Author: D. Brent Miller

What a year it has been. Or, has not been is more like it. Self-isolation has been the standard operating procedure. Staying home. Wearing masks when running the necessary errands to sustain life. Eliminating travel.

Staying safe created a horrible, lonely year, and in review, I made a short list of all the things I have missed.

Things I missed:

• Handshakes and hugs
• Eating at a restaurant
• Going to the movies
• Fishing with friends
• Horizons Unlimited Virginia Motorcycle Travelers Meeting
• Wandering through the vendors at art fairs and festivals
• The Labor Day Taildragger Fly-in Breakfast at Red Stewart Airfield
• Hugs and handshakes
• Motorcycle camping with friends
• The Family Picnic
• Entertaining friends at our house, or their house
• Motorcycling to coffee/breakfast/lunch with friends
• Did I mention handshakes and hugs? The human touch

Using the internet and technology, I found a way to stay in touch with friends. Maybe you have too. Do you Zoom?

Things I managed to do:

• Walks with Lin
• Motorcycle rides, but no touring
• Cooking, but I’m the cook at our house anyway
• Zoom meetings with family and friends
• Drastically reduced my alcohol consumption despite the pandemic, which really goes against the grain in these circumstances
• Binge-watch programs on Netflix
• Watch more college and pro football than ever before
• Spend way too much time on Facebook
• Bought and sold motorcycles
• Turned 70 years old in November. BTW, 70 is the new 50.
• Made love to my wife, Lin, 24/7/366. 2020 was a leap year.

Yeah. What a year. 2021 starts tomorrow, and vaccinations are just around the corner. Can I start planning now?

See you on the highway.

Brent