My work has put online that they are likely to loosen the "must get tested to be on campus" requirement by "late June." Good.

At this month's birthday celebration, Lioness asked how her plant was doing. Eli ah, helpfully directed his camera to show that the plant has straight up died. This apparently happened when Adventure Girl was out of the office for a month. Adventure Girl was all, "Eli, you ratted me out! I was going to replace it before she came back!" Lioness was all, "My plant caught Covid? The whole office needs to be sprayed down now. Everyone go home!" My boss declared, "This has been the most exciting birthday celebration we have had yet."

During lunch I watched a presentation on art in the arboretum and saw a few pieces I hadn't even seen. I asked if there's a map for this stuff and they said no, but someone else in the seminar said they are working on one. So that's great.

I went to get my birth control shot. It went well, though my nurse said it's the last time she'll give it to me, as she'll have retired by my next one. Awww. I've always really liked her. Well, bon voyage, she's planned two cruises to Greece and Alaska and she wants to go to South Dakota. (Go figure.) After that I FedExed Kelly and Shanna's yarn gifts before going back to work.

I may have briefly mentioned the idea that Kelly and Shanna and I have been talking about putting on a 10 minute play festival for women's ah, dirty but not too dirty plays (a la "Tailwind," the farting play).We figure two months for people to write something and then another month to cast their own, perform in September. Well, Kelly posted the announcement on various East Coast playwright things circa 5:15-5:30 my time and got a submission (from the UK!) before 6! To which I was all, SOMEONE ALREADY HAD SOMETHING LIKE THIS WRITTEN UP AHEAD OF TIME TO INSTANTLY SUBMIT?!?! Yes, yes, she did. It's about ah....having a magnet in your underwear due to menopause. I am afraid to Google as to why this is.

After work, Jackie called to say the doctor was blaming her for her grandmother's going into rehab again and her physicality is going down because her grandmother doesn't want to move. (Been there, done this. Also, the lady is 89, what did you expect? Most ain't RBG.). To which I was all, JACKIE IS NOT A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL WHAT DO YOU FUCKING EXPECT? And Jackie says her grandmother will only cooperate with medical professionals and won't listen to her. Anyway, I'll be getting together with her Sunday since her grandmother's in for another week.

And after that, I went out walking. I feel like I should have a "Getting Over Agoraphobia" bingo card or something because today I can check off "Tried on clothes in a clothing store." I went to the hippie nice clothes thrift store, looking for Comfy Pants because I know that place tends to have a lot of them. I went through their giant hippie pants rack and ended up with some nice red batik, green batik, rainbow leggings ("hey, did you know Pride is going to happen this year?" the lady told me while buying them) and teal scrubs with lots of pockets. I also bought two fancy purple shirts. So, shopping spree there ($75). The girls in there were talking about going to weddings and getting vaccinated.

I then walked around town. The streets were teeming with people in masks, the restaurants/streets were burgeoning with people everywhere. I went into some stores or just window shopped in others (it was probably a good thing by the time I finished at the hippie store, half the stores close at 6). I put the mask on while shopping and milling around through all the large crowds and also had my new hat on. Between the mask and the hat, I felt unrecognizable and in disguise. Pretty cool.

I rather wished I had large crowds of people to hang out with any more as well. Well, maybe later--I was texting Theater Jim to encourage him to go to karaoke since I watched a video of him doing a medley today, and Redhead Sarah also seems interested in going Monday (I give up on trying to see her this weekend since my rehearsal schedule got moved from morning to afternoon). LET'S HOPE those two and Robert show up. I did feel very weird going home alone to do the same old nothing at home--making dinner, eating, piddling round the house--but I will be going out the next three(!!!!) nights, so no whining and bitching there, Jennifer.

While I didn't go into the arboretum per se--I'm still respecting the whole "don't go there unless you've been tested" rule they've got for now--I did walk in the arboretum-adjacent area with public art for a bit on the far side of the stores area. I saw ducks! Ducks wander the streets in spring here and I hadn't seen any outside of the arboretum in over a year! And there they were in a shopping center parking lot, just milling about! I also went through a decorated mural tunnel mentioned in the presentation and ah.... someone or someones have painted the bottom of the tunnel too, declaring it the "Tunnel of Love" and doodling hearts and butterflies and love messages all around (see what I did there).

Oh, and while going through downtown I walked through a block and came across some door that I think is normally locked. It appeared to be some random storage room and....someone had graffiti'd "I LOVE SCOTT" in there. This is where I just wanted to start screaming. Within the last few years--particularly 2019--I would have been THRILLED to see this! Now I just feel like shit. I am still seeing hearts and rings crap all over, but this?! I immediately texted my shrink the pic with "No, really, THE SIGNS HAVE GOT TO STOP." Her response: "Life is curious Jen?!?!" Me: "The only way this makes sense is if the guy the psychic "saw" has the same name." Her: "I guess you'll find out!"

Seriously, next time I'm in the car yelling at the universe, I'ma gonna have a talk about showing me false signs and how I AM ASKING YOU TO STOP THIS.

Also, I can't help but wonder: if this person the psychic came up with lives in my neighborhood and has been in town for years and has similar interests and presumably knows at least one person that I know, WHY THE HELL HAVE I SOMEHOW NEVER EVER COME ACROSS THEM??!?! I know, that whole When Harry Met Sally, the couple who were born in the same hospital, grew up a block away, worked in the same building, never met. But seriously, how the hell do I never come across this person if he actually exists?

For the heck of it, my Getting Over Agoraphobia Bingo Card (now updated through November 2021, because I can do that while retroposting):

1. walk around outside in public with mask on CHECK
2. walk around outside in public (at distance from others) with mask off CHECK
3. walk around in crowded location CHECK
4. shop inside a store CHECK
5. eat outside restaurant CHECK
6. eat inside restaurant CHECK
7. try on clothes in store CHECK
8. meet people you've only met online before now IRL CHECK
9. Go see Hamilton in giant crowded indoor theater CHECKED OFF LATER
10. hugging people CHECK
11. karaoke CHECKED OFF LATER (a few days from now!)
12. going back to the office CHECKED OFF LATER (summer)
13. going on a vacation trip via car
14. sleeping somewhere else overnight (hotel or someone else's home) CHECKED OFF LATER (summer?)
15. getting a haircut CHECKED OFF LATER (see August)
16. going back to the gym CHECKED OFF LATER (see summer)
17. using public restrooms CHECK
18. going into a movie theater CHECKED OFF LATER (I forget when, whenever Black Widow came out)
19 going anywhere via plane
20 going to a concert CHECKED OFF LATER (see 4th of July)
21 going to a play in person CHECKED OFF LATER
22 going to a party CHECKED OFF LATER.

Retroactively, this list is looking pretty damn good. I'm refusing to travel but that's about it.

previous entry - next entry
archives - current entry