20/20

There were many nationally and globally endured moments of 2020, on a scale that was a first in my lifetime, and one notable shared experience is how tired we became of hearing such phrases like:

“now, more than ever…”
“We’re in this together!”
“the New Normal”
“In these trying/challenging/uncertain/unprecedented times..”

I don’t know about you, but I really like my times to be precedented. Precedent brings me comfort. But nothing is a given, and if there is anything I learned in 2020, it’s that. Another thing that became extremely apparent that year is how extremely lucky I am. No one I loved died that year, and that is not something that millions of people can say right now. I didn’t lose my job! Another thing millions of people can’t say. But the stressful toll that 2020 has taken on everyone, even the lucky ones, is very real. We watched things we took for granted evaporate in a matter of days. A whole new social dynamic was thrown into the mix, challenging how we interact and connect with others. The lack of unity and leadership was outstanding, and I mean that in an extremely negative way. But we are a resilient species, too. When everything changes, we adapt; we create; we solve; we cope. While worries weigh heavily on me as the new year kicks off, I am beginning to feel a thing called hope.

So. I’m not sure how to do a 2020 Recap post without filling it with clichés. But for all the global tragedy, I myself had some good times, and some sad times, and I want to take a moment to reflect and share.

Winter

It seems fitting that I kicked off 2020 by attending a crowded 1920’s themed house party with some college friends. I think we should have clarified - we were going for the 1920’s partying throwback, not the 1918 flu pandemic leading up to it.

Oh but still how naïve we were as my girlfriends and I boarded a plane to Puerto Rico, vaguely aware of this whole virus thing in Asia. We did not know it would be the last time we got to laugh together and embrace each other, with no hesitation in our decisions. Crowded bars, a packed street of salsa dancers, hugs.. so many things I miss.

Spring

Right before “shit got real” as they say, we decided to buy a house and sell our condo. So, in April we moved to our house in the heart of pandemic lockdown, which was not ideal. We rented a van and moved 100% of our belongings just the two of us, which I would not recommend. On the plus side, we had lots of time at home to unpack, fix everything that was broken, break things that weren’t broken yet, and get settled in. I continued to enjoy hanging out with the cat. We ordered delivery ice cream, something that didn’t used to be available. And I ran, pain free, for the first time in 6 months.

The advantage of a new house meant that I had a yard with who knew what sprouting up in the springtime. Since I know nothing about gardening, this was a Learning Experience to say the least. Every day was full of surprises! And I was forever thankful to have a yard to chill out in. 5 Stars to sunshine and green things. I had yet to get a real desk setup though, in denial that I would be working from home for over a year, so May saw me (still) working at the kitchen table.

Hera is technically not allowed outside… — Hera is **technically** not allowed outside…

Adjusting to the Work From Home experience

Summer

Summertime is a good time in Colorado, even in a pandemic. We’re getting into the groove of things, we’re adjusting to, UGH, a “new normal”, we’re finding ways to spend time with friends while still taking the pandemic very seriously (at least in my circles, thank goodness). I did a fair amount of biking with friends and I finally resumed cocktail photography.

Christina and I biked to Brainard Lake! (Photo by Christina)

Backpacking season meant I got to see friends outside. A couple of backpacking trips with girlfriends involved fields of wildflowers, swimming in mountain lakes, smiles, laughs, Negronis in Smartwater bottles, fresh-steeped camp coffee, and hours in hammocks. And Sarah took amazing photos - check out her website!

A new favorite photo I took of Casey - the laughs are the best!

Pour-over camp coffee (photo by Christina)

I revisited the Pawnee-Buchanan Pass loop, which was a bit of a misadventure for Kit and I a few years ago. It turns out the loop still stresses me out, but the views continued to impress, and the physical challenge was welcome, but also exhausting.

Fall

Fall was a lot more a of whirlwind for me, personally. Fall saw the Colorado fires in full force, with days full of smoke and poor air quality. The ability to exercise outside safely was hit or miss; too many acres of land burned to a crisp, some of it too close to home but all of it important; no rain for several weeks left the air dry as bone. I started working with a running coach, in attempt to work with the returning pain plaguing my runs and my spritis. I took an online photography class, a first for me. I came down with a mysterious flu-or-covid-like illness, with negative covid tests bringing comfort but no answers, and a pandemic-ravaged healthcare system unable to offer any insight. I’ve never been that sick. So, November turned into a recovery month so I tried to crawl back to whatever sense of normal existed. The year ended in good health but with a heavy heart.

Best wishes to you and those you love; may you find the light.

Love,

April

Song of the Day: People, I’ve Been Sad by Christine and the Queens

ACMarch 6, 2021