Bronzella Brown, Editor – bcleveland@masonrymagazine.com
Can anyone relate to how fast yet slow this year has gone thus far? Is it just me? Well, let’s be honest, during those quarantining times I’m sure everyone felt like time was going in slow motion backward. As Dan and I have mentioned before, my husband and I got married right before the state shelter in place order. Actually, it was just a few short minutes before the mandate was enforced. We were thankfully able to move into our place, and what a time to be stuck inside, I mean, quarantine as newlyweds.
It gave a new meaning to personal space and “me time” — two things I cherish more than most things. I felt a sense of accomplishment and dread moving into a new apartment since we had to be inside pretty much 24/7. Staying on the sunnier side of this situation, it was nice being able to spend a lot of time with my new husband. But I didn’t necessarily think it would be the entire time for a little over three months.
What I’ve noticed about this year, aside from the time warp it feels like I’ve fallen in, is that time and days still go on. Whether it was a terrible, a great, or an anti-climatic moment in time, those moments still go on and make us better. For instance, my wedding day will forever be unforgettable, not just because it was the “happiest day of my life,” but because we were still able to hold a small ceremony for our family. Time goes on, moments pass, but how I felt in that moment will always stick with me.
The same can be said about moments throughout the year, be it COVID-19 related and dealing with all the new procedures we’re settling into, or the good, bad, and ugly moments, time goes on. I’m amazed at how resilient we are as a country and in the masonry industry- even with a pandemic, we’re still going strong. Maybe not as strong as we’d like it to be, but we’re still moving on and getting things done.
This issue is filled with tons of great articles, following my note you’ll find a saw safety article, a workwear and gear article focused on footwear and socks — two essentials that can sometimes be taken for granted, so be sure to check this article out. We have an update from the National Masonry Instructors Association, another installation to our GEN NXT series featuring young company owner Chris Labrie, and a story on telehandler maintenance.
Our cover story focuses on material testing, ProtectiFlex Masonry sheds light on their efforts in the masonry industry and how these masonry materials that can help resist ballistics, natural disasters, and more. There is a company profile highlighting Arch Masonry & Restoration in Pittsburgh, PA, an informative article on mortarboards — the unsung jobsite hero, and a technology-based case study on the Great Lakes’ Naval Station. Finally, you’ll find our monthly columns as well, including the new titled column Building More by Corey Adams. With all these interesting reads in this issue, we hope you enjoy reading them as much as we do!
In the meantime, get back to enjoying the fall season and all your favorite spooky movies!
