It’s December here at Club Josh in year zero of Covid. Who knows how long this thing will last now. I feel a bit bad that I have skipped month 7 with a general update, but to be honest, it’s all snowballing and running together faster and faster. Time is measured in cutting fingernails and doing laundry and our weekly movie night. The rest of the time is trying not to go crazy.
In October, hopes of a park opening were stomped on and Covid cases began to spike as people decided that Halloween and Thanksgiving parties were worth the risk. I am not guilt free here as our family held an outdoor socially distanced event which thanks to spacing and lots of hand sanitizer didn’t turn into a super spreader event. Here in late December, we are setting Covid records left and right with no end in sight. Thankfully the vaccine has started to roll out, but it will be months or probably another year before we can all start to emerge from out cocoons we have built in our homes. I wonder when or if I will get to travel internationally again. I am thinking 2022 at the earliest which is fine with me.
I have been super lucky – I personally am waiting for my Covid results after some family members tested positive, but if I do have it, I haven’t had any symptoms – in fact I don’t think I have been sick this year at all save for some allergies (knock on wood..). I am very fortunate indeed and I count my blessings all the time. We have food and a roof over our heads and if the hardest thing I have to do is not go crazy while staying home then I think I can manage.
Most people seem to be doing the right thing and I can understand the desire to live a “new normal” that was established during the summer, but I think people are missing the point. Also it doesn’t help stop the spread because stores are still open. We really need to repeat the March-April complete lockdown of stores and dining to get this under control and I am hoping that we will get that after the pressure to keep stores open for Christmas passes.
I have been out of work now for what seems like forever. It looks like unemployment will be extended a few months into 2021 so I think I will be fine to stick it out. I would rather not think about what happens when the money runs out, but ever the planner, I have backup plans. In my mind, I like to think that I am just on a sabbatical from work. Work is out there just waiting for me and I am sure if and when I get called back I will try and set new goals for myself going forward. I just wonder if I will manage to be away from my job as long as I was in China. Again I am fortunate that I still have a job to go back to (for now) when so many of my talented co workers and partners were let go or chose to retire. Its going to be so weird going back.
In the meantime I am really trying to find new projects. I spend way too many days sitting around doing nothing but I have come up with two new projects for me to do at home:
– Digitize my 1982-1999 photo albums (I borrowed a flatbed scanner and completed one album before I got frustrated)
– Finish writing my missing travel diaries (i’ve been putting this off since summer and need to get motivated again..) and possibly turn it into something more (like a book?)
– Digitize old cassette tapes
While all these projects and goals of being reinvigorated for work are great, ultimately I just need to survive the next few months and I will be happy with that. Oh and I need to get back into going for regular walks. That will help too..