Copa

I feel like my first round of friend divorces coincided with the peak of my wedding years. More of my friends have gotten married in the past few years (early 30s) than in our 20s, but quite a few of the ones that married in their 20s were getting divorced by our early 30s. A couple are onto their second marriages but those friends have kept their second weddings very low-key. The baby years now seem well underway. I assume there will be lots of babies in the next few years and more divorces, fewer weddings.

Not really relevant but I recently found out an old supervisor I absolutely HATED just got engaged for the third time. He’s about 50 and remarried when I worked under him to a woman who was my age, which lasted six months. (I assume his relationship was at least part of the reason he was a very angry supervisor. He carried a baseball bat everywhere and would take angry practice swings in his office. Normal!) He then went on to date a woman who was half his age and made everyone so uncomfortable talking about his new girlfriend’s age that HR had to get involved. That eventually ended. His new fiance is yet another woman half his age. I thought he was gross so I’m stunned that women my age and younger want to date or marry him.

Just got my first Pfizer shot. Too early to know if I’ll have any side effects from the first dose, but I, too, didn’t even feel the needle go in. I went to one of the mass sites run by the National Guard and while they could’ve explained things a bit more, it was very efficient. The second appointment was set up automatically while I was there. I was in and out in about 30 minutes.

I’m glad to hear so many here have been able to get their vaccine appointments. I joined a Facebook group to help navigate what’s going on locally because it’s been a confusing roll out and can tell a lot of people in high priority groups than mine are still having a difficult time finding an appointment, which makes me feel a little guilty that I got mine with relative ease and on my first day eligibility. But I know getting vaccines in adult arms is a good thing.

We decided to book a short glamping trip next month. It’ll be my first time at an airport/on a plane for the first time in over a year. I’m very excited for a “proper” break from work. I have five weeks vacation sitting in my PTO bank and while I’ve taken some long weekends here or there, sitting at home in the same space I typically work in hasn’t been my favorite way to use it.

I have my appointment scheduled for next Monday, which is the first day I’m eligible here. I wasn’t even planning to look until maybe Wednesday since most sites seem to only have openings for a handful of days out, but my sister tipped me off that one of the mass vaccination sites here had a few openings into next week and I nabbed one! She got her first dose there yesterday evening and said it was very efficient. I’ll be getting Pfizer. Super excited!

A friend and her boyfriend were able to get their first vaccine shots last night, supply that otherwise would’ve gone to waste at a nearby pharmacy. She’s been calling different local pharmacies trying her luck and yesterday it paid off. She tipped me off which one so I think I’ll try them later. I’m happy for them and also jealous. I’ve made similar calls here and there, though not as diligently, with no luck.

In Chicago, it still seems difficult to get an appointment. (Haven’t tried myself yet.) Though we’ve been able to move into a new phase for adults 18+ with underlying conditions and, as of today, anyone 18+ from about five Chicago zip codes. My sister and cousin both have some health issues and neither has been able to get in yet. Both said registration sites keep crashing. My cousin decided to call, he was scheduled over the phone but never received the confirmation email they said would be coming. A pregnant friend nabbed an appointment at Walgreens then got turned away, even though the guidance for pregnant women is that they can choose for themselves. (They later called to apologize but I feel like they should’ve set her up with a new appointment.) Seems like it’s a bit easier in Chicago than places like MA or CA, but it’s still a bit of a mess. Outside of Chicago seems a bit easier, particularly in the rural areas and as you go farther south toward MO. I’m waiting to see how things shake out, I should be eligible here relatively soon, but if the right-leaning areas of IL don’t want their vaccines, I’m willing to drive to get mine.