Dear Diary,
Life is pretty normal. I returned to the office about a month ago, part-time at first, but I’m back to full-time hours now. I’ve gone out for lunch and dinner a few times since COVID-19 restrictions eased, and even though I was nervous beforehand, it’s been fine once I’m there. Though I think my blood pressure goes up whenever someone coughs.
Given the lack of current community transmission in Western Australia, anyone coughing or sneezing in public most likely just has a cold because it’s winter. But the little voice inside my head says, “It could be COVID. They could be spraying killer droplets everywhere. You could get sick. You could get someone else sick. How many times a day do you need to touch your face?!”
Not to mention, I have family and friends in parts of the country and the world where the coronavirus situation isn’t so great.
On the plus side, I’m no longer obliged to shake hands with people. I don’t know why squeezing the germy hands of strangers became A Thing. But I’d be happy to permanently abolish the handshake in favour of any number of non-contact greetings. Bow, Vulcan salute, anjali mudra… the possibilities for not touching people are endless.
Alas, physical distancing seems to have gone out the window in many places. But I like my personal space so when people are keeping a 1.5 metre distance, it’s good. I know those markings on the ground won’t stay forever but I’d be okay if they did.
Oh, and my longtime hand sanitiser habit has not attracted a single snide remark about “OCD” since the pandemic began. I’m finally considered “normal”!
Well, maybe. I am still talking to a blog that can’t talk back, after all… 😀
P.S. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is a very real condition. Can we agree to stop trivialising it by using OCD as an adjective for anyone who happens to like being clean or tidy?
P.P.S. This blog is still quite new but it looks like I’m averaging two posts a month. Which is far less than what you’re “supposed” to do but hey, quality over quantity, right? (The “quality” part is debatable. 😛 )
Lee-Ann Khoh 