I just got back from my favorite record store on the planet - Kops Records in Oshawa, Ontario. Mask on, gloves on, I ventured into my first store visit since early March. The last time I was at Kops Records, Evan was playing a gig upstairs. It was Evan's first ever performance in Oshawa and little did we know, but it would be the last time he would play live for many, many months.

That weekend we were actually thinking of cancelling because there was talk about this new virus, COVID-19, which was highly infectious and we didn't know if we should be postponing or not. In the end, we went on with the show and it was great...a lot of fun but that would be it for some time, as the world completely changed that Monday. By the end of that week, my staff at DANIMA were working from home, no more client meetings and businesses were being shut down by the government unless they were essential. 

Originally it was to be a 2 week stopage in work and non-essential business....but here we are into our 6 month, and though we are in Phase 3 of re-opening businesses, we are still in the Pandemic and awaiting a vaccine. 

And though it's been challenging wearing gloves and masks, and trying to avoid the seemingly endless amount of COVidiots who don't seem to think the Panedemic will affect them (ignoring the fact that almost 500,000 people have died across the globe), we are slowly opening up our businesses, our sports and, in some aspect, out lives again. All we are asked to do (and have been asked to do) is to social distance, wash our hands and wear a mask. Lo and behold, there are those that can't seem to grasp the concept of "we're all in the together" and they selfishly do their thing as if it were 2019 again. But it's not. However, it felt that way for a few minutes while I was flipping through vinyl records and talking music with my new friend, Will M., who runs the store.

A little victory of sorts, though I'm still very cautious and COVID-aware. 

It's a different world, the new COVID world we are living in. It takes paitence (lots of line-ups and lots of COVidiots to deal with) and it takes hope and faith. Faith that God has a plan and we'll get through this, hope that we can come together as a people if we work together and look out for one another so we can one day get back to normal and hug each other once again!

Until then, social distance, respect each other, be kind, wear your fucking mask and as Warren once said, "Enjoy Every Sandwich".

I'm out...