Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years?

Chel Owens

Gather ’round, young and old. Old Granny Chel is gonna tell you about a mystical time, four whole years ago…. I was ‘specting my fifth child -a boy- and learned I needed to stay in bed. In those days, you see, everyone left the house to do the shopping and the working and the schooling. I remember taking pictures of my bedroom and writing on Facebook -you older ones remember Facebook, don’t you?- about my vacation plans to tour Laundry Mountain and Bedside Manner…. *sigh*

‘What’s a vacation?’ Well….

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Can you imagine telling this to your children? Before COVID-19, this would have been a fictional, dystopian short story. After COVID-19, however, many of us feel how close to home this hits.

I’ve reflected on life before COVID many times: When I stood in line, six feet apart, in the Costco parking lot while reading the sign about what they were out of. When I dropped my children off at school and adjusted their masks. When I’ve seen drinking fountains, couches, restaurants, and bulk candy containers taped off with warning signs attached. When a sneeze makes me jump. When a cough draws scrutiny.

My reflection hasn’t been a longing for the past so much as an astonishment at how very different life has been. I’ve often thought, No one would have guessed these things would be happening now.

Such a thought reminds me of that common interview question: Where do you see yourself in five years? The best job candidates say, “I see myself here, at your company. I’m working with a team to improve quality and productivity.” The worst say, “Oh, I plan to get pregnant, have a baby, and stop working for this company within two years. In five? I think I’ll be working for your competitor after using up my maternity leave.”

COVID-19 has been the worst potential employee, ever.

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I think we’re seeing the tail end of it, which is great. I’m crossing my fingers we won’t experience another pandemic of this magnitude for another hundred years. Assuming life moves at the pace it currently is, then, where do you see yourself in five years?

It’s okay; I’ll hire you no matter what…

—————-

Here’s the run-down for the last two weeks:
Wednesday, February 9: Told you about our regular side business selling handmade all-natural soy wax candles, plus the one we’re trying to launch, Valiant Candle Company.

Thursday, February 10: Announced the winner of the Terrible Poetry Contest for that week, Matt again!

Friday, February 11: Friday Photo. Don’t you just love alone time?
Also, announced that week’s Terrible Poetry Contest. The theme was a cento poem about being compassionate.

Saturday, February 12: Had a lot of fun writing a cento-style poem about …well, not really about anything. It was a mess.

Sunday, February 13: Shared a quote by someone, often misattributed so who-knows-what famous person first said it?

Monday, February 14: “I’m a Mormon, So” I likes my milder cuss words.

Tuesday, February 15: Wrote “This is the End,” a short story about The End.

Thursday, February 17: Announced the winner of the Terrible Poetry Contest, Dumbestblogger!

Friday, February 18: Friday Photo! Ice cream, anyone?

Saturday, February 19: “That’s a Moray!!”

Sunday, February 20: Shared a quote by Oscar Wilde.
Also announced this week’s (and next week’s) Terrible Poetry Contest. You have two weeks to ENTER!! The theme is a limerick about grain.

Monday, February 21: “I’m a Mormon, So” I’ve been baptized and received the gift of the Holy Ghost.

©2022 Chel Owens

45 thoughts on “Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years?”

  1. Covid-19’s been a real curve ball, but its strange I think its also shown us what counts … and its not what you buy at the shops

    Liked by 1 person

  2. Something else will happen, too many people have benefited…another “crisis”…ideally not directly climate related because no one wants to tackle the real problem…maybe aliens, or terrorists, or another war, or a fresh pandemic…or let’s all work together to defeat the flu or the common cold or hives 😊😊

    Liked by 2 people

    1. I wonder if they could plausibly do aliens -A Universe Peace Act that worlds call upon when they need an appropriate distraction.

      Defeating the common cold sounds much more altruistic.

      Liked by 1 person

  4. So true… I often think the same… If I could travel back in time and warn ppl that this pandemic was imminent.. Would ppl believe me or lock me up??? I hope things never go back to the way they were, how ignorant we all were.. I hope it makes us, as a civilization, more aware and compassionate for others around us!

    Liked by 1 person

  5. I have no idea. Five years is a long time. Five years ago, my life was much different from today. And going back each five years, I can mark big differences. Maybe that’s what is so great about life, it’s unpredictable. We are always being surprised, and hopefully most of those surprises will be pleasant.

    Someone once wrote about military strategy, “No plan of operations extends with any certainty beyond the first encounter with the main enemy forces.” I think this idea can be extended to life, itself.

    Liked by 1 person

  7. Given what I just wrote on my blog, and my grouchy old person viewpoint I will be stumbling around in purple polyester pants and a red shirt with huge flowers waiting for my ride to come and take me to the grocery store because I had to sell my car based on gas prices… 😉

    Liked by 1 person

  10. I find myself getting way more philosophical the older I get. I think that’s either a symptom of slowing down or an old dude with more time on his hands. Either way, life is still the most incredible reality show around—far more real than the stuff labeled as “reality television.” The good news is we are the director, producer, and writer of that show. If it’s a big flop, then that’s on us.

    Liked by 1 person

  11. Yeah, I hear ya, Grannie. This Covid is being a long-suffering cantankerous bi- sorry, witch. (See, I can curtail my natural verbose inclinations. Swear I can, if’n I try.)

    Liked by 1 person

  14. HI Chel, the word on the street is that there will be another pandemic coming. We will not be spared until we stop encroaching on animal habitat and even worse, eating wild creatures. I sometimes think it really serves mankind right. When I was in the game park last weekend, I couldn’t help thinking how dreadful it is that humans have taken it upon themselves to control every other creature on this planet and treat them like a circus spectacle.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Interesting. You’re probably right. Perhaps we need a Robbie dystopian novel to this effect as a real-life guide of how to react. We certainly didn’t have a good way to curtail spread, for one thing.

      Liked by 1 person

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