Getting back to ‘normal’ may take awhile

So, how has your week been?

Sorry if that seems flippant, because I don’t mean it to be, but I’ve written a column every week for at least the last 25 years and there have been plenty of times when I sat at the keyboard hoping that an idea will fall out of the sky and onto the page.

Those of you who have read these for any length of time probably already suspected that, but this week it was the opposite. Every time my fingertips reached for the keys with an idea, a new one popped up.

I could write with empathy and firsthand knowledge about what the folks in Nashville and Putnam County are facing after tornadoes ripped through there last week. We spent months and months cleaning up my in-laws’ house after it was destroyed the day before Easter in 1997.

We were fortunate in that no one was hurt. That is another level of hurt and trauma that we did not have to deal with. But it was a long and arduous climb back to any kind of normalcy none the less, and I got to go home to my home and relative normal daily routine while my in-laws did not.

I could write about what this virus is and could do to our good lives as it relates to entertainment, which is what I primarily write about in this space.

We’ve already seen how it is impacting music festivals across the country with some already canceling or postponing.

Even mega-group Pearl Jam announced it was postponing Barry Courter its tour. I think we can look for many others to follow. Acts on tour literally travel from one venue full of people to another in cities all over the country just about every night of the week.

Rest assured that they are all watching what others are doing while hoping for a quick end and resolution to this.

I could write about possible long-term effects, as well. Let’s say we do find a cure, or it just simply goes away. Will your life or habits change? Whether or not you believe the world is overreacting to this virus,

I’d venture to say that most of us are much more aware of things like washing our hands, shaking hands, touching grocery store buggies and doorknobs and being in large groups of people.

There is certainly nothing wrong with washing your hands regularly, by the way. That should happen with or without the threat of a global pandemic.

One thing’s for sure: This has been a momentous week and there are likely more to come.