2020 has been great for me! I'm lucky that my income doesn't depend on retail stores being open. So during the shutdown in the spring, I enjoyed the extra quiet. I don't live in nature, but a bit more of nature -- birds and some plants -- returned, thanks to decreased human traffic.

Many events went online. I've been able to "attend" concerts, lectures, performances, screenings of rare movies, etc. that aren't available at my location. I have "been to" concerts in Europe, "visited" museums in Asia, "gone to" conferences abroad (alright, that's for work), etc. I like that a lot! I hope the streaming option is here to stay.

Paradoxically, people reach out to me more often during the pandemic, I think because they're bored stuck at home. So they think, well, let's give him a call since we haven't talked in a while...

My dog loves it, too! We go on walks a lot more.

Wearing a mask doesn't bother me at all. It doesn't really impede my breathing during regular activities. I don't say it, but I really wonder why so many people have such weak lungs. I see mostly the upside. I don't smell bad smells, and my allergies seem better.

Sure, there is some bad stuff for me, too, but overall, I can't complain. I recognize that my experience is not typical, and there are lots of people who are suffering -- financially or medically. My sympathy is with them.