What was life like before the pandemic?

by Tim Kissman, publisher

Before the pandemic, I had a pretty sweet gig. I have worked from home for 15 years. Most days were spent at my desk with my cat bugging me when he wanted attention. It was quiet. Peaceful. And I had a good routine.

Now, everyone is home! Gone are the quiet days of concentrating on my work. And my work place changed from having a solo occupant to hosting my whole family.

I’m fighting for time on the printer with my daughters, who are still taking classes online. My wife has my extra monitor and uses it while she works from home. I found out that I can design and write the magazine on a laptop. I’m sitting on a couch in my family room now, writing this column.

Before the pandemic, we’d travel nearly every weekend to a volleyball tournament or basketball game. Even on the rare weekend we didn’t have a tournament, we’d eat at a restaurant, check out an escape room or visit someone.

Now, we cook every meal. Heck, most of the day is spent trying to figure out what we can cook for dinner. Our weekends are spent at home. Golf courses are open, that’s keeping me sane, but hey, nothing else is. If it’s a sunny day, it’s not that bad, we can get outside. But May hasn’t been kind in the weather department.

Before the pandemic, I’d go to the gym twice a week.

Now, I’m in my pole barn trying to gut through a Zoom workout. It’s not the gym, but my kids and I make it work.

Before the pandemic, we printed the magazine. We found businesses willing to share it and made sure that all our locations were stocked with the latest issue.

Now, everything we print is online. It was never our intent to print online, but it is working very well. The May issue of the magazine was our most-read issue, ever. It had more than 350,000 impressions for the first three weeks. That’s 100,000+ impressions per week while it was current. That’s a lot. This issue, June 2020, the number will be much higher. We’re evolving. Like everything, nothing is going to be the same.

Before the pandemic, my wife and I would constantly say we needed a break, and enjoyed maybe a night a week of staying home and watching television.

Now, I’m grateful for the time I have with all of my family. To be around my daughters for the time that we have them home is a blessing. We’re safe. And together. Not much more a dad could ask for.

Before the pandemic, life was normal.

Now, it’s a new normal. Some of it good. Some of it not as good, but it’s reality. We will get through it, and I bet we’re going to be better in many ways because of it.

Enjoy the issue.

Last year for Father’s Day, my family and I hit up an escape room in Lansing. This year will be quite different. I’m sure they’ll think of something fun ...