2022 certainly isn’t what I expected it to be back in January.

That would be an understatement. I had such high hopes for 2022, instead, it has turned into “one of those years”.

What’s Going On?

My running has been dominated by not running and the pandemic continues, even if more than a few are ignoring that it still is around. I have gotten on a productivity app merry-go-round and finally seem to be coming to the end of it – maybe. Writing and blogging have become something that other people do. Plus having some ideas about certain tendencies that I display, but those will be for down the road as I look into them in more detail.

Running

I messed up my left knee on May 10th and haven’t run since. I go for an MRI in late July (unless I can catch a cancellation short-notice kind of thing). The knee isn’t responding to PT and most of the things that I do are done despite how it feels. Not really how I want to live the rest of my life, to say the least.

Yeah, I have a feeling that arthroscopic surgery might be in my future.

Even before the knee injury, my running had been hit or miss all year. Battling the conditions that Mother Nature provided this winter outside (no access to a treadmill) was a challenge. Then add in multiple niggles that were enough to not want to run on (hamstrings and left Achilles’ tendon), and I was wildly consistently inconsistent running.

I will get back to running, just not as soon as I want.

Pandemic

We do a bit more than we had been, but at the same time, I don’t feel comfortable going back to pre-pandemic levels of activity quite yet. Even though I am fully vaccinated and boosted.

Let’s see how things shake out over the next few months.

I am using the COVID-19 Safety Levels at Togus Medical Center, as a guide to help me decide when I will relax a bit more. When they go maskless, I will probably get back to a more pre-pandemic type of lifestyle. Until then, I will continue to mask up in public spaces and limit my exposure levels.

At this time I am not interested in long ideological pontificating about who is right or what someone’s personal choices are. I am making a personal choice regarding what I feel is best for me and our family’s circumstances.

Technology

Since the start of the year, I have spent way too much time attempting to find the “right” productivity apps and routines this year. My primary interest has been the newer note-taking apps that have come a LONG way, from the big three of Evernote, OneNote, and Apple Notes. Along the way, I got way too deep into the rabbit warrens of the note-taking app world and backtracked too many times attempting to find the one that works for me. The one that fits closest to how I do things is Reflect Notes. If I keep using it, I plan to do a quick review of why I chose it over the other choices.

Also, I learned where I am in my life means my needs for productivity apps are different from what I was reading and watching others use. I have to admit that I got caught up in the hustle culture and thought that it would be cool to do some of that stuff. It turns out that I really am not all that interested in that lifestyle. It is not a part of the journey that I want to be on.

I have a good life and the path I am on isn’t the same one that so many others are choosing. The one I am on is a bit bumpy and has a few twists and turns that I still have to navigate, but it doesn’t involve me getting on some of the bandwagons I was eyeing.

Getting things done in a timely manner is still important, but my life is purposely slower and has different demands.

For the rest of 2022, some of my focus will be on simplifying my use of technology, apps, and what I want or need to accomplish. Productivity apps will disappear from my technology stack, as I get the data out of them and find that I no longer need them.

Social Media

I am not going to be “that person” who spouts off about too many things online and has no real expertise in anything but is all too willing to share his opinions like so many other talking heads out there. It isn’t my style or something I need to do to stroke my ego.

Over the years that I have been active on social media, I have learned that it becomes what we make it, what we allow on our timelines (the algorithms be damned), and who we follow/friend. Going forward, I am going to be even more selective about who I follow and also which companies I allow to attract my attention. If someone or a brand begins spouting disinformation or becomes annoying, I will block their account and not give it a second thought.

I enjoy being on Twitter, as long as I can have a chronological feed and not rely on their algorithms to tell me what I should be interested in. It will be interesting to see what changes are made if Elon Musk is successful in his takeover. I do believe that he will lose his shirt on this deal, but as long as he doesn’t sink Twitter completely or allow the hate/disinformation asshats to increase their presence again, I will deal with it.

As much as I hate Facebook, I do enjoy the people who I have invited to be a part of my timeline, the company Meta does not thrill me and its algorithms suck donkey balls – just give me chronological order and don’t mess with it after that. If I had my druthers I would go elsewhere, but this is where too many friends and family still are.

Writing

My writing and blogging, both of which haven’t happened all that much. Yeah, both have pretty much sucked during the first half of 2022. Resistance has a stranglehold on me at this point in my writing. Yes, I am working on breaking its grip, but it is tough work.

My old imposter syndrome issue raises its ugly head about stuff that I do have a bit of knowledge about and I don’t feel confident enough to write about what I do know. So, I muddle along and keep most of my thoughts in my Daily Notes for the day when I do want to start sharing some of the thoughts that I do have. Some of which are pretty good, but don’t do anyone a lot of good sitting on my computer unpublished.

I am thinking about going back to writing mostly about my experiences of rehabbing a broken-down runner and some technology stuff on the side. Hopefully, I’ll get back to writing more about how that old broken-down runner is training to be a better runner and setting his sights on a particular race at some point in 2022 or 2023.

Who knows, I might even get back to writing a few more chapters about my favorite character again. Yes, my book seems to be calling my name more and more again. At least I am thinking of potential storylines and character hooks.

What does the rest of 2022 look like?

Me working hard to prepare the body for possible arthroscopic left knee surgery and then rehabbing it to get back out on the roads as quickly as possible. However, if the ortho determines that surgery isn’t needed, it is going to be a dark day indeed. Since I will be figuring out what comes next and how I will continue to maintain my fitness because I can’t run with the knee like it is now. Some days walking on it is pretty damned difficult.

Getting back to writing about what I know best and having some fun with it is going to happen. Who knows, I might even be sharing a few words of wisdom that will be timely or at least something to think about. Along with showing that despite setbacks, injuries, and all that other negativity that happens, we can continue to move forward towards a better life that includes family and friends.

Maybe I will even be able to get back to the gym this Fall. It would be nice if the pandemic continues to abate. While life will never go back to the way it was, but it can be better than what we have endured for the past few years.

2022 is not over and while it has been a tough first half of the year for many of us, it is also up to us to see what we can do to make the remainder of it better. I know that I am going to attempt to make the second part of 2022 a helluva lot better than the first half.