I Took a 'Rona Break but I'm Back to Social-Distancing

I was on the earlier side of social distancing.

Even before they shut down SXSW.

The news of the pandemic was ramping up and some of my friends were deep in the data, group texting dooms day updates.

The news of Italy and Spain was pouring in, reinforcing the don’t-go-outside fears.

But towards the end of March our family decided to ease into our “pod”, a godsend amidst the chaos. Whereas most people were stuck inside tiny apartments alone, far away from family, I had the opposite.

First it was a dinner, cautiously sitting six feet apart… but after that, the flood gates opened and my family started hanging out full speed because April: my birthday, then my girlfriends, then Easter and then my sister’s birthday. We were together for all the occasions, cooking, drinking beers by the pool, grilling in the beautiful Austin springtime.

But still no outsiders.

Masks and gloves on, staying away from everyone else.

But as time passed, the cracks started to show. I went over and into and upstairs at Thrive HQ to grab some books from CJ. Madison and I walked around the neighborhood with her coworkers.

Then a big social distance break by going to our friend’s house for a couple’s dinner.

And a picnic dinner with some others, too.

And then kayaking: this week I kayaked with three people with plans for a fourth.

This is where Madison put her foot down, trying to convince me that kayaking was a no-go. Even my sister said, “You’ve been seeing a lot of people this week.”

I pushed back, trying to explain why it was safe, how we were outside and they had been distancing, too, and a couple of other reasons I thought kayaking was ok.

But more than kayaking specifically, in my mind I was ready to get back to hanging out.

I cracked the seal and I wanted more.

Even talking with Madison I was trying to convince her that we should start socializing more.

It took a couple of conversations over two days but she convinced me back to full social distancing… for now.

I’m still not really sure about what’s going to happen.

I read today about two more years of pandemic misery and a look at the year ahead which basically says herd immunity is the only option, meaning 60-70% of us need to get it before anything changes.

Right now I’m supposed to be going to a birthday float on Lady Bird Lake and I’m not sure if we’re doing that or not because of the implications.

But despite a couple days of breaking ‘Rona, I’m back to social-distancing… for now.