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The past few weeks have been tough. With active Covid-19 infections at all-time highs and even our boosted vaccines not as effective against the now dominant Omicron strain as their 90+% shield against Alpha and Delta, we've cut back on even the modest social outings we were engaging in in November and early December. We've paused having friends over (fully vaccinated friends) and visiting friends' houses. We've almost entirely stopped dining indoors at restaurants. We mostly cook at home, and when we do go out a few times a week it's to sit outdoors— which depends on good enough weather— or take it home. For me, especially, with a work-from-home job, I feel closed in. There are many days I don't even leave home
As I was feeling bored— actually not just bored, more like at wits' end— a few days ago I stumbled across this gem from an old text conversation with a friend.
![It's like Groundhog Day, but stuck at home [May 2020/Jan 2022]](https://ic.pics.livejournal.com/canyonwalker/33413618/831870/831870_original.png "It's like Groundhog Day, but stuck at home [May 2020/Jan 2022]")
This totally describes January 2022... but it's from May 2020!
Sigh. The fact that I've been here before doesn't make it better. Part of what drives my frustration now is the fact that it's actually worse. It's worse because in May 2020, as much as we sacrificed, we also had hope. Hope that the Coronavirus might be over in a few months (it's wasn't). Hope that a vaccine would rescue us (it arrived sooner than expected!). Now we're over a year past the rollout of the vaccine, and it's like we've gone backwards to near Square 1. And it's all because of the stubborn, deeply misinformed 30% of the country who refuse to get vaccinated. Their personal "freedom" to foolishly put their health at risk also puts everyone else's health at risk. I'm not just bored but also angry because it didn't have to be like this.
As I was feeling bored— actually not just bored, more like at wits' end— a few days ago I stumbled across this gem from an old text conversation with a friend.
This totally describes January 2022... but it's from May 2020!
Sigh. The fact that I've been here before doesn't make it better. Part of what drives my frustration now is the fact that it's actually worse. It's worse because in May 2020, as much as we sacrificed, we also had hope. Hope that the Coronavirus might be over in a few months (it's wasn't). Hope that a vaccine would rescue us (it arrived sooner than expected!). Now we're over a year past the rollout of the vaccine, and it's like we've gone backwards to near Square 1. And it's all because of the stubborn, deeply misinformed 30% of the country who refuse to get vaccinated. Their personal "freedom" to foolishly put their health at risk also puts everyone else's health at risk. I'm not just bored but also angry because it didn't have to be like this.
