Tag Archives: Covid-19

How We Had a Merry COVID Christmas

Posted on December 22, 2025 by mitchteemley

Five years ago, my wife and I were depressed when we first started talking about Christmas. It seemed Grinch-19 had stolen it right out from under us! Here’s how we had a merry COVID Christmas anyway: Thought for the Week … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Humor, Memoir, Religion/Faith | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 62 Comments

Are You Still Wearing a Mask?

Posted on October 2, 2025 by mitchteemley

‘Self-Portrait With Mask’ by Felix Nussbaum (1928) “We are intensely attached,” Matthew Kelly observes, “to being perceived in a positive light. Even by people we don’t know and will never meet. Perhaps most telling, we even want to be perceived … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Quips and Quotes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 31 Comments

What Will Define This Decade?

Posted on September 8, 2025 by mitchteemley

Thought for the Week 24 years ago this week, terrorists struck America. And it, or rather how we responded to it, came to define the first decade of this century. Then, in the 20-teens, the world reeled from the Great … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Quips and Quotes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 42 Comments

In Praise of the Almost-Ordinary

Posted on August 14, 2025 by mitchteemley

Five years ago this month, in the midst of a pandemic summer, my wife and I passed a milestone. One that wouldn’t have even been an inchstone before 2020. Is there such a thing as an “inchstone”? Well, no, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Humor, Memoir, Movies | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 33 Comments

The “Doing Church at Home” Era

Posted on July 12, 2025 by mitchteemley

We had no choice. Back in the ‘90s, our then-toddler daughter kept catching colds at church. This was no surprise. After all, kids are viral airports, where infections land and take off with great regularity. In fact, quite a few … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, For Pastors and Teachers, Humor, Memoir, Religion/Faith | Tagged , , , , , , , | 28 Comments

Discovering the Joys of Yardwork

Posted on June 28, 2025 by mitchteemley

Way back in 2019 BC (Before COVID), I considered yardwork a heinous chore. But then came the quarantinious year of 2020 AD (After the Disease). And suddenly I began looking forward to visiting that mystical place called “Outside.”  Five years … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Humor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 41 Comments

How to Hide in Plain Sight

Posted on June 27, 2025 by mitchteemley

Five years ago, fresh out of lockdown, we had mixed feelings. We wanted to go out in public again. But after months of quarantine we were understandably nervous about exposure. That’s nothing new for the animal world. This semi-serious photo … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Humor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

What If There’s No New Normal?

Posted on June 9, 2025 by mitchteemley

Thought for the Week Five years ago, in the midst of the pandemic, there was a lot of talk about adjusting to “the New Normal.” The phrase got old fast. But not the struggle. And now, it seems, we’re adjusting … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Quips and Quotes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 52 Comments

This Was Our Comedy Relief in 2020

Posted on May 16, 2025 by mitchteemley

Five years ago, as the COVID-19 pandemic spread, people looked for comedy relief. Here are some of my favorite memes from the era of santizer and toilet paper shortages, social distancing, and working from home. Why does humor flourish during … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Humor, Quips and Quotes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 44 Comments

Hope Is More Virulent Than Fear

Posted on May 10, 2025 by mitchteemley

Five years ago, my wife and I ate at a favorite local restaurant and saw a movie, The Invisible Man. It was an excellent film about an invisible enemy. And speaking of invisible enemies… COVID-19 was spreading. Rapidly. We heard … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 57 Comments