Summarizing 2020 in a word: Craptacular

Some people are reflecting on the past year and coming up with a word to describe it. I think Bart Simpson had the perfect word for 2020: Craptacular.

We can all agree 2020 was crap. And it was crap in so many spectacular ways there is no need to even list them. But there were some tiny silver linings here and there.

People seemed to connect more, even if it was via virtual means. Folks appeared to be going outside for more walks, especially when the weather was nice. Some were able to learn new things by taking online classes they might not have taken if they weren’t stuck at home.

My family and I were able to step back from busy schedules and reprioritize where our energy goes. While some new stresses were added this year, others were let go.

We also started cooking more. If you know our family, this was a big deal. We usually go out to eat or order pizza a lot. A. Lot. Now we actually know how to buy and prepare fresh vegetables. It’s weird, but in a good way.

For me, I took a writing class through Word’s Worth Writing Connections because it moved to online at the beginning of the pandemic lockdown. And now I have an awesome writing group as a result. The group has helped me improve and gain confidence in my writing to the point of even submitting short stories to publications, which was a huge step for me.

I also attend the Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop in its virtual form. Major kudos to Teri Rizvi and her team to make this workshop happen this year! It was fantastic, inspirational, and helpful as always. A personal highlight of the workshop was the opportunity to pitch my novel during Pitchapalooza! I didn’t win, but the Book Doctors provided invaluable feedback on my pitch.

I count myself as lucky for 2020 and I know not everyone can say the same. If you were not fortunate this year and need help, please reach out to someone and ask. In case you or someone you know needs it, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255.