2020 Social Life Is Sad

 

The lockdown life has not been easy. Since March, work (when there is work) has been from home. My kids’ school went remote so they are home too. The wife was a substitute teacher so, once the school closed she was home with the rest of us. We still can’t go to church. All in all, it has been way too much time at home and very little interactions with the outside world.

Today, however, my wife had a chance to get out of the house. She got to meet new people. A chance to talk with strangers, joke around, and laugh. In other words, she had a somewhat normal pre-COVID-hysteria day. When she came home she said, “I had fun today,” and that made me laugh. It struck me as funny but on second thought her statement was very sad.

Now you may be thinking, “Why is it sad that your wife had fun talking to other people?” Well, my lovely bride turned 50 this year. So, that “fun” outing she had today was her … colonoscopy.

That’s right, so starved for human interaction even gross medical exams are a welcome diversion from our governor’s house arrest orders. People are social animals and are not meant to live like this. My wife is an outgoing person. I am not, but even I am sick of this lifestyle (not to mention the financial impacts). I know, I know, “but THE COVID!” I think at this point I’ll take my chances. Reopening doesn’t mean we are going to run out and tongue kiss strangers. We can be safe without being paranoid. America, enough is enough. Let’s get back to living.

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  1. Jimmy Carter Member
    Jimmy Carter
    @JimmyCarter

    Vance Richards: Reopening doesn’t mean we are going to run out and tongue kiss strangers.

    *spoiler alert*

    • #1
  2. Vance Richards Inactive
    Vance Richards
    @VanceRichards

    Jimmy Carter (View Comment):

    Vance Richards: Reopening doesn’t mean we are going to run out and tongue kiss strangers.

    *spoiler alert*

    I mean, you can if you want to but . . .

    • #2
  3. Vance Richards Inactive
    Vance Richards
    @VanceRichards

    The reason my wife had so much time to hang out and talk to people is because the anesthesiologist wouldn’t put her under until he could do a pregnancy test. While I guess that isn’t totally impossible, that is a scary thought for us at this age. The problem, after spending half a day cleaning out, she had a hard time giving them a urine sample (she doesn’t drink coffee so I can’t relate). Anyway, it took about two hours before she could give them a specimen. Thankfully, both the colonoscopy and pregnancy tests came back negative.

    • #3
  4. E. Kent Golding Moderator
    E. Kent Golding
    @EKentGolding

    Since Covid….

    My family makes fun of me for having long conversations with strangers while walking the dog.   Walking the dog,  I have struck up conversations with many of my neighbors,  and finally know their names.  I talk with people while walking the dog, and socialize.   I recognize these people, wave and say hello.  Let them pet my dog.

    Pre-Covid,  I would be described as an anti-social loner who didn’t like people.  And I would have agreed.   Amazing about what enforced isolation teaches you about yourself.

    • #4
  5. Aaron Miller Inactive
    Aaron Miller
    @AaronMiller

    At risk of sounding like a broken record, churches should be leading the way on this. When did Christians start prioritizing the body over the soul? 

    • #5
  6. JennaStocker Member
    JennaStocker
    @JennaStocker

    I’m glad everything went well for your wife. I work in a retail store and I really miss seeing smiles! I’m afraid being so used to seeing only masked faces, I won’t recognize people when it’s finally (hopefully) time to take them off.

    • #6
  7. RushBabe49 Thatcher
    RushBabe49
    @RushBabe49

    I would be totally defying our state’s mask mandate if it weren’t the business owner who would suffer for my behavior. Businesses have been heavily fined and threatened with losing their license if they allow unmasked customers in their stores. This is horrible. 

    • #7
  8. Kephalithos Member
    Kephalithos
    @Kephalithos

    Heh. Social life. What’s that?

    I haven’t seen any friends since last November, and I haven’t met anyone (except for a few coworkers, virtually) since March. I leave my house every two weeks or so — to take joyrides, but that’s about it.

    The most interesting human encounter I’ve had in the last half-year happened this month: I ran into a homeless pro-Trump black guy on the streets of a small-ish western-Ohio city. We talked for at least 30 minutes about all the forbidden subjects: religion, politics, race, and so on. Surreal. (Thanks, Doug! You made October interesting.)

    • #8
  9. Vance Richards Inactive
    Vance Richards
    @VanceRichards

    JennaStocker (View Comment):

    I’m glad everything went well for your wife. I work in a retail store and I really miss seeing smiles! I’m afraid being so used to seeing only masked faces, I won’t recognize people when it’s finally (hopefully) time to take them off.

    My wife was wondering about companies making lipstick. Not much use for that when you’re wearing a mask.

    • #9
  10. Full Size Tabby Member
    Full Size Tabby
    @FullSizeTabby

    The dental hygienist made a similar joke (on a less severe scale) at my teeth cleaning this summer – people were eager to come to a dental appointment for the interaction with another human.

    (Texas is now more open, but the state-mandated masks are a significant barrier to social interaction for shy introverts like my wife and me.)

    • #10
  11. Full Size Tabby Member
    Full Size Tabby
    @FullSizeTabby

    Aaron Miller (View Comment):

    At risk of sounding like a broken record, churches should be leading the way on this. When did Christians start prioritizing the body over the soul?

    Several decades ago. They started in earnest to put aside concern with people’s relationship with God in favor of efforts to make people physically comfortable, mostly by efforts to get the government to do so. 

    • #11
  12. Full Size Tabby Member
    Full Size Tabby
    @FullSizeTabby

    Our church has very limited physical gatherings, so we get out some. But through those, we have discovered some others who, like us, not particularly worried about the effects of the Wuhan virus, and so we get together in small groups at each others’ houses for some small-scale social life. 

    • #12
  13. Full Size Tabby Member
    Full Size Tabby
    @FullSizeTabby

    Vance Richards (View Comment):
    The reason my wife had so much time to hang out and talk to people is because the anesthesiologist wouldn’t put her under until he could do a pregnancy test. While I guess that isn’t totally impossible, that is a scary thought for us at this age.

    I used to hear (on radio) an ad for some pharmaceutical that was specifically directed at some condition that only appeared in people over about age 65. But among the rapidly spoken disclaimers at the end was, “Do not take this medication if you are pregnant or are planning to become pregnant.” 

    • #13
  14. Buckpasser Member
    Buckpasser
    @Buckpasser

    Aaron Miller (View Comment):

    At risk of sounding like a broken record, churches should be leading the way on this. When did Christians start prioritizing the body over the soul?

    The Chineese flu could be the end for many Churches.  They have been rendering to Caesar more than he deserves.  The halting of in person fellowship and mask mandates (accepting it without a peep) will see to it.

    • #14
  15. E. Kent Golding Moderator
    E. Kent Golding
    @EKentGolding

    Buckpasser (View Comment):

    Aaron Miller (View Comment):

    At risk of sounding like a broken record, churches should be leading the way on this. When did Christians start prioritizing the body over the soul?

    The Chineese flu could be the end for many Churches. They have been rendering to Caesar more than he deserves. The halting of in person fellowship and mask mandates (accepting it without a peep) will see to it.

    The churches that will remain will be stronger.  The church where I am a member has been holding recorded services that stream.   Haven’t watched any of them.   I am extremely grateful to the churches I have been attending that have been holding live services.   Still can’t socialize much,  but there are people in a Sanctuary singing hymns and praise songs as the case may be.   I am confident that the church where I am a member is on a downward spiral,  but I like the churches I am attending better.

    • #15
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