COVID has changed me

I was a store today, and the staff member was very helpful. We were both wearing masks, and he found the exact solution I needed. I was really happy. 
 

As I was walking away from his workstation, I realized I have changed the way I interact. I am really good at reading faces and subtle expressions. Probably partly because I have a very dry sense of humor, and I always have to be watching for clues as to how people are reacting.  
 

I would normally be watching his face very  intently- looking for a slight upturn in his smile, or a wrinkle of his nose, or a twinkle in his eye.  But as I said my "thank you" and walked away, I realized I wasn't looking at him at all. I was averting my eyes.

Really not sure why. Maybe because the clues I'm used to looking for are hidden?  Maybe because I'm not comfortable talking to a masked person?  Really not sure why- just realized I wasn't looking at his face, and I normally would be.

I miss hugs. I still am uncomfortable avoiding shaking hands.  I'm frustrated when too many people show up and congregate in one place (when I used to love having people around). 

I'm adapting in myself as I come to terms with the new normal and the fact this may never go away, but that doesn't mean I like it.
 

What are some of the ways it's changed you?

Me, personally? Not too much. I'm an introvert - our vacations haven't been any different, as they were always to relatively remote areas. The only real change is that I'm not going to bars for open mics and I'm not reffing hockey. It has reduced our income by roughly 40-50%. But we're spending less anyway naturally. It, or rather it combined with social media, has made me have a rather low view of some people I used to respect. 

So I guess, in that sense, it has made me ask more than ever "Do I need this, do I need to go to the store, can I do this myself" and caused some self improvement that way.

I find that I no longer instinctively reach out to shake someones hand. 

I have always been semi-awkward with social settings, so no change there 

While in college I managed to avoid the Freshman 15.  I have not avoided the Covid 19.

I take just about any excuse to get out of the house now.

Oh, something I forgot about because I lumped it in with a new baby: Covid caused me to gain weight, but also now has given me the free time (no commute!) to workout. I'm lifting or getting cardio in regularly now 

DrBoost said:

I find that I no longer instinctively reach out to shake someones hand. 

As mentioned above, I ref hockey. This is one I am thrilled about. I've always been grossed out at shaking players and coaches hands after a game - the coaches would shake all the players on the other teams hands, who shook all of the players on his teams hands, then shake my hands, and many of the players would want to shake my hand too... Ewwwww. No. I'd give them the fist bump, but it has always grossed me out. This will not happen after we return, and I'm glad for that.

I'm a screaming extrovert most of the time. I miss smiling at and having conversations with most of the random people I run into day to day. I miss sitting at a bar and having a few drinks while bantering around with people you do and don't know. I miss hugs and handshakes. I miss dining in little hole-in-the-wall restaurants jammed elbow to elbow. I miss riding my bike with friends, and sitting around a picnic table sweaty, dirty, and happy afterward while sharing a few beers. I miss live music in small venues. I miss being able to travel and really only worry about making my flight on time. I miss seeing my Dad.

I miss the naive belief that most folks would, in the end, listen to reason and take care of each other - not immediately revert to Mad Max levels of me-first. 

And you're right, some of those things will never return. 

I have realized that the 2 meter distance is my natural comfort zone. That is the amount of space I have always given strangers and am happy that it is now mostly given to me. This is probably why I have always hated going to movie theaters or stand in the back at live music venues.

I have been much more appreciative of people providing me services.  I gave a generous tip at the tire shop Saturday morning.  

I have also been actively seeking small bands that I really like on bandcamp and purchasing their music. They aren't gigging and therefore aren't making any money so instead of streaming it via Spotify or whatever I am making sure I put something in their coffers so they might still be around for me to see if/when they can tour again. 

In reply to SVreX (Forum Supporter) :

I'm getting hard of hearing. Probably more from those long hours of flight with a pair of Wright engines roaring away unmuffled. Time spent in the ready room right under the flight deck while planes slammed down onto the deck or the din and roar of the flight deck.  
Some of it could be decades of racing too but bottom line I'm having trouble hearing  so I covered it up with a little ability to read lips.  With lips covered and poor hearing. I'm repeatedly asking everybody to repeat what they said. 
My wife who has the softest quiet voice in the first place repeats thing 3 and 4 times before I hear her. 
 

I routinely get notifications from my credit card:  "Did you mean to leave a 35% tip?"

Why yes. Yes I did. 

SVreX (Forum Supporter) said:

I routinely get notifications from my credit card:  "Did you mean to leave a 35% tip?"

Why yes. Yes I did. 

This is probably the most noticeable change for me as well.

I've realized during covid that people eyes are more beautiful and telling than their smile. 

I miss smiling at people. I've realized how much I did it before just try to brighten someone's day or indicate "I'm a chilled customer, you have a moment or two to relax"

-Rob

My life hasn't changed much, it's made doctors visits easier for me. About the biggest thing I miss is talking to the guys in the garages I deliver parts too. I miss working in the garage, so I was filling that void with conversation. 
 

several friends work jobs in public, I miss offering a handshake or a hug when we see each other because it can cost them there job. 
 

the biggest downfall of all has been canceling the trip to Maryland and my kids not getting too meet there great aunt. 

I don't miss touching other people in public as a greeting.  I'm good to be done shaking hands, etc.  

Patrick (Forum Supporter) said:

I don't miss touching other people in public as a greeting.  I'm good to be done shaking hands, etc.  

I've replaced hand shaking with bear hugs.

I miss the energy of a crowded room or festival.  I find it very hard to understand people when they're wearing a mask since I rely on lip-reading for some percentage of my understanding of the spoken word.  There have also been a number of sleepless nights when my asthma flares up a little bit which begins several hours of staring into the ceiling fan wondering if it's normal-can't-breathe or wuhan-style-can't-breathe.

The biggest thing for me, though, is that I'm very tired of this no-handshake bullcrap.   You can tell a lot about someone by how they give a handshake and since I don't often lick my fingers after greeting someone, I consider it a pretty low-risk event.  I'm sure there are others like me out there and we need to come up with a way to identify each other at a moment's notice in public.

You know that feeling? The one that us winter-weather cursed get  come February? Like we are hanging on to the end  of a bungee rope that has been stretched to the point where it has no bungee left?

I'm there now.

Pete

In reply to wae :

Same here with the inability to converse well. 

The handshake thing I just stick my hand out there. If they're not wearing a mask its likely they are going to gladly shake your hand.

I feel as if I should take a big ole bottle of hand sanitizer to the Challenge so everyone can shake hands if they want to.

In reply to yupididit :

I've always said that when I was severely depressed, that between the jokes and smiles, if someone really looked into me eyes, they would have seen how bad it really was. But they never did. Maybe that will change now that we are adapting to eyes and body language?

I read lips. The mask situation is pure Hell for me. I dont talk to people, masked up. It's a waste of their time and mine. I like talking to people, so it more lonely than usual.

I'm miss my brothers. I haven't seen them in almost a year. I miss Oshkosh. I miss car shows. I miss touching my face. 

Honestly it hasn't changed too much for me at least the things I care about the most. I am still seeing friends (just in smaller groups and outside). Still going biking. Spending time with kid and wife. The masks don't really bother me. I don't really miss eating out just been getting to go food when we do eat out.

It sucked not going to Dragoncon this year but that is really one of the only two big group events we do a year (the other being Mardi Gras which happened before everything hit). I miss taking smaller trips. The rising costs of building materials has sucked. I miss hugging or shaking hands (although I do sometimes do that anyway). I hate the politics of everything. I just can't wait for this year to be over and look forward to better days ahead.

Unless something major changes for me, I don't see any permanent changes to myself due to the pandemic.

Mr_Asa said:

I feel as if I should take a big ole bottle of hand sanitizer to the Challenge so everyone can shake hands if they want to.

Naked gun body condoms for everyone

Most people purchase items online, I purchase my groceries online and pick them up. I don't eat out often, and I am back at work. Work is somewhat strange, but it's the new normal for however long. Meetings are cut down now, which is a good thing because sometimes a email is as effective. Since I am a millennial I don't need face to face interactions and I don't have time for water cooler talk. I am however glad shaking hands is out, sorry I don't want to shake your a$$ wiping hand. We should adopt Japanese bowing, moving forward. I have been to some places that enforce the rules and some that do not. Although the media has made it a blue versus red party line politics. From what I have observed it's quite the opposite. I have made a strict rule with my family not to revisit locations that cannot follow the rules. I can't imagine how my kids will look back at this, it's been nice summer, but living in the cold weather we have to find some inventive ways to stay entertained this year. Usually we go to more gatherings and festivals now that in the summer. My wife is having more of a struggle with this as she prefers to be anywhere but home. I keep myself busy so I don't mind it. I took a year of w2w racing and have invested in iracing. I have been able to focus on a lot of projects. I think it's really going to hit once thanksgiving and Christmas roll by because none of the out of town family is coming to visit. 

bobzilla said:

Mr_Asa said:

I feel as if I should take a big ole bottle of hand sanitizer to the Challenge so everyone can shake hands if they want to.

Naked gun body condoms for everyone

I just spit Dr. Pepper all over my screen.

Handshakes have been swapped out for fistbumps or elbow bumps.