March 2020: Could You Have Predicted The Year Ahead?

As I sit here preparing to go on air at Q1057 I glanced at the date and realized that 1 year ago the pandemic became real in my world and probably yours too. Each of us experiencing the pandemic but experiencing it differently. Based on these 5 dates, there is no way I could have predicted my year ahead.

For me it started on February 29th as I was battling an illness unlike anything I had before. Did I have coronavirus? We will never know for sure but whatever I had, turned into "post-viral bronchitis" and this is when I started wearing a mask.

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My son Mike was a senior in high school and very much looking forward to graduating and launching his career as a professional drummer. On Thursday March 12th he was told school would be shut down for 2 weeks so we can "flatten the curve". His school closed on March 13th and he never returned. This is the first I heard the phrase "distant learning".

On May 1st I attended my first Zoom Wedding. What the heck is a Zoom Wedding? Going in I had no idea. After attending I am all for a Zoom Wedding! You don't have to dress up, no dancing, hell no reception! Count me in! Since then I have attended several Zoom Meetings. What was once unknown is now common in my life.

As the days went by, there was some talk of not having high school graduation. Listen, I went through a lot to get him to this point! I want a graduation! All kidding aside my son earned his diploma and deserved to be celebrated. His school devised a COVID safe "drive in theater" style ceremony and on June 14th I got my moment and so did he.

One of the things I miss most is going to concerts. On September 8th my girlfriend and I attended our first socially distant concert. We saw The Marcus King Trio at South Farms in Connecticut, Just 2 hours from the Capital Region. I have been to a lot of shows in my day but this was the first time we paid for a square section of grass sectioned off by spray paint.

In a year filled with twists and turns the biggest change of life for me came with my move to the Capital Region to work for Q1057. In short time I learned how to pronounce Niskayuna, now I know "the twins" are a set of bridges and nipper is not a bottle of alcohol but rather a dog.

I wouldn't trade my experiences as I believe you are always where you are supposed to be but some day's I do wonder how did all of this happen? I never would have guessed.