Tag: Challenge

I am picturing opening Christmas presents, snow-filled days, dogs whipping towels around in their mouths, high-intensity interval training, weightlifting, air guitar ensembles, and just other things that may or may not make their way inside my head, completing one of the longest opening sentences this blog has ever experienced!

This has been a year of firsts, has it not?

The first pandemic of our lives (unless you’re just over 100 years old and remember the 1918 flu pandemic).

The first time fans at indoor and outdoor sporting events were largely non-existent.

The first time you could not safely go into the office unless you were an essential worker.

The first time you used video conferencing since you met your significant other.

Toilet paper shortage.

A second wave of toilet paper shortages.

Wearing masks or seeing people wearing masks not only on Halloween but every day.

The phenomenon that is elbow bumping.

The phenomenon that is an air five.

Using the living room for school classes.

Not being able to eat indoors at restaurants.

Buffering becomes commonplace.

Commuting to your basement.

Having family dinners at the table again.

Having family dinners in the living room with TV trays.

Quarantining as a family.

Quarantining as an individual.

Social distancing.

Not practicing social distancing.

Ordering everything, including groceries, online.

Experiencing pandemic fatigue.

A gazillion television channels and streaming options, yet nothing is on.

Seeing how many consecutive days you can experience the joys of curbside pickup.

Seeing how many consecutive days you can avoid experiencing curbside pickup.

Staying in your pajamas all day and you’re not even sick.

Doing online workouts.

Choosing not to do online workouts.

Converting your backyard into a Crossfit gym.

Virtual meetings become commonplace.

This last one really messes up my whole conceptualization of the word virtual, which used to mean “almost”. But, I guess you can’t say you had an almost meeting unless no one showed up.

Realized that living in an online world isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Got jealous of your dog because they can congregate in doggie daycare.

Participated in the uptick of national liquor sales.

Engaged in home improvement projects so you could enjoy your home more and still end up longing to take more vacations away from it, once it is safe not to wear a mask all the time.

Rediscovered the joys of oatmeal for breakfast more often than not.

Decided to give up cruise ship getaways for good.

Said, “Listen to that crowd” intermittently and often as you watched NFL games being played in empty stadiums.

Did not go to a concert or theater performance (unless you did so virtually).

Made your own turkey.

Let your beard grow to Howard Hughes-like epic proportions.

Watched Christmas Vacation in July.

Watched virtual fireworks that lasted three hours.

Decided to limit your time online.

Were not successful in limiting your time online.

Figured out what is important in life.

Realized it wasn’t all about you.

Practiced expressing gratitude at every turn.

Furloughed selfishness.

Became a better person.