I’m getting back on top of blogging. Maybe it will help with the passing of time with the COVID-19 pandemic going on. I don’t have it, but society at large does and therefore I will not be physically interacting with people any time soon.
Also , 429 was the house number I had growing up. Weird how something like that sticks to you. So… let’s answer some questions instead.
The topic this week is “2021.” So, let’s get to the questions. Thanks this week go to Steve Jackson (not of Steve Jackson Games fame), Lsig, Aleshia, Chris Corrigan, Gibran, Zane (Little Man… who is not so little any more), Tuesday, Eily (Q) (the whole famdamnly asked q’s), Erin, Nicole, Jason, Susan, and some other guy.
Here come the questions:
1. 2020 was a year of disruption in terms of how we work, how we consume entertainment, how we interact with each other, etc. Once things return to “normal”, what new way of doing things do you want to continue and what old way of doing things do you want to return?
Many of the things we are doing now will become part of the new normal. Things are not going back to how they were. Convention culture is going to fall apart. There were conventions going on all the time, most of those trade shows and conventions will probably go virtual. I think hybrid work schedules are going to become more of a thing. The work from home process has shown that people don’t constantly have to be in the same physical space. That and it is okay to work in pajamas and shorts.
2. What shows or movies are you looking forward to in 2021? New or returning.
I am really looking forward to the Disney + stuff. Disney as a whole is problematic because they are continually consuming all of our popular culture, but they have been telling some amazing stories and making some really good content to consume.
3. Are you generally optimistic or pessimistic looking ahead into 2021?
I am generally an optimistic person. So, I am slightly more optimistic than pessimistic this year. Next week might be another story entirely.
4. What are you doing to motivate the (not so) wee beasties to continue another semester (plus?) of Groundhog Day (mine is “over the monotony)
Begging, pleading, cajoling, and bribing. It is rough right now in Casa Del Ryan-Hart
5. So the Columbus Crew Soccer Club are MLS champions again. There was a moment when I thought we'd never see the day, eh?
Yeah, that was an unexpected thing this year. Number 1: it was unexpected because there should not have been sports being played. Number 2: it was unexpected because Columbus was supposed to have a good team this year, but not an MLS Cup Championship level team this year. And Number 3: 2 of the primary starters were not available to play in the championship game due to having COVID, and the team really did well without them. I don’t think C-bus has had this much depth in a long time. The new stadium is getting built and the plans are amazing.
6. What is waxing for 2021 and what is waning from 2020?
Waxing for 2021: This new job of mine (hey there, fine readers. I have a new job, and it is waxing)
Waning from 2020: the need for long pants in the workplace. I got gorgeous gams and I should show them. (I hate you Treadmill… I hate you so much).
7. Did you know that 2021 is the product of the prime numbers 43 and 47? How does that matter?
Semiprime numbers are super useful in cryptography, but other than that, not in everyday life. There is not any superstitions or folklore or magic assigned to semiprimes that I know of (some primes have “magical” qualities).
8. Did we really just enter the Age of Aquarius?
That is up for debate, so maybe? The Age of Aquarius starts when the March equinox point moves from the constellation Pisces into the constellation Aquarius… but there is no hard line demarking where Pisces ends and Aquarius begins.
9. What should the next generation after Gen Z be called?
I am not sure we can give a name to them just yet. The baby boomers were called that because there was a population explosion post WW2 in the US. I think we need to see what the cultural inflection points are that will be associated with the next few years to know more of what this generation will be called.
10. What survival skill do you recommend we all learn in 2021?
Dowsing… the water wars are coming. Gotta find that subterranean waters. In truth, I suggest we all learn how to appropriately apologize. Status quo is changing all the time, and we, as members of a society with deeply held implicit racism and bias are going to step on toes. So there are 3 parts to an apology that makes it a genuine apology, not a youtuber apology.
Step 1: Acknowledgement: Take responsibility for your part of whatever the issue is. You cannot take on the responsibility of others, but you have to take on yours. But more thn just taking that responsibility you have to make notice fo the effects your part of the problem cause to the person you are apologizing to.
Step 2: Empathy: Truly understand on an emotional level that the person you have wronged is hurting. You may not get exactly what the person is hurting, but you have to understand that they are.
Step 3: Restitution: Offer to make it right, or show how you are going to change and mean it.
Most apologies are in the form of “I sorry if this hurt you..” which puts the onus on the person who is in pain, or “I’m sorry, but…” giving justifications for hurting someone takes the validity out of the apology. Most apologies also stop at “Step 2.” Mean it and do something about it.
(ooooh, weren’t expecting real shit in this post were you?)
11. What should we leave in 2020?
I would love to leave my shitastic feet. I have been exercising regularly for the past year or so (I abhor your very existence treadmill. You can go to Hell and you know it) and my feet haven’t felt this good in a long time. Dropping 35 pounds has also helped the feet… the ankles, and the knees, and probably my hips as well.
12. Hopeful for 2021: Where is the first place you’ll fly once we are able to again?
I think I need to go to one of the Canadian coasts. Either visit Ashley and Mike in the Halifax area or visit Chris in British Columbia. But I think air travel 2021 should be Canadian in nature.
13. I heard the original Mad Max was set in the then-future 2021. Who plays you in the movie OR do you especially identify a character as you? Or any mad Max answer will suffice.
I’m not sure that I can claim any portion of Mad Max, or that any particular character is similar to me. I would be one of the many nameless background extras trying to stab someone for water.
14. 2021 is 46 years since you were born. Looking back that same 46 years before you were born, what is the most surprising thing you found that happened or was invented that year?
In 1928? Sliced bread. Before 1927, bread was in unsliced loaves. The timing is a bit nebulous honestly, because my birthday is in June, so I am only 46 even though 2021 minus 46 is 1929. So should I use 1929? But since I am 46 I should subtract 46 from 1974 (my birth year) which is 1928? I am confused. Pine-sol if we are forcing the 1929 issue, but sliced bread is a more interesting invention…
15. This is supposed to be the year of Aquarius. Does that mean Aquariuses, like my 10 year old, will be holding us in bondage by the end of the year or what?
Honestly, I would be concerned about the kids holding us in bondage anyway… it is getting tense in the house.
16. Janus is the god of the beginnings and transitions, as we slide out of 2020’s mindset into 2021… what do you see transitioning this year?
I stated it before, but I think some status quo is about to be upended. There seems to be an unwilling acknowledgement that the system of government in the US is not working. Unbridled capitalism is no longer a working system for society at large (it was never a working system for the low income and slaves), but it is no longer even working for the upper class. It is truly only working for the super rich. Something has to change, and I think 2021 is an inflection point for that change.
17. What are the plans for the blog in 2021?
More regular posting. That’s the most important thing. Other than that, I have been toying with the idea of making it into a podcast. But that would take effort that I might not be willing to do. (there is not a “might” in there at all. It is most likely not going to happen, although I think this format would work for a podcast.
18. What are you committing to do in 2021? Not any New Year’s resolutions, what are tasks you want to accomplish?
Better posting on the blog. Drawing more again. I want to focus some energy on getting the book together and ready for publish. I need to assemble my team to make the book happen. And I really want a new couch and dining room table.
19. Will 2021 be The Year of Scott?
Probably not, but I don’t think it will be the year of the Anti-Scott either.
20. I’m going to take a page out of Robert Frost’s teaching when we walked into his class on exam day, wrote “why?” on the board and walked out. The final assignment was to answer, “why?”
I took philosophy… there are only two appropriate answers to the simple question “why?” They are “Because” and “why not.”
To recap:
Hey everyone, I’m back
I have a new job
Starting a new job while social distancing during a pandemic is an interesting thing
I have not been able to really build any significant camaraderie with my new workmates
I have seriously lost 35 pounds over the past year, probably starting in February
None of my pants fit
My belt is cinched so tight right now lest my trousers just fall right off
I do have a set of glorious gams though
My feet were finally feeling good enough to exercise
I still hate the Treadmill
I need a good massage for my shoulders and back
I have been toying with acupuncture, as well as chiropracty
I have been dealing with some significant shoulder pain the past few weeks
Hope all of you are doing well
2021 can be a good one, we just have to make it so
I have 4 interviews going at the moment
And they are going at a pretty good clip
Have a great week everyone