DW Community Catch-up Thread
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My pilates instructor hasn’t started back to work at a studio or gym yet. I do zoom classes with her. It’s not ideal and I’d love to get back on a reformer, but not for a long while. It is interesting what some people decide is safe vs. not safe and how that has changed since the beginning of the pandemic. With the exception of outdoor dining on 4 occasions (to support local businesses when they re-opened), the husband and I haven’t really changed our stances since the beginning. We’re still pretty isolated.
My dad’s brother and his family were going to our hometown the weekend before Thanksgiving. They were the reason I wasn’t going to go home for Thanksgiving because about 25 people would have gotten together to see everyone. Another brother talked some sense into everyone and there is no visit. I still don’t think I’m going to go home. It’s too risky right now.
EDT: The outdoor place we ate at, we had masks on except when eating. There was a barrier between the patio and the sidewalk. We know the owners. They only have three people on staff – one waiter, one bartender and one cook. All the tables were spaced. We went at an odd time, like 2 in the afternoon.
It continues to really intrigue me how folks will completely ignore the medical advice about what’s risky and what stops the spread of coronavirus *when it comes to things that they want to do*. Like, my boss will say she doesn’t feel safe going to the hair salon, but she regularly socializes with various different groups of people and goes on weekend trips out of state. Or my mom got mad at my brother for eating inside a restaurant and told him not to come visit that weekend, but she goes inside art galleries and talks to the owners for something to do (masked but still).
It does kind of get ridiculous, but yeah, objectively, being inside gyms and restaurants – because you’re maskless and in there for a while – is what contributes most to community spread, along with gatherings.
Oh, Chicagoans… if you were into the Chriskindle market, I believe a food truck is getting the gluhwein they served and is camping out in Logan Square this holiday season.
I mean, I think everyone is taking their own calculated risks and then judging others if their risk-taking looks different. I’ve also noticed people are quick to offer up justification for their own behaviors and no longer post to social media like they would’ve pre-pandemic — cause they know people are going to judge. I’ve done things I know some of my friends and family wouldn’t do, they’ve done things I wouldn’t do. Anyway, I’ve been trying to judge less the past few months.
Sure, unless you stay home 100% of the time and never see anyone else, you’re taking calculated risks. I have generally be super cautious, but I broke my own protocol on Saturday when I hugged a few friends, and celebrated Biden’s win (outdoors, masked, right outsuds in front of my apartment, and I’m going to get tested this week, but still – I can totally appreciate being judge for that!). But, come on, being indoors, among people outside your household, none of whom are wearing masks is kind of beyond a calculated risk and just a straight-up, go fuck the risks.
I can’t imagine touching or hugging anyone. I would never. But I’m also not a hugger or a toucher. However, there is one couple we know with a little baby, and we’ll meet up at a restaurant that has tables spaced far apart out in the parking lot and eat together. I like eating outside so I do take that risk.
Tbh there is also ONE restaurant that doesn’t have outdoor seating, my husband is a 25-year regular there, we had our first date, we know and love the people there, and we have eaten inside. They do a lot of takeout now so there are only ever a couple of other tables in there. Objectively I know it’s risky, but subjectively it feels ok, idk.
Those two behaviors are my riskiest. Normally I just stay inside like a troll.
I’ve seen my mom twice, maskless and indoors, since COVID started. Once when I went to visit her in the spring, once for a long weekend last month at an AirBNB halfway between us for her birthday. She lives alone and is really struggling with the isolation. We discussed precautions we’d take beforehand and she felt the mental health benefits were worth the risk. I’m sure people judged me or thought those risks were stupid or not worth it.
Look, we’ve all taken risks! We’ve all done things others wouldn’t. I do judge sometimes as I know everyone else does, but way more than judgement, I feel concern when I hear about indoor, maskless gatherings (social, professional, recreational/ exercise), especially in hotspot areas (like the Midwest, currently). Take care of yourselves, take care of each other. If you take a risk that’s out of the ordinary for you – like I did on Saturday – stay away from people afterwards until you go get a negative test result. It’s going to be a really really grim next 6-12 weeks and, it fucking sucks, but we have to continue making sacrifices.
I know, I’m scared 🙁
They say it’s picking up again in nursing homes too. I worry about that a lot. Like what if a nurse got exposed while going about their daily business. My parents can take action to stay safe but my aunt and people like her are at everyone’s mercy to a certain extent.
In North Dakota, where hospitals are at or near capacity and there’s a staffing shortage to deal with the absolute onslaught of covid patients, the governor has just said that nurses who test positive but are asymptomatic can continue working, as long as they work only with covid patients!!! And that includes in nursing homes. I mean. That’s absolutely insane.
It boggles the mind. I made plans to meet up with some friends. They suggested outdoor dining – I said I wasn’t comfortable with it in Florida where the tables were at minimum a true 6 feet apart let alone here where it’s more like 4 feet. And do you know what? He didn’t give me grief. We agreed to meet in the park, eat and chat and be socially distant while their toddler runs around like a crazy person.
Hugging and touching – what the hell? I’d be comfortable with a Kid ‘n Play kick. That’s about it. Can we start that?
