Resurrecting my blog has been near the top of my “to do” list for a while. I recently accepted a full-time job offer, which frees up time I’ve been spending scouring LinkedIn, applying for roles and tracking down recruiters. (Good riddance.)

There’s also more time for blogging because I’m working remotely, with zero daily commute and few personal plans other than “a walk”.

Pre-pandemic, I got 10,000 steps in just by walking to/from public transportation, plus a few blocks at midday to pick up lunch — a perk of city living I took for granted. Now I schedule a daily constitutional to nowhere, or else my Apple watch will vibrate to confirm I’m at least conscious.

I wish I could say week one of employment ran smoothly but… no such luck. A few days into my new job, I was diagnosed with COVID-19. Several local colleagues had helped me onboard face-to-face (I-9 process, laptop set up etc.), and were rewarded with exposure to the virus. They were gracious, but also probably pretty annoyed. I pray they remain healthy.

I got lucky with testing. A nearby clinic had availability the same day I detected symptoms, and could provide results within 15 minutes. No waiting in limbo.

A mask-less clinician walked into my exam room with results, which I took as a hopeful sign… until he realized he was in the wrong place and backed out quickly.

I assumed the patient he was looking for had tested negative – so, no mask needed. If he came back later with his mask on, my test would be positive.

You can guess what happened next….

Riots in DC, a positive COVID diagnosis – 2021 is not exactly eating 2020 for breakfast. But last year taught me to find an upside amidst a lot of *blech*, and celebrate incremental progress.

So… I’m six days into a 10-day quarantine, extremely grateful to have mild symptoms AND an understanding employer. There’s a new President and First Lady waiting in the wings, and time to ponder blog topics for the future.

Watch this space!