Good Riddance 2020.

Hello 2021. I know 2020 was nothing but a series of unfortunate events for everyone which started out with the death of Basketball legend Coby Bryant and his daughter from a helicopter crash, the catasthropic eruption of Taal volcano here in the country, the bushfire in Australia and the worst of all, the Covid-19 pandemic which almost wiped out the vast elderly population of Europe especially Italy and so as America with New York being the epicenter of the virus. And, before the year came to a close, flash floods and typhoons marred the Philippines. I can't help but say, are we done yet 2020? Bring it on isn't even a very fitting and compassionate phrase to say because last year is the best definition of 'all hell broke loose.' 

Never in mind have I thought a pandemic is even going to happen in my lifetime because why? Until a news broke out late of 2019 that a flu virus has spread in China which made me think, a virus, really? But, when the virus entered the Philippine soil March of last year, things finally made sense. There is no vaccine for it because it takes a year to develop a vaccine for new viruses which means the worst is yet to come and so it did. 

The worst case scenario I had in mind was famine when the virus spread like wildfires all over the world, what more in third world countries? The whole world implemented a lock down which pretty much shut down all domestic and international economies. The best part was, the environment sort of had a reset. Everyone was a witness to a  clear and pollution-free blue skies and horizons. But, the world needs to move on. 

Towards the 3rd and 4th quarter of 2020, local economies began to open up again except the world was never the same. The new normal was a face-mask-on and face-shield-on situation not to mention the never ending social distancing. But wait, there's more, before the end of 2020, another news broke out that a new (and faster to spread) Covid-19 variant is beginning to spread again which led London to a state of health of emergency days ago. So, hello 2021 even if 2020's tail end is still here. 

On the brighter side of life, plant-based food options became much more popular because many people are now gearing towards a healthier alternative to meat due to Covid-19. This news made my heart skip a beat because there is no solution to the current state which all of us are in, we need to renounce meat from our diet as soon  as possible not just for 'ethical' but health and environmental reasons as well. My only regret was, I need to set up a vegetable pocket garden as well A.S.A.P. which, as of this writing, still hasn't happened (whimper) due to time and resource constraints as I'm still caught up managing my small business online. And to those who still wouldn't budge and still choose to consume animal products and by-products despite the pandemic which claimed millions of lives, well, to each his own. Change starts from within, baby steps, inch by inch as every effort counts no matter how little that may be. If Burger King's plant-based burger and delicious vegan meat substitutes will not change you then think of this, spare the animals and the disease will also spare you. A strong immune system is a cholesterol and clogged-free artery. 

Looking for a humorous approach to the year that has been? Go watch "Death to 2020" on Netflix. A very good way to wrap up the year 2020, a slapstick one.  

Again, Happy New Year!  Dear 2021, please be good, Year Of The Metal Ox.