I don’t say this with any snark – just more frustration and bewilderment than anything.
Like, did you decide that taking precautions was “living in fear”? Just a YOLO thing? Is it because the news isn’t talking about it at all anymore? Because health departments barely mention it anymore?* Because what little guidance coming from the CDC is basically “fuck it, no one listens to us anyway”? Is your risk tolerance just really high?
Seeing someone else in a mask when I’m out and about is a fucking rarity anymore, and pretty much everything I do is a shit-ton of risk calculations.
Yesterday I had to drop off my car at the service station, and we put in an online order for food to pickup and for whatever reason, the restaurant didn’t respond, the order got canceled (I got a text en route) and so we decided to eat in, but only because it was 4PM on a Sunday, they were at about 25% capacity, we could choose seats well away from others, the place has high ceilings and lots of fans, etc, etc. Just so much fucking mental math just to sit down and eat. (The last time I ate indoors, I can’t even remember.)
And on the other side of the restaurant, there was a party of folks all jammed together and pretty much on top of each other for a birthday. Sure, maybe they’ve all been super diligent everywhere else in their lives so they *can* do this, which would be great! But, um, yeah. And then in Starbucks this morning, six folks jammed up around one table – WITH A FUCKING INFANT.
I guess this on top of seeing multiple folks I know this week going, “Hey, look at us at this crowded indoor event!” was just a bit much, while I’m desperately hoping I’m not putting anyone else at massive risk just to sit down and eat.
I know – trust me, I KNOW – how much of a toll Covid has taken on everyone’s mental health. Isolation, canceling plans, saying no to so many things, constant risk assessments – it’s so much. But what’s been worse for me, is watching people decide they just don’t give a shit anymore about themselves or anyone else.
I know it’s not everyone – but it is just So Many People, and for whatever reason, it’s hitting hard this week.
ETA: I know that disabled folks have to do risk assessments/cancel plans/say no 6 days a week and twice on Sunday – I know my experience here is not unique, I’m just needing to get my feelings out about it.
* Even my own state health department, which had been pretty good – the website is starting to break down to lack of maintenance and the latest data download is 20 days out of date. Maddening.
Musings of a marginally sane feline-appreciating female. 
It’s all so weird.
I have no choice but to take my classes in-person, but everyone in my program is vaccinated and my instructors have us go remote for the week the second someone starts coughing. I’ve been going back to the movies periodically but sit away from everyone. I went to one scrimmage (not even a game!) for a certain top-ranked team I love, but I sat a few rows up from the crowd; you can actually see me in all the footage because I’m isolated. I have a favorite mask company and place orders on a routine basis.
I personally feel like I have a nice balance where I’m being mindful and taking precautions but also living life. But some people treat me like a freak because I…wear a mask?? That isn’t hurting them?? And should not be bothering them so much?? They’re looking at me like I have psychological issues for wearing it, and I’m looking at them like they’re the ones with issues because they’re so dang bothered.
We both need this thing to magically go away, I think. :(
Yeah, I kinda feel like a weirdo as one of the few still masking up. (But I get so excited when I see someone else masked up, LOL.)
And I’m getting out and about, too – but there are still so many “Is this bad? Am I being an selfish idiot? Am I unconsciously underestimating risk because I REALLY want some tacos and a margarita and it’s too cold to eat outside?” self-doubts that go with it all and it just seems like no one else is having these questions (or they’re hiding them very well).
Just all very weird to be sure.
I’m still wearing my mask and only saw one person wearing one at the grocery store.
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Yeah, when I’m at our local market, I might see one, maybe two other people wearing a mask.
And I live in an area where masking wearing rates were really high, and then they just dropped off a cliff. I think there has to be some aspect of “if it wasn’t safe, the government wouldn’t let us do it” going on, but I just don’t know.