Is there anything you've just flat given up on because of covid-19?

No. Well, OK. I flat gave up on my house, where I lived for 21 years. It’s on the market. I’m hording what money we have to continue to make the payments until it sells. We’re going to move into our 5th wheel. But I’m just trying to see it as the next adventure in my wild life.

Good luck @Dutchess_III and I do really mean that. Times are tough and I am so sorry it hit ya like that.

I haven’t had anything. I think I am lucky in that I’ve gotten to keep my job.
Although I may have to give up on my job. They are requiring testing now, and I am not sure my dad will let me. He was threatening to kick me out of the house before so I am trying to convince him. I do not want to lose it.

WTH? Why would your father object to testing??

@Dutchess_III He thinks they will call his work and tell them so he is forced to quarantine.

That’s illegal. But when you are dealing with conspiracy theory nutjobs there ain’t much you can do to convince them that the facts are facts. They will deny anything.

I am 19 and I could just go and do it, but I don’t wanna deal with having to explain I’m positive if that’s what it comes back as. I am just trying to work it out and hope I don’t have to get another job. I really can’t leave the house, I have no car or enough money for my own place and if I stayed at a family members I wouldn’t be able to attend school.

Going to a steakhouse in our town. We haven’t been since February and usually go once a month, 12 ounce rib-eyes and salad bar with baked potatoes. They know our drink order and the size of steak. They custom cut starting at 8 ounces in 2 ounce jumps, we bring home half the steak and potato.

We went to a high dollar steak house in Oklahoma a couple of weeks ago.

So, @Tropical_Willie, you don’t think you’ll ever be going back?

@Dutchess_III, I’m sorry. That must have been tough.

Those steaks look great, @Dutchess_III. I would get the 16 oz Ribeye for 36 dollars, eat half and take the rest home. Those crunchy ends look so good. I love steak.

We had an Outback Steakhouse in the area which was my go-to for decent steak, but that closed due to the virus. They did good business so I am not sure what happened.

Lots of restaurants have closed around here. It’s an affluent area but these places have high rents and it was tough for them to go months without customers, and then now with limited capacity seating.

I don’t think I will be going to any movies, plays or concerts for at least a year, if not longer. Maybe I would consider an outdoor drive in type movie, or a concert if it was on a small scale, like 50 people outdoors, but that’s it.

My hairdresser raised his prices for the cost of a haircut to $110. It used to be about $75. That was high enough. Although I have been going to him for over 20 years, I think 110 is way too high for a haircut, and so I think I will have someone else at his shop cut and style my hair in the future.

It is @Jeruba. So many memories in this house. It’s the only house the majority of my grandkids have ever known as Grammas house.
I find my self on the verge of tears at the oddest moments. Watching Sully for the 97th time, and the ferrys closing in on the plane to save everyone almost had me sobbing.

@Jeruba will after I get a vaccination, maybe next year

The seating was about 40 people in about a twenty-five by forty foot space including salad bar and grill station and bartender’s station (bathrooms in the corner). The space in front of the grill is only 7 foot wide. I think they are taking reservation but only have room for 4 groups of four or 6 groups of two because of spacing.

A HUNDRED AND TEN DOLLARS FOR A HAIR CUT??? My hair dresser charges $15! And I give her a $5 tip. I guess I’d never get my hair cut again at $110!

The steaks are superb. @jca2. Their salad bar is excellent too. It’s all good. I think I posted pics on Facebook…? I don’t remember.

I’m doing my own haircut, $140 clippers I’ve had for 20 years. Quarter inch buzz cut, do it in bathroom and bring vacuum to clean-up.

My little art house movie theater just announce that it is closing its doors forever. I will probably go to the movies again but I won’t be able to see the same kinds of movies or be in a theater “where everybody knew my name.” Going to the movies safely and easily was a big part of my life.

There are (as asked) several things I’ve totally given up on, will probably never do again for some reason (such as that it’s no longer there).

I’ve let my hair color grow out, and right now I have a weird three inches of white and gray above the remains of the light brown I’ve maintained rather expensively for decades. Lockdown was the perfect time to go through the really awkward phase. No reason to go back now, especially since I’m not seeing anybody, so who cares?

I don’t think I’ll be getting season tickets to Opera San Jose again, at least not with the friend I used to go with. That seems to be over after some twenty years or more.

Will I ever get back to the East Coast? It’s seeming very unlikely, given all the obstacles and given how tired I am.

@janbb just reminded me we had a little, independently owned theater here in Bethel CT that is now closed permanently. They had homemade snacks, coffee, gelato, and next door was a tapas restaurant which was really good. The theaters were small and it was a safe and intimate space. It’s now closed forever. Another casualty of the pandemic.

Eating at buffets. Also hugs.

Movie theaters. I’m almost convinced that, with home media improvements and a plethora of streaming services, the idea of “going” to the movies may change forever.

Many theaters could close for good.

Sex.

My complaints are petty, but the aggregate totals up to a complete turnaround of my life. I would not have thought it possible that I could live my life as a virtual recluse. My poor wife refuses to accept the role for herself, and lately can’t wait to get out of the house with one of her conspiratorial girlfriends. Which sets me to thinking. My male friends, most of the husbands of these gals have converted to virtual potted plants while the girls operate in rotating teams of 2. This morning, the wife and her girlfriend went off to view the Frida Khalo exhibit at the museum: this after 2 days at the “cabin” of another girlfriend in the hills above Ukiah. My life is now a routine of wife beater t shirts and boxer shorts. I haven’t worn a tie or seen a dry cleaning bill since sometime around New Year. And the worst of it is that I’m no longer sure I will wish to adapt back to “normal”. Go figure.

Shaking hands.

I was going to movies in the winter. The $5 movie place is emailing me “we’re open!” but it’s not worth it yet. Though they were pretty empty anyway when I went on weeknights, so maybe soon.

For 25 years I’ve gone fishing with friends in Colorado every September. We canceled that.

I don’t give up anything. I had enough to live by during the two quarantines and our quarantines were pretty short, and I also did well staying home. Overall nothing has changed in my life.

I’m sorry for the people whose life has been turned completely upside-down though, especially @Dutchess. I’m very aware that not everyone is as lucky as me.

We’ve always talked about moving into the 5th wheel. Covid just kind of forced our hand.
Thanks for all of the kind words, guys. Soon, hopefully, I’ll be updating you from around the country!