I wrote ‘Everything is Cancelled‘ on March 14th, 2020. That’s when this long, tired, mentally exhausting and physically challenging crisis took over our lives. Over 500,000 Americans dead. We don’t go to movies anymore, or shows, or meet people for dinner. We didn’t really have Halloween or Christmas. Now it’s almost a year since this all started and I don’t see any light at the end of the tunnel.
How many hugs did we lose this year? How many pleasant interactions with strangers did we miss out on? All the leisure activities that buffered our work life from our at-home life, those were wiped out. Hours, days, weeks of laughter, intrigue, new adventures. Stolen.
I remember last year doing a 5K run for five days. In April I tried running four miles every day (made it to 21 days or so). In November I started a run streak that lasted 70 days. Now I’ve posted nearly 60 music loops since the start of the new year.
In the end though, it’s just about surviving. Don’t catch COVID. That’s it. Don’t get sick, like so many others have.
It’s tiring. It’s defeating. Our government, our leaders, our communities have failed us in so many ways. It’s more than “wear a mask,” just as it’s more than “hey, remember to recycle.”
We’ve got money to bomb Syria, and riot gear when Black people protest.
But $15/hr wages? Oh, we can’t do that.
A “stimulus check?” What a joke.
Above all, that’s what has beaten me down the most. The friends, sure, going to shows.. yeah, but knowing so many “adults in charge,” leaders, all of ’em – it’s a let down.
We heard from lots of gov’t officials last fall! Lots of TV commercials, YouTube ads, direct mail. Now? Crickets.
We’re on our fucking own.
