Couch 227 - The Safe Couch

People were still wearing them in the grocery store and at the restaurant where I had lunch. But at lunch - I think the city govt had just announced it. Other counties had already rescinded mask requirements earlier this month.

When i was out wednesday afternoon to get my shot, there were tumbleweeds on the street and so many empty storefronts. I of course felt right at home.

Did you see Marshall Dillon?

I miss the deserted streets and sidewalks of the early pandemic.

Our outdoor dining has been packed for a couple of months depending on the rain and the temp. A month ago when it became summer here for a week - people were waiting in line to eat on restaurant patios. And whole foods was hopping tonight as well.

Whew what a great evening! Saw L for an hour and then went straight to the gym, and swam laps again. L knew something was up right when I walked in, she said "your energy's different (in a good way) and your eyes are sparkling!" I already feel like I belong there.

I've decided that I must have been a mermaid in a previous life.

They require masks in the gym when you are just walking around, but not when you're swimming or working out. And you can only use every other machine, which they have people going around sterilizing constantly. They sterilize the poolside shower often too.

I think all the sterilizing stuff is more theater than useful. Particularly since it is not spread by touching surfaces.

I miss the deserted streets. But I will be happy when people leave my park and go back to bars. I don't miss the idiocy of standing in line to get into a grocery store or all the self-important self-appointed mask police (I wear masks but the hysteria some people got themselves into when they spotted a mask offender was frightening)

I feel very fortunate that I never (as of yet anyway) witnessed any major mask confrontations. I read about some that happened here in various places, but I never saw anything crazy.

I saw a couple - I usually just walked around it or left - my sympathies were usually with the mask offender - some were innocent mistakes and the mask police just annoyed me to no end.

One pandemic lesson I learned was alcohol plays a much larger role in US culture than I thought.

I got lucky, I only once had to wait in line to get in somewhere (a small post office).

Now it will be the flip side—people who are still wearing masks for whatever reason getting harassed by those who likely never did. Let other people do whatever they want with masks imo.

I am all for someone wearing a mask if they want to. I also expect others to harass them and start conflict where none need exist. We were harassed a bit when we went camping in the rural part of our state where no one else was wearing them - buying some firewood became a political stand off . It was a tad Deliverance like. I have only been to trader joe's about twice in over a year because of the lines to get in and I really hated some of their customers' posts on a tj blog. TJs around here were a hotbed of mask police all congratulating each other on their mask policing vigilance

I'm going to wear masks even after vaccination because my country has had vaccinated healthcare folks get infected and spread.

Vaccines are just to stop you getting severe reactions if you come into contact again. Won't stop you getting them.

Seeing new T G in 10 mins now.

Oh, thanks for explaining I hope your session goes well.

I felt like it helped.

We actually did a session that lasted 60 mins not the usual 50.

He was open with self disclosure- just about audiobooks when I told him I liked them and asked which ones he liked, and about not having gone to Brighton beach. I told him him it was weird but I felt like I couldn't trust old T because I didn't know him.

I told him the mirroring and all the validation wouldn't work for me as it felt fake to me. That I didn't want to work on experiences- like how would i feel if my friend Rac was with me? Could I imagine my friend hugging me. I did laugh at that point.

He also said something that this was new territory for him and he was lost-that he didn't usually work like this with clients. But was okay with me leading the pace and direction. Just that hiding video hid cues from him.

I'm not looking for regular sessions only drop in ones.

He did say he could see me at a lower rate of £37 per session but I got an invoice for his full fee which I've messaged him about.

I hope he sorts out the billing, and am glad he seems pretty respectful.

He just emailed me now and lowered it by £8.

To be honest even though he was nice and all, I really don't see myself going back to him.

In the 14 weeks of not having therapy this session would have cost £2.64 each to save up for.

I did however find my sister an art therapist who works online!

A good fit is important, even when having sporadic sessions. I hope that you can find a good fit.

Wow, how does one do art therapy online? Genuinely curious.

Mine is lifting them for everyone in most indoor and outdoor places for EVERYONE (not dependent on vaccination status), which I think is too soon. Yes, our numbers have gone down, but still... They're still required in schools (which is good, because my daughter is too young to get vaccinated), public transportation, and healthcare facilities.

So I imagine Dr. T will still say no in-person because of that last one (as he doesn't want to wear masks)... though I'm not going to push him right now, because he went above and beyond for me this past week in having a last-minute evening session, which he normally wouldn't allow.

Also, I read that some stores, including Target, CVS, Home Depot, and some others, are still going to require masks. I can see things getting ugly there, with people mentioning the state lifting the restriction. Or maybe the anti-maskers will just boycott those stores.

I've stopped wearing masks outside (including restaurants), but will likely still wear them inside places for a while, particularly because my daughter isn't vaccinated.

Maybe something like this:

A lot of the stores where I go just ended their mask thing. Costco, TJ's, and a couple of others.

My 1 year old niece just started walking! So precious. I'm a proud Auntie.

I am watching re-runs of reno 911. I had forgotten how funny it is