adjust to live in a happier and more purposeful way. I hope I have convinced at least a few of the other hardcore fiction readers out there to try something a little out of your comfort zone.

Read the original:
The different selves of self help - The Michigan Daily

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Continued here:
Ken Norton, The Former US Marine Who Used A Self-Help Book To Beat Ali - The Sportsman

What's the difference between being nervous and feeling anxiety? What distinction is there between feeling down and being depressed?

In a time where many people are mentally exhausted from a taxing year filled with a global health pandemic, racial injustice, social unrest, a divisive political atmosphere and environmental concerns, it's important to be aware of one's mental health status. Possessing self-awareness of one's emotions and feelings is always critical, but especially in a time of additional stresses outside the typical ups and downs of life.

We talked with Dr. Samia Hasan, the director of mental health services at the IU School of Medicine, to help us recognize symptoms of anxiety and depression in ourselves and how to address them.

Hasan shared a self-checklist of feelings from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to help individuals recognize emotional distress.

For anyone experiencing any of these signs and symptoms, Hasan recommends first reaching out to friends and family for support and engaging in healthy coping strategies such as doing moderate exercise, eating well, getting adequate sleep, engaging in a hobby or fun activity, and attempting a mindfulness activity such as yoga or meditation.

If the distress continues or gets to the point that it is difficult for someone to manage their day-to-day activities, Hasan recommending seeking professional help.

Because the signs of depression and anxiety overlap, Hasan cited two screening tools called the PHQ-9 (for depression) and the GAD-7 (for anxiety), which are the industry standards for primary care settings and helpful for self-screening.

There are many tools to gauge one's feelings. Hasan cited the Mental Health Continuum Model as another self-study resource for people to use.

There is no shame in asking for help from a loved one or professional, as everyone experiences emotional distresses differently.

"It's very normal to experience some of these symptoms, and often it's a matter of degree, intensity and duration that differentiates typical experiences from ones that indicate a need for professional help," Hasan said.

As the summer warmth and sunshine fade, people need to continue to showcase self-awareness. The grayness and chill that fall and winter bring can trigger seasonal affective disorder. Additionally, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, social isolation could increase in the colder weather, with fewer opportunities to safely physically distance and interact with others outdoors.

Considering the current social climate, Hasan provided a list of self-care strategies to help combat feelings of anxiety and depression that can also be used regardless of the season:

For anyone looking for professional assistance, IU offers students, staff and faculty support resources.

Counseling and Psychological Services, generally known as CAPS, is available at each regional campus.

IU Bloomington

IUPUI

IUPUC

IU East

IU Northwest

IU Southeast

IU Fort Wayne

IU Kokomo

IU South Bend

The SupportLinc Employee Assistance Program, or EAP, is a confidential resource that provides 24/7 access to professional counseling and referrals.

The Healthy IU site is a great resource for wellness tips and offers a variety of programs and information. This includes COVID-19-specific resources and creative self-care challenges.

Headspace

Calm

Insight Timer

National Suicide Prevention Line: 800-273-TALK (8255)

Crisis Textline: Text CSIS to 85511

The LGBTQ+ Trevor Lifeline: 866-488-7386

Read the original here:
How to identify and address feelings of anxiety and depression - IU Newsroom

Daily Update on Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)

September 18, 2020

New information is in red and bold.

This update is available online at healthvermont.gov/covid19

Click the See the Latest Update button.

Please visit the Vermont Department of Healths COVID-19 web and data pages healthvermont.gov/covid19

At his press conference Friday, Governor Phil Scott announced lodging facilities may now rent all their rooms, as long as guests comply with all other requirements.

That includes mask-wearing, physical distancing, and travel and quarantine requirements, in addition to limits on dining and gathering size, he said.

The Governor said that bar seating in restaurants will also be allowed, with physical distancing requirements in place. This means food and drink service can be served at the counter. But there needs to be a minimum of 6 feet between parties, and a Lexan barrier between the customers and the staff behind the counter.

Officials also announced that Vermonts travel map will now be updated on Tuesdays instead of Friday. The map displays those counties from which travelers to Vermont may need to quarantine.

This will give folks a few more days to see the latest map, and adjust their travel plans to comply, Gov. Scott said.

Both the Governor and Health Commissioner Mark Levine, MD noted Dr. Anthony Faucis praise for Vermonters work to limit the spread of COVID-19, but also his warning that we not let our guard down.

With change in the seasons and colder weather, we will be moving indoors, and that will have an impact on our cases, Dr. Levine said. Well be living and breathing closer together for longer periods of time. Sharing spaces and germs. Exactly the environment in which COVID-19 thrives. This makes it imperative that we keep up the core prevention practices to avoid illness.

Lets keep up the good work, and keep Vermont the national model for staying healthy and open that Dr. Fauci said we are, Dr. Levine said.

Dr. Levine also noted Friday that September is Public Health Lab Appreciation Month.

These incredibly hard-working Vermonters put in the long hours many working without a day off for weeks or months at a time to process, analyze and report out on the test samples taken from, so far, more than 153,000 people in the state, Dr. Levine said.

They do this within days, sometimes hours, of receiving the samples, through work that is meticulous and must be performed to exacting specifications.

So, to everyone associated with our public health lab: you have not just my thanks, but the appreciation of every Vermonter whose health and well-being you work to protect around the clock, Dr. Levine said.

While the rate of virus in Vermont remains low, we continue to see additional cases of COVID-19. As the state carefully reopens, its an important time to understand stigma, and how it has caused real, tangible harm to peoples health and safety.

Lets start with a core fact: No single person or group of people are more likely than others to spread COVID-19.

This is key because stigma is associated with a lack of knowledge about how COVID-19 spreads, which fuels fears about disease and death, gossip that spreads rumors and false information, and a need to place blame. Certain groups may be more likely to experience stigma and discrimination, but stigma hurts everyone by creating fear or anger toward ordinary people instead of focusing on the disease that is causing the problem.

Some ways we can help reduce stigma:

Maintain the privacy and confidentiality of people seeking healthcare and those who may be part of any contact investigation.

Quickly communicate the risk, or lack of risk, from contact with products, people, and places.

Correct negative language by sharing accurate information about how the virus spreads.

Speak out against negative behaviors and statements, including those on social media.

COVID-19 does not respect borders or prejudices. When we focus on supporting and respecting people in our actions and deeds, we can protect one another and help end this pandemic.

Learn more about reducing stigma from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

PreK-12 Schools: A table of School-Based COVID-19 Transmission is now available at healthvermont.gov/currentactivity.

Colleges/Universities: The Department of Financial Regulations School Reopening web page now includes links to each Vermont college and university that is currently maintaining a public dashboard or otherwise publicly maintaining information regarding their COVID-19 testing results.

Current COVID-19 Activity in Vermont

As of 12 p.m. on September 18, 2020

Description

Number

Total cases*

1,706

(2 new)

Currently hospitalized

3

Hospitalized under investigation

3

Total people recovered

1,536

Deaths+

58

People tested

154,099

Travelers monitored

464

Contacts monitored

32

People completed monitoring

8,489

* Includes testing conducted at the Health Department Laboratory, commercial labs and other public health labs.

+ Death occurring in persons known to have COVID-19. Death certificate may be pending.

Hospitalization data is provided by theVermont Healthcare Emergency Preparedness Coalition and is based on hospitals updating this information.

Find more at the data dashboard: healthvermont.gov/currentactivity.

Get the information you need at our Frequently Asked Questions.

If you are having a medical emergency, call 9-1-1 or go to the hospital.

If you think you have symptoms of COVID-19, call your health care provider.

Maintain physical distancing of at least 6 feet and wear a mask when near others.

Anyone can get tested, but not everyone needs to get tested.

Talk with your health care provider If you think you should be tested for COVID-19.

If you dont have a provider, dial 2-1-1, or contact the nearest federally qualified health center or one of Vermont's free & referral clinics.

Visit our testing web page for more guidance and where to get tested if you do need it.

Schools: Strong and Healthy Start: Safety and Health Guidance for Vermont Schools

Mental Health: A Strong and Healthy Start: Social, Emotional and Mental Health Supports During COVID-19

Sports: Fall Sports Programs for the 2020-2021 School Year

Child care: Health Guidance for Child Care and Out of School Care

Find additional resources on our Schools, Colleges and Child Care Programs web page.

Visit our Travel to Vermont web page for continually updated information and guidance, including about quarantine requirements, testing, and to sign up with Sara Alert for symptom check reminders.

Visit the Agency of Commerce and Community Developments website for Work Safe guidance.

If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs emotional support, help is available 24/7:

Get self-help tips and connect to mental health services at COVID Support VT.

See ways for Coping with Stress.

For more information:

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VDH COVID-19 Update: Spigot turned to help hospitality industry - Vermont Biz

Giving employees more days off of work. Refurbishing old computers for employees children. Paying for team members and their families to get flu shots.

These are only a handful of ways companies in Chicago helped maintain the health and wellness of their employees since transitioning to remote work. Burnout, caregiver responsibilities and stress management are all challenges employees face today. And according to the following four employers, its their responsibility to help protect the wellbeing of their employees and their families.

However, employees' needs can vary greatly from person to person, and as weve witnessed in the last six months, circumstances arent stagnant. In order to be helpful and adaptable, the four Chicago companies we spoke with said they rely heavily on feedback to build out their remote perks and benefits. Learning about the resources team members need and how effective those implementations are once theyre rolled out helps companies provide the most impactful remote assistance to their staff.

After the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, Heather Shulick, EVP of human resources at All Campus, a college and university enrollment management platform, noticed something alarming: many employees were cancelling PTO because they couldnt go anywhere and were holding onto PTO in case they got sick with COVID-19. She and other members of leadership immediately added three extra days to the holiday calendar to encourage employees to take time off to de-stress and recharge. But that was just the start of new perks offered.

How did your company adapt its perks to remote work? We gave staff bonus PTO to assure them they would have ample time to take off in case of illness. We also increased our rollover allotment for 2021 so employees can carry some of this flexibility into the next year.

Offering flexibility to employees with children is also important to us. We adjusted our PTO policy to allow all employees to take time off in shorter increments, giving them more wiggle room during the day to support their childrens virtual learning environment. To emphasize the value we place on holistic education, we are allowing parents to use their professional development credit in 2020 on their childrens professional development instead. Families can tap into this credit to purchase technology or supplies, pay for a tutor or subsidize additional childcare needs.

We gave staff bonus PTO to assure them they would have ample time to take off in case of illness.

Supporting employee mental health: We recently partnered with a third-party wellness company to give employees access to daily live and on-demand health and wellness classes. They also have opportunities to book same-day telehealth appointments. One example of a recent class was Parenting and Homeschooling 101, hosted by a clinical psychologist. Employees had the opportunity to ask an expert questions about virtual learning for their children.

We typically offer flu shots in our office. However, this year, we expanded our free flu shot program to allow employees and their families to get flu shots anywhere and expense it at no cost to them.

How employee feedback influenced new perks: When we first went remote, we sent out a company-wide pulse survey, which reinforced our views about making sure employees werent burning out. Staff discussed acclimating to their home offices and mentioned needing some things to round out their virtual workspace. So we sent every employee a $100 Amazon gift card to help make their home office a little more comfortable.

Liz Rose, director of HR at employee discount and rewards platform PerkSpot, said her team took immediate action to alleviate some of the stressors brought about by the pandemic. For starters, they developed a community fund: a no-questions-asked, case-by-case assistance opportunity for PerkSpotters that needed additional support, financial or otherwise.

How did your company adapt its perks to remote work? We ensured tangible and intangible accommodations were available to all employees. Our transition to a remote workplace started by uncovering and satisfying the immediate needs of employees. We offered flexible work time and provided equipment for home office setups. We also delivered care packages customized to each employee and their families, encouraging them to stay strong during the unprecedented times.

We emphasized communication through increased company-wide and leadership meetings, individual virtual employee check-ins and sharing information on health benefits and how to use them. We created outlets for employees to discuss what was happening in the community and share COVID-19-related updates with each other.

Every adjusted benefit or new perk was developed completely based on the feedback from employees.

Supporting employee mental health: To prevent burnout, PerkSpotters took Fridays off in June and July. It gave employees the chance to spend more time with loved ones and set aside time for non-work activities. We hope employees feel more refreshed and less impacted by stress, fatigue and burnout.

Once protocols were in place, we safely opened the office for those interested in using it and our gym. We also gave teams chances to meet up in a socially distanced, in-person fashion with outdoor outings. In each response to COVID-19, we made sure to closely monitor employee feedback and make quick alterations based on responses and employee participation.

We also developed a new Slack channel: Ask Me Anything. Employees get to know each others backgrounds by asking questions and hearing stories. Its been a way to keep human interactions alive and focus on the wellness of employees.

How employee feedback influenced new perks: Every adjusted benefit or new perk was developed completely based on the feedback from employees. We sent out multiple surveys and conducted one-on-one conversations to understand the wants and needs of PerkSpotters. Based on the results and qualitative feedback, we responded to those needs appropriately. We understand those needs continue to evolve, especially as our company and the current situation change. And we will continue to develop and provide benefits that fit with those ever-changing needs.

Working from home can have surprising hidden costs: Your office might need an update, and meals that were once purchased by your employer are suddenly out-of-pocket. Not so for Grubhub employees, who not only received a stipend for work office supplies, but also saw increased meal allowances, said Becky Altman, senior manager of culture and community at food-ordering and delivery platform Grubhub.

How did your company adapt its perks to remote work? When we transitioned our workforce to remote in March, we provided all employees with information on access to medical care and telehealth, COVID-19 symptoms and how to access our employee assistance program for mental health concerns. Then we issued a stipend to make sure everyone had the resources they needed to create a comfortable work-from-home environment.

In lieu of office snacks and lunches, we increased our meal perks allowance that offers employees a set weekly budget to order from local restaurants on Grubhub. If an employee didnt spend all their weekly perks, we donated the remainder to our Grubhub Community Relief Fund that provides financial relief for our community. The people team also created a library of resources that included guides on leading a remote team, local virtual events, remote team-building ideas and creative collaboration tools.

Our ability to remain productive and engaged at work is dependent on taking care of the self first.

Supporting employee mental health: Our working parent and Black employee affinity groups increased their opportunities to meet virtually, share resources and support each other through the challenges of the last several months. Wellness Wednesdays are a time for virtual fitness, yoga and meditation classes. They are a highlight for many and are recorded so that anyone can access them at their convenience.

We offer a menu of options that appeal to our diverse community with virtual cooking demos, happy hours, podcasts and lunch and learns. Most importantly, we encourage balance and wellness by setting meeting-free times where staff can get off their screens and prioritize self-care.

How employee feedback influenced new perks: There is no one-size-fits-all solution to what people need. The most important thing we can do right now is listen to our people and support them in ways that are most meaningful to them. Our ability to remain productive and engaged at work is dependent on taking care of the self first.

To fully understand what support would be most effective, we surveyed our people every 30 days at the beginning of our time at home. All of our initiatives, stipends and resources were a direct result of employee feedback. By listening to our people and delivering on their feedback, we hopefully have sent a strong message that says, We see you, we hear you and we care about you.

Company culture can make or break a business in times of crisis, said Elizabeth Klisser, director of communications and experience at property management platform SMS Assist. So when the pandemic forced the entire company to work from home, Klisser said a detailed culture plan was in place to help them to transition their culture-building activities like monthly department trivia to a remote set-up quickly.

What other perks did you adapt for remote work?Other elements required some creativity. Because there was no NCAA basketball tournament due to COVID-19, we created our own Mutt Meowdness bracket using pictures of SMSers pets ranked by cuteness. Over 100 employees completed brackets, including our CEO. We also developed a Feel Good Friday video series: Our receptionist at the Chicago office reads good-news stories from employees like an employee becoming a new dad and from around the world.

We developed a video series with a local therapist who put together weekly evidence-based stress management techniques.

Supporting employee mental health: To help make things a little easier for parents with children learning from home, we refurbished old laptops we planned to recycle and distributed them to employees with dependents in need of a computer for online learning.

Employees also took advantage of resources like Ginger, which provides free on-demand support from mental health professionals, as well as an employee assistance program paid for by SMS Assist. Internally, we offered a variety of resources housed on our employee intranet like virtual yoga including kid-friendly classes and virtual meditation through our partnership with Chill Chicago. For those that prefer physical activity, we competed in Friday fitness challenges via Zoom and posted free virtual workouts.

How employee feedback influenced new perks: Working alongside our VP of HR, we surveyed employees about how they were feeling in response to the pandemic, the support they were getting and how we could best help them. They shared what they were struggling with and the resources they needed, which we used to design our programming.

Stress management was one of the top concerns. So, we developed a video series with a local therapist who put together weekly evidence-based stress management techniques on everything from self-care for caretakers to improving your sleep. Employees were also interested in taking advantage of development opportunities from home, so we started a new expert series where senior leaders teach virtual classes in their areas of expertise.

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Perks and Benefits Remote Workers Actually Want - Built In Chicago

Most Americans are paying off some kind of debt, whether you've gotstudent loans, a car loan, a mortgage or high-interest credit card debt.

Sometimes, debt is part of a long-term financial plan (like if you hope to one day make money on the house you're renovating). But other times, we find ourselves in debt because of unexpected circumstances, or simply because it's tough to make ends meet.

Juggling all this debt is one reason why so many people arestressed about money. But there are steps that people can take to break the cycle, and those who have managed to put a big dent in their debt will tell you that it is usually worth a little sacrifice.

Below, CNBC Select spoke with four people who paid off a lot of debt to get their tips on how to stay motivated and find success.

Katia Chesnok was working a 9-to-5 job at a bank when her credit card debt was sent to collections.

It was a wake-up call: She realized she couldn't ignore her debt any longer, but she needed to find a way to earn more money fast.

Thanks to the advice of her colleague, Chesnok enrolled in a free marketing certificate course through Google's Digital Garage. Within a month, she'd completed three certificates (absolutely free) and had the skills she needed to start a side hustle helping local businesses generate more online traffic and revenue.

"There's a limit to how much we can save every month, but there's no limit on how much we can earn," says Chesnok. As her side hustle income grew, she was able to divert that new surplus of cash to pay off her debt.

She automated her payments every month, a trick she says is key for anyone juggling multiple jobs and bills.

"By automating my own payments, I was very consistent," she says.

Chesnok was getting paid twice a month, on the 15th and the 30th. She called her card issuers to set up autopay near the beginning of the month so she knew the money would be there and she'd have no problem covering the bill.

In 2016, Divya Sangam was credit invisibleand thought she was safe from debt because she paid for everything in cash.

But she made an error while filling out her W4, and she and her partner were hit with a surprise tax bill that they couldn't pay off right away.

One of the couple's favorite hobbies is going to the movies, especially to their local theaters in New Jersey that show movies in all three languages they speak English, Hindi and Tami.

However, when they wound up in debt, the couple reconsidered how much they were spending on date nights. They opted to stay home andstream movies on Amazon Prime and Netflixinstead.

After they paid off the debt, Sangam and her partner have decided to maintain their tighter budget: "Going to one movie a month seems like such an indulgence now," she says. "Especially to our favorite AMC dine-in theater where you can relax on the recliner or have a burger and milkshake brought to your seat."

With the extra savings from their new routine, the couple is padding their emergency fund and saving up for a down payment.

Entrepreneur Michelle Jackson has paid off over $60,000 of credit card and loan debt since 2012. When she started, the debt felt like "a mountain," and she knew that if she was going to tackle it, she couldn't make the journey miserable.

"I knew that if I tried to eliminate everything that I enjoyed from my life in order to achieve this goal, I would fail," Jackson says. "So, I decided to be honest about the things that I enjoyed as I began."

Jackson continued ordering avocado toast, she tells CNBC Select. And if you're wondering about coffee she kept buying that, too. However, Jackson was more discerning about when she treated herself, and she kept her coffee drinks simple, saying no to add-ons like extra espresso shots and flavors.

Jackson even traveled frequently. "Those trips helped keep me sane and reenergized me each time I felt a little low," she recalls.

But instead of charging travel costs on a credit card, she saved up to pay for her trips in cash. She stayed at upscale hostels, rather than expensive hotels, to enjoy a unique experience on a budget.

As for self-care, Jackson still took dance classes but found ways to lower the cost by doing work-exchange programs at the studio.

"Basically, I systematically worked through my wants and figured out ways to enjoy them at the same quality while spending less," she says.

Credit repair coach Shant Harris of Financial Common Centspaid off over $50,000 of credit card debt before becoming a certified credit consultant. Now, she has expert-level knowledge about the credit industry, including how to navigate debt collections and restore badly damaged credit scores.

Paying off her debt was challenging, but Harris possesses one important quality that she credits for getting her across the finish line: teachability.

"I wasn't born with an 800 credit score," says Harris."Everyone is where they are now because they learned something, whether it was a tragic situation or just learning from college or your friends."

You don't have to be an expert to get yourself out of debt; you just have to be adaptable and willing to learn.

The first step to paying off your debt is knowing exactly how much you've got on your plate. Pull yourcredit report for freeatAnnualCreditReport.comto see exactly what accounts you have in your name and what you owe on each.

It's also important to understand how your debt is affecting your credit score. A common assumption is that if you're in debt, your score will be bad. But actually, you can still have a good scorewhen you're in debt. The key is to borrow strategically and make your payments on time.

Signing up for a credit monitoring service will help you track your score and know where you stand. As you pay off your debt (especially revolving credit card debt), you'll likely see your score improve.

Since FICO scores are used in over 90% of lending decisions, signing up for the FICO Basic, Advanced or Premier service will help you get a good snapshot at what lenders see. It's also comprehensive, for when you want to apply for a big-ticket. All plans offer access to 28 versions of your FICO score, including scores for credit cards, mortgages and auto loans. Plus you'll receive $1 million identity theft insurance and 24/7 access to U.S.-based identity theft experts who can help restore your identity if your information is compromised.

Information about FICO Basic, Advanced and Premier plans have been collected independently by CNBC and has not been reviewed or provided by the company prior to publication.

$19.95 to $39.95 per month

Experian for Basic plan or Experian, Equifax and TransUnion forAdvanced and Premier plans

Yes, forAdvanced and Premier plans

Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the CNBC Select editorial staffs alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.

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Keep your coffee and other advice from people who paid off thousands in debt - CNBC

Image courtesy of guideinc.org

By Kat Kaderabek

The month of September is deemed National Suicide Prevention Month, and the Catholic University community is still taking steps to raise awareness for this devastating reality, even while the community remains separated.

According to safecolleges.com, suicide is the second most common cause of death among college students. The advent of the global pandemic has set mental health as a huge concern amongst people, most especially the health of students and the elderly.

Regardless of age, gender, sex, or ethinicity, suicide has the potential to affect anyone. It is vital to know the services and methods to help with coping with mental health issues. It could save someones life, or your own.

In an effort to destigmatize suicide, the National Hotline will be receiving its own three-digit dial-code 988. However, this number does not go into effect for at least another eighteen months as reported by NPR.org.

As the 10th leading cause of death in the United States, this is a productive and life-saving decision that has the potential to lower the suicide rate. Currently, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 800-273-8255. It is open twenty-four hours for free confidential calls in both English and Spanish.

The Safe Colleges website has reported 80-90% of college students who have committed suicide were not receiving help from college counselors. The Catholic University Counseling Center has recognized these numbers and implemented several options to help those struggling with suicidal thoughts.

All students are eligible to receive forty-five free sessions at The Counseling Center during their undergraduate studies, as well as forty-five free sessions as a graduate student. These sessions appear as a one-on-one confidential counseling appointment, but group counseling sessions are also offered. These group sessions include Stress Management 101, Building Your Mental Health Pandemic Toolkit, and Mosaic.

Counseling is also available virtually; however, it is currently state-dependent during the pandemic. Regardless of this, the counselors at the Counseling Center will work diligently to find a local counselor if needed.

During these times of uncertainty that require our flexibility and resilience, it is important to engage in self-care, said CUA counselor Rebecca Kim. Self-care can include daily exercise, meditation, hobbies, social connections, and getting enough sleep. The Counseling Center is offering a variety of resources to help strengthen those self-care strategies.

She urges those who are in need of these services to please contact the Counseling Center for more information at 202-319-5765. Additionally, there are self-help resources on the website including links to guided meditations and other helpful information.

Prioritizing ones mental health is equally as important as taking care of oneself physically. While this is a very overwhelming and upsetting topic, it is an important issue to address. Suicide is preventable. The Catholic University of America is intent on raising awareness and connecting the community even amidst a global pandemic.

You are never alone. Once a Cardinal, always a Cardinal.

Your community is here for you.

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Suicide Prevention Month - Catholic University of America The Tower

Wellness classes provided by the Area Agency on Aging District 7 (AAA7) have started back up after a time off due to the coronavirus pandemic. While physical distancing requirements remain in place, a creative solution to offer the programs has been developed. Beginning Oct. 7 through Nov. 11, the AAA7 will be offering the popular Diabetes Self-Management Program through a telephone conference call. The format will allow the AAA7 to connect and support class participants while learning valuable tools to manage diabetes. The telephone conference classes will be facilitated by AAA7 staff through a toll-free call-in number. Classes will be held weekly on Wednesdays from 10:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m.

Those who are interested must pre-register for the class. Once registered, participants will receive a free Diabetes Self-Management kit in the mail and the conference call information prior to the start of the class. The kit includes the book, Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions, a relaxation CD, and handouts for each class. Contents in the kit will be used for the weekly calls. Participation in the weekly telephone conference calls is required to receive the kit at no cost.

Residents 60 and older in Adams, Brown, Gallia, Highland, Jackson, Lawrence, Pike, Ross, Scioto, and Vinton counties are eligible to register at no cost. To register for the class, please call the AAA7 at 1-800-582-7277 and ask for Hannah at extension 247, or e-mail info@aaa7.org. In order to receive the materials in the mail in time for the start of the class, registration deadline is Sept. 25.

Those who are interested are encouraged to register to stay socially connected and enhance their diabetes self-management skills.

Your local Area Agency on Aging District 7, Inc. provides services on a non-discriminatory basis in ten counties in Southern Ohio including Adams, Brown, Gallia, Highland, Jackson, Lawrence, Pike, Ross, Scioto and Vinton. These services are available to help older adults and those with disabilities live safely and independently in their own homes through services paid for by Medicare, Medicaid, other federal and state resources, as well as private pay. The AAA7s Resource Center is also available to anyone in the community looking for information or assistance with long-term care options. Available Monday through Friday from 8:00 am until 4:30 pm, the Resource Center is a valuable contact for learning more about options and what programs and services are available for assistance.

Those interested in learning more can call toll-free at 1-800-582-7277 (TTY: 711). Here, individuals can speak directly with a trained Resource Specialist who will assist them with information surrounding the programs and services that are available to best serve their needs. The Agency also offers an in-home assessment at no cost for those who are interested in learning more. Information is also available on http://www.aaa7.org, or the Agency can be contacted through e-mail at info@aaa7.org. The Agency also has a Facebook page located at http://www.facebook.com/AreaAgencyOnAgingDistrict7.

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Diabetes self-management telephone class to begin Oct. 7 - The Tribune - Ironton Tribune