I titled this message, "The Gap Year" because traditionally, the gap year is that year between high school and college, where if you could, you traveled abroad, took a Eurail Pass to travel in Europe, or took a year of study. You were out of your element, in a different place and time, away from your friends and family. You were there to experience something new and different. It was, for many young people, transformational.
This pandemic year feels like the gap year to me. My friends and family are at the end of Zoom or Skype. My relationships outside of my marriage are literally at two arms length, out of reach, for now. My only public mixing is swimming laps in a pool 3 times a week. I am told that the chlorine kills the virus. Perfectly safe. Locker room - not safe. Wear my mask from the car to the pool. Use my Corona Virus App to file the daily statement that I don't have symptoms or a fever to be allowed into the pool. Straight forward, but strange.
Most of the things that I like to do include people, often lots of people. The physical presence of people, lots of people, is potentially dangerous. By calling this a gap year, I have hope that it will end, and we will all be back in our element, including live ham radio events. I will be there, if possible, when this gap year is over, in addition to hosting another virtual Expo on March 2021.
73 - Eric, 4Z1UG