Seven months into the pandemic, many of us are feeling starved for human connection. Virtual interactions have been better than no interactions at all, but they still are not a replacement for in-person interactions. Our team was feeling this deprivation.
Since Labor Day, we have been operating on a hybrid schedule, working in-person at our physical office part-time and working remotely part-time. It's definitely been good to be able to see each other in person at our office again. Last week's office outing, however, was our first opportunity to spend time together outside of the office since our office closed in mid-March.
So, GOLF we did. Metaphorically and actually. With proper safety precautions, of course.
After rainy weather on the days before our outing, we were lucky to have clear skies, sun, and a beautiful breeze on the day of. We enjoyed a leisurely walk from our office to our mini-golf destination at Pier 25, basking in the nice weather, not taking a moment of it for granted.
We grabbed some snacks, put on our game faces (not visible underneath the masks), and hit the course hard. Dianne downplayed her golf skills but we were wary of that. As we putted away, we admired our views of the Hudson River and Statue of Liberty and took in our surroundings. We were entertained by a dog riding a skateboard (seriously). A mouse scurried about on the course reminding us that, even though this felt like an escape, we were still in New York City. We learned that Natasha, who is left-handed, does not golf lefty, and is not fazed by mice or rats in view of the far-more-menacing creatures she has been exposed to back in Australia, her home country.
In the end, only one person could prevail (or, in this case, two). Amled and Marisol tied for first place and shared the victory crown.
We look forward to having our newest team member, Janice Deutsch, at the next office outing!