Bob’s Ramble: Musings from a Self-Quarantined Idiot

Maybe you’ve heard this – things are extraordinarily weird right now.

I know I am far from the first to put that fact on paper, but it’s worth reiterating. It even feels a little cathartic to write it down.

Things are extraordinarily weird right now.

You know this is true when you step outside – maybe in a rare, mask-free moment – and your first thought is, “So, this is what air used to taste like? Nice.”

That isn’t the thought of someone who’s living their normal life. That is the thought of a self-quarantined extrovert, trying to make the best out of this absurd moment in history.

I will say, the adjustment hasn’t been as difficult for everyone.

Almost nothing has changed for my 91-year-old father, for instance. He was already not leaving his home, the evening news was bad before and is still bad, his meals and medicine were already being delivered. The only thing that’s sorely missed are his regular visits to the barbershop.

Some are thriving in this time of quarantine – domestic pets like dogs and cats come to mind. With their humans almost always home, they’re getting more attention than ever. Truth be told, it’s going to be a tough adjustment for them when normalcy returns.

And, in general, we’re all appreciating the little things (or the lack of the little things, like commuting) more than ever.

For most, any time with our family has become invaluable. The extra time at home is also an opportunity. I’m learning to play the bass guitar. Long way to go but I can play some of Seven Nations Army and Another One Bites the Dust.

A non-political statement about our other national (non-pandemic) crisis – Racial injustice must be acknowledged by each of us, as we all have natural biases that frequently make us see and feel things that are not true. This is not a black people problem, it’s a white people problem that needs immediate attention. It will take time (it’s been over 400 years), so now is the time to take action for those who haven’t already started. Talk is pretty easy, and a good start, but action is harder and is required.

To all the “huggers” out there, never fear. I think hugs will be back sometime next year, and with a vengeance never conceived of before this pandemic.

The need for humor in our lives has taken on outsized importance. I recently read that the human spirit needs humor as an antidote for fear, in this case, the ultimate fear — death. We laugh to Take Back control and to connect with others. We don’t laugh because a serious threat is funny, we laugh to gain a sense of control over the threat.

Now that summertime weather is in full swing, I think many are realizing how much we took outdoor exercise for granted. Wearing a mask in public is important but the restricted feeling and the fogged-up sunglasses are, admittedly, uncomfortable. Still, it’s very much worth the discomfort.

In general, it’s hard to be disciplined right now. Eating and drinking are way too easy, exercise, not so much.

Extroverts like me are struggling to social distance all the time. My extroverted colleagues clearly understand – they’re creating Zoom meetings galore but still feel isolated, less productive, and can’t wait to get back to the offices.

On the flip side, my introverted colleagues are feeling more productive than ever! They’re probably wondering why we ever had offices in the first place.

There’s been a huge shift in how we generate new business leads, something that was primarily done through conferences for many of us. With our current reality of limited in-person interactions, digital marketing is now at the helm of demand generation, which I believe will permanently alter the conference landscape.

This strange time is having a beneficial impact on adoption rates for our clients. In fact, the other day a client told us they were not going to reinstate in-person payments because now that their customers have learned how to pay online, it would be a step backwards.

I sincerely hope you all are safe and as happy as possible in this, undoubtedly the weirdest time in our lives. Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay sane.