Not a masquerade.

(6 years BC (before Covid)-when breathing fresh air was popular, normal and masks were not.  Today, these youthful beautiful human beings are considered super-spreaders and strangers and several neighbors run from their healthy presence-literally run).

I never feel dumber than when I wear a mask.

This is not a Democrat or a Republican thing.  A Karen thing or a rebellious thing.  This isn’t me being stubborn, careless, not civil minded or empathetic.  My whole life I have made decisions based on logic, wisdom, careful thought, and information.  When everyone else was underage drinking I wasn’t.  When everyone else would want to drive home drunk after parties, I did not ( because I wasn't drunk).  When everyone else was having sex and smoking pot, I didn’t.  I was called names then and I’m being called names now.  Back in the day, I would hear names like: killjoy, try-hard, goodie two-shoe, Pollyanna.  These days I'm called a conspiracy theorist, a right-wing conservative, someone incapable of doing their civic duty, a murderer, and the dramatic and careless list goes on.  One of the beauties of life has always been, if all of my friends jumped off a cliff, I didn’t have to.  I could make my own choice.  Based on the overall numbers of this virus 99.67 people who get it, will recover.  On February 29th, 2020, our own US surgeon general tweeted out, “They [masks] are NOT effective in preventing the general public from catching #coronavirus.”  I read the hilarious, but true quote, "If a fart can make it through, 2 butt cheeks, a pair of underwear, and a pair of jeans to your nostrils.  What good do you think a mask is going to in blocking a virus?"  

"Your actions save lives," has been a prevalent mantra these days.  So when someone asks me to wear a mask, can I ask them to eat healthy?  Can I ask them to drive the speed limit and always use their blinker.  Can I ask people to lose weight?  How come we are only asking others to wear masks, why stop there with our heroics.  About 2/3 of Americans are overweight.  Obesity costs Medicare and Medicade an estimated $62 billion dollars a year, and it costs healthcare $170 billion.  Smoking-related illness in the United States costs more than $300 billion each year, including nearly $170 billion for direct medical care for adults More than $156 billion in lost productivity, including $5.6 billion in lost productivity due to secondhand smoke exposure.  When can I grab a cigarette out of someone's mouth or an XL Big Gulp straw from someone's lips?  My actions can save lives, right?  Why has the line been drawn at masks.  Many mini Pharisees running around these days, so it feels....everyone has a siren-when it comes to masks.

I lean on the side of freedom.  I lean on the side of personal accountability.  I lean on the side of empathy. It bugs me when tags say "one size fits all."  One size will never fit ALL.  I like diversity...diversity of thought, diversity of skin color, diversity of opinion, diversity of background life experiences.   

I tell my kids, Do not let anyone bully you into doing something you can’t make sense out of.  Think with your own brain and employ common sense.  Do your part to be informed and to think yourself through the entirety of a situation.  Be able to take your arguments full circle.  Call me any name you want, virtue signal, and shame all your little heart's desire, I will not be affected or moved.  I am stubborn when it comes to making right choices for my life and the life of my children.  Virtue signaling from a largely virtueless society does not impress me.  I value the opinion and words of those I respect, not perfect strangers I don’t know nor never intend to emulate or admire.  You see I don't have just my children's present on my mind, I have their future even more so.  When I see their future, I pray freedom rings.

So, stay your 6 feet back, keep your mask in place, and let me pick out some carrots in peace.  Have a nice day :)