I am staring at the calendar on this Friday the 13th and wonder, what more could happen in 2020 that could make the fear of this day come true. Karma is a bitch and she has played with my heart, body, mind, and soul for most of this year. With less than a month and a half left of the craziest year in history, I thought it might be fun to put together a list of new phrases or issues that are the year 2020.

Okay first, how many of us thought when the clock struck midnight, January 1, 2020, "I wish I could find a good excuse to work from home this year?" If you are one of the millions of employees that are now sitting at their kitchen table, make-shift office area, or on your couch trying to multitask, I bet you didn't know Karma was listening. I used to tell potential employers during an interview if asked, "What is your ideal job?" My immediate answer would be, "Anything I can do from home."

Second, the term "social distancing" had a different meaning just last year. It was what you did on social media when you came across an old boyfriend, or a friend's page with too much religion, politics, or both and did not give you a welcoming feeling. But most importantly when a stranger tried to friend you on any of these pages. For the younger readers, I am sure social distancing was trying to keep your parents, aunts, and uncles from friending you on Facebook, Instagram, or Snapchat.

Thirdly and most importantly wearing a mask was a costume, not a fashion statement. It was worn by doctors and nurses, first responders, and not by your child's kindergarten teacher. It should never be a tool for politics or civil rights. It's an important tool in society is to keep people from harm's way. If you are asked to wear one, do it proudly and if you must make it an issue have it written on your mask, don't stand in line at the local grocery store, and scream it at potential victims.

Fourth, have you gone one day since mid-March without saying or hearing the word pandemic? Won't it be nice when the headlines in newspapers, top stories of the nightly news, and your social media pages aren't covered in the numbers this virus created? I have been lucky to this day in my small world to not have anybody that has died from COVID-19, but we are on our way to a new wave, so my fingers and toes are crossed.

Finally, if you voted and many of us did, the election is over for the most part. Even though the current president is trying to disqualify your vote, he will have to move out of the white house in January 2021. However, there is this term that's being tossed around in the news media called "The Lame Duck Period." Now I know I have heard this phrase before, but for some reason this year it's kind of feels like this term should represent the last three-plus years. If you don't know what it means, according to Wikipedia: "In politics, a lame-duck or outgoing politician is an elected official whose successor has already been elected or will be soon. The official is often seen as having less influence with other politicians due to the limited time left in office. Conversely, a lame duck is free to make decisions that exercise the standard powers with little fear of consequence, such as issuing executive orders, pardons, or other controversial edicts. Lame-duck politicians result from term limits, planned retirement, or electoral losses. Even at the local level, politicians who do not seek re-election lose their credibility and influence on fellow councilors. Projects uncompleted may fall to the wayside as their influence is greatly diminished."

So, in a nutshell, we are heading into the final month of 2020. Will we be able to ring in the new year with the fanfare and bravado that we did last year? My guess is probably not. No one is going to write down a list of resolutions or sit down on New Year's Eve and read a bunch of gratitude they experienced this year. But not to worry better days are on their way, just keep on social distancing and wearing your mask and zoom or video chat whenever possible. Hope your Friday the 13th was just another Friday in the life of the year 2020.