Masked Intentions in 2020

Had a couple of friends over earlier. Well, yesterday I guess, since it’s certainly Sunday now. That was cool, hadn’t seen them in a while, or played any Magic. I think I’m fine with that. In the past I would have been chomping at the bit to get back to having parties and get togethers as soon as it makes sense to do so, but now? Meh. Having a couple people over here or there is enough.

That drum kit got here a couple days ago, a few days earlier than I expected. Haven’t messed with it much, just assembled it mostly. Not sure where to start, probably will just look up some stuff online. Guess I could just sit down and hit shit and see what happens, I mean, it’s drums.

Didn’t do much on my days off otherwise, just playing games with the roomies at night and doing whatever during the day. I’ve started making an effort to clean up/clean out stuff in my room. I have some boxes in the garage I still haven’t unpacked either. I don’t think I could be considered a hoarder, but sometimes I feel I’m a hoarder of memories. Keeping something just because it’s sentimental, even if it has no real point otherwise. Not like junk or anything, just like knick knacks from conventions or things that directly remind me of people. I have a couple stuffed animals that are always in a box or in the closet, one Leah won for me at our first date at whatever fair was going on, and another that Nicole gave me randomly when we were seeing each other. Those scenarios were both years ago, and I have no contact with either of them and haven’t for a long time. Stuff like that, there’s no reason to keep it. I’m not going to see those people again. Different lifetimes. I can’t really face forward fully as long as I keep stuff like that around.

Oh, I forgot about that jackass we ran into the other day at Uwajimaya. Uwajimaya is an mostly Japanese grocery store in my town, they have other stuff too. Overpriced, but I enjoy going there. They’re requiring people to wear masks to go inside(and providing them if a person doesn’t have them), and limiting the amount of people that can be inside at once. You know, reasonable stuff that more stores should probably be doing. We went around the barricade thing to get in line since there were a couple people in line at the time. By the time we got to the front of it, they had left, and around the same time this middle-aged guy walked up, more or less cutting in line. He didn’t have a mask, and was a total dick when the employee at the door notified him he’d have to wear one to go inside and that he’d have to wait until someone left the store first. He pulled out a paper towel from his pocket and held it in front of his face sarcastically, saying that was his mask. His rationale was typical ignorant America-first bullshit, ranting about freedom this and freedom that. After a bit I spoke up, as did one of my roommates. I didn’t say as much as I should have, I didn’t want to make things tougher for the employee, since he had to deal with it. I wanted to later, just because. I keep that antagonistic, jerk side of me coiled up inside and don’t use it, and here was a guy that deserved it. People like that get away with a lot just because others don’t want to deal with their crap. I’m surprised the employee let him in, I wouldn’t have. It’s a private business, and also, it’s like dude, this is a Japanese grocery store. Everyone in here has a mask, and people wear masks in general if they think they are sick, that sort of courtesy is part of their culture. But I guess masks block FREEDOM AIR, and we need to breathe in and out as much of at as we can at all times. Ugh. I should feel bad for people like that in a sense, their ignorance and stupid-ass behavior probably comes from a place of fear. People fear what they don’t understand. And that fear is easily manipulated. Still, there’s a difference between being ignorant and open to hearing someone else out and being ignorant and arrogant. Also, this is Portland. Why the hell are people like that here? It’s definitely not quite the hipster cliche, there are still rednecks here, and way more big-ass trucks and less hybrids than you’d expect. ‘Murica is everywhere, even here.

I’ve been wanting to get back into online dating a bit, figure I might as well, I mean it’s free and I have nothing better to do. I always get stuck when it comes to pictures though, because that is definitely the most important thing, regardless of what people say. I need to make more of an effort to harass my friends to take pictures of me when we’re out doing stuff, I guarantee that would help more than selfies. Also, I have like a -10 skill level to taking selfies, it’s just not good man. I’m not good at formal pictures either, I have a hard time smiling and not getting self-conscious and making weird faces for a laugh. I have had friends take pictures before, but it’s always at like, the weirdest angle and I have some weird double chin and they’re like “IT LOOKS GREAT, IT’S FINE”. Like a stereotypical mother reassuring their child that whatever they just did is great even if it’s far from the truth. It’ll have to wait til next weekend and whatever grocery store we go to, I suppose. There are a couple pets here, and they are not mine, but I am more than willing to include them in pictures as well. If you ain’t cheating, you ain’t trying, as they say.