What will you take away from COVID-19?

[DanOregon]

Curious how the year has affected people. What changes do you see in yourself or behavior you think will stick around once we're back to "normal."
A new appreciation for something?
A new habit? An old habit you doubt you will pick back up?
More of something? Less of something?

Me - I listened to more than 10 of the greatest symphonies, finished Great Expectations and a Napoleon biography which I'd been reading off and on for years, watched an opera, started a new job due to the pandemic - and already have been promoted. I've probably dug deeper into my faith a bit, been more curious about it and wanted to learn more.
And also gained a new appreciation for my community - the people, the business owners who help make it what it is - the loss of some in the last year has been hard.
I also enjoyed the chance to touch base with family and friends more frequently.
Looking forward to getting back into the gym for live sports and catching up on the pile of New Yorkers to "re-live" the past year.

 

[Scout]

I have sat down and eaten 99% of all dinners with my daughter for the last year.
Friday night is crab cakes or steak night.
Monday and Wednesday are local take out nights.

My daughter and I have bonded on Animal Crossing, and she has discovered a love for gaming.
We are in the process of selling my father-in-law's home and about to collect a large windfall.
Two side gigs might be replaced by a different side gig.
I really like to walk.
Podcasts > audiobooks
Spotify rules and my daughter and I actively share songs that "slap."
I really do not like working 100% from home.
Sitting down in a restaurant is not that big of a deal for me anymore.

Wife has learned how to use technology a lot better and can now zoom clients.

 

[Octave]

I like being in shape again. None of that happens without the ennui that occasioned the covid era

 

[Splendid Splinter]

That Jerry is a moron.

 

[OscarMadison]

My German, French and Spanish are much better than they were this time last year.
Don't take anything for granted.
Everything is fixable except when it isn't.

I'm sure there's more.

 

[UPChip]

I now "do" yoga five or six nights a week once I've put the paper to bed. I'm really bad at it, mostly because I am male, have a significant spare tire that gets in the way of several of the poses, and have T-rex arms and super-tight hips, but it is a way to say I have accomplished something in a day. Videos range from 10 minutes to about 45 and vary in intensity from just meditations to heavy sweat situations, including core-focused practices that have caused my abs to cramp up. Much of yoga is about breath control, relaxation and balance, and as a musical person, I've realized I'm actually pretty good at the breathing part. I do Yoga with Adriene videos and it's honestly nice, even if it's a video, to see another human face who is kind of addressing you directly. She does a great job of striking a balance between focused and realistic (poses with names translated from Sanskrit are mixed in with stuff like "Thriller arms" and "Namaste shark fin"). I didn't get into this for religious purposes, and it has about as much religious content as a Notre Dame home football game. As one of the features written about her describes, "It's like if the pretty girl at school was also really nice."

To underline the moderate intensity thereof, the accidental star of the show is Benji, Adriene's dog, who occasionally walks through the shot super-casually, messes Adriene up or sleeps through the entire video.

 

[OscarMadison]

I now "do" yoga five or six nights a week once I've put the paper to bed. I'm really bad at it, mostly because I am male, have a significant spare tire that gets in the way of several of the poses, and have T-rex arms and super-tight hips, but it is a way to say I have accomplished something in a day. Videos range from 10 minutes to about 45 and vary in intensity from just meditations to heavy sweat situations, including core-focused practices that have caused my abs to cramp up. Much of yoga is about breath control, relaxation and balance, and as a musical person, I've realized I'm actually pretty good at the breathing part. I do Yoga with Adriene videos and it's honestly nice, even if it's a video, to see another human face who is kind of addressing you directly. She does a great job of striking a balance between focused and realistic (poses with names translated from Sanskrit are mixed in with stuff like "Thriller arms" and "Namaste shark fin"). I didn't get into this for religious purposes, and it has about as much religious content as a Notre Dame home football game. As one of the features written about her describes, "It's like if the pretty girl at school was also really nice."

To underline the moderate intensity thereof, the accidental star of the show is Benji, Adriene's dog, who occasionally walks through the shot super-casually, messes Adriene up or sleeps through the entire video.

On my list when I'm "parolled."

 

[dixiehack]

Profound sadness.

I grew up conservative evangelical and quite obviously now I am not. But I always took the people in my life at face value when they cited their pro-life convictions for why they continued to vote Republican.

Once the health orders came down last spring and it became clear valuing life was going to come at a tangible cost to them, it turned out most of the people who are in the “pro-life movement” are really just in a fertility cult. And I’m sure many of y’all would tell me I’m better off cutting them out of my life but that isn’t at all how life works, especially in a place where you are already the political oddball.

My parents, my best friend, my brother and many others - there was a level of respect there I will never be able to restore. The world is a few weeks away from being knit back together; yet there’s a very good chance I’ll feel lonelier than ever.

 

[OscarMadison]

My parents, my best friend, my brother and many others - there was a level of respect there I will never be able to restore. The world is a few weeks away from being knit back together; yet there’s a very good chance I’ll feel lonelier than ever.

Kind of like pushing marbles through a sieve. Trae Crowder talked about how it would be hard to tell MeeMaw and PawPaw you disagree and maybe it's best to go along to get along during the holidays. Of course he moved to California and never said anything else about that.

It's not gonna be easy. Some people will wake up and realize they're missing some folks and mend fences.

 

[Octave]

Respect can't be faked. A working set of facts can't even be agreed upon. The stage needs certain strings cut, curtains drawn and new actors for a lot of this to be fixed.

 

[DanOregon]

I would say everyone should be open to "forgiveness" of people close to us - giving and seeking. Family is too important. Accept your differences, focus on your common bonds and love. If someone's "beliefs" are more important to them than family, well - you tried. But always keep the light on.

 

[User 150927]

Sadness. It exposed so much ugliness and selfishness. It's breathtaking.

 

[BTExpress]

The shame game.

"Shame on XXXX for doing this. Shame on XXXX for doing that."

The blame game.

"This would have been over if not for THOSE people." "I caught it despite doing everything right. Must have been THOSE people who infected me."

 

[Michael_ Gee]

1. About 15 more pounds than I had going into Covid-19. Home-baked bread sure tastes good, though.
2. The effect of the unrelenting illumination the virus brought to the flaws and dysfunctions in our society, and just about every other society on earth as well.

 

[Inky_Wretch]

A new job.
A lot less salary (but, oddly, a lot more money in the bank than usual since we only spend money on groceries and takeout once per week).
Like others have said, a loss of respect for some people in my life (like my brother-in-law who still insists it's just like the flu and you just need a Z-pack to survive it).
Less interest in sports, I learned I can live without them and don't miss it THAT much.
A bigger home garden.
Closer connection to my oldest friends since we started Zooming every Friday night.

 

[Songbird]

About 15 more pounds than I had going into Covid-19.

Unfortunately so. I have not been in a swimming pool since April 2020. Sucks bigly.

 

[Moderator1]

I read 128 books in 2020, so there's that. Will finish my 30th of 2021 today.

My apartment is pretty nice when it is just a regular apartment. It is very small when you are there ALL THE TIME.

Went to a concert in the city on March 6 last year. Can count on one hand the number of times I've been in since.

My takeaway? I liked the old days better. Two grandkids born last year and I feel like I hardly know them. Pictures and FaceTime can only do so much.

 

[Driftwood]

Three burning memories:

1. How it looked around town for that 15 minutes exactly a year ago when shutdowns began and people obeyed.
2. My time with COVID, in home quarantine, and wondering that first night if this was all she wrote for me.
3. Sitting in the shot line for an hour and a half to get vaccinated by the government like it was a 100 years ago or something.

The way I do my job changed greatly, but I honestly see that as sort of a positive and just natural progression. COVID gave it a jump start but wasn't the total reason.

 

[Jerry-atric]

The shame game.

"Shame on XXXX for doing this. Shame on XXXX for doing that."

The blame game.

"This would have been over if not for THOSE people." "I caught it despite doing everything right. Must have been THOSE people who infected me."

It is shameful.

 

[Jerry-atric]

I read 128 books in 2020, so there's that. Will finish my 30th of 2021 today.

My apartment is pretty nice when it is just a regular apartment. It is very small when you are there ALL THE TIME.

Went to a concert in the city on March 6 last year. Can count on one hand the number of times I've been in since.

My takeaway? I liked the old days better. Two grandkids born last year and I feel like I hardly know them. Pictures and FaceTime can only do so much.

There was a cute, smiley, happy baby in the shopping cart in front of me at the grocery store yesterday and it occurred to me how long it has been since I’ve held a baby or toddler, due to the pandemic.