I am writing this blog post on a semi-wet and blustery Sunday afternoon in the month of May. We are having a true Spring this year and it’s not easy getting used to. Also it’s been 14 months since the pandemic officially started in Connecticut and although some things have changed, others have not…
This is the 7th installment of a (hopefully) limited series of blog posts related to my Covid 19 experience – but 7 is my lucky number so I’m going to go with that (smile).
But first things first, I am still working hybrid — one day operating from home, the next day from my News 8 local sales office — which I absolutely love doing but I fear the end is near…
…the state of Connecticut is fully opening up on May 19th which is a pretty good sign that things are moving towards what is being deemed, the “new normal.”
I can’t lie, I want the “old normal” back and I promise not to complain about anything anymore (double smile).
I’m also still attending my church home, Christian Tabernacle Baptist Church, via Facebook live. There’s something to be said about hearing and learning about “The Word” virtually from the safety and comfort of your own home…
And I still work out 5 days a week at I Love Kickboxing in North Haven, CT. What has recently changed at ILKB is this: there are no more mask optional classes (just mask-mandatory) nor are there any more limits to class sizes. So with the arrival of earlier sunrises in Connecticut, these early bird class sizes will sometimes swell to capacity.
I’m also super excited to announce that I am now fully vaccinated so a simple mask is my new entry point to getting some of my life back, Yay!
I’m not going crazy though. I am slowly easing myself back into my new life. Pre-Pandemic I was Go-Go-Go, trying to cram everything in all at one time without once stopping to take a break.
Nowadays I’m learning to appreciate the simple things in life. Things that bring me love, peace and joy. I’m also planning for my retirement over the next 4 or 5 years where I will look forward to enjoying a much slower and leisurely pace.
Life as I knew it has certainly changed. What has not changed is that I am still operating in a hybrid fashion at work (one day working from the office; the next day working from home) and I can’t say I’m mad about it (smile).
I’m also still going to I Love Kickboxing at the crack of dawn 5 days a week which not only keeps me in shape, but also keeps me sane (smile).
I’m 59 years old so I was in the secondwave of folks eligible for the vaccine in Connecticut – and was truly happy to get it. They shot my arm with Moderna which means in another 4 weeks I will be ready for shot number 2…and close to getting back to some sort of (mask wearing) normalcy…
I haven’t quite resumed my social life – again, I am waiting for that second vaccine shot and then waiting another 2 weeks after that just to be safe…
It’s hard to belive that its been 13 months since Covid 19 appeared and thankfully I have not caught it yet so I must be doing something right.
And I’m noticing something: people seem to be enjoying the simple things in life – taking a long walk outside; hugging their grandchildren tight; face-timing with family and friends, going hiking, playing board games, etc.
For myself, I’ve become more introspective which is not surprising considering the fact that I am spending less time with others and more by myself. And I don’t mean this in a bad way. I’m just looking to take this quality time we’ve all been given to work on becoming a better version of myself (smile).
Which includes attending virtual church at CTBC on a regular basis, working as a volunteer Writer for Shop Black CT and being of service to others where and when I am able.
I’m not gonna lie, If I could wave a magic wand and get everything back to “normal,” trust me I would. But since that is not possible, I will settle for a nice long relaxing vacay in a sunny but secluded (mask optional) environment (double smile)…
The season of Fall happened about 3 weeks ago in the state of Connecticut and with it comes decreasing temperatures, lots of fallen leaves on the ground, dark skies and squirrels running amok. Soon I will be packing up my golf clubs in advance of the next season: Winter. But for now I am still managing to hit golf balls despite the broken twigs, crispy leaves and tree debris.
Fall for me also means it’s time to head back to the kitchen. Anyone who knows me knows cooking is not my thing but I do enjoy cooking when Autumn arrives…
We have also finally entered Phase 3 in the state of Connecticut which means that restaurants can serve folks indoors at 75% instead of 50% capacity…
personal services, hair salons, barber shops and nail salons can also operate at 75% percent capacity, indoor performing art venues at 50% capacity, and churches and other places of worship can have 50% capacity, capped at 200 people. All, of course, with masks and social distancing…
Working hybrid continues for me and my colleagues on the News 8 sales team. What this means is we are split into 2 teams and half the team works from the office on one day and the other half of the team works from the office on the following day. The managers all go into the office each and every day. It has been like this since mid-March 2020 when Covid 19 totally rocked our world.
The Presidential election is quite literally right around the corner so I encourage everyone to exercise their right to vote. It’s more critical now more than ever…
We are now entering the 6th month of living in a pandemic and needless to say, things have changed for me in Connecticut… here’s what I’m noticing:
Masks are still required when you walk into any workplace/school/retail store/restaurant/bank etc. (which, by the way, is not a problem to me…)
Gyms continue to operate at 50% capacity which forces me to work out from home on an online app 3 days out of the 5…and go to my gym I Love Kickboxing (at 5am) the other 2 days..
We Local Account Executives at News 8 continue to work from home every other day in a team hybrid fashion and to be honest, I’m not mad about it (smile).
Zoom calls (the way we now converse with each other and with our clients) are beginning to feel “natural” and “the norm.”
And I just returned from an actual vacay in Delaware where we drove to visit family and because I brought my latop with me, I did not miss a beat on my work load…
Virtual church is becoming “a thing” now, I can hear ‘The Word” from Pastor King at Christian Tabernacle Baptist Church right from the safety of my living room…
As far as golf goes, social distancing was already in place so other than having an electric cart all to myself, not much has changed there…
Self Care is becoming extremely important during this anxiety-ridden time…I am not feeling guilt at all about taking out quality time for myself as often as I need it…
And finally, my father and sibs mean the world to me so catching up with them via consistent family Facetime chats has become the best part of my week (smile).
With the arrival of Lent it got me thinking of what I would like to give up this year. But before I get to that, here are 20 things I do not want to give up in 2020 (in no particular order):
Kombucha – I discovered this delish drink during Dry January at the beginning of the year when I was purposely seeking out cool refreshing drinks with a kick (smile). Kombucha hit the spot and the fact that it is Gluten Free and Dairy Free is an added bonus.
Remedy Kombucha – best in the biz!
Red Wine – It’s no surprise that this one made my list before: 9 things I do not want to give up in 2019. My new favorite reds are Pinots and my new favorite Pinot (discovered on my recent trip to Fort Lauderdale, FL) is Meiomi.
Kickboxing – I joined the specialty gym I Love Kickboxing this month because I needed something that was going to challenge me and kick my butt all at the same time (smile). So far…so good.
Golf – It’s still cold here in New England (at least for another month or so) but once it warms up I will be back with my ladies hitting the links in Golf Fore Women 401.
The Fab 4 hitting the links!
Hot Green Tea – I like to order hot green tea when I eat in or out of a Japanese restaurant. It not only tastes good but it’s extremely good for you.
Hot Green tea is def a fav of mine!
Speaking of Japanese, I def do not want to give up Sushi this year, it’s become a regular part of my bi-monthly cuisine and just thinking of it makes me want to call in an order or two (smile).
Love me some sushi with edamame and hot green tea – delish!
Staycations – what a novel idea – discovering fun things to do in your own state. I feel like when we staycate in Connecticut the time to go back to work moves slower (smile). Check out my blog post: Vacay in CT
Bikini Waxes – Summer is not the only time to get a bikini wax (Vacays count too!) and Tommy K’s Wax Center offers your first bikini line for free, ifyou are a first time customer – check out my blog post: Brazilian bikini wax for my Mexico vacay!
Blueberry Ale – I’ve never been a big beer drinker but Elm City Market in New Haven has this delish brand from Wachusett Brewing Company that tastes more like something you eat than drink.
Yummy!
Oysters – I can eat this delicacy any season of the year but I have to admit that they taste infinitely better in the Summer than they do in the Winter.
Homemade Soups – I love soups made from scratch especially in the Winter so I’m truly enjoying the likes of homemade Lentil, Split Green Pea, Red Kidney Bean, 16 Bean Soup and more~
Yummy lentil bean soup
Candles – I like burning things in a safe way (smile) so scented candles are high on the list – check out my blog post: Put your slippers on….
Bananas – I buy and eat bananas on a daily basis as the potassium and fiber help me out during super intense workouts – and I buy organic so I don’t have to worry about pesticides.
Salad – This was on my list before because it is also something I can eat any time of the year (as long as it contains protein). Cafe Java in New Haven has my all time fave Bosco Salad which I probably eat at least once a week…
Love me some Bosco Salad at Cafe Java in New Haven, CT
Spinach and Mozzarella Pie – New Haven, CT has the best Spinach and Mozzarella Pizza I have ever eaten – I love veggie pizza and this does it for me!
New Haven pizza gets it done!
Edamame – Steamed lightly salted soybeans are my favorite appetizer before a japanese meal. They are high in protein and fiber and relatively low in calories so for me they are an obvious snacking choice.
Trail Mix – I might have hiked maybe once, maybe twice in my lifetime but if you saw me eating raw trail mix you might think I was an avid hiker (smile).
Sirius (XM) radio – I love listening to music and happen to have eclectic tastes so my satellite radio (at just $6.99 a month) puts Terrestrial radio to shame and keeps me entertained (smile).
Netflix TV and Movies – I just love the original content of the re-occuring Series on this channel as well as the Movies. It takes binge watching to a whole ‘nother level for me…
My Iphone – I won’t leave the house without it, I won’t sit still anywhere without it nearby, I won’t rest knowing that it needs re-charging, am I addicted (the answer is a resounding YES!! Check out this blog post: An Apple a day…
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