I realize I’ve been silent for longer than usual (my rage has subsided from earlier in January and I’ve gotten a good night’s sleep since my last Data Dump) so I decided I’m long overdue to share some updates.
I just went back and skimmed my posts from early in Quarantine, and Wowee Wow Wow. To think how stifling my boredom felt then, and it had only been a few weeks. Now that we are a whole year into this, I feel like I should have more to talk about—all those new hobbies and new skills acquired with the wealth of free time we all suddenly had. Nope. Nope nope nope nope. Never did take that Masterclass. Or learn a new language. Or get on a solid exercise routine, even after (rather optimistically and with the best of intentions) buying myself some good new sneakers and jogging pants. Did not write the Great American Novel…
I did bake banana bread several times.
Things I did accomplish:
New Couch Potato Badge, Unlocked
I’m pretty sure I’ve watched every movie musical ever made, as well as every Cary Grant movie ever made (not really to either, but very nearly). Suffice to say we’ve managed to go through all the A-list cinematic favorites, and we are solidly into the B-list movies now. Thus, It’s getting pretty dicey around here for entertainment options, prompting us to make some truly desperate choices soon, such as this little gem.
If the llama sings and dances—I’m all in.
Marathoning the entirety of Next Generation AND original Battlestar Galactica
Revisiting that paragon of 90’s television drama: 90210.
Refining my Wine Palette
I drank a LOT of wine this past year. My repertoire has broadened from specializing almost exclusively in dry, punch-you-in-the-mouth Spanish reds and California Cabernets, to subtler, more complex varietals. In particular, Pinot Noir and Portuguese reds have garnered a lot of my attention and appreciation.
Would not have made it this far without you, my friends.
Saving a Lot of $$$
Turns out even the most earnest clothes-horse loses their dedication to the craft when they have nowhere to wear those pretty duds. I’ve also been subsisting off leftovers and bologna and cheese sandwiches for lunch rather than eating out in cafeterias every day; the result being that I have extra $$ to put into savings each month.
Having a new administration in the White House since late January feels like an immense weight has been lifted, bringing with it a much-needed return to sanity, and competence. The foremost demonstration of new-found competence in government is the rate at which the lagging vaccine rollout increased its efficiency and scope almost overnight. Most of my family and friends have already had their first shot, if not their second. Soon we’ll all be able to be together again. It feels like—dare I say it? A New Hope.
Lastly, I may be the only one to be insane enough to complain about this, but there is a part of me that is a little nervous for when the day comes that all of this is over, and we need to return to our normal lives (ie, actually have to put on real clothes and go in to work every day). Let’s just say I’ve grown accustomed to a certain level of laissez-faire comfort in my wardrobe. There are certain garments I have no interest in wearing ever again. And there are even some Quarantine routines that I will sorely miss, like weekly movie nights with friends.
Also, the dog is going to be absolutely traumatized when my husband and I are absent all day and no longer at his beck and call. He has grown accustomed to a certain level of human attentiveness and requisite snuggles per day. I think it would be fantastic if we could continue to work from home at least one or two days a week—but I’m not getting my hopes up that the administration would allow that once all of this is over.
Still, you never know.
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