Life in Our Times: How Will We Emerge From the "Hermit Zone?"
Confession: I am "one of those" who really hasn't suffered significantly as a result of the lockdowns and quarantines we have experienced as a result of the "Covid Thing" over the past 14 months.
Most of our struggles have been financial because other people were suffering with job losses and having to stay at home.
"You have to stay at home!"
Oh, reeeeaaaalllly? I pretty much did, anyway. Now I got to stay home with an official justification, so to speak.
Our restrictions around here did not extend to such things as going out in the garden and walking in the neighborhood or on the beach; the latter being OK, as long as you wear a mask and social distance.
"So how has your life been affected?"
Aside from falling further into the "poverty zone" and getting used to wearing a face mask whenever I leave the house... the biggest change has been that I actually plan the grocery shopping a lot better than I used to, so I only have to leave the house once or twice a week instead of pretty much daily.
That's actually a good thing, because our fuel bill for the car (and mileage) is way down from where it used to be!
Even when restrictions are lifted, I am hoping to continue to keep the grocery shopping to twice a week...
Because I have always been a pretty solitary person, I genuinely can't say that I have suffered as a result of ongoing events.
I did actually get sick with Covid... possibly twice. And that was pretty unpleasant in weird ways I have never previously experienced as part of being sick. I'm rarely sick, to begin with... and since I'm reasonably fit, not overweight and generally healthy as a baseline, my case(s) were probably pretty mild. "Mild" meaning that you feel like you have a severe flu, food poisoning and the aftereffects of running a marathon, all laid on top of each other.
So still pretty unpleasant. But it never felt life-threatening.
"Unpleasant" particularly meaning a month long case of "Covid toes," following the second round, back in September. Yes, it's a "thing." Look it up!
So, About Emerging...
So, I was considering this issue of "emerging" from this state of hermithood... trying to figure out what I might suddenly do, once the world believes it is once again "safe to move around."
The first thing that came to mind was going to the coast. Not our local coast, but the "big" coast out on the Pacific Ocean where we often go to pick up the best beach stones for my artwork. Since it's a 3 1/2 hour drive, it's best enjoyed as a weekend outing... and the resorts out there have all been shut down for a year.
Which leads to the next thing: Arts and Crafts shows will hopefully start back up! That's kind of a big deal not only because I have lost the primary outlets for my hand painted stones, but because that also meant a loss of $6,000-$8,000 a year in income as a result of all such shows being suspended indefinitely.
Online sales have definitely not filled in the gap! Lesson: Some things have to be seen and touched, in person.
Farmer's Market. I look forward to Farmer's Market being "full sized" again, and to feeling less restricted while taking in the sights, sounds, smells and tastes. Farmer's Market is one of the few ways I'm OK with "doing crowds." By no means all the time (it goes twice a week here) but definitely once a month, or so.
Other than that? Not sure where any other changes are really going to show themselves. I work from home; I live off mail/web orders and writing/editing and I don't see or have contact with customers/clients. Mrs. Denmarkguy will be able to see counseling clients in person again... but she's not sure she really wants to...
On the whole... it's just not that big a deal...
Thanks for reading, and hope you're having a great weekend!
How about YOU? Are restrictions lifting where you are? Are there things you've just been "itching to do?" Or will freedom to move around not really be a huge change? How strict have your lockdowns been? Comments, feedback and other interaction is invited and welcomed! Because — after all — SOCIAL content is about interacting, right? Leave a comment — share your experiences — be part of the conversation!
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Created at 20210403 13:32 PDT
0232/1475
I went out to a small music club last night. Restrictions have been eased considerably in NYS. The joy in that room was phenomenal. Hopefully folks will start to fully understand what they have traded for perceived safety from getting sick and dying.
That's great to hear!
I just hope people will start to value all that we have and have access to, rather than take it for granted.