Post-Pandemic Thinking

He asked me on Monday, about our group getting back together and doing events later this year. He posted in the group yesterday, to see what they all think. It has been a long time since we have seen each other. Everyone who has posted so far, is vaxed, or nearly vaxed. Some have kids who can’t, yet. Everyone wants to get back together in one form or another. Some have offered to host crew-only gatherings. We are all looking forward, and T has started knocking. Conversations only, on that front, but still a possibility. Our practice venue has closed again. Our party venue still runs, and would probably welcome us back eagerly, but we have so little control there, it makes me nervous.

Everything makes me nervous.

Over a year into this pandemic, and things are opening up as vaccines are freely available here in my state. Walk-in clinics and open appointments and all. I am fully vaxed, have been for weeks. I started going back to Monday night Poly Family Dinner. This week I started back to in-person D&D. I saw a small group of friends in person over the weekend. I went to a campfire a couple weeks ago with a small group outside.

But the general public scares me. The health orders are all rescinded now. Businesses can still have their own rules, but it’s an honor system with completely dishonorable people. People who refuse to wear masks to protect others aren’t going to have a problem lying about whether they are vaccinated or not. I haven’t been to a restaurant. I haven’t gone to a grocery store. I went to Lowes a lot last Autumn, when I first moved in, and I’ve been inside my pharmacy a couple of times. But for the most part, I haven’t done either of those things this year. (Sidenote: How is it June already???)

I want to seem my kink family, I even have space I could probably host small groups. But parking is a bit of an oddity around here, so not too many folk unless they carpooled. (Sidenote: I really wish the lower gate to the park was open, it’s right near me.) I want to see them, hang out with them, and dear gods, I want to get my kink on again. But large groups of people, 16 have responded so far, are intimidating to my covid-goblin brain. I’m also a bit nervous about the mixing of folk who have broken things off into a single space. Especially if that space belongs to one of those people. My faith in people acting like adults, the small amount left after 13 years in retail and a divorce, has eroded even further this past year.

The only constant is change.

As he said, we have to do something, and sooner rather than later, or we’ll be left behind. The group is family, and while family is never perfect and hardly ever do all members get along, it’s still a family. Something will be forged, and while it may not look like it did before, it never has, one year to the next. Always changing and growing, to stay alive. I might need some kink-specific masks.