My last monthly check-in was February. And then they stopped. I wonder why? Hmmm.
Now it’s the end of June. What happened to those months? Geesh.
The great pandemic pause. I think today is day 106 of the state of emergency in Ontario.
Some things in my life are chugging along and other things seem on hold. I haven’t been keeping up with my academic research and writing. Zoom academic administration, chairing video conference meetings in a period of crisis, takes a lot of time and energy.
For the first time, I’m having attention span issues. I pick up books and I put them down. I start writing things and then I stop. I feel like I’m waiting for something to happen, for something to be decided, but it’s not clear what.
Interestingly general fitness is going fine. I’m working out lots. It helps with stress and I get to work out with my son for company. I’m racing my bike on Zwift and getting in some yoga though not as much as I’d like.
I’d been writing the monthly updates for awhile now. I liked writing them. But what’s to update in the great pause? Except it’s now clearer than ever that we’re in this strange state for a long time. It’s not a pause. I have friends starting big new jobs. Friends moving across the country. Friends having babies. In the middle of the pandemic life goes on.
We’re emerging a bit here in Ontario. I’m still working from home but I’ve been out riding my bike and having friends visit in the backyard. I’m nervous about what fall and winter will bring so I’m making sure I get out some now while we can.
I’m starting to think about my impending knee surgery and wondering if the dates will be changed by Covid-19 and hospital priorities. I’m reminding myself that I should focus some of the exercise I do on getting ready for knee replacement.
FOCUS.
That’s my word for the year.
“Focus” seems an ironic word choice during the pandemic. It’s so hard to do.
I’m back on it though. Trying. The good thing is my knee is doing mostly okay. I carried laundry up steps this morning without pain. If I go early enough I can even take Cheddar for longer walks. Riding lots seems to help.
Haven’t heard it called the great pause!
Thanks for this update. I so relate to the “waiting for something to happen” feeling. Spending way too much time reading online news and scouring COVID data for where I live and where my loved ones live. Focus is a great word– we can zoom in rather than out, seeing things closer up and in shaper detail. The rest can stay in its fuzzy background, which is a good place for it.