Today is May 4th, 2021. This morning I was working on a little blurb for speaking at my weekly toastmasters meeting and needed to upload a file to this old website so that I could share it with the group. While it was uploading, I decided to hit the blog and see how long it had actually been… The first thing I realized is the web host updated something, and the blog didn’t work. Tap tap tap, fixed. It’s a bit funny because now there are all these tools for working with WordPress, all this backend fluff. None of it could fix the issue on the blog, so I just reset the db password, updated the config file, and done. It took like 40 minutes (while I was in a meeting) messing with the new tools, and 5 minutes in a text editor to just do it myself. Whaever.
So wow, 2019. I was a whole different person in 2019. In some respects, I wish I could go back to then. A lot, like really a lot has happened since then. On the off chance, you are from a different planet, or if this gets recorded somewhere and some future reader sees this, the last year has been a hell year for humanity. I know that sounds a bit dramatic, but it’s true. In late 2019 in Asia, a pandemic started. They called it Novel Coronavirus 2019, or simply covid 19. In early 2020, they started closing Europe. Yes, the entire continent. It still seemed like it was a world away. In March, as cases were starting to pop up around the US, I went to the grocery store for what was the last time. The experts were all saying that the pandemic would likely last 2 weeks, so everyone was running out to buy everything they needed for 2 weeks. Look up toilet paper shortage 2020 if you get bored. It’s an interesting read. I put together a plan and a list and went to the grocery store. It was an absolute zoo. I got what I needed for 3 weeks. That was March 15th, 2020. On March 17th, that was the last day that I worked in the office in 2020. The head of our department said we would work from home for the next couple of weeks. Today is May 4th, 2021. We are still working from home. They are saying that we might be back in the office maybe this fall, but it will only be 1 day a week. No one knows. Last month I got my 2nd covid shot. I am super hopeful to get to a new normal. I don’t think it will ever be what it was.
For years, I have said, when people asked if I would ever consider working from home full time, that I wouldn’t. It was just so foreign to me. I have always enjoyed the social aspect of being at work, even if I didn’t always enjoy the people that I worked with. My perspective has definitely changed. I always thought of myself as that old hermit guy that would end up in a cabin in the woods living alone. I can tell you, I don’t really think I could actually do that. I need human interaction. I am lucky that my parents live close and I can go over there whenever. Virtual meetings help, but it’s not the same as being in the same room as other people.
I know I’ve said it before, but I am going to try and make it a point to update this blog more often. I am putting it on my to-do list now, as a weekly thing. Update blog. I need to make some lunch. I have a ToastMasters meeting in 20 minutes. I have been nominated to become “VP of Public Relations.” I figure I should have a legit blog if I am going to do that. See you next week.