[NON BLOG] Hello from me, 21 times

I would like to say hello. I have been gone from here a long time, I think, the longest break I have ever taken from blogging.

What have I been doing all this time? In the main, I have been trying to live my strange new life this 2020 as best as I can. This includes thinking seriously about what I want to do with this space, and its neighbours. 2020 is many things, but one thing that it can be is a vital space to look back and reflect. (At least it can be those as fortunate as I to be able to use it so; I acknowledge my privilege.) This is going to be a year of transition.

In the meantime, I would like to share with you twenty-one selfies, taken by me in the course of my day-to-day life, at work and at play, all but one within the borders of the city of Toronto. (Oh, borders are things we have come to know too well.)

My last selfie is an unmasked one. Resolution aside, I quite like the photo that my Echo Show 5 took of me.

[PHOTO] Laundromat warning

[MUSIC] Avenue Beat, “F2020”

The song “F2020”, put up in July on Tiktok by Nashville-based trio Avenue Beat, is still perfect in August.

December 31st, I grabbed a beer
Threw it up, said, “2020 is my year, bitches”
(Three, two, one, Happy New Year)
And I honestly thought that that was true
Until I gave this motherfucker like a month or two
This is getting kind of ridiculous at this point”

Also:

Put your hands in the motherfuckin’ air
If you kinda hate it here
And you wish that things would
Just like chill for like two minutes

Forbes and Nylon and Rolling Stone all describe how a song that the group tossed off onto their TikTok account became a viral hit, first on that platform then in mainstream culture. Their success is deserved: This is the sadly funny and melodic summer anthem that we really need.

[PHOTO] The six painted rhinoceri of Woody’s, Church Street (#woodystoronto)

Church and Wellesley bar Woody’s has taken advantage of the CaféTO program, setting up tables on sidewalks and parking areas to make up for the inaccessibility of its interior spaces. The barriers protecting the street spaces of Woody’s were painted with images of the bar’s rhinoceros, each one with different colours and patterns.

[PHOTO] Church Street, just after midnight, Sunday morning

[PHOTO] Socially distanced at St. Alban’s Square, after 10 pm

St. Alban’s Square, in the Annex, was rather socially distanced earlier this week.

[PHOTO] Six photos from Trinity Bellwoods Park, on a COVID-19 Saturday evening (#trinitybellwoods)

I got to Trinity Bellwoods Park yesterday evening after 7:30, after the peak crowd blanketing the lawn that had made social media earlier that day. I only dipped to the north side of the street to take the photos; the crowds were concentrated on the northern side of the park, but there were still crowds.

We are fucked. Toronto is going to have a second wave.

[VIDEO] The streets of Toronto, as seen by drone

CBC Toronto shared the below video at their Instagram account.

View this post on Instagram

Here's what the streets of Toronto look like after public health officials asked people to practice social distancing and stay home during the COVID-19 pandemic. • • • 🎥: Sue Reid/CBC #cbctoronto #cbcto #covid19 #coronavirus #toronto #selfisolate #socialdistancing #stateofemergency

A post shared by CBC Toronto (@cbctoronto) on Mar 25, 2020 at 5:30pm PDT

[PHOTO] Blurry selfie, with portrait of Shakespeare

Shakespeare died a month ago. (Well, a month ago yesterday.)

I am fine. It is just–well, what a month this has been.

This has been a very weird experience.