Back To Where We Were Before....

2020 was one-of-a-kind. It presented us with a whole load of firsts. The first time anyone was ever ordered to work from home. The first time, cash is rendered dangerous. The first time I bought eggs online. The first time I got delirious at everybody (anybody) within earshot about not being allowed out of the house.

It was also the first time the family ever had a birthday celebration via app.

Now, my parents are not very tech-savvy people and my dad, he's the more tech-savvy one between the two, and the app he chooses to master for everything from texting, calling to videoconferencing was Whatsapp.

So, while I may video conference people at work with Teams, Zoom, Slack, or Meet, with my parents, we do it with the laggy Whatsapp.

We got a bit of a break from this lock-down hullabaloo between the end of 2020 to the middle of 2021 where the noose was loosened by our Malaysian government. With hopes of the vaccine coming in, we were in kind of a happy mood that we were finally allowed to celebrate some of our birthdays together, face to face, in the same room, at the same table, taking the same damn picture from ten smartphones all at the same time.

The simple joys in life.

Now, Malaysia's back in lock-down and...I don't want to piss on this piece just yet, I'll do that later in another post...and Southeast Asia is definitely taking a hit from the sudden rise in new daily COVID-19 cases.

Gosh, I don't know the details and I don't like looking at the numbers although I have to. But here we are. Back into lock-down again.

So, it's a pity that my dad's birthday had to be celebrated via video conference call again.

But here's the funny thing. As enraged and disappointed as we were the first time around, I think there's a kind of 'acceptance' and 'acknowledgment', and maybe even 'familiarity' this time.

We set the time and schedule the way we would an office meeting or morning huddle. It didn't even feel weird, anymore! If COVID-19 taught this family anything, it's how to set up a video conference call effortlessly, getting the links, and being on time.

It's ridiculous to me that it's funny. #lol

Thankfully, the lock-down happened before my kids' and mom's birthdays (in April) so, we had the chance to sit down for quite a couple of birthdays before things veered south. THAT, we are thankful for.

The Pandemic has definitely changed all of us in many different ways. One day, I'll be sitting here and counting the ways our lives have changed over the course of these few years of lockdown-release-lockdown.

The data doesn't look good, folks, so I hope you guys stay as safe and healthy as you can. It's back to doing yoga, Zumba, and fun dance videos from YouTube again, I guess.

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Marsha Maung: I write. I love. I live

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