PART 18: TO MASK OR NOT TO MASK, THAT IS THE AWKWARD QUESTION. AND HAPPY SUMMER

Apparently since the courts, by and large, must take a summer break from concerns of litigation backlog issues and other administrative concerns, so will your SDL. Given everything that has happened over the pandemic, many things have changed, and some have not. Recently, I was at three separate Knicks’ home playoff games, and they lost two of them. That seemed quite familiar. Sometimes, I wore a mask and sometimes I didn’t. I began to think (in a totally non-political way), going forward in what instances will I still wear my mask? By way of background, I have been pretty forgetful about grabbing a mask even at the height of the pandemic. I resorted to keeping a box of masks in my car and office, which I still have.

Anyway, I have come to conclude that I will continue to wear a mask in three situations (let me know your thoughts on this too). First, the doctor’s office. Honestly, duh. Even before COVID-19, why did we ever sit in a waiting room of sick people and think it would go well? When it comes to the concept of any virus, I would prefer to pass.

Second, airplanes. I know this has been controversial but hear me out. For those who travel (I have been in Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, and Decatur within the last two weeks alone), I think masks keep “loud-talkers” a little quieter and that is good thing for everyone. As a frequent business traveler, I really don’t need to know other people’s business or gossip (unless it’s interesting, of course). Moreover, if you fly the major airline that controls Newark (EWR), you know how bad the snack boxes have become. They basically contain pre-packaged salty air. It’s better to keep my mouth covered under these circumstances and my sodium-levels low.

Finally, and this requires a neck gator specifically, a face covering is awesome at the bank. Even the SDL knows this is flimsy, but it gives me a little mid-life crisis satisfaction in difficult times.

Enjoy your summer. Stay distant, but hopefully a little less. Wash up and sanitize and see you in September. Stay well.