Welcome back to the Isolation Diaries, our weekly round-up of the things that bring us joy, keep us creatively motivated and help us unwind. What have you been up to?

We all search for meaning in everything we do, Issue 29 of the New Philosopher is all about this exploration of purpose. Speaking of purpose, we’re revisiting a classic by George Orwell, the one about a society hungry for power: Where all animals are equal… but some are more equal than others. Caitlin Doughty is a mortician, activist and ‘funeral industry rabble-rouser’. Her book Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? is a collection of the questions she most often gets about death… asked by young people. Spoiler alert: Yes, your cat will eat your eyeballs.

A project designed to mentor emerging filmmakers while finding ways around industry restrictions, Lockdown Stories is moving, intimate, funny and heart-warming. Atlantic Productions has produced an immersive and captivating 5-part VR series about the world of insects, narrated by David Attenborough. Fargo Season Four was finally released last month, after facing some production delays due to the pandemic. Set in 1950 Kansas City, and with an all-star ensemble cast, we’re pretty confident this season was worth the wait.

We’re still looking for crafty projects to pick up here and there, our newest is punch needling, a new take on embroidery. It’s easy, relaxing, requires zero screen time—and you get a piece of art at the end. Our menu this week includes this tomato baked chicken dish, aka the boujee parma. It’s easy and perfect for those who want to impress the household. It’s October, so we’re getting spooky and making some Halloween decorations with Martha. Please also be sure to also check out her top costumes.

A tribute week… We’re celebrating the greats, making our way through all things Van Halen—rest in power, Eddie. And John Lennon would’ve turned eighty years old this week, wow. Here’s a compilation of some of his best work, as sung by some of our favourite artists. There’s a world we can visit if we go outside, outside… We hereby dedicate this playlist to all things outside. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, inspired by being outside, not being outside, motivation to go outside… Enjoy, get some fresh air.