2020: Worst. Year. Ever.

The worst pandemic in more than 100 years which has claimed the lives of more than 150,000 Americans followed by an economic disaster that may even get worse and last for a long time.

No question that tops the list of bad things that have happened through the first seven months of 2020 but there is plenty of company on what is a growing list:

• The death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police followed by a wave of nationwide protests and increased racial tension. Some of those protests turned violent and continue to this day although a portion of those where not by protestors but those just looking for a reason to cause mayhem.
• Increased gun violence throughout the country, including New York City where shootings are up 76% over last year.
• A political divide that has not only gripped Washington but basically the entire country. The new year started with the impeachment trial of President Trump and things have not gotten any better.
• Wild weather from tornadoes in the south to what we are experiencing today with a reminder that hurricane season in the Atlantic runs through November 30^th with predictions calling for a 60% chance of an above-normal season.
• Wildfires in California with the latest still raging in Riverside County where nearly 30,000 acres have already been burned.
• Murder hornets in the state of Washington and shark spottings right here in New Jersey and New York just a week after a woman was killed by a great white in Maine. Oh and let’s not forget locust attacks in India & Africa.
• The death of former basketball star Kobe Bryant and 8 others including his daughter in a helicopter crash in January.
• The cancellation of the summer Olympics in Tokyo which have been re-scheduled for next summer but that is very much in doubt.

Of course you could come up with an entire list of bad things that are a result of the coronavirus which shows no sign of letting up and equally upsetting is the so many unknowns we are facing today, tomorrow and likely at least for the rest of the year.

As my daughter Alex says whenever anything bad happens….”it’s so 2020.”

I think most of us would be happy to go to sleep tonight and wake up on January 1, 2021.