So recently I'm reheating food in the microwave at the staff room, and 4 teachers are having a whine. Students and staff are taking a lot of time off these days. "Don't they know that COVID was over", "we've all had it and we're fine" said white people with well to do parents. Maybe they didn't see me come in or they forget that I'm seeing long COVID every day when I come home. I just gave it a second stare before continuing on, I don't need to fuck with my livelihood. My meals are eaten outside, away from liberals, with a book; and my life is way better for it. Sometimes I chat with the maintenance or cleaning people and the convos are way more genuine, without all the weird bragging that middle class people like to do.
I swear to God, just immediately they dropped the names of 3 other young teachers who have new chronic health conditions. One has persistent low energy, another brand new allergies and asthma, yet another has to go back and live with her parents as she can't cope with work and illness. Everyone's stressing about using up all their sick time.
The less I care about the opinions of comfortable white liberals, the happier I am. Amen.
Had to do outdoor bus duty yesterday during dismissal. So I took off my mask off because it was nice and breezy out. My students rarely see me without my mask.
Every time I do this I always regret it because of how rude students, teachers, and parents are to me. Some kids are sweet and just say that I look nice. But most of the comments are:
“Why aren’t you wearing your mask???”
“Nice to see your face finally, Mr. FishLake!”
“Don’t wear a mask tomorrow! COVID is over!”
Can’t you just mind your own fucking business?
That really really sucks and I'm sorry. We vegans know the reason for the snarkiness, they feel morally threatened by someone making a virtuous decision while they do fuck all.
I must be lucky in that I'm old, tall, male, and determined as fuck, most people don't dare say shit to me. Rarely kids make a generic comment or question, but I feel happy to answer it as at least I'm spreading information. I don't think any adult would dare make a comment knowing that they're gonna get a lecture on the IRL shit that COVID's done to my family.
First off, vegans are an inspiration and deserve praise.
Maybe you are lucky, because I’m old and male too but I still get shit. But I am also sub 5’7”, have pretty nice long hair, and sometimes I wear eyeliner and nail polish. I’m sure that adds to the perception that I can be picked on. I don’t normally care, but yesterday just got under my skin a little.
Just to preface my comment, I’m not trying to broadly paint an entire industry.
That said, I’ve been seeing those types of sentiments a lot more from education and medical personnel. I think a lot of it comes down to the fact that society labeled them as hero’s when they were never allowed to fully quarantine. Big “got mine” energy, but in an almost more vindictive way because it is minimizing the importance of someone else’s health, which as a healthcare worker is wild to me.
Also, yea, more often than not, the people spouting off like that are staggeringly white middle class yuppies who are still of the mindset that “bad things only happen to other people”.
It’s aggravating and disheartening and has lead me to a similar situation. I still don’t eat in restaurants, I won’t take my mask off in my office unless it is fairly empty and I am well distanced from other people. Eating lunch out in the courtyard or even in my car has brought me so much relief from the anxiety. Also, my disdain for the general public has also helped immensely in holding to my convictions.
It’s aggravating and disheartening and has lead me to a similar situation. I still don’t eat in restaurants, I won’t take my mask off in my office unless it is fairly empty and I am well distanced from other people. Eating lunch out in the courtyard or even in my car has brought me so much relief from the anxiety. Also, my disdain for the general public has also helped immensely in holding to my convictions.
Yeah I agree, the same thing is going on in the social service sector.
The convo by OP could have been from my workplace. It's superiorly disheartening, most of all because we work with the most vulnerable people. And so do teachers (kids immune systems aren't matured) and medical personnel.
The less I care about the opinions of comfortable white liberals, the happier I am. Amen.
talk to 'em twin
have you noticed that students are more baby-like as in they have more emotional regulation issues and throw temper tantrums?
I have yes. What's more noticeable is that kids feel cognitively weaker than they did years ago.
Had an experience yesterday that reminded me of this thread.
My mom was telling me my brother has been so sick because he can't eat anything but broth or oatmeal without getting crazy acid reflux. Upon suggesting that it's probably long COVID was obviously quickly shut down ("no it's not COVID, it's acid reflux"). Just looked up the literature and stomach/gut issues are like one of if not the most common long COVID symptom
Yup, haven't read the article but almost certainly tied to socioeconomic factors limiting access to vaccines, Paxlovid, other treatments, nutrition, etc. You could go on and on.
All of which would reduce viral load if someone is infected. Higher viral load = higher risk for chronic symptoms.
100%. May I add that inability to take time off from work, longer and more physically demanding work, and more stress also add to the risk. People with means can just take it easy for a week or month until they feel better.
And people often forget the sheer amount of stress inflicted on people just existing being poor or marginalized.
And the amount of unpaid labor many women are typically expected to do at home, sick or not. My MIL had cancer, and her partner didn't once clean their bathroom during her sickness. It took my partner noticing and doing it themself.
