Saying Goodbye to 2020 #490

by Sue Hawkes

Work from home – school from home – everybody’s home  

Zoomed in, zoomed out 

Online workouts, school, training, meetings; life feels like it’s on a screen 

Remote, online, distance and hybrid learning 

Grey hair, long hair and home haircuts are in, haircuts at a distance 

Everything behind plexiglass  

Visiting loved ones through windows  

Doctors, dentists and front-line workers in hazmat suits  

Being alone for birth, illness and death with numbers posted daily 

Grocery shopping/shopping online/curbside pick up 

Stockpiling and price gouging – toilet paper, sanitizer, food, disinfectant wipe shortages  

Supply chain problems  

Netflix binging 

Murder hornets 

Never escaping the words “unprecedented” or “pivot” 

The gift of no commute 

Too much or not enough office space 

No in person concerts, church services, festivals, public gatherings or conferences  

Creative collaborations online 

Businesses in hospitality are suffering, dying or gone  

Outdoor dining, pick-up and delivery 

Reduced consumerism 

Everything old is new again 

Depression era practices are back 

Prioritizing relationships, family time, arts  

Rediscovering hobbies 

Slowing down 

Overwhelm 

PPP and EIDL loans conversations changing every week 

Kids missing friends, school and sports  

Parenting and home education while working from home 

Alcohol and sanitizer are booming  

RV vacations on the rise, Air BnB, and VRBO are the way to go  

Downtown metros quieted 

Racial unrest 

Protestors, riots and looting  

Activism and division among people 

Inclusion and equity as a priority 

Flatten the curve 

Curfews and stay at home orders 

Real estate is booming 

Every day is blursday 

Mental illness and alcoholism are social problems 

Exercise and sleep are back again  

Temperature checks  

Cooking, baking and gardening 

Time in nature 

Home improvements, construction everywhere 

Travel bans 

Hand lotion is everywhere after washing and washing and washing 

Happy Hour/game night/company culture through a screen 

The election that wouldn’t end 

Questioning democracy 

Mainstream media and fact checking 

Designer masks and the search for a comfortable one 

6’ distance 

Elbow bumps 

Sports in a bubble  

Sanitization and cleanliness as a strategy 

Facetime 

Don’t touch your face 

Protecting your privacy  

Contact tracing 

Environmental wins – Italy’s canals clear to the ground, roadways clear, pollution reduced 

Quarantining – creating your “pod” 

Dressing from the waist up 

Home offices tricked out 

Road trips 

Super spreader events and surges or spikes  

Shutdowns  

Fatigue and stress are high 

The holidays are changing and changed  

Small gatherings  

Fires, hurricanes and floods 

Graduations, birthdays, weddings and funerals as small, online or non-existent gatherings 

Gas @ prices that were last seen in 2005 

No traffic 

Pets win with the pandemic – adoption of pets, empty shelters 

Organize and simplify your life and expectations 

Adaptability and flexibility are requirements 

“You’re on mute” is a permanent meme 

And here’s 2020 in pictures from NPR and The NY Times to remember the year. It’s been a journey.  

Welcome 2021, we’re ready for you! 

Sue HawkesSaying Goodbye to 2020 #490