Through the wonder of digital, here’s the intro after it got proofed as it appears the pre-proof version went in the magazine. Urgh….
It’s not the start to the year we were hoping for, is it? I asked Santa for an end to a global pandemic for Christmas. I guess I was aiming high. You’d imagine with a production facility located somewhere with sub-zero temperatures and a reputation for incomprehensibly fast global distribution, Santa was the man to lead the vaccine rollout to save humanity from a repeat of 2020.
Sadly, it seems that Christmas gift distribution took priority and we’re having to rely on our governments to get the elderly to vaccination centres so they can get jabbed and we can all go back to normal. Maybe. It’s quickly becoming apparent that the plan is to take it slow, as Covid’s plan for economic and social destruction rolls on, and on, reality hitting as we entered January and the year soon became very ‘2020’ in nature. We’re now four weeks in and our shops are getting knocked back week-on-week, all PPE’d up and raring to go, only to be told to stand down. It turns out that when a courier company that visits a high proportion of businesses does a Covid Gone Wild, it has an adverse affect on the wider industries they serve. What a beast. The reality for many businesses is that there is a harsh new reality; 2021 could very much resemble 2020. For now.
Our theme this edition is ‘Love’; it’s Valentine’s Day this month (albeit one where your meal for two will be a take-away) and we also have our lovely Bridal Bible supplement in this issue. Kudos to the brides and grooms who defied the limitations of lockdowns and were able to complete their nuptials in 2020. If things calm down by the summer, the wedding season is going to be, as the outgoing president of the US would say, ‘uge’.
We just have to wait a while, stay in a bit more, vaccinate a little and keep relaxed.
Starting 2020 is like starting a new relationship, having just come out of a bad one; we need to take it slow. Keep that mental focus you built up during lockdown #1, concentrate on maintaining your walking regime, finish that Rosetta Stone course, treat yourself to a Reef and Beef from the Salty Dog (so good) or a Bohemia@home and help those around you. Kids going through school at the moment think this is a new reality. It’s not. It will pass. Their generation is going to have to clean up the economic and social welfare legacy of Covid-19 so helping them stay focused and positive cannot be overlooked. I’ve heard stories of school-leavers being completely lost and confused, wondering what hope they have. It’s not only the old who are vulnerable, so take care of your loved ones, both old and young.
BD
