How would you describe or sum up the year 2020? It would appear that ‘unprecedented’ is one of the most common words to do so and there are now a number of new words (slang) that will define this new decade. Here are a few of quotes from authors who have made me smile (and now hopefully you too) with their words and what they mean.
BCV
Short for ‘before coronavirus’, a time so unattainably distant in our memories that it may as well have been last century
International travel
Something we used to do all the time, back when we weren’t horrified by the idea of breathing in the spittle of strangers sitting mere centimetres away from us for hours on end
Isobod
The inevitable corporeal result of spending weeks stuck indoors, communicating with the outside world via videoconference— that is, getting fat. Also known as ‘COVID curves’, the weight gains we noticed when stepping on the scales or looking in the mirror gave us all fresh determination to exercise extra hard just as soon as COVID-19 is under control— whenever that might be
Mute
The most-used word of 2020, as we all said, ‘Are you on mute?’, ‘Am I on mute?’, ‘Take yourself off mute’, ‘Hey, idiot, you’ve still got mute on’, ‘We can hear your kids, can you please mute?’, and ‘There’s a weird echo, can everyone else go on mute?’ at the start of every single video-conference, all year long. It was enough to make us want to put everyone on mute
Normal
No longer a meaningful term
New normal
The suggestion that a particular state of affairs will continue, providing people with some sense of stability and continuity. In 2020, any situation described this way turned out to be wishful thinking shortly afterwards, as everything changed yet again
New abnormal
More appropriate for 2020
WFH
Working from home. Once, workers claimed they were doing this when they wanted to have a cruisy day on the couch, but in 2020, many of us were forced to do this full-time as a public health measure
On a more serious note this time of the year always brings about some reflection around what we have achieved and what’s still left on the list to do. Sustainability has been on everyone’s list and I’m pretty proud, here at JFS we are making some good in-roads in the packaging consumable area with products such as Enviro Pac Fibre Trays, Infia 100% rPET plastic, Cardboard and our newest edition Bio Net.
I have had the opportunity to work with great customers, amazing people and would like to thank you all for your support and collaboration during these times when the supply chain is still under enormous pressure. In signing off for 2020 I would like to wish you all best wishes for a Merry Christmas and may the holiday spirit be with you and your family today and throughout the New Year.
Check out some of my highlights of 2020 in the photo above! Feel free to use these as inspiration for any future packaging ideas… right before calling me, of course 😉