1752

There were no live vampires in my mask.

1753

Best friend called earlier today, I lost touch with him over the last few months due to work and personal stuff. He tells me his his mom is on a ventilator now on day 7. :(

Day has been in slow motion since, like nothing has gotten accomplished, even though I’ve been doing stuff all day.

1754

Teaching in a mask has taught me to love breath mints. Otherwise the coffee breath would kill me.

1755

I do two classes back to back in a mask, same room, and yeah, the funk is real. One of my colleagues teaches three back to back for some reason. I don’t know if I could stand that–though I also do double period studio classes as well. Giving critiques with everyone in masks is weird.

1756

Yeah, mine are three hour lab/lecture combos, so it can be pretty brutal. I’ve been experimenting with various ear savers and respirator types trying to find the least uncomfortable option that still provides good protection but it’s kind of a losing battle.

1757

image

1758

Does that come with air conditioning? Because if so, I’m in.

1759

I wonder if a mic like this would work for lectures. My sister has a very quiet voice and students have trouble hearing her normally. Or maybe a throat mic?

(I bring mouthwash to work, have to remember to gargle every day and it really cuts down breath. It’s the mucus that accumulates in the back of the throat that is responsible for my bad breath)

1760

Oh man Mask Effect, I love those games!

1761

Heh, I have an actual Israeli gas mask I could use I suppose!

1762

I watch a guy play games on YouTube. He also does stand up comedy. He recently talked about a dinner theater gig he did in Arizona where the audience needed no masks, as they were eating, but he had to wear one for his entire act. That has to be weird.

1763

You need to put that in the “Ruin this game with one letter” thread.

1764

I logged in this morning to news that my coworker of 15 years just lost his wife over the weekend to COVID. The rest of us at work didn’t even know she was sick but apparently took a turn late last week and died over the weekend. They have three kids, two in high school and one starting college. She was, from what I understand, a super mom, she was present for every event, volunteered at the school, etc.

I want to call him but I’m having a hard time even knowing what to say, I’m sure he is devastated.

1765

Assuming she was vaccinated and immunocompromised, I would offer my commiserations.

1766

I think it’s appropriate to offer unqualified commiserations.

1767

Just call him anyway. It’s always awkward, but it helps the person to know that there’s others who care.

1768

I texted with him a bit ago. The other coworkers and I are going to ration out contacting him to check in on him. He’s taking it very hard.

1769

That’s very sad. I would’ve suggested texting and I’m glad you were able to do that with him.

1770

We’ve been on self-imposed “90% lockdown” again since Delta showed up, going out some but only when necessary, but the end is near. One of my daughters and my wife are immune-compromised, so getting them vaccinated took a lot of doctor approvals & similar hoop-jumping. My wife, I, and another daughter had two shots by about the end of May, and we had started to go out more. But then we stopped again because none of us wanted to carry Delta home & infect our still unvaccinated immune-compromised daughter/sister. But now my wife has had her third Pfizer shot, and my immune-compromised daughter will get her second Moderna shot later this week, so we’ll be as vaccinated as we can be soon (unless they require I get a third Pfizer shot - I’ll be first in line if that recommendation goes out, which I expect it will since Pfizer themselves recommended it!). Once we know that an infection will be unlikely to kill anyone in the house, we’ll start stepping back into the world again.

One thing we will probably keep doing: online grocery shopping. We can afford the extra fee, and the saving of time is totally worth it to us. Even if we seem to get crappy fruit & vegetables often - understandable, as the store employees don’t have time to pick through the pile like we would.

1771

You know, we haven’t done that much but should try it. What we will start ditching though it all the food ordering for meals. That surcharge and delivery fee are insane. I suspect we’ll go out more when we need that.

Good on you guys for taking all the extra precautions for your family. I hope they are doing well.