You may be surprised to hear this, but 2020 was not all that much fun...

 

DISCLAIMER:  I would like to clearly state that I realize how fortunate I am.  There has been a crazy amount of horrible stuff happen to a crazy number of people in 2020.  Actually, a crazy amount of horrible stuff has happened to a crazy number of people for years.  I know the crappy stuff in my life does not compare to the genuinely epic levels of misfortune meted out on a regular basis to so many.  All that being said, I have no compunction about complaining about the unpleasantness I experience. 

 

As of the writing of this missive of no true consequence, there are 20 days left in 2020.  A great many people will be glad to have it in their rearview mirror – and I am one of them. 

I have always disliked it when I whine about something and the response from the listener is “well, it could be worse”.  Of course, it could be worse! 

I could have the moral compass of Rudy Giuliani.  I could have the backbone of Lindsey Graham.  I could have the human decency of Mitch McConnell.  I could have weeping sores covering my body.  I could have a roommate once featured on the TLC docuseries My Strange Addiction who was compelled to yodel the collected works of Herman Melville between the hours of 2:00 and 7:00 AM every single day.  Hell, I could be compelled to yodel the collected works for Herman Melville between the hours of 2:00 and 7:00 AM every single day.  I could be compelled to yodel the collected works for Herman Melville between the hours of 2:00 and 7:00 AM every single day, with weeping sores covering my body.

Of course, it could be worse.  There is no end to worse.  Just because it could be worse does not mean I have to like what is happening.  Being grateful for the good stuff is possible while also being bent out of shape about the shitty stuff.  I can handle two sets of feelings and thoughts at the same time.  Just call me emotionally ambidextrous. 

My personal 2020 was bookended by two events of crapitude.

The harbinger of the year that sucked out loud happened on January 6^th.  I went to the gym (remember doing stuff like that?).  It was so close to New Year’s Day the influx of resolutioners made it impossible to park close to the front door.  I parked in a poorly lit corner of the parking lot.  After an hour of absolutely killing it on various fitness machines (hey, I’m telling the story, allow me a little factual tinkering), I went out to my car.  The front window on the passenger side was shattered and my backpack was gone. 

I know.  It could have been worse.  I could have had a lot of valuable stuff in the backpack.  I could have had my whole car stolen.  I could have caught the perpetrators in the act and been bludgeoned over the head, kidnapped, and eventually brainwashed into joining their cabal of skullduggery.  I could have weeping sores all over my body while engaging in said skullduggery. 

From that day on 2020 life wasn’t so great.  Two examples being, a pandemic and a government devoid of the Lockean philosophy that “the Ruling Power ought to govern by declared and received laws, and not by extemporary dictates and undetermined resolutions.”  I don’t know about you, but that John Locke dude seems pretty smart.  Extemporary dictates sound a hell of a lot like Tweets, and undetermined resolutions bring to mind random stuff made up on the spot to make people believe a pack of lies. 

This brings us to the other bookend of crapitude.  I was downsized.  This does not mean I can now buy pants with a smaller waist measurement.  My job was eliminated with extreme prejudice.  We are talking Martin Sheen / Marlon Brando levels of extreme.  I start work at 7:30 AM with not an inkling of what was to happen.  At 9:30 I have a virtual meeting with my boss, which turns out to be a virtual meeting with three bosses.  At 10:00 I have no job and the work computer I have becomes a rectangular doorstop. 

I know.  It could have been worse.  Actually, I am having a difficult time figuring out how it could have been worse.  Zero warning.  No opportunity given to clean up the loose ends that my friends at work will have to figure out on their own.  No sense that the individuals jettisoning a human being who worked hard for them for five years had the slightest concern about it.  Sure, there is a global pandemic going on. Sure, the holidays are nigh.  Sure, the individual being released has zero history of malfeasance.  No biggee. 

They were probably thinking at least he doesn’t have weeping sores all over his body.  Yeah, that’s it.