Not better, but easier.

That sums it up for me. But this is your rant, your question, your life so I won't digress. Good post but then you have always been a good writer. Covid and live events were a specific convergance but part of your struggle here is with retirement also. What is next? Who I am beyond the work I do? This was always out there. It was accelerated for you but this is a very hard transition for everyone to make from work to retirement. I haven't worked for a few years but still struggle when meeting someone, how do I introduce myself without immediately discussing my work. Then of course there are the deeper thoughts that come to the surface occasionally What am I doing thats important, meaningful...