Whilst it is trite to observe that 2020 has been a uniquely challenging year, it is interesting to observe how much things have changed since we gathered at Trunk Diner a year ago to launch our rebranding.
So as our US friends celebrate Thanksgiving, Melbourne celebrates official virus elimination after 28 consecutive “double donut days” and we celebrate our rebrand’s first birthday and look forward to providing clear solutions for creative businesses in the brave new COVID-normal world, here are a few things for which we’ve become grateful. And some things we won’t miss.
That for which we’ve become grateful
- Slowing down – Changing perspective and spending time with family.
- Science – How good is it to see science on the front page, whether it be epidemiologists’ advice on managing COVID or the awesome collaborative vaccine development efforts! Sure we knew a bit about coronavirus vaccines before the pandemic, but to complete Phase III trials and be on the verge of having a number of vaccines globally available within less than a year is a truly remarkable achievement.
- Front-line workers – Where would we be without their tireless efforts.
- Connectivity – Imagine lockdown without the internet and its gift of being able to see family and friends anywhere in the world, and binge watch the latest streaming series at any time.
- Walking the streets – Spending our daily al fresco hour “going on a bear hunt” and delighting in our neighbours’ creativity and thoughtfulness.
- Lockdown lists – If you can’t find time in a lockdown to do “that thing you’ve never had time to do”, then you’ll never to do it. So, I’ll never learn the guitar. But I did painstakingly, scrape years of ugly solid plaster from every brick at the façade of our terrace!
- Adaptability – Although we deal with creative businesses every day, COVID exposed some astoundingly creative ideas (and while the live streamed performances were great, there remains no substitute for the energy, sound, sweat and sticky carpet of a truly live gig).
- White House normality – Like a head against a wall, the exhaustion of daily dysfunction is most noticeable when it stops.
What we won’t miss
- “unprecedented” – At least it will take something truly amazing to top COVID and earn that moniker again. May that most overused word never return.
- Masks – Sure, eyes can smile, but they shine when the rest of the face is exposed.
- COVID hair – Let’s not speak of it again.
- Business travel – Hours on a plane for a face-to-face meeting or dialling in from home? Hmmm let me think….
- ‘Gabba Grand Final – Melbourne is footy, and footy is the MCG. But kudos to the AFL for providing our fix during COVID.
- Corona moaners – You know the type: whining about the inconvenience of pandemic precautions (aka science). Noisily rising above the fray; like an ocean oil slick, skim off and discard.
- Trump.
And of course, we’d love to hear what COVID has made you grateful for, or what you won’t miss.
Next week we profile the awesome dynamo responsible for our rebranding, Vanessa Ryan of SML Design. In the meantime, you can connect with Vanessa Ryan on LinkedIn and learn more about SML Design here or click here to get in touch with our team at Solubility. Also you can follow Solubility on LinkedIn and Solubility on twitter.
We look forward to seeing you again for some more Everyday IP.
Cover image: Photo by Divani (Diva) on Unsplash