What Am I Missing?

New York State governor Andrew Cuomo

 The messages remain mixed.

We, of course, remain divided.

I get that.

Protests? Rallies? Spontaneous celebrations for ousted orange men?

Cool! Go for it!

Sports? Er...maybe not!

How dare those Notre Dame fans storm the field the other night after beating Clemson?! How dare Justin Turner be on the field, hugging his teammates after winning the World Series? Why are there any fans in the stands?!

I get it. It's all crazy.

And yet, here we are, staring down potential and real shutdowns of life again. Many are trying to figure out the holidays, including me.

So why not just wear the damn mask so we can (hopefully) move on? 

Look, you think your liberties are being taken away. Cool. Got it.

Except, I don't. I don't see the big deal. I don't see where that's the first step towards martial law. 

Wear the mask and the virus is supposed to get contained. Follow the damn arrows in the stores. Stay six feet apart.

Generally speaking, you don't need to do any of that if you social distance outdoors.

There's a way to live your life, wear the mask and resolve this. It's a compromise.

So, again, why not just follow the rules? 

As with voting, let's say you didn't vote for the Biden/Harris ticket. So if it is a disaster, guess what? You have a right to say, "I informed you thusly!"

Which is how Sheldon Cooper says, "I told you so."

Well the same idea works here. If we all -- yes, all -- wear the flipping mask and the numbers don't go down, then?

I TOLD YOU SO. 

You win. Fly a banner.

I hate it. I hate the implied pressure if I even so much as take it off to take a sip of coffee.

I hate the mask shamers.

And, yes, I get how mixed the messages are. I've followed along.

I have a copy of the home game (RIP, Alex Trebek).

But loved ones aren't seeing their families out of concern over COVID. I'm not going to North Carolina, for instance, because of concerns for whatever I might bring from New York, combined with weakened immune systems.

Friends who try to get back to their beloved place where they grew up haven't been there in close to a year and it's not going to change anytime soon.

As always, I'm not looking for a debate or trying to make this about politics.

I get every last ounce of the mixed messages and hypocrisy.

I see where Pfizer has a vaccine and Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York told ABC's Good Morning America, "The bad news is that it’s about two months before Joe Biden takes over, and this means [the Trump] administration is going to be implementing a vaccine plan."

Well then. 

Regardless of what he says, can we just get this thing over with?

I'd like that. You probably would also.

So, again, I ask: what am I missing?

*****

I'd love to promote Susan's Facebook post about selling the delicious rice balls that she makes. Seriously, they're amazing. However, she has already sold out for her initial run. So, instead, I'll use this space to praise her and will advertise her cooking again in the future if she allows me. The cost of my advertising? Rice balls, of course.