We walked into the new decade of 2020 with the idea of the "perfect vision" for the upcoming year. But nowadays it's trendy to wear glasses that aren't even prescribed, so we all can have that "perfect vision." But to say we had to spend more than a quarter of 2020 quarantined…well, we definitely didn't see that one coming!
"It's a bird… it's a plane … it's…NOT Superman!?"
Thanks a lot, trendy glasses! I guess they are only meant to be fashionable and not practical, are they even sustainable? I hope the return policy still applies!
With the cancellation and delays of sporting events, major music festivals and artists have also postponed their concerts. Let's just hope that summer doesn't get canceled! (#dontcancelsummer) It might be as bad or even worse than canceling Christmas! Has the Grinch given up on Christmas and decided to take over Summer? (you start singing You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.)
During this time of the blurred vision, we had to adjust our eyesight to the "new normal," which has left that 20/20 eyesight permanently blurred, and there is no laser fixin' this one folks.
Thankfully the internet experts have given us a surplus of tips on how to maintain some sort of routine or "normalcy" because you know staying at home not interacting with other human beings and wearing gloves and masks in public isn't "normal." Except for the few who spend most of their time in their own world plotting to take over the world, like Pinky and the Brain – thankfully, they are only just lab rats.
As much as I tried to follow the advice of internet experts, I found myself very much even more so out of routine and way out of character, such as watching IGTV videos of Hillary Duff doing makeup tutorials (I don't even follow the girl on Instagram). I also found myself coming across YouTube videos of Shallon Lester, who analyzes celebrity relationships. I couldn't believe that I watched a 20-minute physic analysis on JLO and AROD's relationship at 2 in the morning! Like, who am I becoming? I was also swallowed by YouTube videos of paparazzi filming and photographing celebrities on the street who keep getting hounded with the same question. I thought to myself, is this actually a job?! I can't believe people get paid to stock people. For what? I also jumped on the bag wagon watching Tiger King (but not downloading TikTok) … 2 things that I took away from Tiger King. (1) I can never look at cheetah print, tiger print, or whatever cat print on clothing the same again. I know its a print that "will never go out a style," but I think Tiger King really made it unfashionable, and (2) Joe Exotic would make a PERFECT WWE character! As a matter of fact, they ALL would make perfect WWE characters. Maybe we should bring them to the ring, put them in a cage, and see who comes out alive as the REAL Tiger King!
I started eating and sleeping at any time of the day because that's what happens when it's just days and no such thing as time! The only normal and in-routine thing I saw was that the Starbucks drive-thru is still super long! I guess America Runs on Starbucks NOT Dunkin' because Starbucks is actually in all 50 states, and Dunkin' is not (I dare you to Google it)!
I have also noticed how the arts and natures contribution to our well-being is quite evident during this time, which brought even more light to the case of how IMPORTANT they are.
Oh, we are also in the middle of a campaign because, its election year! 🤣A quick side story here: A few years ago, I was a suite waitress at a ballpark, and when we were not attending our suites, we would all hang out inside this room. There was this very liberal individual, and this very conservative individual who would always go at each other and have these hardcore political debates. To be honest, it was quite entertaining to be witnessing it because it was fun to listen to two perspectives, but what was funnier was how pissed they both would get, sometimes one of them storming out of the room. But as the season went on, I started to notice that these 2 individuals just like to argue, obviously with each other, but all they really wanted to do was argue and fight (just like how some people just want to complain). So should we all just you know, "agree to disagree"? I'm sorry I have a dumb question, are we in business for the long term or short term?
No matter if you are sticking to a "normal routine" or finding ourselves riding the wave of emotions, so far 2020 didn't give us that "perfect vision" but provides us with the perspective that can't be prescribed or bought. We have given the opportunity to step back, slow down, and look at the big picture and stop offering compromises as to why we aren't able to do something about it. We have been confronted. Confronted individually and collectively pondering the answer to the question, "Are we really waiting for a return to normal, or are we ready to build something different?"
If we fail to see that, then maybe we should focus on getting some binoculars for Christmas so we can readjust our perspective and see the details from a distance plus, there is also a thing called bird watching!
So, cheers (or salud) to always working on our perspective instead of seeking the "perfect vision."
By Cristina Byrne