Even though my wife claims I’m very sociable, I am, to a certain extent, quite anti-social, preferring the option of sitting at home with a good book over outings and parties. And so, to be honest, this whole lockdown thing hasn’t been all that hard.  As someone who enjoys routine, and has spent plenty of time writing from home, I got this.  Still, there are a few things I do miss:

Matinees

Lattes from my favorite cafe

Farmers Markets

Browsing a good bookstore (although, in all fairness, I haven’t done that since I moved away from Vancouver)

Going out for tacos

Going out for fried chicken

Going out for dim sum

Going out for dessert

Discovering new restaurants

So, what have YOU all been missing?

Holy Smokes!  I’ve have truly been remiss!  It’s been over a month since I updated my rundown of the Amazing People With Whom I Have Worked…

11 thoughts on “June 24, 2020: What I’ve been missing. And more Amazing People With Whom I Have Worked.

  1. Some farmers market are re-opening … so should be able to visit.

    I miss JAPAN.

  2. I don’t know what I’m missing. I like this new world. Spending less on gas, skipping the anxiety of dodging the drivers who didn’t know the sun would pop around that one curve right when they were supposed to merge, being able to sit in my car instead of waiting rooms, showers are a point of anxiety for me so less is more, never having to worry about unexpected visitors while even the expected ones just leave stuff on the porch, I get to experiment with my diet in ways I wouldn’t if I had to be in reasonable condition for a commute, teaching my son algebra, day-drinking, teaching my son algebra while day drinking.

  3. Now that things are opening up a bit more here, I’m seeing more people that I know again, which is the thing I missed most. Even the coffee shop I went to regularly (just a Second Cup) is open for sit down again (with social distancing). I do miss the mocha-chinos at SOMA, though! 🙂

    I had the honour of meeting Jamil Walker Smith at the Stargate convention in Vancouver back in 2011. What a great guy. He really seemed like a deep thinker.

    Speaking of things that I’ve missed that I’m getting back to, starting tomorrow I’m heading out on a three night backpacking trip on the Fundy Footpath. Wish me luck!

  4. I’ve missed my Sunday-afternoon stitch and bitch sessions with my yarnworking friends. We’ve done a few video chats in the meantime.

    Husband’s 50-year high school reunion was postponed, date TBA. I was looking forward to meeting his classmates.

    My 45-year HS reunion in New Jersey is still scheduled for September, but I’ve decided not to go due to the pandemic. First, because I’ve come home sick after air travel a few times; second, because NJ has just imposed a quarantine on travelers from TX.

    Joe, I still hope to visit TO, but it won’t be in 2020.

  5. I’m missing eating out. My workmates and I were working our way through all the local pubs near work for a Wednesday “team lunch” which had to stop since we weren’t going into the office anymore. I was on the hunt for the best Chicken Parmigiana in Melbourne! Now we’ve heard that there will be an internal reoganisation and we won’t be in the same team from July 1 so we may never complete our pub crawl!

    Other than that I’m not missing much. I love not commuting. I get more work done without the constant distraction of an open plan office.

  6. I remember you mentioned a while back – when the Expanse got renewed – that Cas Anwar was a good friend of yours. Do you guys still keep in touch? What are your thoughts on the allegations of sexual assault and harassment of minors by Cas Anwar? Looks like a lot of it happens at conventions where guests abuse their fame to target young people. The film/TV industry seems like such a toxic environment with all these truths coming out.

  7. Hi Joseph,

    You might consider writing a fanzine and not just a blog – there is a limit to what you can keep saying about Sushi bars and café lattes! Maybe journey to another planet? The world you create may be picked up by some producer, you never know!

  8. I miss the absence of “news” constantly informing us of which well known person has tested positive. I wish the best for them but do I really need to know this? I miss local/world news instead of being bombarded with covid fear the media is thriving on, constantly. Surely, there must be something going on other than covid?! Even the take over of Hong Kong is being completely downplayed.

    If anything this pandemic has shown me how political the WHO/CDC/local health officials really are in making policy. My trust in those orgs are gone. I will, forever, examine anything they recommend and wonder if it’s true. The veil has been lifted.

    Other than that, I miss chilling with friends. The casualness of taking a beach weekend and the ease of scheduling a trip. We have a trip booked for Universal in September. Who knows what will be happening then…

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