The Year the World Stopped...
Before you ask, yes it does seem silly to write a year in review piece for 2020. What could I possibly write about. I could probably skip the list of places I traveled and performances I saw. Those lists are obviously short, but 2020 was a weird year (what an understatement!) in that nothing happened and everything happened all at the same time. I'm so sure one day we will have a long list of books written about this year, but there are still a few things worth noting, so let's do this thing!
January:
For anyone following along (or for me to read back on when I'm 90), the second half of 2019 was a rough one and up until New Years I was finishing up my half year of nonstop dating. I was utterly exhausted, pretty heartbroken, and probably a little cynical. On New Year's Day I went with my parents to see the remake of Little Women and ugly cried the. whole. way. thru. it. I then left the theater and decided things need to change. I deleted my online dating profile (well I thought I did, turns out I only deleted the app. There's a funny story involving that snafu that I will not publish on the internet, but if we're ever allowed to get a drink at a bar again remind me and I'd be happy to share) and gave myself a much needed break.
Also early in January, I went to APAP in New York with SHARP Dance Company, which I'm really only mentioning as a reminder that I did leave the state in 2020.
On the 16th, I went on a date in Northfield, Ohio in a snowstorm and I thought I was going to die on my way home and that horrifying two hour drive was wildly worth it. Zac and I met in 2016 when I was stage managing at a University where he was the lighting designer. We hit it off immediately. He's potentially the easiest person ever to work with and we became friends. We both worked at that school a couple times a year until I left Philadelphia in mid 2018. We were both in serious relationships at the time, but became good friends. When I told him I was moving to Pittsburgh he said his sister lives here and that he comes around every once in a while. I told him to let me know when he's in Pittsburgh and we'll meet up. So in November of 2019 I'm flipping thru Instagram and see that he's in Pittsburgh and didn't tell me. Because I'm the charming person that I am, I decided to give him a hard time about it. We started talking again and on the 16th he had a show in Ohio and he invited me out. It's a little wild to have a first date on a tour bus with an entire band and crew. I was wildly nervous, probably talked too much, but left knowing this person was someone special. He came to Pittsburgh shortly after that and the rest is history.
February:
I don't have much to say about February except that I worked as a model at a charity gala and got to wear a dress made out of champagne glasses. One of the hosts of Pittsburgh Today Live was there and my picture ended up on T.V.
March:
At the beginning of March I made a trip to Nashville to see Zac. I had the whole day to get down there since he wouldn't be back until the following morning so I took myself on a date to the Cincinnati Zoo which is a convenient halfway mark.
Zac wasn't in Nashville when I got there but he was staying with some friends and he was so adamant that it would be okay if I stayed there the night before. This is very much not in my personality to agree, but I did and I got to meet Jenna! This wonderful, delightful human being was so unbelievably welcoming from the second I showed up. A complete stranger was showing up at her house in the dark and she was so kind and sweet and I instantly knew I wanted to be friends with her. I stayed for a couple days in Nashville and hung out with Zac and his friends (who took me to Whiskey Jam so I could have the full Nashville experience). Zac and I went to breakfast the day I was leaving and tried to figure out our schedules for the next couple months which were looking pretty bleak in terms of being able to see each other. We were a little bummed when I left because we weren't really sure the next time we would see each other. We made plans to meet at his show in Boston before Easter and booked our flights back. This was on March 11th. This is important because in the 48 hours that followed that, the world shut down. On my way to work the morning the world shut down I was talking to my boss. We decided to film the show that night in case we weren't able to finish the run (set for two weeks out from that point). We thought we would but wanted to be safe. By midday we thought we'd make it thru the weekend. By the end of the day it was clear that would be our last night. At the same time, Zac was loading back onto a tour bus and being sent home. I told him to come up to Pittsburgh and we'd ride out the next couple weeks together. Just a reminder that we thought the world would be shut down for two weeks. For the next two months we didn't leave the house.
Looking back this, it's really wild how quickly things changed and how little information was getting out to the general public. We felt safe enough to book flights to Boston like 72 hours before going into quarantine. I have a lot of thoughts about this, but I'll stop there because aren't we all tired of talking about Covid?
Now if you're doing the math here you might have realized that I started dating someone two months before going into quarantine with them. Yes, that is wild. I highly recommend it. While yes there were some really scary moments in those months, it was also a really lovely time to get to know one another in a way that we would not have had the opportunity to otherwise. We built furniture for my porch, we learned to cut bottles and made candles, we blew up a microwave, I got stitches, we made a tshirt quilt, we learned to make a really great chicken pot pie. and we just got to be together.
April:
I finished writing a book. It was on my 30 before 30 list, but when I made the goal I thought I would be writing a novel. When I was nonstop dating in 2019, I would come into work in the morning and fill in my coworker on whatever nonsense was happening. At some point we decided I should write a book about it, which was a joke. The more time that passed though I realized I did have some things to say and quarantine was a perfect time to get them all down on paper. So I finished "Stay Hydrated: It's Rough Out There. Thoughts on Modern Dating". My dear friend Rachel agreed to edit. We went thru a couple edits, I threw most of it out and rewrote it. We're still in the editing process and I don't know what I'm going to do with it once we're done, but it's pretty cool that I wrote it. If anyone knows a book publisher that would be interested in a quirky little book, let me know.
Also in April, we set the microwave on fire melting wax to make candles. Zac thought it would be fine and we should try plugging it in again. I have a solid rule about if it was previously on fire we don't give it electricity again and now we have a pretty retro blue microwave.
May:
May started in the urgent care when I sliced my leg open on a broken champagne glass I had thrown in the garbage and had to get my first ever stitches. I was always told if you get stitches it will prevent it from scarring. I don't know if that's usually true and I'm just different or if that's just a load of crap because I definitely had a nasty scar from this really uninteresting injury.
This is where the goats enter the story. I know. This is what everyone has been waiting for. Last year I learned about an organization called "Allegheny Goatscape". They have three herds of goats that eat invasive species in hard to get to places in Pittsburgh. Each team of goats and their protector donkey are placed in different areas of the city from spring thru fall and eat up the unwanted vegetation. More importantly, you can volunteer to be a goat herder. Say no more. I signed up. I was hanging with Team Hobo in South Side Park and Frick Park every weeks for most of the year and posted a lot of videos which is the only reason people follow me on Instagram. They're awesome and I now know more about goats than the average person.
This didn't happen in May, but I do feel a need to mention somewhere that Zac and I carried three different lighting consoles up my three flights of stairs into my apartment during Covid and nobody was harmed.
June:
In June, the world half opened. I started working at the daycare again for summer camp with masks and distancing and so much hand washing. My time of teaching tumbling on zoom came to a close and I took the summer off from teaching. I was able to go back to the circus school (again with masks, distancing, and so much hand washing and mat cleaning). Zac was also able to go back to work and started leaving for portions of time. I spent a lot of time in Punxsy with my parents shooting my bow, swimming, bike riding, and generally just being able to do outside activities. I was also able to go kayaking with Amanda.
July:
In July I had the chance to go bowfishing with my dad, brother, and uncle. Turns out my archery skills do not translate to shooting into water, but it was still fun.
There were obviously a lot of disappointments and canceled plans due to Covid. My dad and I brought mega tickets to see every country concert during a year that every concert was canceled. The biggest hit though came at the end of July. My parents, my brother, sister-in-law, niece, and I were all supposed to go to Germany for my Omi's 80th birthday. I was supposed to run off to Italy with my cousin. Obviously none of that happened and while we know we can reschedule when the craziness is over, it was really hard to say goodbye to that trip, not knowing when we'd be able to go. Actually, we still don't know when we'll be able to go, BUT as soon as it's safe we're getting on a plane!
August:
This year is the longest I've gone without seeing my SHARP Dance Company family. I usually go back to Philadelphia several times a year to work on their shows. Shows are not a thing in 2020, but we made a music video that I had the distinct pleasure of editing!
For my birthday, I treated myself to paddleboard yoga which was just so cool. Laying on a paddle board in savasana, knowing that there was nothing but water beneath me and sky above me was one of the coolest moments of 2020. I can't describe the way the line where the trees meet the sky looks in downdog, you just have to try it. For my actual birthday I went to the zoo with my family, which was also so nice. This summer was filled with so much outdoor time which was so lovely.
September:
I started my 200 hr. yoga teacher training. We also started the drive-in. Yes, City Theatre (never one to back down from a challenge) built an outdoor stage in a parking lot and for 8 weeks we did performances outside in the blazing hot into the freezing cold. We all learned that your back and hips will hurt when you stand on concrete for 4-6 hours at a time. We chalked parking spaces, we smiled under our masks, we chased raccoons out from backstage, we jumped a lot of dead car batteries. It was wild and weird and wonderful and I'm proud that we were able to produce when no one else was. I'm also happy to retire my position as parking lot director.
October:
Thru lucky happenstance I was connected with an incredibly fierce women in New York and stared teaching Model UN via zoom to students in New York City. It's been a wild and crazy ride and I love every second of it. These students give me hope for the future.
Also worth mentioning, my advanced tumbling students dressed up like me for Halloween. Low ponytails, black yoga pants, and tank tops with inspiring sayings. They were so proud to show me the inspiration quotes they picked. At one point one of my students asked if I was laughing or crying. I can do both kid! It was so clever and funny, but also the little jump start I needed to keep going. The future is going to be okay. These kids are smart and funny and compassionate and kind and the world's going to be okay.
November:
Like much of 2020 the Presidential Election took 12 years. No need to say much more about that. I learned that Biden/Harris won while standing in the political science section of Barnes and Noble. It felt like one of those moments that you're going to remember.
This fall I also learned to knit. So far I have made scarves and hats. Socks might be next. We'll see.
I bought a membership to Phipps Conservatory this year. I know 2020 is a weird time to buy a membership, but they have done a remarkable job of adapting to Covid restrictions and it's such a nice place to take a break from the world. I highly suggest it as we move into the depressing months of living in Pittsburgh where everything is grey and we don't see the sunshine until April.
December:
I finished my 200hr yoga teacher training, taught my final project, received my certificate, and registered with the Yoga Alliance. I am now available to teach yoga classes.
I spent my Saturdays in December delivering presents to patrons who purchased tickets to our (City Theatre) live events for CLAWS OUT: A Holiday Drag Musical. It took way longer than we originally anticipated, but it was nice to spread a little holiday cheer. I spent Saturday afternoons learning to line dance in my living room. It's fun and simple and I'm determined to make it to a line dance bar when the world opens and we're allowed to do such crazy things again.
Zac did SNL in December. That has nothing to do with me except that I accomplished the extraordinary task of staying up late enough to watch it live. Also, I'm so darn proud of him I had to brag a little.
I'll wrap this up by saying I'm holding out great hope for 2021. Hopefully we will travel and hug and stand way to close to strangers at shows and never use the word "unprecedented" again.
Places I visited:
New York
Ohio
Nashville, TN
Hiltonhead, SC
Books I read:
1. Love Lives Here by Maria Goff
2. Finding Chika by Mitch Albom
3. Here for It or How to Save your Soul in America by R. Eric Thomas
4. Brave, not Perfect by Reshma Saujoni
5. Let's Start A Cult by Braxton Amundson
6. The Moment of Lift by Melinda Gates
7. The Girl from Yamhill by Beverly Cleary
8. Feeding the Dragon by Sharon Washington
9. My Own Two Feet by Beverly Cleary
10. Dare to Lead by Brene Brown
11. No One is Too Small to Make a Difference by Greta Thunberg
12. The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
13. Open Your Eyes: Extraordinary Experiences In Faraway Places Edited by Jill Davis
14. Taking Aim by Eva Shockey
15. Becoming by Michelle Obama
16. Without You There is No Us: Undercover among the sons of North Korea's Elite by Suki Kim
17. Basic Anatomy for Yoga Instructors and Everyone in Between by Alecia Craft
18. Doughnut Economics: 7 Ways to Thing like a 21st Century Economist by Kate Raworth
19. Dream Big by Bob Goff
20. (still in progress) The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult
Shows I managed to see before the shut down:
Jesus Christ Superstar National Tour
Downstairs by Theresa Rebeck (City Theatre)
Morgan Wallen Whiskey Glasses Roadshow (Ohio)
Miss Saigon National Tour
Cry It Out by Molly Smith Metzler (City Theatre)
Comments
Post a Comment