Malazan Empire: Puck - Viewing Profile - Malazan Empire

Malankazooie, on 29 July 2020 - 04:34 PM, said:

No, but's it's not unthinkable. People have different skin types (though yes, you absolutely should be washing your mask reguarly, by hand works just as well as machine washing, and you can boil it afterwards for at least five minutes to kill anything the washing didn't manage to just in case). It can get really humid beneath the mask which in turn can aggravate/cause acne.

Case in point, I had to switch to disposable masks as of this week because my number of asthma attacks skyrocketed once it hit 25°C here (from having none at all ever due to a well-maintained meds regime to two a day, and no, I don't have the 'Rona). Since I'm sensitive to heat for unrelated reasons and humidity always makes it more difficult for me to breathe, the humidity and fabric barrier together were not fun. You can't really take deep breaths with a mask, at least not the kind you need for physical activity (like running across the damn main train station of a big city because out railroad company thinks being on time is a vague suggestion at best). The disposable masks, as much as I hate the waste I'm creating his way, are at least light enough that I can do a brisk walk without ruining my entire day.

Another problem I've encountered is that my lips are chapped and dry beneath the mask and I cannot do anything about it because using lip balm and wearing a mask is nasty.

I wrote an email complaint in to the company that handles the local bus services because for the past two or so months the bus on one particular route at a particular time when driven by one particular bus driver has been stinking to the high heavens of cigarette smoke. This dude used to always smoke at the bus stop which coincidentally is the end/start point of that route and the timetable allows the drivers a brief break there. Well, guess what, he doesn't smoke at the stop anymore, but every time I board the bus at that station when he's driving it STINKS of cigarette smoke. I'm talking "like walking into a wall of cigarette stink" stuff. I'm also the only passanger in 70-80% of the time on that route at 7.30am.

The answer? "Well, we wouldn't want to point fingers to anyone and besides, smoking is not allowed inside busses. Maybe it's the remnants of a smoker boading the bus and exhaling. Also, the time given is not specific enough to investigate."

Uhm, what? I can tell quite well whether a smoker just walked by or someone's been smoking in a closed vehicle, thank you very much. Customer support, my ass

And for some good vibes, here's a picture of Merkel teaching the prime minister of Bulgaria how to wear a mask properly:



Not gonna lie, Not-giving-a-fuck-because-she-doesn't-want-to-be-reelected-Merkel may be my favourite Merkel and I've always been for her.

20 Days of Sheep, on 16 July 2020 - 11:31 PM, said:

Get a pair of glasses if you can't see that far?

Seriously, I realize it's taxing for a lot of people. I may not really 'get' it, but on an intellectual level I understand and respect that people have different lives and needs. But the fact that so many Americans staunchly refuse to even try to deal with it and find ways around the need to interact in order to stop a fucking pandemic partly because "muh, can't see people's smiles, how are we to interact?!!11" is mind-bogglingly, borderline insane. Do you guys think the rest of the world is all loners or what? No, people sucked it up (for the most part, anyway *sigh*) and dealt with social distancing and masks for a time so now we are reopening again without a major new virus wave (and that's despite having a lot of our own homegrown idiots around).

If you've got such trouble dealing with it, you need to work on your mindset because otherwise you'll keep getting more and more miserable by the day. This thing isn't going to go away any time soon, especially if the US keeps chugging on like this, so get used to the idea of the long haul. The right mindset about these things makes it - masks and all - so much easier to bear.

20 Days of Sheep, on 15 July 2020 - 08:26 PM, said:

Don't go anywhere unless absolutely necessary. Boom, problem solved. Iirc you don't work, unlike other people who have to wear a mask all day, so be glad you don't have to. You're a big boy and surely can go a couple months without truck sex.

For what it's worth, I have asthma and I almost hyperventilated in my mask yesterday because I had to run the entire length of the train station to catch my train (because I do have to work again) and I still wear a mask in public. So if I can do it with my compromised lungs, you can as well with your healthy ones.

P.S. Real smiles can be seen in one's eyes. I've yet to be in a single situation where I couldn't tell if someone was smiling or not with a mask on and they've been mandatory here since April. MInd you, some people have very pretty eyes, well worth looking into.