In April 2020, I wrote a blog post about the first lockdown. Back then, everything was still new, everything was still fresh. The news was still easy to digest. The refresh button and I were in stitches. “Do they know more yet? How many infections today?” I wrote about how, like the rest of the Netherlands, I ended up stuck at home. Working from home. Ugh. I wrote about how I felt a bit lost because of it.

It’s almost a year now. A year! Wow. Reading the news? I can’t watch any news anymore; I can’t stand that refresh button. Just like corona, by the way. I, a good citizen of the Netherlands, am going crazy with the news. And I imagine many other citizens of the Netherlands are too. And while we’re at it, you know what else is really getting on my back? Working life before corona. Oops, did I write that out loud? Help, my boss is reading this… there goes my permanent contract!

Okay, let me explain. An open letter to my bosses, salvaging what can be salvaged before I can pack my bags:

Dear Daan & Maan,

I had to find my feet during this time of coronavirus, but I have news: it’s the best damn thing I’ve ever found. Or am I going crazy?

Actually, I just want to thank you. For a few things.

Thank you for your birthday present to me last year: the running shoes. In my previous blog post about the coronavirus pandemic, I wrote that I became a more enthusiastic runner because the gyms had to close. I no longer had to commute to Amsterdam every day. My commute went from 90 minutes a day to 30 seconds a day, so I decided to make time for running during the day. It gets my heart rate up, my vitamin D up, my dopamine levels up – that’s good for you! I can safely say that my running fanaticism has turned into a full-blown running addiction. In the best sense of the word. I’ve traded in my refresh button; now those running shoes and I are in heaven!