Farewell 2020

At long last 2020, the oddest, saddest year of my and I think most of our lives, draws to an end. Everybody else is writing their year-end reflections so I might as well pile on. 

More than anything, I am overwhelmed by sadness and survivor's guilt, admixed with plenty of gratitude. Our family all been fine, well-fed, space to spread out in, plenty to read, internet working, wealth and business buoyed on a ton of money printing and people getting fired up about markets due initially to a lack of other entertainment, then sustained on a rising tide of newly minted genius millionaires, like the guy I read about in the Journal the other day who made a couple of million dollars in Tesla, so he took out an equity line on his house and bought more. Good luck with that.

Like many, I miss seeing people and talking to new ones, i.e. people I haven't met before. In particular I miss stores and retail. I like making small talk with cashiers and people showing me where things are on the shelves. In a best case scenario, that's where America's pot melts, where people get out and speak to one another, develop confidence and people skills and find new career paths. I know that's more easily said than done, but it does happen, and at the very least the process of interaction humanizes both parties.

Admittedly, I didn't get to that many stores before the pandemic because I am so busy working or exercising or reading or blogging or whatever, but I suppose that's what makes them special. My one or two trips to the mall or pet store each year can be sort of magical.

Having everything delivered to the house doesn't offer the same degree of social interaction. Delivery people are universally scrunched for time, they have full trucks. I'll bet they have metrics associated with delivering a certain number of packages (if so, I certainly hope they have compensation incentives). Sometimes we have a quick opportunity to say hello and thank you to their back as they go back up the stairs toward the street, but usually not. It's zipless.

Here's to a better 2021.