Okay, I’ll ‘fess up. I have almost totally lost control of what passes for my “life” these days. Thank goodness I’m teaching a Tuesday/Thursday “Principles of PR” class at The University of Tampa this semester. Otherwise, I would probably be sitting in a closet with my teddybear.
I know I’m not the only one who feels this way. I see enough posts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to know that most of us are just doing our best to stay sane. Sure, we’re working…just not in the same way as we’ve been accustomed. And we’re getting “out” (there are quite a few variations of this concept) to do “stuff.” But it’s just not the same.
I’m particularly sensitive (or try to be) to my students’…both current and past…state of mind. For those who actually pay attention to ongoing developments relating to the coronavirus, I’m pretty sure life is nothing short of weird. And, to add an extra layer of icing to the “cake,” our country is slowly getting itself back together after what has to be the most bizarre, outrageous, aggravating political comedy ever experienced.
So, you ask, “Where are you going with this, Kirk?”
Good question! I guess what I’m trying to do is suggest that you/I/we come to grips with the reality that we are in this pandemic quagmire for a long, long time. It’s simply not going to go away easily…kind of like that annoying neighbor who can’t understand why you hate her yapping dogs that insist on “shouting” at the top of their canine voices every single time they’re allowed outside.
Life isn’t going to return to “normal” anytime soon, so we’re going to have to adapt/acclimate/adjust and move on. One way to “move on” is to find new or different ways in which you can get involved in activities that you have always had an interest in but felt like you “didn’t have time for.”
I’ve managed to get even more involved with professional organizations like the Public Relations Society of America, the Public Relations Student Society of America, and the Global Listening Centre. I contribute articles to professional magazines and (probably) annoy the dickens out of editors of the various newspapers that I read by firing in a constant barrage of “Letters to the Editor.” And I solve a boatload of crossword puzzles and other mind-challengers day after day.
What I hope will happen in the process is that others…my students, in particular…will take note of what I’m doing and say to themselves, “Hmmm, if it works for Kirk…”
The main thing at this point in time is, my friends, that since you’ve (we’ve) been given a HUGE supply of lemons, might as well do something with them. And, in the process, with any luck, you’ll find that life once again has a reasonably comfortable routine to it and you’re not constantly having to ask yourself, “What day is it?”