Happy Ides of March


 

How different would history have been if Caesar had just stayed home today in 44 B.C.? After a full day of blizzard I am staying home to shovel myself out. And there are still all those strangers in town.

But with the increased number of my friends being vaccinated I have noticed more mobility. Frankly, I am still waiting until my full immunity date which is two weeks after my last Moderna vaccine: March 20, 2021. I will not be present at the Senate today to knife Caesar. I believe I will be avoiding crowds (two is company and three is a crowd) for quite a while yet. Probably because I live in a Republican district largely opposed to the vaccine. I will continue wearing a mask. And maintaining social distancing. BTW that alone would solve a majority of the improper conduct Cuomo is accused of. 

I will feel safe on my full immunity date to schedule a dental appointment. Got my eye exam after first shot because I thought I could wear my mask throughout the whole exam. Not possible with dental exam. Time to also schedule the annual vampire visit (blood draw). And go to Ace Hardware in Taos and hang around the key kiosk to get a spare key and programmed fob for my Explorer. So maybe we are moving cautiously (unlike Texas and Mississippi) toward opening up. But not without fear. 

I sold two canvas giclee prints at the Enchanted Circle Brewery last week and had to walk back inside during business hours for the first time in a year. I found it scary but obviously the diners and drinkers did not. I must have had that deer in the headlights look above my mask. Eyes, I have noticed in these days of masks, are very expressive. I declined to have a beer. And I did not shake hands. My father gave lessons on shaking hands; firm but not painful but definitely not limp. You are not proffering your hand for it to be kissed.

The custom of shaking hands began as a way of not having a sword drawn against you. And put the left handed at a definite advantage but distrusted position. Caesar should have been shaking hands then his assassins could not have knifed him. Social distancing would have been good too. But few of us walk around with knives or swords at the ready these days so it is a dated custom which some authorities believe will not return after herd immunity. We all look forward to hugging some members of our family and/or pod. But few people have expressed missing handshaking. I am promoting namaste over the elbow bump. That seems too much like dancing. And aren't we suppose to block our sneezes with the inside of our elbows?

Masks have proven very handy in that I have not had the usual seasonal colds, saved on the cost of lipstick, and I have avoided those embarrassing moments of being caught with chocolate on my lips. We are not through this yet so keep those masks handy and keep your distance. I may be wrong about people not carrying knives or swords these days.

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