However, I, and everyone I know, got covid at the event. Last year we must have just gotten lucky; this year was the superspreader I feared in 2023. I can barely go on Facebook this week because it’s nothing but pictures of positive tests, which I take as a personal rebuke (and is sometimes, though not always, meant as such). It’s been a huge bummer and an unpleasant end - especially being sick myself, although this time it’s barely registering as a mild cold - but as I keep reminding myself, this is our life now. I used to routinely come out of this and every other event much sicker than this - a reality people forget - and it looks like Labor Day will always involve a spike in cases, since it has every year. Between kids returning to school and people returning from vacations, Labor Day will always be a covid hot spot. Another reason to consider moving dates, if possible.
The H and kids so far don’t have it - although Bobby started coughing today - and I’m hoping I’ll clear it sometime next week. I’m worried about this lingering cough with two traveling singing gigs in two weeks, but at least I don’t have to worry about getting covid before or during those trips, now. I may even be good through the winter and can delay getting the next booster shot until before next year’s event, which might allay some of my fears next summer. We’ll see. But welcome to event planning with covid.
Other than that, I sincerely wish the event were less crowded with stuff - it was a steamroller that ran me ragged, especially on the final night. But I don’t know how to fix that. Our tribute to Jean was absolutely perfect, and that was everything I had hoped. My voice held up. I was able to guide our blind participant through her contest, and that was a pleasure and a very special moment. I opened for next year’s ticket sales, and that was a hit - we sold about 260 tickets as of last night. So I will definitely continue that tradition - although, sadly, it may screw me in taxes this year. I have a consult with my tax guy next week to figure that out.
How do I feel about the future? Optimistic. I was looking at my list of austerity cuts during the weekend and realized they all suck and I don’t want to do them. I think I need to be brave and hopeful and push harder, not fall into that trap of retracting the event because less people are coming, only to have even less people come because the event is less appealing. I think we’re operating on all new metrics right now - that the 25th anniversary wasn’t really a draw and that issues like the various strikes and no room at the hotel and covid were way more of a deterrent (and really, we went into the event with maybe only 100, 150 people less than 2019, so not bad). So I feel good about next year.
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