Zub Tales

While doing some year-end financial calculations yesterday I filled out an entire excel spreadsheet, dozens of dated entries, and made every single one a 2020 date instead of 2021.

That’s a weirdly accurate summary of the year, actually. Getting the date wrong for a couple weeks into a new year is typical. Not knowing what year it is during the last week of the year sounds about right this time.

2021 was a surreal vortex, a holding pattern carried over from 2020. Online interactions felt detached, projects moved forward in a weirdly distant way, and time either crawled in slow motion or vanished into thin air.

I don’t really need to go into excruciating detail since we’ve all been living with this, but just to help mark time for the future if I’m looking back and rereading this entry – multiple vaccines arrived in record time to try and get us past the pandemic, but the world is far from safe and it’s anyone’s guess if 2022 will be a year where things get worse or we break through to better days.

When there’s a physical disaster – a fire, an earthquake, or even a war – at some point the damage is done, losses can be mourned, and things can be rebuilt. The meandering relentless nature of this viral problem makes it so much more difficult to put into context. The foundations we use to mentally and emotionally cope with bad situations don’t quite fit so instead we all just feel constantly burned out and frustrated.

It’s hard to stay optimistic given the ongoing tension hanging in the air, but I keep trying. Like last year, I know we have a lot to be thankful for in terms of relative stability and overall health. There have been a couple Covid-related sicknesses in the family, but no one has ended up hospitalized. Even when work has slowed down or changed, I’ve been able to adjust and keep going.

Writing, when I can give it proper focus, has been a nice escape and teaching, despite the challenges, has been as inspiring as ever.

The love and support of our family and friends is still strong, despite physical distance.
Maybe that sounds too simplistic…or maybe it’s what matters most.

Wishing you and your loved ones a fine new year.

Jim