I haven’t written on this blog in just over two years — September 2018. Simply because life got busy, my focus was pulled in different directions and other projects and work became more time consuming. Today, six months into a global pandemic and being so stuck in Milwaukee, for better or for worse, I started to reflect. And what I thought was just going to be a caption for instagram became something longer and I thought… maybe I should publish this on my blog? And so here we are…

This temperature drop has got me a bit introspective — maybe a bit sad, if I’m being honest. It was a weird summer because it’s been a weird six months. That’s right, it’s been SIX months of living in a pandemic. Our government has failed us and many citizens have failed us too and instead of our COVID numbers going down, they’ve gone up. Like many, I had so many plans for this summer that were never realized. And I think it’s okay to grieve the things that didn’t or couldn’t happen but I don’t want to dwell there.

Because things did happen. Life, while altered, continued, like it does. And while time has felt slow and fast and confusing all the same time, experiences were had and memories were made.

I explored different parts of Wisconsin with the man I love. I started working remotely on exciting projects and with work that I really care about. I canoed and camped with one of my best friends — the one tradition that could happen this year! I went to a drive-in movie for the first time and went to a few more drive-ins, a few more times. I sold a piece of art. I curated a virtual exhibition. I marched. And I marched again. And I realized, early on, that marching wasn’t something I was going to be able to do often so I started organizing in other ways with an amazing group of smart, empathetic and wonderful people. And somehow, I made new friends. I had many virtual chats with old friends. I watched a lot of television. I didn’t read even close to what I wanted to but I started quite a few new books. I saved money. I planned on working out and did only a few outdoor runs. I started playing a new sport, pickleball. I also ate pickled pizza - twice. I virtually met and fell in love with my new baby nephew, Desmond. I signed up for a writing workshop. I bought a dining room table. And I built an IKEA TV stand by myself and was sore for 3 days. I danced to make my partner laugh. I didn’t kill my house plants. I bought many fashionable masks. I rearranged my living room. I cried a good amount. I laughed even more. I wrote poems. I took photos with my phone. I went out on a sail boat on Lake Michigan. I dreamed about flying to visit friends and family afar. And I hugged my partner tight. I lived and was grateful for my life while simultaneously mourning those killed by police and a disease that was controllable.

That was my summer, my fifth beautiful summer, in Milwaukee.

xoxo

Love Note #15: Life Goes on...