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<\/a>I happened upon this cartoon, \u201cVisions of the Post-Pandemic Future,\u201d by The New Yorker’s Emily Flake. It describes perfectly what so many of us are going through right now. (You’ll have to find it on the internet to discover the entire scenario.)<\/p><\/div>\n
And contrary to how most people view my bon vivette self, I’m truly apprehensive about that eventuality. I’m planning on finally going out this week, for the first time in well over a year, to events other than shopping for food!<\/p>\n
I’m about to discuss that situation, because I know I’m not alone in my concern and anxiety, but first I have to tell you something a bit nutty. As I was writing this, the words felt somewhat familiar. So I went back over my work files, and discovered that I had begun similar articles…exactly a year ago! I foolishly thought the world would be back to normal soon, way back then! Perhaps that was what we all had to tell ourselves to get through this year +. So, after I discuss the mental and emotional aspects of going out again, I’m going to share parts of those three very unfinished works.<\/p>\n
I’m actually a tad shocked that I’m somewhat depressed and scared about returning to real life. Staying in the house for all this time really didn’t bother me at all; I’m in the unique position of loving everything in my house, Mr. X, TV shows, and crossword puzzles, and I have enough writing and cleaning to last at least one more year! (Who am I kidding? It would take a decade<\/em> to fully organize all my clutter!) And I very rarely do regular person activities anyway. (Not because I’m a snob or anything like that; I just have so many business events to go to that when I’m not at one, I’d rather just stay home and chill with Mr. X than go out to a restaurant or movie or the like.)<\/p>\n Another spot-on cartoon that spells the new situation out for us, this one by Dave Whamond.<\/p><\/div>\n Surprisingly, when I heard a doctor character utter the same feelings on a hospital drama recently, I was a bit comforted by her sentiments\u2014I had really thought that I was the only one who feels this way! I breathed a big sigh of relief, literally. I felt like I’d been holding my breath for a few months now. So in case you feel alone too, please know that you are not<\/em>\u2014we’re all in this together. (Perhaps these articles will show you, as they did me, that so many others are also suffering from \u201cre-entry fear or anxiety\u201d: neurorehab.bancroft.org\/family_resources\/coping-with-covid-re-entry-anxiety<\/a>, www.advisory.com\/en\/daily-briefing\/2021\/03\/30\/reentry-anxiety<\/a>, and www.dailymail.co.uk\/news\/article-9433057\/Coming-cave-As-life-creeps-feel-dread.html<\/a>.)<\/p>\n But it’s not just the fear<\/em> of going out again for me; it’s that I don’t really remember how to do it! I’ve actually forgotten a bit how to put make-up on and even get dressed in real clothing, (as opposed to pandemic supermarket attire.) I’m not exaggerating\u2014I haven’t worn any shoes but one pair of old sneakers all year, and those only when we go to the store once a month!<\/p>\n It also took a while for me to remember how to find directions on the internet. And I had to search my house for hours to find my purses and business cards, the latter of which I never discovered, so I finally had to break down and just order more! All that has added to my nervousness about getting back to real life.<\/p>\n On a separate but related topic, here’s one thing that’s been puzzling me all year: why does everyone care so much about going out to eat??? I’ve been a restaurant critic, (first on TV, then online, and then in publications,) for decades now, so I’ve never had to cook before this year, but I still<\/em> don’t get the desperation to eat in one during a pandemic<\/em>. Can someone please explain that to me? And where does everyone even have the money to dine out? I thought that few people have been making money all year.<\/p>\n We all need to hold on to this sentiment right now.<\/p><\/div>\n And everyone seems so worried about the economics of restaurant owners and workers, but what about the ones for sooo many other businesses??? How about shoe stores? Or clothing boutiques? Or any<\/em> small businesses? I never hear anyone talk about how all those<\/em> people are hurting for money. And what about dental personnel? No one I know has risked going to a dentist this year except for emergencies. It’s too scary to be that close to other humans, especially when you can’t be wearing a mask!<\/p>\n Now here are some of those aforementioned thoughts I had throughout the year, which I mentioned made-up the beginnings of previous columns I had worked on:<\/p>\n ~ Last August, at the point that I considered to be \u201cFive Months of Non-Real Life,\u201d I wrote, \u201cI’m a little angry at myself…I’ve just been\u00a0existing<\/em>, without getting much accomplished.\u00a0 I should be working on my cluttered house.\u00a0 I never have the time to do it in\u00a0real<\/em>\u00a0life, so I should have had it all done by now in this bizarro world!\u201d And just guess if I ever<\/em> got it done in the next eight months of isolation! You would be correct if you surmised that I did not<\/em>.<\/p>\n ~ On the column I had tentatively titled, \u201cGetting Dressed These Days,\u201d which I started at the beginning of this year, after ten months of staying at home, I thought about how fun it used to be to get dressed! \u00a0When I was going through my closets for donations, I happened upon many treasures I had forgotten about, and wondered when I would ever get to trot them out again.<\/p>\n This is me, being a usually-entertaining “clown,” but with new disdain for all the people in the news who are recklessly flaunting their “normal” lives. (Artwork by Perry Barlow.)<\/p><\/div>\n I noticed that just putting on a new tee and hoodie put some pep in my step, which I know will seem odd soon, when I start wearing real<\/em> outfits again.<\/p>\n In the meantime, I also took note that the plethora of pictures of celebs all over the media for the entire duration of the lockdown, with big names rocking everything from bikinis to gowns, gave us the wrong idea that all is well and safe. Even I<\/em>, who knows better, started to get drawn-in by their deceptions.<\/p>\n ~ Exactly one year ago, I began this \u201cfinal tally,\u201d thinking that the pandemic would be over any day, and my article would be all ready for the \u201cFinal Installment\u201d in my Isolation Series. I counted the small number of days or times I did things that were usual before, including leaving the house, washing my hair, shaving my legs, giving myself manis and pedis, having my hair colored, getting dressed, even days I brushed my hair, (which, let me tell you, was far from a lot<\/em>!)<\/p>\n But on the \u201cdoing it more\u201d side of the balance sheet, I cooked, exercised, and called friends about a thousand times more than I ever had in my entire life! Cooking was out of necessity, and the latter two activities were because I finally had a bit of time for them.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a>