One year ago today, like many of us, I did one of my last "normal" things when I attended a somewhat large outdoor event marking the change in the standard speed limit on city streets in Saint Paul and Minneapolis (to 20 mph on most streets, 25 mph on arterials). I remember we were bumping elbows a bit instead of hugging as we stood — in the slight bit of rain that day — on the street that marks the border between the Twin Cities. Maybe we stayed away from each other a little, but not much, as evidenced by these photos of some of the elected reps who were present:
That evening I was due at my monthly neighborhood community council meeting. I showed up at the usual place only to find that the gathering had been moved to Zoom with basically no notice, so I hightailed it home (bringing another person along with me into my house). The two of us sat side by side in my dining room for what was probably my first Zoom meeting.
I think I had at least one in-person meeting somewhere the next day (though it may have been on Zoom). I canceled a Friday night game party I had been planning.
Then on Sunday, March 15, we helped Daughter Number Three-Point-One move house, along with her partner and a few of their friends. I mark that day as the last time I did an in-person, indoor gathering with multiple people.
I say multiple people because I did also get my hair cut on March 17, alone at 8:00 a.m. with just my stylist in the shop she usually shares with two others. Pushing the envelope, yes that's me. But I was glad I did it because that haircut ended up having to last a long time and she went at least several months without working right after that.
Speaking of lasting, the last time I ate inside a restaurant was March 9.
I don't know exactly when I got my first mask, though I know who I got it from: my friend Susan, maybe in late March? I remember feeling weird using it at first, as did we all, I imagine. But I was committed to the idea by then.
What a year it has been. So boring, so stupid, so devastatingly sad, so criminally incompetent.
2 comments:
The death, suffering, financial hardship is terrible & we all want that over - but there has been positives; less pollution from needless travel; 1st few days of lockdown I was amazed to hear birdsong that usually gets drowned out by SUVs galumphing past - Also, before Pubs got sadly, & needlessly early, shut by Govt, we got free table service and strangers kept a polite 6 feet away; bonus. People kept their distance in the streets which made me feel so much safer, and I knew friends wouldn't attempt any weird awkward hugging, so it was far easier to be with them, & being in the 21stC we can keep in touch electronically anyway! I know it's not like that for everyone, as all I hear about in the News is opposite to how I feel, but personally I'm dreading going back to "normal"; rushing around to pay for pointless consumerism, crowds, noise, one size fits all 'socialising'; I was hoping for a new version of normal, awakening of spirituality, slowing to think & focus on what's really important in this earthly plane - maybe that will still happen? :)
I have some there may be some substantial changes in the "after," but I think the length of time has worked against it, oddly enough.
Post a Comment