Recently a lot of interesting and strange facts have hit the news regarding the past year.
Despite the fact that many people have been working from home, car accidents and resulting deaths were up. Now, many of my friends have not been working from home every day. One of their observations was how people were driving more erratically. As a commuter in the DC area, I found that hard to believe because drivers in DC stink. Imagine increasing stinkiness in their driving. I can’t, but I guess it’s possible. And, it’s evidently possible across the country because statistics say so. That’s just plain sad.
Because of the virus, many (some?) people have altered their lifestyles greatly. There’s been a lot of outrage from several groups saying that people were having mental issues. I can understand that. I’m there with that. Yet, a statistic just came out that suicides were down 5%. Maybe because we’re not seeing people flaunting their imaginary lifestyles on instagram, making a lot of people feel bad about their own lives, it’s actually saved lives? Food for thought.
And births are down. Now, is that any surprise really? The past year hasn’t been a two-night blackout that can be sexy with candles and hot nights. No, it’s been 24/7 with the person you said you’d support until you die and now you’re at the point where that might actually become a thing. You’ve actually googled undetectable poisons. This year has definitely been the make and break of relationships, unless you’re fortunate enough to own more than one home…or a tent.
One of the weirdest things for me is seeing my neighbors. I worked from home a lot before covid and I liked it because my neighborhood was quiet. It isn’t anymore. There have been hours where people I’ve never seen before march up and down the sidewalks on their daily strolls. Their kids tag along and you wonder if it’s entire parade because of the noise. My nextdoor neighbors allowed their kids to play Shakira’s greatest hits over and over every afternoon while I was working until I no longer wanted to shake my hips with or without a lie, mostly a lie, and wished that their smart speaker would die. And die a terrible water-infiltrated death. One neighbor has completely disappeared. I don’t know what happened to her…or her son. I’ve thought of asking her husband, but didn’t want to be nosy…although I am. Two neighbors have just sold up and gone. Long term neighbors who, I guess, decided they were done here. I can’t blame them. I’m kind of done here too. The things I’ve been slow in discovering because I really never paid much attention to my neighborhood or neighbors because I was always working so much is that while you can pick your friends who become your second family, you can’t pick your neighbors. Well, I guess you could if you went door-to-door before you moved in and asked highly personal questions that might get you booted out of the neighborhood before you even buy your house. It is so strange to realize that you are surrounded by a group of people with whom you have nothing in common, except dogs. But, considering that most people in this neighborhood, the next one, and the next one all have dogs, pandemic puppies, that’s not saying much. My prayer is that when they all go back to work, they keep their puppies. Please keep your pandemic puppies.🙏
We’re not back to being normal yet. I keep hoping that we’ll reach a point where people learn something, realize something, behave responsibly, care. I guess that’s good for me that I still have hope because I’m not sure I have a lot of reason to do so.
Any thoughts or observations you’d like to share on this past year?
I’ll leave you with a song….what else is new? 😉
I’ve been thinking a lot about the pet issue as well. We already had a crisis in this country with dogs and cats, and I’m just hoping people will be responsible.
I hope your neighbors are okay. Strange how they would just disappear. ❤️ Hugs
I think she’s probably fine and perhaps staying with an older relative or something because she’s been cc’d on emails I’ve received. And it’s quite possible that she’s there and only comes out under the cloak of darkness…but yeah, no, I don’t think so. I’m hoping that people who’ve taken on pets will be able to continue to work from home and find their companions to be ones they can’t live without. I know I’d only give up Sophie under extreme duress. 🙂
Over here we have acknowledged that there will be some semblance of what we had before but that nothing will ever really be the same as too much has changed. But I share the same hopes.
When it’s a global situation, it really should make each of us realize that we are one world and our actions affect more than just ourselves. I have, however, seen quite a bit of egocentric behavior in the States. It’s been an eye-opening experience.
Yes, I keep hoping for that recognition of oneness, just imagine if the world began to fully work together on the critical issues. Eyeopening here too, sadly.
We’ve regressed here so much as a nation in the past decade (or more) that it’s disheartening. I can’t imagine a group of people not taking climate change seriously, especially since most have children. I always wonder why they wouldn’t want to protect the future for their children. Coming together on critical issues? That might be going against civil liberties. 🙄 But we can hope. I’d love to be wrong on this.
Yes, I agree, and sadly we are on a similar trajectory here, same mentality and its very disheartening, but I too keep hoping.
I didn’t realize that the same thing was going on in Australia. You all are a bit more quiet about it. 🙂
Quiet, yes, but somehow determined to be just as selfish. However, a storm is brewing and a majority is voicing a positive unity, seems hope finds a way 🙂
It is so true about picking your neighbors. We have been here for 17 years and have spent that entire time dealing with some really not great neighbors over the years thanks to an owner that decided to rent out his house and did an absolute crap job of vetting his renters. Some have been good and others… well… I managed to surprise myself at how creative I could get in coming up with revenge scenarios, never enacted scenarios, but still… Apparently for us, the pandemic prompted him to finally sell, so we will be getting yet another set of new neighbors, but these will be more permanent and hopefully actually bother to put in the most basic efforts to care for the property.
I have heard lots of bad stories about renters as neighbors. Fortunately we’ve never experienced that (fingers crossed). The face of our neighborhood has changed a lot since we moved it. It used to be average joes and now it’s upper middle class because of the rising real estate prices. I guess that will be good for us when we sell. And, may be why others are selling now. I’ll keep my fingers crossed on your new neighbors!
Undetectable poisons? Hmmm. And pandemic puppies. 🙁 Except for the non-funny stuff, this was some might fine humorous writing.
Thank you, Maggie. I’m going to try to be a little funnier. Or cry, trying. 😉
I have spent more time with my husband in the past year than I have in the 36 years we have been together. There have been some moments but I am glad that we are together. It has made the whole ghastly experience a bit more bearable. So undetectable poisons not required …at least not yet!
💖 In that respect, life here is the same as pre-covid, except no date night dinners! I miss going out and enjoying a night of no washing dishes. I do appreciate that I can get restaurant food from places like doordash, but a nice relaxing evening out? I do miss that. And, I do have to say, we’ve been good to each other the past year. Of course, we lost Scout and a sister so we have learned to appreciate life. Nope, no need for poison here either. 🙂
Really relateble I just started my own travel blog and then covid hit and I could not travel anymore from my country. No travel planning for me at all 😦
Ugh! I feel for you because I can imagine how excited you must have been to start this blog and then not be able to make it happen! Hopefully things will start getting better everywhere. And, I apologize for my very late reply. I did just get back from a small bit of travel–in the same state but to the beach. I hope you are able to start traveling soon and share your travels with us!