The Editor’s Desk

5 Reasons Why I Might Actually End Up Liking 2020

By Dean Blinkhorn

Very few people would probably vote 2020 as a year to remember fondly. COVID-19 has dominated pretty much everything, but we’ve also had the tireless noise of an election year, an economic crisis that stalled our once-robust economy, and too many Zoom calls to count. While I am certainly not downplaying the seriousness of these events, I do think that the stay-at-home order of the spring and the continued restrictions that followed have had some positive outcomes. Here are mine, in no particular order.

GETTING OUTSIDE—I’ve enjoyed the outdoors for as long as I can remember. I don’t know if it was all the backyard adventures growing up in a small New England town or the extended vacations across the country to farflung Alaska or California’s redwood forests, but nature is as important to me as breathing. During the lockdown, with work and chores done seemingly faster than before, I took to my bike in a big way, logging more miles these past six months than probably the previoussix years. My favorite paved trails became blurs of black ribbon and pine trees.

REDISCOVERING QUIET MOMENTS—With lots of extra time on our hands and only so many shows on Netflix that I actually wanted to binge watch, I rediscovered the joys of spending hours in a shaded backyard hammock with only a book or an iPod to keep me company. In addition to lots of cool prog rock and a few new favorite authors, I also got to watch a pair of male cardinals fighting, hawks soaring high above with only their distinctive calls to give them away, and an endless parade of Rorschach inspired clouds.

RECONNECTING WITH FAMILY—Lots of phone calls to my brothers and my parents as a means to get through days that seemed to have extra hours since the pandemic took hold of our lives. I feel like I’ve become more connected to the ones I love without the myriad distractions and hustle and bustle of what “normal” life used to be.

SAVING MONEY—Unlike many people who lost their jobs when the pandemic hit, I feel very blessed to have not been permanently affected by the recession that followed. Suddenly all that money we used to spend on going out to eat, visiting nearby downtowns, and mindless shopping remained in the bank account. Once the restrictions lift, we’ll start looking at a nice trip to someplace new and exciting as a way to kick off another chapter. If we all do this, we’ll help restart our economy to pre-COVID levels.

FINDING NEW PRIORITIES—This was probably the best one of all. While we will certainly re-establish our patterns like much of the world when we all feel safe again, I hope I never really lose touch with some of these valuable lessons. We need to slow down more, to really connect, and to find simple joys in the beauty that’s all around us.

And if I can return to the movies or go to a live concert again soon, it will be even better!

All the best, Dean

Everyone who knows me well is aware that I love music of all kinds, so...

What’s Dean Playing For Christmas?

Carrie Underwood, “My Gift”— Aside from three modern takes, including a duet with John Legend, this brisk, 11-track set is a reverent traditional homage to classic Christmas traditions.

Leslie Odom Jr., “The Christmas Album”—The “Hamilton” star’s second Christmas record in four years offers more beautifully rendered favorites, including a wistful “Winter Song” and a playful “Snow.”

The Goo Goo Dolls, “It’s Christmas All Over”—The ‘90s alt-rockers finally release a full-length Christmas record after a few teaser holiday-themed songs over the years. This set favors original songs over worn-out favorites and includes the previously released hit “Better Days.”