I spent a few hours the past couple of days making masks. I honestly hate them. I’m not really sure they do a bit of good, but they’re “required” in some places and I have friends and family who will always follow rules, even if the rules don’t make sense (I’m the rebel who says, when told that something is going to save lives, “prove it” because I do not like to be inconvenienced in any way. ). I’m the one who inherited the crafty gene – if something needs to be made, they look to me. We all inherited the gene that says if you can do something to help, you do it, and you don’t ask for accolades – actually, you do it and shut up about it.
So I’m not going to tell you about the number of masks I’ve made, or to brag that I won’t take money for them. I’m not about to profit from a pandemic.
I’m also not going to tell you that I think the whole mask thing is a blatant attempt to control the masses. Wait, I think I just told you that I think that. Oh well, never mind, I didn’t sleep last night and I’m drinking a beer so I can be excused.
Tonight one of my friends commented that her two year old wears a mask – and actually asks for it when they go out. I nearly cried. A two year old. He’s way too young to be masked. Yes, I know the CDC says he should be. I trust the CDC about as much as I trust Maverick to not beg at the table when it’s time for dinner. (Maverick begs every time I sit down even though I never – okay, hardly ever – okay, nearly always – give him something. )
A two year old. A child is being raised to socially distance himself from others. A child is being raised to not see the smiles of friendly strangers in a grocery store checkout line. (One of my favorite things to do before this bullshit hit was to make a baby giggle while waiting in line at the grocery store. I can be incredibly silly with children. I know, hard to believe) A child is being raised to never smile at a stranger, or a loved one, because he can’t see their face and they can’t see his. And when he looks at people as less than human, will it be because he was never allowed to see their smiles?
It breaks my heart.
And I go back to my sewing and I use the cutest fabric I can find – puppies and baby animals, butterflies and flowers. Perhaps they’ll smile inside when they see the puppies. I can only hope so.
Suziecreamcheese Sings the Blues 
It is so refreshing to read this! Congratulations on being such a good family member and not taking any credit for it!
I am being stubborn and refusing to sew or buy a mask. I had a paper dust mask leftover from a long ago project, and I have been using that same one since March or whenever this nonsense started.
My heart breaks for the young adults who are ready to start their own lives. Dating, employment opportunities, apartment hunting have all been squashed. No wonder they want to go to parties and catch the darned virus already. They want to get on with their lives and no longer live in fear.
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I think you may be right about the kids just wanting to get it and get over it. I remember as a child being exposed to measles and chicken pox (I have trouble not writing what my niece called it – chicken pops) so we would get it and get over it. And as one of my friends said, eight months ago, people were dying from the flu and we weren’t all walking around with a mask!
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I have a compromised immunity, so I’ll take any measure that may help me reduce my chance of contracting a virus, as long as it makes common sense to me. I’ve only begun to realize how many times I smile at strangers now that I realize they can’t see it, but each one is still a gift given and that’s good enough for me. Yes, it is sad that masks need to be worn and I’d rather not wear one, but as long as the belief is strong that I’m protecting both myself and others, I’ll swallow the inconvenience that it is! Better safe than sorry!
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And I respect your decision. My sister’s best friend is undergoing cancer treatments and you better believe everyone around her is masking up. I’m just appalled at the amount of bullying going on on both sides of what shouldn’t be an issue. If someone feels the need to mask, it’s their business! And if someone isn’t wearing one, I assume they have a reason and move on
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Our household is a blend of Western and Japanese influences. We speak “Japlish” where selected nouns and verbs in any given sentence can be of either language. We use chopsticks as often as forks. Max is bi-lingual which means he understands but ignores commands in either language. We subscribe to Japanese television stations, etc., etc. Now let’s talk masks…In Japan wearing a mask when one has a cold or suspects any respiratory issue is considered simple politeness. Japanese are obsessed with politeness. Not wearing a mask would be a source of great shame. Inconceivable even. Masks have nothing to do with personal freedoms or choices or political statements or defiance of authority. Nope. Masks are just the polite thing to do so you do not spread disease among among your fellow citizens. It’s such an attitudinal difference with the US. The Japanese are simply gobsmacked that masks are a bone of contention. The AJF says, “You people are crazy.” I respond, “Yeah, well you eat poisonous puffer fish and have hentai.” We then retreat in a sulk to our respective corners but we wear masks here in the same way that we would in Japan. That has gotten us strange looks from time to time (especially at 7-11s late at night) but it is ingrained into our psyches. So I don’t really “get” mask debate or maybe it’s more appropriate to say I don’t savvy why it is such a big deal when there are so many more important fish to fry and Japanese love fish but that’s another story.
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I think a lot of people see it as the start of something we don’t want. It’s about control – it’s not something we’ve been taught from an early age, it’s not something we want to do – I honestly find it hard to breathe with the damned thing on – and it’s also about conflicting information – in the beginning we were told that the homemade cloth masks were useless, then they were fine, then they were okay but only if they were 100% cotton and if you stood on your head and sang the Star Spangled Banner while you made it. What made me start questioning was a single word – “comply.” It smacks of government overreach. That said, AJF is right, we are a bit nuts here. đ But you couldn’t pay me to eat puffer fish. đ
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Having had cancer a few years ago, having congenital asthma, having been born with only one kidney and a heart condition, etc., I am trying to stay safe…so I wear a mask. And I care about not passing anything I might contract to other people….so I wear a mask.
All of what you said, I understand. And it breaks my heart, too.
Hopefully, we will be past all of this someday…soon or sooner…and I think what we will look back on is not all of the ugh-y parts…like wearing masks, social distancing, our fav places being closed…but we will be grateful we survived.
We have a friend who’s mom died from Covid19 early on…in March. From what he’s shared it is not like any other disease, infection, or illness. After hearing about his mom, I want to do whatever I can to prevent others from having to go through what she, and her family, went through.
Having been through A LOT in my life (trauma, death of many loved ones, congenital health conditions that won’t go away no matter what, cancer and all that involves, and much more. I see wearing a mask as no big deal.
Thank you for sewing masks…and such friendly, happy masks! đ
HUGS!!! đ
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I’m sorry for your friend. It’s so rare that someone actually knows someone who had it, that I think many of us question the numbers. And hey, if you gotta wear the damned mask, at least let it be cute!
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One of my greatest fears is that Covid19 will become like cancer in that some day we will all know someone who has it.
When I was a kid my paternal grandfather died of cancer and very few people knew anyone who had had it. Now I’m pretty sure everyone knows at least one person who has had cancer. ???
Cute!!! yes, exactly!!! đ
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I think that you’re right, but I think it’s going to be more like we’ll all know someone or we’ll be someone who has had it and recovered from it.
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I agree so so so much with this!! It breaks my heart too and I really think, without wanting to sound like a conspiracy theorist, that the government is pushing their boundaries to see how far they can go. Hello!! We are being told where we can work, where we can go, how we act when we are there, and the list goes on. đŚ How are youngens going to be socialized and taught about people when masked and distanced? We are going to get so used to social isolating and distancing that I’m afraid it’s going to become the norm for some. Blech. đ
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I’ve been seeing articles and posts about child trafficking and how it’s really difficult to identify a child behind a mask. They’re talking about how many times Elizabeth Smart was out in public but no one knew her because the guy who held her made her cover her face from the eyes down. It’s a very scary thought.
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Wow…i never thought of that!!!!!
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me either and it’s damned scary.
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Just running around WP to see how everyone is doing. đ
I hope you all are doing well!
(((HUGS)))
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well, we’re still here! đ
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