Dear Diary,
2020 was so mean to me. I mean, like, so mean. You should totally have seen it. What have I ever done to 2020? I just get so frustrated with 2020’s selfish attitude. It’s, like, for sure abuse what 2020 has been doing. Came in promising all sorts of great stuff and then that just turned out to be a bigger lie than that big liar you-know-who could ever tell. It’s just so unfair! I have big dreams, to like maybe one day own an ice cream parlor or a research laboratory or maybe a castle or something like that. You know, like super important big dreams. But 2020 doesn’t care; 2020 is just so focused on 2020 that there’s no room for anything or anyone else. I just want to scream!
The thing is that, and you have to swear not to say anything, I kinda sorta like 2020 a lot. Yes, there were like deaths and protests and like so many sweatpants. Super gross. But, 2020 has been kinda alright too. I got like mega good at making memes that revealed deep truths but were done so ironically that I forgot whether I was being serious or not. And spending basically every single second with my family has been pretty cool. I guess. Whatever. We have played Clue so many times that I swear that I am going to turn into Dr. Orchid. Literally.
And I have become so much more aware of, like, the things going on around me. Did you know that there are people out there that don’t have a smartphone? Like, what do they do? This year showed me that I have a much better life than I thought I did. I used to, like, complain about the quality of the organic carrots at the market, then I was like, some people don’t even get organic produce! So, I mellowed out about that. I am not chill about racism though. I marched. It was a thing. 2020 is hopefully the last time we’re gonna have to do that. But, considering that’s what my Grandma said when she was my age, I’m not holding my breath. Ugh.
I get really nervous about the future. Real talk. 2020 showed me that I can’t always, like, assume that things are going to be fine. I’ve never seen my parents so scared. Not even when we went on that crazy rope swing catapult thing that one time on vacation. I’m pretty sure that I heard my Dad crying sometimes at night. That really shakes a person, you know? It makes me not take things so much for granted and want to, like apply, myself, so that I can, like, support myself if things get bad again.
2020 totally forced me to spend so much time alone, it was pretty creepy. Sometimes I would put my phone down and just, like, think. So weird. I realized that I have some like kinda great ideas, but have been too scared to like, put myself out there like that. Like maybe I have some things that I could improve, or work on, you know? But, I don’t want to admit that. I mean, sending Tik Toks to millions is one thing, but actually, like, letting people know my thoughts? Argh, no way.
Oh man, I am just so glad that nobody is going to read this.
T.J. Voboril is a founding partner at Alpenglow Law, LLC, a local law firm, and the Owner/Mediator at Voice Of Reason Dispute Resolution. For more information, please contact Mr. Voboril at (970) 306-6456, tj@alpenglowlaw.com, or visit www.alpenglowlaw.com.