A Year (or something like it) in Review Last year I spent New Year’s Eve—one of my favor
A Year (or something like it) in ReviewLast year I spent New Year’s Eve—one of my favoriteholidays—driving to work. “Well, there’s always next year,” Itold myself.February my niecewas born early after my sister developed preeclampsia, but both cameout of the ordeal safely and left the hospital in good shape.March was the lasttime I saw my friends in person.I’ve beenquarantining since then, though I work in healthcare so I still go towork everyday.Work has actuallybeen a gift this year, since it’s let me see people I know andgenerally like in person, and because helping sick people never failsto give one a sense of purpose. My lab has done a wonderful job ofkeeping our PPE in stock and establishing guidelines to keep us safe,and SO FAR not one person has gotten sick at work. I’ll be doing mypart to help it stay that way.April was my dad’s60th birthday. I still owe him a hug for that.May was a terrifyingride, as I developed balance issues in conjunction with aparaneoplastic syndrome and had to have an MRI because my doctorthought I might have a brain tumor. Fortunately,I DO NOT,and it wasdetermined to be an inner-ear problem which medication and physicaltherapy have helped.June, July, August:work, eat, sleep, survive.September: tookapart my toaster because I live alone and there was no one here tostop me.I mean, yes, thankgoodness for my coworkers, but living alone and being alone with nopartner and with personal barriers that make it very difficult forme to connect with my friends through virtual means does tend tomake me feel very, very lonely.And then, that samemonth, I was diagnosed with autism, and given tips on how to manageit. I talk about that more here, but overall this knowledge has beena boon. I’m still struggling, but… less so. And I’m actually alittle bit happier.October cooled downto somewhat less than hot enough to melt lead, so I was able to startvisiting my parents on the weekends for socially-distanced coffee onthe patio. Thank. God.November I had sometime off on election week because I’d volunteered to work thepolls, but it turned out they didn’t need me, so I was left with alot of free time and a lot of anxiety while I was waiting for thevotes to trickle in. At one point I felt so worried and helpless thatI got up, drove to the nearest community college, and basically toldthe information desk: “I want to go back to school. Where do Istart?”So come nextFebruary I’ll be a student again (entirely online, thank goodness).December I drankentirely too much eggnog, left Christmas and birthday presents for myniece and nephew on their doorstep, and turned 38.This final week ofthe year has been insane: work has slowed down significantly with theexception of my department, which is busier than it has been thiswhole year.As such, I was tooexhausted to make even virtual plans for tonight, so I’ll beringing in the New Year alone once again. But at least thistime I’m at home in pajamas with champagne. -- source link
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