A couple days ago, I posted the following to Facebook. First, as a comment on a friend’s post, then again, as a post on my own page:

The fact that introverts are by nature more comfortable with social distancing does not mean we can handle social distancing indefinitely. We too enjoy being able to spend time with friends and loved ones — we just don’t recharge our batteries that way. Over time, we also start missing that level of human contact. It’s a mistake to assume that introverts aren’t feeling many of the same emotions as a result of all this.

We are all in the same boat; we just boarded it in different ways.

Because it was originally a comment to someone else’s post, some important context/additional information is needed. Sheltering at home presents new difficulties for an introvert when doing so with a family. There are four of us sheltering together: Sally, Brandon, Charlie (my step-daughter), and myself. Finding true solitary time is rather difficult under these circumstances. Furthermore, even though I’ve worked from home for 10 years, doing so with three other people in the house is very different from when you are literally alone for hours on end. Getting outside to take walks helps alleviate some of the need for alone time, but it’s not the same as truly being alone in your own home, recharging without the possibility of interruption.

However, walks are different these days as well. Before the pandemic, going out for walk and getting lost in your thoughts, an audiobook, or music was a simple thing to do. Now, one needs to be aware of the surroundings and others at all times. The outside is safer than being in a crowded place of business, but it’s still an excellent idea to keep your distance from everyone else who is out walking, running, riding their bikes. In fact, I’ve stopped using the various exer-cise trails that wind through the community because they just don’t feel safe. There are people who still aren’t being fully mindful of others, and many of those paths don’t have sufficient clearance to step off and make some distance. Furthermore, at certain times during the day, there can quite a few people on them. It’s far safer and easier to stick to the sidewalks, where you can actually step out into the street to circumvent others as needed. Still, you always need to be aware, and sometimes need to anticipate and plan a few steps ahead (pun intended) where you need to turn or take a slightly circuitous route. It’s like playing a real-life, real-time strategy game.

No, these days taking a walk is definitely not an efficient way for an introvert to recharge their batteries.

A few shorter items to close today’s post:

• Yesterday’s post left out that I didn’t go out for my birthday bacon cheeseburger this year. While Five Guys, my preferred burger joint, is open for takeout and delivery, it’s not the same as actually eating the burger immediately, right there on the premises. In case you read yesterday’s post and are wondering why there wasn’t a burger on Sally’s and my date night, I try to avoid eating meat in her presence, out of respect for her vegetarianism, which is strict and absolute. (Unlike mine, which has a quarterly bacon cheeseburger exemption — birthday, Father’s Day, Brandon’s birthday, and the holiday season — because I just love the things too damn much.
• My Lego Mini-Me is getting an update. Thanks to my hair growing out, the current hair piece on the minifigure really doesn’t properly represent me anymore. Lego doesn’t have a piece that’s a great match for how my hair looks now, but there are a couple parts that might be in the realm of close enough. Yesterday, I ordered them from a seller on BrinkLink.com. Before and after photos will be posted.
• According to The Washington Post, as of 7:44 AM EDT, at least 44,673 have died from the coronavirus, with 2,574 reported deaths yesterday. Amazingly, a number of GOP governors in the south and midwest have either not enacted any restrictions to slow the virus’s spread or are now relaxing any they put in place. The GOP values money over human lives. They are not pro-life. They are death cult with a fetus fetish.