Thursday, September 10, 2020

Masks


I went out for a walk at lunchtime yesterday, just to get my mask off my face for a short time. I meandered through some of the back streets of St. John's Wood and came across a corner grocery with masks of a different sort outside the door. Some of them are a little worse for wear, aren't they? Poor Prince Charles seems especially stale, but the Queen isn't much better.

It feels so good to take my mask off after a day of work. I'm sure everyone can relate to this. A colleague of mine calls the feeling "airgasm."

Our library policies are continuing to evolve. The original plan for middle school students was for them to reserve books online, then we would check them out and a librarian would deliver them to the kids' classrooms. Well, book delivery is turning out to be a bit difficult and time-consuming, so now the proposal is to have the kids come to my desk to pick them up. I'm ambivalent about this, given that it puts me face-to-face with a lot more students! (Albeit briefly and with plastic shields around my desk.) I'm most disturbed because it seems to break the "bubbles" that ideally keep kids relatively protected within smaller groups, in case someone comes down with Covid.

I think we need to talk about it a little more.

Sigh. I hate this friggin' virus.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

We have been mask removing when out walking individually in quiet areas. If anyone is approaching we put them on.

I assume you are masked and behind screens. As long as you keep sanitising your hands, I am sure you will be ok.

I doubt I agree with anything #45 says but thanks Chinese government.

Yorkshire Pudding said...

How come they have Steve Reed masks in that shop? See the mask top right. You know you are really something when you make it onto a mask.

Ursula said...

I don't "hate" the virus. It's not as if it does what it does on purpose - unlike humans who do all sorts of shite (on purpose).

True, I don't like the inconvenience either. And the MASK (spare a thought for Jim Carrey - at least his was green) is my idea of suffocating, locked-in syndrome, and difficulty to breathe. The latter remarkable considering that I used to love holding my breath whilst free-diving (no apparatus). Still, it's one thing if you do something out of your own "free" will or are condemned to it by some questionable authority.

In short, I feel for you, Steve.

U

ellen abbott said...

party masks? are they cardboard you just hold up in front of your face? I'm around people so seldom that I just use those disposable ones though they tend to creep up under my eyes. it's not the Chinese government's fault, it didn't 'let' the virus get out anymore than the US let the Spanish flu out. and now we know for certain that Trump knew about the virus in January and he knew how dangerous and virulent it is and that it attacks young people as well and he intentionally downplayed it and did nothing.

Ms. Moon said...

We are all just trying to make our way in the dark about how to live with Coronavirus, aren't we? I hate the virus too. How can we not?

Red said...

In order for schools to work and keep covid out , everything has to work 100%. Our kids here are running around on the playground just as they did before.

The Bug said...

I'm pretty tired of this virus too. But I think I would be less tired if folks just followed rules (keeping in mind that, just like at your school, the rules keep changing as our understanding of the virus keeps changing). Maybe I should just say that I don't like change. Ha!

Anonymous said...

I love how you describe the feeling of taking off that mask. Perfect!
I hate the virus too.
I hate the fires in California.
I hate Trump.
I'm not sure which I hate more... oh wait I know... Trump.

Susan said...

It's so frustrating, these masks. I tend to get a little claustrophobic while being masked, but I know how important it is, so just get on with it. My new way of whiling away wait time is to try and guess if a person is frowning or smiling behind their mask. Cheap thrills!

Sharon said...

Seeing all those masks is a bit creepy. I think people are having a difficult time figuring out how best to interact with other people everywhere. I should echo Robin's comment above because it sums up my feelings too.

Edna B said...

Just stay safe and do your best. Things will work out eventually. Enjoy your day, hugs, Edna B.

gz said...

I don't mind the mask in shops and around town atall. I find the breathing ok, and it helps if anything...no cold air on the chest outside and no nasty perfumes to attack my sinuses and chest in the washing powder aisle !! Shopping is easier to as there is less pushing past..you get your own "space" which is a relief. Especially in the relaxed/quiet till queue

Michael said...

At my middle school, everything is 100% virtual. Teachers were given the choice of working from school or working from home. I am going the home route. I had a meeting on google meet with my team of teachers today. Three of us are at home, and five of them are at school. They all were wearing masks and I was thankful that I wasn't wearing one at the time...I feel for you wearing one all day long.

Moving with Mitchell said...

I wonder how many of those masks are still being sold. Probably should be removed from the direct sunlight. Too much sun in London; imagine that. This virus is a nightmare.