Checking In

[twistedchick]

This is your check-in post for today. The poll will be open from midnight Universal or Zulu Time (8pm Eastern Time on Friday) now to midnight UT (8pm Saturday Eastern Time).

Poll #23917 Daily poll

This poll is closed.
Open to: Access List, detailed results viewable to: Access List, participants: 69

How are you doing?

I am OK
56 (81.2%)

I am not OK but I don't need help right now
13 (18.8%)

I could use some help
0 (0.0%)

How many other humans live with you?

I am living single
25 (36.8%)

One other person
24 (35.3%)

More than one other person
19 (27.9%)

Please, talk about how things are going for you in the comments, ask for advice or help if you need it, or just discuss whatever you feel like.

Comments

[sylvanwitch]

In other areas of my life, I have these moments when I think, "Is it just me? Am I overly concerned/paranoid/conscientious/thoughtful, etc.?" Usually, I'll reach out to someone I more or less trust and ask, "Hey, does this happen to you?" Therein, I find some affirmation that, no, it's not just me. Phew, relief, right?

So, today we were walking in a state park. T. has a medical-style mask he wears; I have a bandanna that I pull up over my nose and mouth when we're approaching someone. We were walking on a path that was somewhat wide--room enough to put six feet between us and other folks--but we were up against a railing over a gorge, so, you know, we *couldn't* get over any farther without, well, dying. And three times, people passed us going the other way, where they had plenty of room, and didn't even TRY to get over. None of them had masks, and they were in groups of four or five, laughing and talking and, apparently, completely oblivious to the deadly contagion going around?

And I really did have this profound moment of, "Holy shit, am I just taking this thing too seriously? Is it possible that I've got it all wrong?" And, of course, that feeling lasted only moments, and I talked it through with T., and we decided that it wasn't we who were behaving strangely but those other people who didn't seem to care that WE might be infected and might give it to them. Or, you know, that they might be silent carriers and spreading virus like dandelion seeds.

I just don't get people. I mean, that's a standard experience for me, but the behavior today...it's just so bizarre to me. Can people be that willfully ignorant or that dangerously in denial? Geez.

ETA: Got a "Covid cut" today--the men's hair clippers I ordered came in yesterday, and today, T. and I sheared most of my hair off. I typically wear it very short (spiked on top, shaved on the sides), so this isn't new for me. It's not the best-looking haircut I've ever had, but the relief in having the mop off the top of my head is well worth whatever snickers the cut might earn me, assuming we're ever allowed to go out in group settings again. ;-)

[feng_shui_house]

A lot of people are idiots. This is always true- and it doesn't help when the POTUS is an idiot and encourages more idiocy.

There are a lot more sensible people than it seems, because they're not the ones making videos about the virus being a hoax, or a political ploy. The sensible people are staying HOME or at least going out quietly to exercise or do essential things while being cautious.

There have always been idiots- when I was a child there were morons having 'hurricane parties' and 'oooh, look at those waves, let's surf'!

There are going to be so many Darwin awards this year I doubt they can keep up with them.

[adafrog]

Amen.

[sylvanwitch]

Your last line made me chuckle, and that is a gift these days, so thank you. Also, it's good to know that I'm not alone in feeling this way. I am 100% with you on the Orange Menace having empowered the ignorant to be self-destructively, willfully stupid (see: Hey, why not take this drug that doesn't work but might kill you? and "Here's a shot of Lysol. Drink up!"). I only wish their ignorance wasn't so often fatal to innocent people as well. *sighs*

It is not just you.

[kathmandu]

Those people passing closely are the last few not getting it. There's always someone not on board for any given thing. But the consensus is with you.

Where I live, there are still a few people going out without face-covers, or passing closely on the sidewalk, but over the weeks there have been steadily more people covering their nose and mouth. And, in just the last couple weeks, other people besides me looking ahead and around a good twenty feet, and pre-emptively avoiding close encounters by moving off the sidewalk (if no cars approaching), or crossing the road, or pausing while someone else crosses ahead. And the roads are *empty* at rush hours, when normally they'd be full of cars.

Re: It is not just you.

[sylvanwitch]

This is a comfort to hear, especially that people are getting it. The sooner everyone does, the sooner people will stop contracting this deadly mofo virus. Thank you for taking the time to share your experiences with me; it helps to keep the self-gaslighting at bay. ;-)