#lockdowns Masks

[barzfrommarz]

[coupleofdays]

A few years ago, I decided that I would make a real effort to become more social, instead of spending most of my free time sitting at home. I was going to find ways to socialize, byt finding local groups doing stuff I'm interested in, by visiting conventions, maybe try going to concerts or clubs. Maybe even *gasp* try dating. There's a part of me who often tries to push against these ideas, coming up with excuses to stay at home instead, but I was going to do my damndest to fight against it, argue against it, or simply ignore it, because I had a genuine longing to not just sit at home, alone.

Then the Covid pandemic started.

And now, that antisocial part of me has the perfect excuse, that I'm having a really hard time arguing against.

"Oh sure, you can join a group or go to a convention, but is it really worth the hassle? You wouldn't want to endanger anyone else, would you? You'll have to wear a mask constantly (and if you start to go out regularly, that's a whole lot of masks you gotta buy!), always make sure to wash your hands if you happen to touch it, always try to keep your distance, never letting your guard down for an instant. Oh, and try to make sure that all meetings you attend are outdoors too, because being indoors with other people increases the risk!"

"And even then, even if you do everything you can perfectly, if you take every possible precaution, you'll still have the nagging knowledge that it's not 100% safe, that you might be endangering everyone around you despite your best efforts (especially since most people around you doesn't seem to care about masking anyway, and your social anxiety makes it so you don't want to bring the mood down by arguing about it). Wouldn't it be easier to just stay home and play videogames all day, and then go to bed and fall asleep while worrying about dying alone?"

[iloveschiaparelli]

moments I should have known I was autistic

This one is a little different bc it indirectly resulted in my first time flagging autism as a thing I might have

Covid lock down in 2020 was really hard for several reasons, mainly not having any friends and not being able to leave the house. But once I finished the school year and made some friends online... I never before nor after have had a year that was better for my mental health and creativity. I organize my art chronologically in my computer and 2020 still remains as the single most productive year for my art ever, by file count. The majority of progress I've made in developing my fictional worlds and stories was made during lockdown, both in 2020 and 2021 throughout my senior year, which was a hybrid remote so I only had to go in 2 days a week.

I spent maybe 30 mins to an hour a day on Instagram looking at crossposts from tumblr. Seeing that I was relating to a very high concentration of queer and autism posts was what first caused me to begin questioning whether I might be autistic. I grew up in a straight, conservative household. I'm a cis female. And yet I observed and said at one point in 2020 "I relate more to the experiences of an autistic gay man than I do to the experiences of anyone in my demographic". I would joke that maybe I'm autistic, but didn't really do any research until the next couple years when I hit college. This was also when I started thinking I had ADHD, but it was 2 years until I got my diagnosis for that.

Looking back it makes so much sense. The reason why I couldn't relate to other straight neurotypical girls is because I'm NOT neurotypical, and I AM attracted to women. (I do not label myself as bisexual or date women for personal & religious reasons, but I do accept that as part of myself and I don't try to force myself to change.) I had spent 17 years trying to fit in with the normal kids and yeah, it was never going to work because I wasn't normal no matter how much I thought I was.

The reason why lockdown was so productive for me creatively and why I felt so healthy and at peace was because I didn't have to leave my house, which meant I didn't have to mask. Even on occasional trips to the grocery store, the building was so empty that it was quiet. I never had to suffer through sensory overload. My house was clean (never before nor after lockdown has my family's home ever been clean enough for me to function in) meaning I could cook in thr kitchen and hang out on the floor or in the livingroom with no sensory problems.

Even once I went to my senior year of high school, it was only 2 days a week in-person. I wore my mask and didn't talk to anyone unless I had to. The food was awful and working with clay in the ceramics class was difficult on a sensory level but as long as it was wet I was fine. They had remote work for us to do on the 3 days home, but I just did it on school days and did art and played minecraft on the off days.

My mental health was abysmal at the start of lockdown, so of course I suffered plenty mentally throughout. But I made SO MUCH progress.

Now that the world has gone back to normal, I'm back to struggling. It's hard to hold down a job because every job available to me isoverestimating. Going to the grocery store is overstimulating because there are crowds of people there. The roads are full of traffic, strangers try to talk to me or wear heavy fragrances/have body odor and stand less than 6 ft away. I can't take 5 days a week to rest, I have to work to pay my bills. If I don't work, I spend those 5 days wondering where my next source of income is going to come from. I sleep way too much, or at least at all the wrong times, because of how stressed I am at the end of every day keeps me awake late into the morning, and then I overslept because I'm exhausted. I used to live in a rural area but now I live in the city, at an apartment complex where it's never fully quiet. (My roommates and i are touring houses this week! Fingers crossed!!).

It seems like I really am disabled in the context of my environment.

I can function OK when I'm in school with no other responsibilities. I can function OK when I have a job and no other responsibilities.

I can barely function, or not at all, if I have school AND a job.

I function best when I have minimal responsibilitie's to fulfill outside of what I enjoy doing. Because I'm disabled. And the covid lockdown was an illustration of how I could function in an accommodating environment.

[alpaca-clouds]

Can't we please go back to masking at least?

I honestly am so frustrated right now. As I said a couple of days ago: I got COVID again and right now Germany seems to be hit hard again, just judging by how many people at university and work are sick with the virus again.

Now, university decided that last week and this week were gonna be remote (with the exception of one workshop two days ago, that was done with some people (who had the virus) participating from home while everyone else was in class). But that is supposed to be over next week. And my workplace also insists we are supposed to be at the office 3 days a week. My manager is not as much of a dick about it as some other managers (so, basically when I said "I am gonna stay home, because I cannot get sick again" he said: "Yeah, that's fine.")

And the people... are all still running around without a mask. Germany did away with the mask mandates more than a year ago, of course. And I guess we just will not go back to them. And right now... Like, I do not have exact numbers, because we also stopped testing.

But at university we are 11 people in class. Out of thos 11 right now 4 people (including me) have the virus right now.

And I need to remind everyone: The virus increases the likelihood of suffering a lot of debilitating deseases later on - or at times immediately.

Right now the guy my roomie does dogsitting for? He is in rehab, because he got the virus a month ago and it put him into ICU. A young, healthy guy. Sure, a smoker. But also someone who does a lot of sports.

And I just... I just cannot deal with this right now. Even if they really just want to keep the economy going, because capitalism has turned them into sociopaths... They have to say that keeping the economy going when people die early and suddenly, when folks are diabled and all that... Will not work out, right?

[starkid-innit]

hello again! quick question, do you know what the opinion is on masks for Starkid Innit is? I know that the audience wore masks for npmd, but that it was also a request from the theatre (i think, i might be wrong though)

I hadn’t even thought about this so thanks for brining it up!

Unless starkid specifically requests that people wear masks (in which case I’m sure we’ll get an email) I would assume that 99% of people will not be wearing masks

You’re very welcome to wear one to the show but I’m pretty sure most people won’t as the venue doesn’t have any guidance about wearing masks and I didn’t see anybody in a mask at the show I went to in London last week

[mars-ipan]

just remembered a friend describing my anxiety as “severe” the other day n i still don’t know how to feel abt it

[wuffgang-ameowdeus-moozart]

They learn quickly that the monsters are sensitive to sound.

He gets used to talking quietly. To always watch his step and always be aware of his surroundings. Someone had the idea to raid the schools and communicate exclusively using blackboard and chalk. Hawkins has never been so silent, but that doesn't bother him too much. He grew up in the silence, after all.

What bothers him is that his hands won't stop trembling. He never had the prettiest handwriting, but the chicken scratch he produces now is barely readable. Worse, he needs for-fucking-ever to write even a single word, only for it to not even look like english half the time.

He and Robin can communicate without words - he is truly convinced that they are living proof that soulmates are a thing - but with everyone else he has to struggle with the chalk, until he just gives up and starts talking less and less. If he died because he took too long writing smalltalk or pleasantries on the blackboard he would never live it down. He tries to convince himself that the grizzled-cool-silent-type suits him. With moderate success.

Although the whole town was literally transported into a different dimension, all adults seem to maintain a silent agreement to continue on as if nothing is wrong. They still go to work and they still need to pay for groceries and the holes and cracks in the streets are nothing more than inconveniences. He even overhears someone complaining about those, once. As if everything would be fine if the holes were only filled with cement. (oh gee, he wonders - silently as always, why did we never try that genius idea the last three times the upside down made an unwelcome visit). The only shop that has escaped the clutches of capitalism is the weapons shop.

He can somewhat understand it, the need to pretend that everything is fine. That it was all some collective nightmare that will fade with the dullness of day-to-day life. Doesn't mean he can't hate it. Though he doesn't take it as hard as the rest of the party.

It makes sense if you think about it. Robin, Nancy, the shitheads - they are smart, they could all actually go somewhere, do something with their lives. But him? Steve Harrington never had much of a future anyway, and his chances of making it out of this godforsaken town were always miniscule. No. What honestly bothers him more are his hands that won't stop shaking. You can't use a gun if you are unable to hold still and aim. You have a harder time being fast and quiet when everything takes twice as long if you don't want to drop anything. Even his beloved bat becomes less reliable, the swings weaker and his actual target always a few centimeters off. So yeah, his trembling hands are fucking inconvenient.

Gas and Water and Electricity stopped working. The first few months all of Hawkins stinks of rotting food until some teacher has the grandiose idea of distributing history books. This has the added bonus of giving everyone something to do that isn't "pretending not to be under constant panic". Water filters get classified under "weaponry" so that everyone has access without the mayor having to change the law again.

Once more, he doesn't mind too much. The only reason he used to turn on the TV was to feel less alone, and now the rest of the party basically lives in his house. He doesn't even mind having to walk the entire way to and from the lake while carrying buckets full of water: he will always be a jock at heart, and it is a great way to work out and be useful at the same time. His biggest complaint is once again his fucking hands. Water is precious, but his stupid arm won't stay still and it keeps spilling out of the bucket. Every lost drip feels like a stab in his heart, and the only reason he doesn't cry is because that would be an even bigger waste of water.

But the most stupid and embarrassing part is that this isn't even his first rodeo. He has been here before, he knows what it is like. Everyone else is living the same situations that he is. And still, his hands are the only ones that won't fucking stop trembling.

[docmerlin]

yes i know it was soooo traumatic for you to go through a global pandemic and you never ever want to go back, but imagine what it's like now for people who are still living in reality while everyone around them acts like covid just magically went away in 2021

[spookysalem13]

I'm home from work, infected with covid-19, yet again. As an immune compromised person, I'm starting to think covid is in love with me. This is my third infection this year alone.

I'm at the point in my infection where I'm getting worse. The old phrase "it gets worse before it gets better" comes to mind whenever I have covid.

I feel like it starts off mediocre, then you start to feel it and you're like "man this sucks"! That's when covid laughs and hits your harder.

I'm at the stage where my ears are half way plugged. It's becoming increasingly difficult to hear anything. I can't smell anymore, but I can still taste. Though taste is numbed. Nothing is like so delicious anymore it stands out. Everything kind of tastes just average.

My lungs have been burning for days now. But I haven't had a cough until today. Considering I still barely have a cough, that tells me it's still going to get worse.

My fever is so bad I'm drenched in sweat! I continuously randomly fall asleep at the drop of a hat. Due to my fever I'm having fever dreams. Shaking in my sleep even.

This isn't fun, I'm struggling with this infection. My immune system is having a rough time kicking it out.

Once again, they've put me on Paxlovid. The medication used in treating high risk patients, such as myself, for covid-19.

I'm writing all of this, even if no one reads it. Because I personally like to look back at where I was during certain times. Also, for those who do read, and are a part of my spooky community here on tumblr, just know you can probably expect me to posting more this upcoming week, as I will be stuck in bed.

And finally, because I am immune compromised. I have multiple autoimmune diseases as well as a ton of other chronic health conditions. It personally upsets me when people talk about how the pandemic is so called "over" or how covid is "irrelevant" now.

That is so far from the truth. In fact, covid is worse now than it ever was when we were on lockdown. The virus is also stronger now. It's learning to beat our vaccines. Which is why new ones keep immerging.

It's a deadly virus that's constantly mutating, it spreads at a rapid rate, especially during this time of year.

I tell you how my body is handling the virus, even before it hits its peak, so hopefully some more people can understand why this virus is dangerous. Why we must protect the vulnerable like myself. And even everyone for that matter.

One single covid-19 infection leaves life long health implications. We're already seeing it play out.

This virus was supposed to be far more complex than we understand. Please don't take it lightly and don't make jokes. Please take precautions when out in public and remember. The pandemic isn't over.

[toss-a-coin-to-your-stan-account]

y'know often people say "man I'm glad glee ended before (x) came out" about new music/musicals? yeah that's how i feel about girl meets world and literally any fucking current event/social issue from 2020 onward

[compacflt]

I love your take on Icemav politics. Just because they are gay doesn't mean that they will fully identify with the left/socialist crowds. People are complex and can have different opinions on different issues even if they vote democrats. I feel like icemav is more rich gay elitist couple who is pro gun, pro weed, pro war, pro mask and lockdown, pro gay marriage (ofc), don't really care about social issues except when it affects them but still a nice person, middle leaning to the right democrats.

i hate to use wojaks to further my headcanon agenda but they are

[fruityfinch]

13.03.23

I still wear masks out and about but drawing them on a beak is a real chore so I don’t include them in my dailies! They’re great but if you sneeze or cry while wearing one? Watch Out.

[lefemmerougewriter]

She had to tell the truth. "I guess so. The number of cases have been rising…it's not that many yet. I mandated a lockdown and that everyone wear cloth masks to protect themselves. It has made people very angry at me. Even Varian refused to leave."

Rapunzel explains the rising number of COVID-19, I mean Corona-Ailment, cases across Corona in a scene from my most recent fic "The Corona Blues: Cass the Space Pirate, Her Blue-Eyed Pirate Girlfriend, and Raps' Momentous Choice".

[thatsuncleharrytoyouyoungman]

aklfdja;klsjd je blague mais watching and remembering all those collective like songs n stuff 'known' persons did during the lockdown got me thinking myb we need another pandemic lmaoooo