sailors fighting in the dance hall

[the_siobhan]

Today was the quarterly Town Hall at work, which meant going into a team meeting with the entire department at the Mothership. My first time there. I got lost. And I never did figure out how the passcards work.

It's days like today that make me wonder if I really am from fucking Mars.

There are thousands of people working in that building. The floor I was on was crammed solid - people sitting in rows and rows of desk, chairs jammed shoulder to shoulder. I was the only one in a mask.

They served snacks and coffee over break, my boss wanders by. "Aren't you having any coffee?" Um. I'm wearing a silicon sheath over the entire lower half of my face, do i look like I'm going to have a coffee?

This is where I start wondering if I'm the one who's crazy. How can it just be me? 

Comments

You're not alone

[brainwane]

I've had a very similar experience -- someone sees that I'm wearing a mask and still offers me food or drink, I suppose assuming that I might take off my mask to eat/drink it. Because a ton of people do that; they mask EXCEPT when eating/drinking. (On really long trips, I have learned how to lift my mask while holding my breath, sip or eat a bite, lower the mask back down, sharply exhale to clear out the air in the mask, and then chew/swallow.)

Lots and lots of people look to their neighbors and authority figures and society in general for indications of what to worry about, how to protect against it, and when to lower their guard. And they are not very conscientious about double-checking those messages. And there are ways of living, and parts of life, where that approach works just fine. It sure seems more relaxing.

But you are not alone. I'm right there with you.