{"id":2086,"date":"2022-03-26T04:43:38","date_gmt":"2022-03-26T04:43:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/linksus.net\/good-news-in-2020-yes-its-true-here-are-100-positive-things-that-happened-this-year-usa-today\/"},"modified":"2022-03-26T04:43:38","modified_gmt":"2022-03-26T04:43:38","slug":"good-news-in-2020-yes-its-true-here-are-100-positive-things-that-happened-this-year-usa-today","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/linksus2.linksus.net\/index.php\/2022\/03\/26\/good-news-in-2020-yes-its-true-here-are-100-positive-things-that-happened-this-year-usa-today\/","title":{"rendered":"Good news in 2020? Yes, it's true! Here are 100 positive things that happened this year – USA TODAY"},"content":{"rendered":"

Well, that was brutal. But\u00a0believe it or not, 2020\u00a0wasn’t all bad.
Halfway through this downer of a year, we published a list of 100 positive things that had happened so far<\/a>, despite a raging worldwide pandemic<\/a>, a country upended by a fight for racial equality<\/a>, a divisive election<\/a> and\u00a0the loss of beloved celebrities<\/a>.\u00a0
Sadly, the second half of the year did not provide relief. In fact, COVID-19 cases skyrocketed, forcing Americans to make tough decisions around holiday gatherings.\u00a0The fight for racial equality continued.\u00a0More celebrities died.
It still\u00a0does not feel like a moment to see the glass as half full or make lemonade out of lemons. But\u00a0we tried.
This is not meant to minimize the harsh reality of an incredibly difficult year. Many lost loved ones. Many are struggling. Many feel sad, scared, frustrated and broken.
But while this year seemed especially hard, there were silver linings. Out of coronavirus came\u00a0creativity. Out of quarantine came bonus time with family. Out of activism came changes for the better.
One thing we can try to do is to remember the good. Maybe this list will help. From small acts of kindness to new albums that got us dancing, here\u00a0are 100 good things that happened in 2020, compiled by USA TODAY’s Life staff, in no particular order:\u00a0
Vaccines! Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna\u2019s COVID-19 vaccines\u200b\u200b were approved by the FDA and are being distributed to the most vulnerable populations. Celebrities like Ian McKellen<\/a>, 81, and\u00a0“Great British Baking Show” judge\u00a0Prue Leith<\/a>, 80,\u00a0have already received their first dose.
This 91-year-old British grandpa got the vaccine<\/a> and reminded us, “There\u2019s no point in dying now.”
Not to be outdone, this\u00a0103-year-old grandma beat COVID-19 and celebrated with a Bud Light<\/a>.
Drive-in movie theaters<\/a>\u00a0made\u00a0a comeback.
Drive-in concerts became a thing<\/a>\u00a0(which is great news for those missing live music, or those\u00a0who don\u2019t like crowds anyway).
Football greats Tom Brady and Peyton Manning played golf with golf greats Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods in “The Match” for COVID-19 relief<\/a>\u00a0and it was amazing.
Restaurants shared their secret recipes<\/a> so we could make them at home.
John Krasinski made good news go viral<\/a> with \u201cSome Good News.\u201d
Restaurants got awesomely creative to enforce social distancing with pool noodle hats, bumper boats and dapper mannequin guests<\/a>.
This opera company performed to a beautiful audience of houseplants<\/a> and then donated the plants to health care workers.
People around the country brushed up on their sewing skills, making masks<\/a> for people who need them most.\u00a0
\u201cTiger King\u201d somehow connected us<\/a>. These other true-crime documentaries<\/a> were pretty great, too.
Lady Gaga gave us a new album<\/a> for sweaty dance-floor fun \u2013\u00a0in our living rooms.
Dua Lipa single-handedly saved pop music<\/a>.
Then Carly Rae Jepsen did it again<\/a> with her new album.\u00a0
The Chicks returned after 14 years<\/a> with “Gaslighter” and reignited our love of twangy empowerment songs.
Demi Lovato returned with her Grammy performance<\/a>, followed by\u00a0a flawless delivery\u00a0of the national anthem\u00a0at the\u00a0Super Bowl<\/a>.
Mariah Carey blessed us with a Christmas TV special (and simultaneous whistle tones with Ariana Grande<\/a>).
In fact, it was the women in music<\/a> who helped us manage\u00a0seemingly endless bad news with their dance tracks, moving ballads and fierce messages about love and equality.\u00a0Leave it to women to save the day.
DJ D-Nice gave everyone Club Quarantine<\/a> with his free live sets. We got to party with Oprah, Snoop Dogg and Michelle Obama.
BTS<\/a> had a “Dynamite”\u00a0year, with the K-pop super group releasing its first song entirely in English, which earned a Grammy nomination, and being named Time magazine\u2019s 2020 Entertainer of\u00a0the Year<\/a>.
People got creative about reimagined vacations<\/a>, including our own staff.
Americans rushed to adopt and foster pets<\/a> in need amid the pandemic. And then we got to spend more time with our precious pets while we worked from home.
Sure, we might have\u00a0gained a little weight<\/a>, but we rediscovered our love for old hobbies like cooking and gardening<\/a>.
And when it comes to baking, we got really creative by turning tiny pancakes into cereal and so much more<\/a>.
We also had\u00a0time to read again and we\u00a0seized\u00a0the moment to educate ourselves: Books like Robin DiAngelo’s “White Fragility” and Ibram X.\u00a0Kendi’s “How to Be an Antiracist” topped USA TODAY’s best-selling books list<\/a> for weeks.
Lots of other great new novels hit the shelves this year, too. These 13 books earned perfect four-star reviews<\/a> from USA TODAY critics.
Puzzles and board games<\/a> became cool again and offered a much-needed break from our screens.
Even chess boards returned in droves\u00a0to dining room tables,\u00a0thanks to “The Queen’s Gambit,”<\/a>\u00a0one of the best shows of\u00a02020.
Disney Channel stars from childhood had major glo-up moments<\/a>\u00a0after overcoming challenges.
TikTok blew up and our boredom was cured. (Well, at least some of our time during quarantine was\u00a0filled learning dances<\/a> from these short videos.)
The video-sharing app\u00a0gave us Tabitha Brown<\/a>, who soothed\u00a0us with her calming voice and motivational speeches. These Black creators<\/a>\u00a0brought joy, too.
TikTok also gave us this heartwarming video of a guy skateboarding to “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac and it\u00a0got Stevie Nicks<\/a> and Mick Fleetwood<\/a> to join the platform.
Netflix\u2019s elaborate \u201cFloor Is Lava\u201d<\/a> competition brought us back to the imaginary game of our childhoods. Reality TV games<\/a>\u00a0offered mindless entertainment \u2013 a distraction from the serious and an outlet for silliness.\u00a0
Distilleries<\/a> around the country used their\u00a0resources to produce badly needed hand sanitizer.
Brad Paisley bought beer<\/a> for these two friends who encouraged their\u00a0community,\u00a0\u201cBlack or white, relax and have a beer.\u201d
Stanley Tucci<\/a> made a Negroni\u00a0<\/a>in an inexplicably soothing video\u00a0and we just really needed it.\u00a0
Ina Garten<\/a>\u00a0made a cocktail, too, and we related to its massive size.\u00a0
Major companies such as\u00a03M and Apple<\/a> pooled resources or shifted production to make millions of masks to help keep people safe.
Ford, GM, Tesla and other automakers<\/a> were able to make ventilators and other medical devices to help with the pandemic.\u00a0
The Life is Good brand\u00a0kept optimism thriving<\/a> in a difficult time. Through social distancing and staggered shifts, the company kept\u00a0its distribution center up and running. The brand’s catchy pandemic T-shirts flew off the shelves with messages like\u00a0“Wash your paws” and\u00a0“Stay calm, stay cool, stay home.”
Crayola launched a box of crayons with diverse skin colors<\/a> for\u00a0children to “accurately color themselves into the world.”
We learned that homeschooling is HARD<\/a>\u00a0and finally recognized teachers for the heroes that they are. \u00a0
Health care workers and essential workers<\/a>:\u00a0Also heroes.\u00a0
NASA named\u00a0its\u00a0Washington\u00a0headquarters<\/a> after Mary W. Jackson, its first Black female engineer.
Bird-watching<\/a>:\u00a0We did it. Peaceful, right?
Sales of bikes, helmets and other accessories soared<\/a> as people sought socially distant activities and entertainment outside. And let’s be honest, we all needed the fresh air and exercise.
Zoom flubs brought comedic relief, like this ABC reporter<\/a> who forgot to put on pants.
Banksy resurfaced<\/a>!
We came up with creative ways to celebrate big milestones like drive-by birthdays and\u00a0Zoom parties<\/a>.
Twelve-year-old Keedron Bryant went viral with his powerful song about being a young Black man in America. He got a record deal<\/a>.
A 6-year-old\u00a0boy saved his little sister from an attacking dog<\/a>\u00a0and was hailed as a superhero.
For the first time, the best picture Oscar went to an international feature film: “Parasite<\/a>.”
Mickey Guyton sang a\u00a0powerful rendition<\/a> of “What Are You Gonna Tell Her?” at the Academy of Country Music\u00a0Awards, the first Black female country artist to perform on that stage. She also made history by becoming\u00a0the first Black female solo artist to earn a Grammy nod<\/a> in a country music category.\u00a0
Brad Pitt charmed us with jokes<\/a> during awards season. He also won his first acting Oscar and made a hunky Dr. Anthony Fauci.
Laura Dern<\/a> won her first Oscar.
Billie Eilish swept the Grammys<\/a>.
Grammys host\u00a0Alicia Keys<\/a> gave us a much-needed moment of comfort following the death of Kobe Bryant. \u00a0
Then Keys did it again as host of Nickelodeon’s\u00a0“Kids, Race and Unity,”<\/a> helping us have important conversations with children about racism and police brutality.
A \u201cFriends\u201d reunion, finally! (It\u2019s delayed because of coronavirus, but you can still rewatch all of the sitcom on HBO Max<\/a> until then.)
A \u201cBachelor\u201d for seniors<\/a> is in the works and we are SO HERE FOR IT.
Love still blossomed amid quarantine<\/a> thanks to drones, digital dinners and an inflatable plastic bubble.
Love blossomed for celebrities, too! Star engagements and marriages<\/a> showed us love is still going strong even in a challenging year.
After\u00a040 seasons of \u201cThe Bachelor\u201d and \u201cThe Bachelorette,\u201d ABC finally cast its first Black male lead<\/a>, Matt James.
Major entertainment organizations such as\u00a0The Academy<\/a>, The Recording Academy<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0TV networks<\/a>\u00a0made commitments to improve diversity.
Magazine covers grew more inclusive, both on the page and behind the scenes. See our gallery of groundbreaking covers<\/a>.
Elliot Page<\/a> spoke his truth and came out as transgender.
Kate McKinnon and Elizabeth Warren flipped the switch<\/a> and it was amazing.
Cast reunions \u2013\u00a0like “The West Wing”<\/a> and “Goonies”<\/a> \u2013\u00a0helped us remember the good ol’ days.
Celebrities surprised graduates<\/a> at virtual commencement ceremonies.\u00a0
Celebrity kindness didn’t stop there. There were many heartwarming stories but we especially loved when Jason Momoa surprised a\u00a0young “Aquaman”\u00a0fan<\/a> battling cancer and when Dwayne “The Rock”\u00a0Johnson and\u00a0John Krasinski teamed up<\/a> to help a\u00a0widowed father give his kids a special\u00a0Christmas.\u00a0
Beyonc\u00e9\u00a0dropped some fierce surprises, like her Juneteenth track \u201cBlack Parade\u201d and visual album\u00a0“Black Is King”<\/a> on Disney+.
Taylor Swift dropped not one, but\u00a0TWO\u00a0surprise albums.\u00a0They tied for USA TODAY’s best of 2020<\/a>.
Dolly Parton. She helped fund Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine research<\/a>, gave us a Christmas album and TV special<\/a>, and saved her young co-star<\/a>. She is a national treasure.
Ashley Graham, Jenna Dewan, Anderson Cooper and more stars\u00a0welcomed the most adorable babies<\/a>.
Eminem celebrated<\/a> 12 years of sobriety and released two surprise albums.
Miley Cyrus is working on her sobriety<\/a>,\u00a0too.
Dax Shepard relapsed but then recovered<\/a> thanks to unconditional love from his friends and family. He\u00a0shared his journey to help others struggling with addiction.
Smaller movies and hidden gems were suddenly at our fingertips<\/a> (streaming!). Bigger movies, too. Warner Bros. announced it will release all of its 2021 movies on HBO Max<\/a>. It could be a blow to theaters, but it’s a win for consumers.\u00a0
NBC saved joyful TV show \u201cZoey\u2019s Extraordinary Playlist,\u201d<\/a> renewing it for another season just as our readers wanted per USA TODAY’s annual “Save Our Shows” survey.
\u201cHamilton\u201d the movie. It lived\u00a0up to the hype<\/a>.
Virtual wine tastings<\/a>! Because we can\u2019t all afford to visit California or Italy, even if we weren\u2019t in a pandemic.
We embraced our gray hair. Well, at least our books editor did<\/a>.
At-home hairstyles\u00a0brought us much-needed laughs, like Ryan Reynolds\u2019\u00a0tiny ponytail<\/a>.
We realized how much we love and need sports<\/a> and its ability to unite us.
With toilet paper out of stock, bidets are booming<\/a>, which is good news for our behinds and less wasteful.
Disney Family Singalongs<\/a> entertained our kids for more than five\u00a0minutes. OK, we are actually happy about the extra time with them.
Musicians took\u00a0to social media to give us personal concerts from home<\/a>.
Late-night talk show hosts<\/a> continued to bring the funny from their homes, with adorable special guests \u2013\u00a0their kids.\u00a0
Wearing sweatpants and tees became acceptable fashion choices<\/a>\u00a0all day, every day.
Weddings still happened over Zoom<\/a> and it was beautiful.
We got a lot of new Christmas music<\/a> and we’re not mad about it.
While coronavirus pushed\u00a0many museums to close, it opened up their collections to audiences virtually<\/a>. Sure, it\u2019s still better to see art in person, but it\u2019s not a bad way to spend your lunch break. Smithsonian, anyone?
You can also now virtually explore national parks, zoos, even Mars<\/a>!
We took road trips! Our reporter learned to RV and then shared all the glorious details of how to do it with us<\/a>.
Despite production shutdowns and theaters closing, we still got some really good movies in 2020 and ones that told diverse stories. Our 10 best movies of the year<\/a> takes in\u00a0an inclusive musical about gay teens and several\u00a0movies about the Black experience.\u00a0
TV made the year bearable. Our TV critic rewatched old favorites<\/a> like “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “The Office” and relaxed with “The Great British Baking Show” and “Schitt’s Creek.”\u00a0
Through it all, we’ve kept our sense of humor, as evidenced by the holiday cards we sent out<\/a>.
There were still\u00a0PUPPY PICTURES<\/a>!
The best news of all: 2020 is nearly over, and we are taking its\u00a0painful\u00a0but necessary lessons<\/a>\u00a0with us into the new year. Practice gratitude, hug your friends and family when you can and don’t wait to live your best life.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Well, that was brutal. But\u00a0believe it or not, 2020\u00a0wasn’t all bad.Halfway through this downer of a year, we published a list of 100 positive things that had happened so far, despite a raging worldwide pandemic, a country upended by a fight for racial equality, a divisive election and\u00a0the loss of beloved celebrities.\u00a0Sadly, the second half […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":869,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/linksus2.linksus.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2086"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/linksus2.linksus.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/linksus2.linksus.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linksus2.linksus.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/869"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linksus2.linksus.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2086"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/linksus2.linksus.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2086\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/linksus2.linksus.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2086"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linksus2.linksus.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2086"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linksus2.linksus.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2086"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}