So 2021 is just about over now. A few hours here in the East Coast, and that will be it. A few more hours for more western locations, especially Hawaii and parts of Alaska. As I write this, it is already 2022 in most other parts of the world. Australia and New Zealand kicked in the new year many hours ago now. Same with China, Japan, India. Then the rest of Asia, as well as Africa. Europe.
Soon, it will reach the Americas.
Now feels like a good time to reflect on the year that was. Many are saying that 2021, like 2020, was a terrible year. After all, it was still dominate by the pandemic and, at least in part, the shutdown that was caused by it.
Very true. But there were more things than that, both in the news and in our personal lives. So from my vantage point, it feels like a good opportunity to share some of what came to mind when I reflected on the year of 2021 that was, and which soon will only be history.
Here were some of the highlights and, in some cases, the lowlights, as well. These are some things off the top of my head, because it felt like cheating if I reflected on this year and needed somehow to look up some of the most important matters.
So, here goes:
January 6th Insurrection - The storming of the Capitol building in Washington by MAGA and Qanon nut jobs. There are still some attempts to hold those responsible accountable, and there have even been some successes. Yet, the person who seems like the most responsible for this staggering irresponsibility eludes accountability, as he has pretty much done and gotten away with all of his life. It would be nice to see him held responsible for something at some point in his life, although I would settle for him simply going away for good, if it came to it.
January 20th - The inauguration of Joe Biden, which put to past the Trump administration (hopefully for good). Finally Trump, the worst president in American history, is in the rearview mirror. But we need to make sure he stays in the past now.
March - Trip to Port Henry and the Adirondacks to visit my brother, with a side trip (just a couple of hours or so) to Vermont. It was still officially winter, at least for a few more days. But while it did not feel much like winter anymore in New Jersey by that point, the cold and snow of the Adirondacks and in Vermont were a reminder that winter was still alive and well there.
Late March/Early April - My son transfers from his first high school in West Milford to nearby Butler High School, which he much prefers.
June - My son completes his first full academic high school year. Now, he will no longer be a freshman, and we have to start thinking about Driver's Education. Unbelievable!
Late June/early July - My ex and my son move out of West Milford and into their new place in Butler. It is a much roomier apartment even than the one we had a few years back in Bloomingdale. Most importantly, my son loves it and seems happy.
August - My son and I take a trip down South. We land in Nashville and visit that first day, then visit Paris, Tennessee (and the miniature Eiffel Tower that they have there), Memphis, Little Rock, drive through Mississippi and Alabama, spend a night in Mobile, enjoy a brief visit to Pensacola, seeing dolphins and dipping out feet in the Gulf of Mexico, then we head to Louisiana and take a alligator boat tour, before visiting New Orleans for the final three days of our southern trip. We saw a Saints preseason game, had some great food, including beignets, Cafe au lait, Po'Boys, Gumbo, Jumbolaya, and alligator. We take a steamboat ride along the Mississippi River with some jazz musical accompaniment, and on the last day, we take a walking tour of the French Quarter.
September - My son begins his sophomore year of high school. He is now officially taking Driver's Ed, which seems impossible. He is growing up.
October - After barely making it to Hornell to visit my parents all year, I finally make it back for the first of what turned out to be one monthly trip for the final quarter of the year. This was the first time that I went up there and did not see my father, who was at a new medical facility and under quarantine during the entirety of my visit.
November - Second trip to Hornell, this time getting to see my father as well.
December - Final trip to Hornell of this year. I bring my son, and my brother has surprised my mother as a Christmas gift of sorts. We take turns visiting my father. Desmond Tutu dies, and I remember seeing him in Hartford in 2010 (or 2011?), many years ago now.
*Some Other Highlights - Go to three concerts, each one with my son. We see Guns 'N Roses, which is the first concert since the 2019 New Year's Eve concert at Niagara Falls with Bryan Adams. Later on, we see the Foo Fighters and, in December, we see Genesis on possibly their final tour, particularly given the ailing health of Phil Collins.
One more note: this year, 2021, happened to be the first year since 1997 that I never stepped foot outside of the United States. The closest that I came was almost going with my girlfriend to Poland, although it was too soon after the trip down South, so money would have been too tight. I guess you could say that my son and I walked to the end of the pier in Pensacola, so we were maybe half a mile or so from the Florida shore. But that is still part of the United States. So yeah, this was the first year in nearly a quarter of a century when I did not visit another country at all, even briefly. However, there were some decent trips within the United States, so that helped, at least.
Here are some pictures from this year:
Hornell, late December
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