There is a saying, “all things happen for a reason.” I firmly believe this is true. For the past nearly two years, I have had a medical condition that rendered me unable to go out and about without the assistance of a cane or walker. Thankfully, my issue was temporary, and I am well on my way to full mobility. Not everyone is as fortunate, however, and I would like to share what I’ve learned – things most able-bodied people never give a second thought.
I’ve said it before: my favorite time to visit Paris is in the winter. Perhaps it’s because there is something gloomy about it, and Paris is the kind of place that seems like it should be a little bleak. That it, is a place that is beautiful enough to endure a little dusky desolateness, and perhaps is even a little more beautiful because of it.
Labor market shortages do not appear to be improving and in fact, might be getting worse. Labor force participation, defined as the percentage of the population either working or actively looking for work, is at a 44-year low. Only half of the decline in labor force participation experienced during the 2020 shutdown has been recovered. The labor market situation appeared to be deteriorating at the end of 2021, as well as into 2022.
Recently on social media, people have been taking part in the ten-year photo challenge. This got me on a nostalgia kick and made me think of great movies that were released a decade ago. As I dove into the list of movies from 2012, I found a lot of hits. Now, of course there were blockbusters, but I focused on the movies that may have snuck past you while distracted – the ones you may have missed.
I have been collecting cookbooks for many years and I love to read them. My very first cookbook was Betty Crocker’s New and Revised Edition – a wedding gift I received in 1974. It was a good gift for me because when I got married, I did NOT know how to cook! This particular book is now worn and tattered, the pages food-stained and yellowed. I still prepare delicious meals today that I learned how to make from Betty Crocker’s book.
The wave of infections from the COVID Omicron variant that started just before the holiday break has been nothing short of breathtaking. I don’t know about you, but it seems like almost everyone I talk to lately has been infected and or re-infected. Vaccinated, unvaccinated – it seems like Omicron doesn’t play favorites and is out in full force to wreak havoc on our nation. The only good I can make of it is that (at this writing) it seems to be much less lethal than the previous strains.
If February 16th rolls around and someone randomly does something nice for you, the news may not be all good.
If the 2021 economy could be summarized in one word, I would say it is “disappointing.” Vaccine development and deployment has far exceeded expectations since the pandemic began; anyone who wants a vaccine can get one! The economic recovery in the face of this, however, is far below expectations.
As I look back and say good-bye to the year 2021, all I can say is it was a very interesting year. Although it began in turbulence with the January 6 insurrection at our nation’s Capitol building – an unsettling experience – and ended with terrifying tornadoes in Kentucky, it brought me some good personal experiences. Here are some highlights of my 2021.
The month of January is the one time of year when we all get a “clean slate” to start over, or at least make some positive changes in our lives. Like many people, I have never been too successful at making and keeping New Year’s Resolutions, with “keeping” being the operative word.
There is so much about traveling that has changed since COVID-19 and all of its variants arrived on the scene.
With each New Year, I start looking for great new recipes that are tasty and nutritious. Of course, we typically gravitate toward meals that are warm and comforting, but I always feel that adding more fresh greens to my diet helps perk me up from the winter blues. And consuming the extra vitamins this time of year is always a good idea.
