Good Morning & Hello Friday.

It was Omicron’s week! I’m pretty sure we’re ALL going to get it. But the good news is, those who are vaccinated and boosted seem to have very mild symptoms (at least the people I know). Jim Cramer of CNBC, who got Covid this week, and Scott Morrison (PM of Australia), both talked about how we’re now at a point where we have to learn to live with Covid as an endemic. And that means assuming a certain degree of risk. More people are getting on board with that line of thinking based on what I’m picking up from mayors and governors around the country. I’m not hearing anyone (even in the most Democratic parts of the country) pushing for additional mandated shutdowns (see #1, 2, and 3 below).

It was also TikTok’s week. Besides topping Google as the most visited website in 2021, TikTok is also in the process of opening 300 ghost kitchens (delivery only) offering some of the top food hits from the platform, e.g., baked feta pasta or smash burgers (#7).

Next week, I’ll be doing a best/worst of 2021 with predictions for 2022. This is last year’s. I was wrong about a few things but spot-on about others, e.g., I did not buy into all that nonsense about ‘we’re all going to be baking bread and never returning to restaurants.’ Of the 5 things I wished for personally for 2021, 3 came to pass but I failed to make it to another State Fair or go on another Nat Geo trip. But it’s looking good for both for 2022!

And just a heads up on the vibe this week, I’m covering some topics that are a little more serious and gloomy than what I normally write about. But that’s what’s on my radar as we close out the year.

EVERYONE is starting to get vaccinated and it feels so good!

• As of Monday, March 8, more than 90.3 million vaccine doses had been administered in the United States. More than 58.8 million people have received one dose, and nearly 30.6 million have received two. It’s creating a new sense of hopefulness. (Source: Patch)
• But there are two issues that are devastating the country that nobody seems capable of handling or even wanting to make a priority (see #10 below). The boom times that we all sense are in the offing will not happen if these two major problems aren’t addressed and resolved ASAP.

And on that note, scroll down for this week’s Top 10.

Hopefully, only one more week of high political drama before we get back to some degree of normalcy (and civility).

• While the fever broke last week, we are clearly not out of the woods yet. Businesses around the country, e.g., in Pittsburgh and Austin, are boarding up their storefronts again in preparation for one more round of craziness as we head into inauguration week.
• Fortunately, there are also signs (finally) that even the most ardent proponents of the lockdown are waking up to the fact that it’s not working (see #2 below).
• I’m also detecting a shift back to the office. Men, in particular, are chomping at the bit to get out of the house and return to a traditional work environment (see Harvard study below, #3, not good news for women, btw).

And with that, Scroll down for this week’s Top 10.