Now that 2020 is finally over, we can take a look back at how the US compared to my family did in these past 12 months. As the saying goes: hindsight is 20/20, which means: It's easier to analyze and evaluate situations when we're looking back on them in the past, than when we're in the present moment. The word hindsight refers to looking back or reflecting on things in the past, and 20/20 refers to perfect vision. While I'm not going to analyze each situation, I just want to bring attention to the ones that consumed us the most during that specific month.
JANUARY 2020:
During the first week of the year, tensions between Iran and the US escalated and the president pushed us almost to the brink of another war. Also, the tragic helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant and his daughter as well as 7 others on board.
Derrick and I were lucky enough to buy some tickets to see Hamilton live at the TPAC. One of two the only two date nights for us this year. Amelia and her class during the annual school fundraiser run and Elliot's 100th day of Kindergarten:
On February 21, first responders responded to a bee sting in Texas. While responding, the first responders were attack by a swarm of 40,000 bees. The bees stung a total of 7 people before a beekeeper was able to safely remove the hive. (CNN) Shootings across America continue with the mass shootings in Milwaukee at the Molson Coors factory being one of the deadliest with 5 fatalities.
The hard work and training paid of for Derrick and his little league basketball team as they won the season 10-0. We also attended a Mother-Son and a Daddy-Daughter dance.
A series of tornadoes slammed into the Nashville area in early March, leaving behind incredible heartbreak and destruction, ultimately killing 25 people, including 5 children. All the while, the Coronavirus is spreading like wildfires all over the globe.
Most of the country is in a lockdown to prevent the spread of Covid-19; however, the government is downplaying the severity and is not taking enough measures to get the spread under control.
Unfortunately, first Elliot, then Derrick, and now myself caught the virus (most likely from school) and I spent almost 4 weeks this month trying to get better. It was one of the worst illnesses I ever experienced.
A long-lived line of thunderstorms, known as a derecho, brought severe wind gusts to Nashville and surrounding areas. The intense storms caused straight-line wind damage along a path that stretched for more than 600 miles, and in Nashville, the winds were clocked at up to 71 mph and leaving more than 130,000 in the city without power. The country was outraged by the violent death of George Floyd and soon Black Lives Matter protests began all over the country.
While the protest get more violent and the government, once again, continues to spew gas in to the fire, the pandemic is far from over even though people are getting less careful and defy government orders.
All 50 states issued a warning regarding the suspicious packages of seeds being randomly delivered to homes. With the Trump administration pushing for colleges and schools to reopen, many are worried the reopening could worsen the current racial impacts and exposing students and parents to the virus, making the pandemic worse.
While the president denies that climate change exists, it can be seen and felt everywhere. From record setting heat in Phoenix (100F+ for 144 days), hurricanes battering the southern States (including Hurricane Laura which made landfall as a Cat 4) and dumped lots of rain on us in TN, and raging wildfires on the West Coast.
It is election year and it is a nightmare: between States suing USPS for false statements, the president claiming that mail-in ballots will cause fraud only if he looses the election, and the first presidential debate. It was a disgrace to see a sitting president act like a toddler by interrupting and shouting at his opponent.
Various states reported record-breaking numbers regarding early votes ahead of the November 3 election. The pandemic is far from under control and cases rise to new record braking numbers all across the country this month. Due to not adhering to social distancing measures or wearing a mask, the president and several of his entourage are testing positive for Covid-19. He downplays the severity and continues to put his staff at risk by driving around in a min-parade around the hospital.
After being cooped up at home for the past 6 months, we needed to get out. Two nights at a cabin in a State Park and a quick visit to Atlanta to renew our German passports was just what we needed. I also ran my first ever half marathon (virtually).
NOVEMBER 2020:
After several days of waiting for all ballots to be counted, it is finally official: Joe Biden will be the new president of the United States of America. This also makes Vice President-elect Kamala Harris the first female VP, as well as the first African and Asian American to win the title. However, Trump continues to dispute the results, claiming election fraud, despite loosing lawsuits he filed against certain States.
By 12/31 the pandemic continues to escalate and the US officially surpassed 20 million coronavirus cases and over 350,000 deaths. Tennessee is taking over the number one spot for daily new infections per capita. On Christmas Day morning, a suicide bomber detonated a RV bomb in downtown Nashville, TN, injuring eight people and damaging more than 40 buildings; thereby, destroying an ATT data center, causing days-long communication service outages for many Tennesseans.
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