It's well past a cliche at this point to say "2020, what a strange year," but seriously. We're living through events that literally haven't been experienced for generations, and future humans will read about this year just as we read about the 1918 flu pandemic. That's straight up wild.
These extraordinary times try folks and also put shit in perspective. There's a lot to be thankful for. So in no particular order, here's my list.
- In a time when so many have had life flipped upside down, for a steady job, for the ability to work remote and stay home, for economic stability, for not having to worry about putting food on my table or paying my bills;
- For the healthcare workers - doctors, nurses, PAs, technicians, care assistants, researchers, everyone who is on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic doing their best to keep us well and safe;
- For my own continued good health and that of my immediate family and friends, and for those of my friends who have contracted COVID, for their recovery;
- 80's and early 90's ski movies;
- On that note, the last large gathering I participated in before lockdowns began was my birthday in late February, where I had an informal party at Able Brewing for their annual ski movie night. I was surprised and honored that a full quorum of the Nottingham IX showed up that evening. Thankful and grateful for that entire group of people and the impact they had and have on my life, and to see so many that day - even though despite my best efforts to rig the raffle, I came away empty-handed;
- Hot coffee - black, just black - in stoneware mugs;
- A socially distanced trip this summer to Wyoming's Bighorn Mountains, and an unforgettable trek to the top of Cloud Peak;
- For delightful small brook trout caught and released on a fly rod;
- For my family - mom, dad, my aunt and uncle, cousins in Sioux Falls and Denver, the Holt kids, my sister and brother-in law, my regular in-laws, my niece, and all the associated hangers on;
- For the privilege of being inducted into the Black Watch during the 2020 Highland Games, for surviving the sacred rituals, for consuming the heart of the dragon and coming out alive, and for the charms and amulets I left with. I'm grateful my uncle cares so much about this stuff that you can't help but care too;
- I've spent a lot of time at home this year, and my co-worker the dog has been ever present, watching from his blue couch. Grateful for his steadiness and continued good vibes;
- Teva Ember Mocs - seriously, these things are incredible;
- Cowboy hats;
- When the St. Anthony Civic Orchestra got shut down, the trombone section + Carol continued to get together to play quartets in people's yards over the spring, summer, and fall. Thankful to have been able to continue to play with these folks and spread some trombone music among the general populace;
- To have kept safe but also shaken appropriately during this year's George Floyd civil unrest and the reckoning on racism that has followed. I'm thankful this has led to important education and knowledge seeking on the part of many;
- Delicious cheeseburgers;
- Plaid shirts;
- In January, I decided to drive to Colorado and take an avalanche level 1 course in the San Juan mountains. Very thankful for the skill of our guides and all the stuff I learned to not get smoked, for being able to spend a few days in the alpine with people all passionate about skiing. The trip continued with an excellent time in Telluride and a meandering trip home at Silverton Mountain, Monarch, and Denver to see my cousin. Thankful to have the means to have taken this ski safari and live my ski bum dreams for a week and a half;
- Bourbon, scotch, rye - the whiskeys, so delightful;
- For finding ways to occupy myself during long stretches at home;
- My spouse Kate, who's a real bamfer;
- Terms like "sick line," "gnar," "gettin' shreddy," "gettin" the steeeeeeze," things of that nature;
- My brother-in-law and I went to Utah in February with dreams of waist high powder and the greatest snow on earth, and then got served some humble pie when a freak storm closed all of the resorts we intended to ski. I'm thankful we made the best of the circumstances, adapted, and still had a good time;
- For the dented out hyvee van turned off-grid camper parked in front of my house;
- Jazz on the radio - actually all sorts of stuff on the radio - the jams, folk, rock, all of the music;
- Woody Guthrie and Dylan tunes on the guitar;
- Big cookies - love me a big cookie. I prefer the size of the ones and Lund's, but I do think the Kowalski's ones may be factually better;
- I joined the church council at my church in January, so I got a firsthand look at the frankly herculean efforts of a handful of people to keep things afloat digitally when the pandemic hit. Thankful for them and their selfless gifts of time;
- I have a lot of frankly pretty dope friends. Even when society flips out and everyone retreats to their isolation, they're always there no matter what length of time it's been. That's pretty damn cool;
- That our nation elected a decent man and a smart woman to lead us for the next four years;
- Phish food ice cream - and Phish too!;
- The campsite in Wyoming where we had two moose just chilling 50 feet from our tent;
- For four days spent in solitude in the BWCAW this fall;
- For all the strange silver linings in this unusual year that don't come to mind now, but assuredly took place;
- After a real bogus start to the year, grateful for a generally positive work environment and a boss I respect;
- For not being too comfortable or satisfied;
- Campfires in the woods;
- Cruisin' around on my bike when all the parkways in Minneapolis were closed;
- For this wonderful city I live in - been kind of a tough year, but that shouldn't diminish the generally pretty solid things we have going on;
- Road trip pizzas, that first sight of the mountains, slurpees in the cupholder and pizza combos in the center console;
- A good friend of mine had the patience to take me both ice and rock climbing in 2020, both experiences being my first time. She also co-founded a badass nonprofit in Winona to get women and other underrepresented people outside - grateful and thankful for people like her who are doing the necessary work without discouragement or apathy;
- Funny stickers;
- YouTube videos of dudes cooking eggs and trout over open flames;
- Apres-ski beerz;
- Snowshoeing over on the golf course.
Well, there you go.
