I am really trying hard to not become a cave dwelling hermit. Truly I am. But how does one go from living totally at home with a weekly trip to a grocery store and avoiding people at all costs to trying to be in the same room as others. Talking. Eating. Watching TV. Not biting on fighting words during the time together as all those prickly topics keep getting brought up. The joy of having a couple over was great. We cleaned up the house. Picked up laundry piled on the couch. Bought some snacks. I did my hair and makeup. And I took a deep breath.

It was great to have people over. Our bubble people. It was also hard. I am not used to all the talking and the art of conversation. I never was good at it and now I really stink at it and I am painfully aware of it.

I have to start social rehab. Today. I want to join a local club when the pandemic is over but maybe I can find one online to practice interacting with people on a live conversation. I forget in real life there is not mute button like on Zoom! I know this is a real thing as this article suggests but it is more of a problem for an introverted introvert like me who kinda lived a limited interaction type of life before the pandemic. I can’t even think of small talk that doesn’t lead to a weird, heavy or prickly conversation.

Is pandemic isolation destroying our social skills? – The Boston Globe

I was thinking about travel plans in the future as we watched the big game. I want to dream and plan a trip to somewhere fantastic a couple of years from now. But I need to get used to a lot of people. I am not sure I am ready for that. I guess I have time to practice !

Vicki