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#Post#: 794--------------------------------------------------
How to not feel like "a Mask-hole" when everyone else
has abandoned masking?
DIR By: Steve
Date: May 14, 2023, 6:55 pm
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While I was on my break, it was stunning to see how few people
were masking. At times, it legitimately made me feel
uncomfortable that I was the only one (or one of the very few)
to be masking out of hundreds or even THOUSANDS of people at
these gatherings.
How have others coped with being a "mask-hole" (or, as I've also
heard, "an unicorn") in an age where everyone thinks that the
virus has vanished and we've all been transported back to 2018?
For myself, I keep thinking to myself, "It's still out there, it
still sickens people, it still kills people and I don't want to
get other people sick or myself to get sick."
However, I can honestly say that, at times, the weight of social
pressure to not mask was extremely great. I'm glad that I kept
my mask on and, hopefully, my example made it easier for others
to keep their masks on (or to put masks on) as well.
#Post#: 2261--------------------------------------------------
Re: How to not feel like "a Mask-hole" when everyone
else has abandoned masking?
DIR By: Masked Man
Date: September 21, 2024, 11:02 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
I am very interested in this topic as I remain a diehard masker
since the pandemic began.
I for one am extremely uncomfortable simply being around the
maskless. I consider the maskless a danger to me as well as to
themselves and to each other. I have shunned the maskless as
much as possible. I do every thing remotely, keeping to myself
caring for my immunocompromised elderly loved one. We stay at
home.. avoiding visits from people including family and
neighbors all of whom don’t seem to respect my masked way of
life enough to wear a mask for themselves. This is my preferred
way of being safe.
I have retired from what I consider ‘the rat race’ of maskless.
I am at peace with shunning the maskless and consider this as a
rational response considering the reality and effectiveness of
the current diseases. I don’t do drugs, nor do I drink, nor am
i sick in body, so I am of sound mind and believe in myself. I
have the advantage in life in that I wear the mask. The maskless
certainly don’t have any redeeming qualities insofar as being
impervious to diseases go.. the maskless are weak and might even
die .. that’s not my cup of tea. I don’t want to suffer or
possibly die from a disease (I lived with allergies and asthma
as a child)
.. I guess that helps me.. simply knowing I’d rather deal with
the psychological repercussions of wearing my mask than to get
sick like the multitude. There are too many instances in history
where the multitude are in denial when it comes to diseases …
look at the Spanish flu during 1918.. nothing but denial .. same
as today.
Since 2020 covid levels in my state fluctuate but the threat and
covid itself remains.. currently it’s September 2024 and here in
my state wastewater levels of covid are sky high and shown as
bright red all over my state..
Covid has not been eradicated. There is data and proof of this
that there is covid not too mention other diseases occur amongst
us at a fairly high rate .. this unacceptable to me for what
it’s worth.. Not only covid, but many other airborne diseases
seem to prevail as well that could be prevented by masking.
I guess I’d rather be a prisoner to the mask than my body be a
prisoner to a disease..I'd even rather be a prisoner to the mask
than prisoner to the fear of disease. Wearing a mask alleviates
the rational fear and genuine concerns of catching a disease
during this pandemic as I have bigger things to think and worry
about it. Simply worrying about disease exposure is time
consuming and is remedied by mask.
The discomfort of the mask is reversible in other words, the
discomfort if any of the mask goes away when I take off the mask
after use while the disease like covid or long covid is
irreversible in other words I can’t take the disease off or out
of me at my own will.
I am interested in hearing whatever inner dialogue or
psychological tricks people use when they do go out in public in
their masks.
In my mask, I feel fairly comfortable zipping around outdoors
through public areas on my bicycle because I feel I can avoid
people.
One thing that helps me is knowing I am overall healthier and
happier now in my masked way of life than in prepandemic
days/times and I have no desire to go back into the past before
I was masking. Ive never gotten covid. After four and a half
years of masking I’m not about to stop masking now.. lol
I would prefer to do only business with only maskers… I
currently allow mailman ups and fed ex people to drop off goods
onto my front porch .. I don’t approach them because they are
maskless. That being said anybody knocks on my door without a
mask I never answer the door or I come out my back door with my
mask on and from a distance I firmly holler or announce “ this
is private property ! You must leave!” Then I walk away avoiding
confrontation back through my back yard and back door and wash
my hands , clothes and take a shower.
I would feel comfortable if it was planned out hanging out or
visiting with another person who also masked in an outdoor
environment away from the maskless.
I guess my Masked philosophy is:
I prefer to deal with whatever psychological repercussions my
masking and isolation practices might lead to rather than to
deal with the psychological repercussions of having exposed
myself to long covid that day and/or the physical non reversible
repercussions of contracting, carrying and exposing others to
long covid or any other disease at this point in my healthy
apparently disease free life.
I mask ever time I go out the door even in my own yard.. I
haven’t gotten covid or any other illness in four and a half
years of my masking practices. When the pandemic first came out,
every time somebody said their was a cure or answer for covid, I
said to myself I’ll mask for six months or so no matter what to
see if anything actually eradicates covid. I sort of pledged
I’ll wait six months maybe 9 months until people stop getting
sick before I even consider going around unmasked.. the pandemic
was declared over by a few so called leaders in this world more
than once .. I never took my mask off and those leaders got sick
and made their loved ones and their constituency sick .. that
inspired me to continue wearing mask.. now I’m used to my masked
way of life. My mask is like a pair of glasses for me. The Heck
with disease is my attitude…
My philosophy is in the long run “only the masked will survive”
I’m sort of counting and banking on the masked way way of living
and that the public masked way of life is the way of the future
.. not many people feel like me but I don’t care what people
feel .. if things continue like they have since 2020 .. that is
if these diseases continue for yet another four and a half
years I can safely assume almost all the maskless will at least
have long covid.
For the maskless I ask how many bouts of covid can their brains
and hearts handle and what will the next variant do? I’m
thinking the disease might get the upper hand because of many
factors and cyclic movements amongst population, rate of travel,
mutations proving people wrong..climate change creating
favorable conditions.. etc..
I treat the mask like a tool… people use filters for water..
they use filters to protect their cars..why not filter the air
with a mask in this day and age being witnessed to all the
politicians and superstars making each other sick and simply
looking at the history of covid thus far and the mere threat of
a mutating virus I personally think it wise for me to invest in
personal strategies to avoid diseases.. I like reducing my
chances of disease. I consider people that mask to be highly
intelligent. I do not think highly of taking any chances with a
tiny microscopic entity that could and will whup me. I’m a tough
guy but I know my limits.. I know to never accept a fight I
can’t win. tough as I am I am not impervious to disease..I hate
and despise useless chronic suffering.. those are just some of
the reasons I mask.
I think onto myself if I am right or wrong about wearing the
mask nobody dies for my masking advice while when politicians
and so called experts are wrong about about pandemics being over
or wrong about cures people die.
Lol.. Im a real “Maskhole”…lol I really can’t stand the maskless
and I avoid the maskless like the plague. I haven’t suffered for
having worn my mask.. I’m ready for the next pandemic and this
one too.. I don’t know how the masked can stand even looking at
the maskless. It’s almost like I see the germs .. those germs
are proven by electron microscope.. covid is a real phenomenon I
guess There’s something in me that makes me hate disease enough
to guard against them. As soon as the pandemic of covid hit in
2020 I instantly decided I’m using a mask! I didn’t think twice.
I just knew in my gut I didn’t want to play with covid.. I knew
instantly there might be long term repercussions from the
disease and that’s why I masked and lo and behold I was right
for fearing this as it turns out there is long covid.
All I know is I think most Americans have had it too good never
been sick or something as I had allergies and asthma as a child
for many years and so maybe I’m more humble and I know what it’s
like to have suffered a little disease while most other people
never have been sick enough to fear or respect a disease enough
to wear a mask..
i respect the disease and In the long run I’m better off in my
mask even if the disease only affects 10 percent of us, I’m not
rolling a one on that 10 sided dice over and over.. I wear a
mask and roll less dice! lol .. even if theoretically the mask
was not always necessary for me to wear I am glad for my
wearing it anyway .. who would not want to master such a skill?
In other words to me it’s like martial arts it’s great to be
trained and capable and well practiced and know you can defend
yourself yet you hope and pray you never have to use your
martial arts.. to me it’s the same with mask.. I wear it as self
defense and although I am most likely to be impervious of
disease in my mask I don’t look for a fight or enter into a
group of disease carrying people or maskless people on purpose.
I prefer not to test my mask. In other words my mask is on but I
try not to dirty my mask by being around the maskless.
If I did want to or have to collaborate in person with others I
prefer to be around other masked people who have the same
respect and rational fears or rather concerns and understanding
that I have.
I am very interested in how others feel when they mask.
#Post#: 2264--------------------------------------------------
Re: How to not feel like "a Mask-hole" when everyone
else has abandoned masking?
DIR By: Steve
Date: September 22, 2024, 3:52 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
I must confess that the public's current inability to appreciate
the potential dangers of remaining maskless during this pandemic
is disturbing and short-sighted.
I do not endeavor to wear a mask in public for the rest of my
life. Yet the public at-large does not appreciate the basic
concepts of our current situation.
The pandemic still exists. This is a fact. A common
counter-argument is that other ailments, such as colds & flus,
also exist and we historically have not taken such uncommon
measures (ie wearing masks in public, social distancing, etc.)
before.
The response to the counter-argument is that Covid-19 is not the
same as "the common cold" or "the flu." Covid-19 is more
contagious than the flu. Covid-19 is also deadlier than the flu.
When society encounters a disease that is both more contagious
than the flu and deadlier than the flu, it must take enhanced
precautions in order to protect itself.
Another response to the counter-argument ("we have had the flu
and colds in the past and our prior precautions have been
adequate in protecting the public") is that our response to
these ailments has changed over time. For instance, more and
more businesses, even before the Covid-19 pandemic, had begun to
encourage people to stay home when they were sick with these
"more common" and "less deadly" ailments.
Yet another response to the counter-argument is that other
nations have had different precaution standards than just "Let
'er Rip." Asian nations, for instance, have citizens that
routinely wore surgical masks (and better) even before the
Covid-19 pandemic in response to prior outbreaks of ailments in
their own country or their region. Granted, some of the reasons
for wearing the masks were non-disease related (ex. the air
quality in some of the nations are poor and they wore the masks
to avoid the consequences of breathing in poor-quality air).
Our society needs to continue to recognize that Covid-19 has not
gone away. Its ability to infect people has only increased while
the mortality rate has only decreased relative to our own
current population and not as an objective measurement of its
own ability to cause deaths. Put simply, a bullet striking a
person who isn't wearing bullet-resistant armor will not be
affected as much as a person who is not wearing that type of
armor. However, the bullet is still the same and we do not have
adequate means to objectively judge how lethal that bullet
changes over time, just that our population is wearing more
layers of armor (either through infections or being vaccinated).
#Post#: 2275--------------------------------------------------
Re: How to not feel like "a Mask-hole" when everyone
else has abandoned masking?
DIR By: Masked Man
Date: September 24, 2024, 7:41 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
I like Steve's viewpoints,
Yes, There's so much more that could be done.
I'd like to comment, To me, its so ironic that while the the
9/11 events of terrorism forever changed the way airports handle
security, four and a half years straight of an insidious
mutating virus has done very little to change any policies or
practices at medical institutes. Insofar as masks go, the
practice amongst medical teams vary and change as often as the
seasons (while there seems to be a new variant on the rise every
season or two). Not to belittle how many lives were lost during
9/11, we are still losing lives to covid and I expect doctors
and those in the medical field to lead the way and take every
measure of protection available to accommodate the the type of
people that seek medical help. It seems preposterous to me that
the very thing that prevents diseases such as masks, antiseptic
cleaning of all surfaces in front of patients, etc. might be
lacking considering the nature of the work at hand.I'm sure
there are some medical institutes out there taking every
precaution but I would expect all medical institutes to take
this pandemic more seriously than most institutes have. Medical
institutes are dealing with people in a 'weakened state' and its
not fair for them to risk getting sicker because of lack of
protective measures being taken on the part of a medical
institute and the people who work there. I'd include and
pharmacies in my list as worthy of being called a medical
institute considering pharmacies dispense medicine, medical
equipment and are supposed to serve and protect those that
require such products.. Yeah doctors who want me to keep calling
them doctors need to protect people in their waiting rooms and
reception areas from infecting one another..that's what I'd do
if I was a doctor. Its in the Hippocratic oath to do so. Doctors
are definitely supposed to prevent diseases..its one of their
job requirements.
As a child a hospital saved my life as I had a horrible
allergy/asthma attack which required hospitalization. I was very
lucky in the doctors and nurses had the sense enough to mask
around me and even construct a tent around my bed while I was in
a weakened state so as to protect me. These precautions kept
patients and visitors from breathing on me and giving me
anything contagious like a silly cold. A silly cold might kill
someone in a weakened state ... my doctors and nurses knew this
in the 1970's even when no mutating viruses were circulating and
no outstanding diseases were prevalent like they are now and
have been since our covid pandemic began around 2020. So anyway
I find it hard to believe many maskless doctors, maskless nurses
, and especially their maskless receptionists and people in the
waiting room don't do as much as was done for me back in the
70's when I was in a weakened state in the hospital. I am
somewhat in shock that in the year 2024, given how levels of
covid are showing up in wastewater proving to us all that covid
is traveling around that all medical care facilities aren't
doing more like airports did and continue to do when 9/11 hit.
Think I mind airport people checking my baggage for bombs or
knives at an airport?..I don't mind after those two buildings
went down... think I'd mind masking up in a doctor's waiting
room during a pandemic? Heck no, I don't mind masking under
these conditions. I welcome Masking..Ive already got my mask
on! :) Currently I live in NC and currently according to CDC
all 34 wastewater sites in NC are reporting very high covid
levels. Covid is teeming here in NC.
Today I rode my bicycle in my mask and a jumpsuit past a college
university and did a six mile round trip in my town and as far
as I know I am the only one in a mask. It's all right there in
the wastewater. Covid exists. I'm taking it seriously. Nobody at
the local university has their thinking cap on much less their
mask. Some people insist on learning the hard way. I saw a lot
of college kids give me the looks when I rode by on my bicycle
in a mask.. hopefully one or two of them will think about it and
maybe even wear a Mask next time they get on that bus. Methinks,
maybe the maskless people think of me as the little boy that
cried wolf as I ride by on my bicycle in my mask while covid is
the wolf.. who knows what transpires in the minds of the
maskless, , I do know I'm no match for a wolf nor am I match for
a mutating virus from which at any given moment a deadly variant
could emerge... this could go any way.. the virus could fade
away but it could get worse far worse than ever. I'm not taking
any chances. I don't roll that dice. My health is valuable to
me. I have my Mask and my own code of conduct and my own set of
rules.. hopefully society or the general public will develop or
become more in tune with what it needs insofar as being more
conscientious and developing better 'customs' and practices that
make sense during a pandemic to make things more safe for one
another if they are deserving enough...lol.
Certainly we would ridicule some guy for leaning over and
sniffing on a dead animal on the side of the road but we don't
ridicule the maskless doctor or maskless person enough in my
opinion for sniffing on one diseased person while breathing on
another. That is precisely what is happening in my area because
currently Covid levels are very high in all 34 wastewater sites
in my state as I type this. People are infecting each other and
my entire state is evidently the perfect grounds for breeding
viruses amongst one another. The very high levels covid in the
wastewater prove me right. That's proof that more needs to be
done. Note I have never taken down my guard or my mask off
regardless of viral activity levels in my area. There's no
travel restrictions here and the reason the viral activity is
high is because of the stuff that is coming out of people's
faces. We know that much or rather we know that little about the
matter.
It never ceases to amaze me how good people are with everything
other than their own own bodies: people use filters in their
cars(in fact a car won't run and its engine will be destroyed
without the filters). Then many people use a filter for to keep
their water clean and make it safe to drink..I see nothing wrong
with breathing through a filter to simply protect my pink
inwards from breathing in a microscopic entity that's already
more than proved its capabilities of wreaking havoc and
destroying more than enough lives to be comfortable with...
A mask a day keeps the doctor away,
The Masked Man
#Post#: 5844--------------------------------------------------
Re: How to not feel like "a Mask-hole" when everyone
else has abandoned masking?
DIR By: Masked Man
Date: May 8, 2026, 1:01 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
May 8 2026... just wanted to update my recent good experiences
as a masker in pubic.
I have been masking outdoors and outside my home routinely doing
all sorts of stuff usually just incase I have to deal with a
stranger or encounter directly outside my home as seen in these
links:
My Fun Videos of Me doing Everyday Tasks in My Mask
LINK:
HTML https://www.datareport.info/miscellaneous-discussions/my-fun-video-of-me-doing-everyday-tasks-in-my-backyard-wearing-a-mask/15/
&
Masked Man's Bicycle Ride And Other Videos set to Music To
Inspire Others To Mask up
LINK:
HTML https://www.datareport.info/miscellaneous-discussions/masked-man's-bicycle-ride-today-set-to-music-to-inspire-others-to-mask-up/
So my masked walks with masked loved one, my masked outdoor
bicycle trips are usually the closest encounters Ive had with
maskless people we pass by for the majority of time for six
years straight. My loved one is older and we don't take chances
with having very little contact publicly. That being said, I
have masked and taken masked loved one to doctors officers and
gall bladder surgery at hospital.
So recently I have only begun to have more close encounters with
others out in public,,, I still limit my contact to those I must
do business with... Recently I ride bicycle in mask 6 mile
round trip to pick up vegetable box usually outside...
and today I had to drop car off to get it inspected! I had to
get the car inspected so I had to mask up and talk to a maskless
guy at the auto shop. .. I have to get a bunch of feral cats
that are multiplying on my back porch that I need to get fixed
so I will have to use a car that is up to date when I drive it
in my mask to drop them off to get fixed. Then I will pick cats
back up in car and bring my porch cats back home!.
So here's the verdict... I have had absolutely no problem when
wearing a mask for these business transactions publicly & It's
2026, Recently It's been five masked trips to agricultural
center and now my car just got inspected and I ride my bicycle
to pick that up in my mask..
....Its just the first time I have been dealing with maskless
people publicly and while I haven't been in very crowded areas
doing these recent public business transactions, I must say I
sense a great deal of respect and people are behaving quite
professional around me. This is a new and wonderful experience
for me! I'm super conditioned to wear my mask and now I'm
actually having some public encounters with maskless people in
the general public (other than doctors and hospitals) and I feel
totally respected and incredible! Its nice to have that
confidence and I hope by sharing my experience as a Masked
person in public that it will help others who are bashful or shy
when they have to go out in public in their mask. :)
The Masked Man
P.S. Now its time to ride my bicycle to pick up the car ..
according to the auto shop the keys are in the car.. the
inspection sticker is paid for and all I got to do do is stick
my mask on ride my bike, hop into car and bring it home!
Getting stuff done in my mask brothers and sisters and nothing
but good experiences thus far in the general public! Masked man
not use to being in public at all around the maskless so this
feels great to me!I actually feel like a leader or something in
my mask. It doesn't bother me whatsoever to be masked and be
working with the working public and I feel like people actually
respect me like I'm a commando or something..lol... I feel
strong, secure, and confident in my mask amongst the maskless.
I show good manners and am very professional. I guess I feel
like a good role model because I'm safe, I'm Masked and I'm
doing and behaving in a way I believe in.
Oh and guess what!? , on the way home near a carwash, I saw a
guy working near a trashcan with a respiratory style mask
similar to the one that is under my bandanna as I rode by on my
bicycle!
Afterthought: Although I had good experience in my mask and am
safer for masking , I encourage people to stay at home sweet
home when they can and order things to be delivered to their
homes and try to stay off the roads as much as possible. I feel
you are healthier staying at home as much as possible. It still
feels grimy out there, polluted with cars fumes and its just not
that great out there.
#Post#: 5931--------------------------------------------------
Re: How to not feel like "a Mask-hole" when everyone
else has abandoned masking?
DIR By: Masked Man
Date: May 26, 2026, 5:00 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Update: Tuesday May 26 2026
I went to license plates agency today masked of course. Just
wanted to share my positive experience as a masker,
(So I never go anywhere indoors since 2020 accept weekly masked
bicycles rides to pick up a box of vegetables from a farmers
market scenario and occasional trips to take masked loved one
to healthcare facility.)
Today I got my mask on and bandannas that hold mask in place on,
my farmer overalls and vest that has a lot if pockets... rode my
bicycle to license plate agency with documents to prove I have
car inspected and car insurance so I can get the car's
registration and plates up to date.
I get there lock my bicycle up at a fence... then get in line.
Maybe I get a stare or two out of curiosity but I don't sense or
expect any conflict whatsoever. Maybe they are glances of
acknowledgement. I don't really look or expect any conflict. I
was perfectly comfortable and actually confident. If someone was
standing real close to my back like breathing on me maybe I'd
have gotten more nervous and maybe I would have moved or
something but that just didn't happen.
It certainly would be a good place to get germs.. people
standing in line touching the same door handles.. no hand soap
dispensers around. It wasn't super crowded.. nobody stood that
close to me I didn't feel like any body was breathing down my
neck.
Behind me, a couple people down I heard a baby sneeze into the
air twice...lol. My mask is on anyway. The teller or
receptionist handled my papers and was pleasant enough.. I made
small talk about the little plastic dinosaurs she had
displayed... everybody seemed pleasant enough nobody got in my
face, questioned, or challenged me in any way. I just kind of
look like a biker with a mask on and big hairy arms and
shoulders. I just remain calm and relaxed and seemed like that
was the mood of the whole room. I go outside and spray my hands
and hairy arms with a spray bottle of rubbing alcohol I have in
my vest..
Some lady looked at me a little but I was unlocking my bicycle
and had earbuds on at this point listening to music.. there was
a sign saying don't stand in the grass where I had locked my
bicycle and I was standing in the grass anyway. Not sure if the
lady said something to me or not since I was listening to music
seemed like she stopped from a distance and was looking at me or
maybe she was getting a cigarette or something. I don't
care..lol ..I also squirt some hand disinfectant all over my
hands and unlock my bike from fence and ride home masked on my
bicycle... Ive been riding bicycle masked for years now so that
was cool.
I throw everything in wash as usual taking mask off last and
then I shower.
So anyway that's a rare occasion I go inside a building since
2020...lol.. I wore my mask and felt great. I actually felt
quite normal and safer than prior to 2020. If anything the
others seemed kind of meek and weak. I'm 55 years old and I wear
a mask for my health. Now our car is actually legal to drive for
the first time since 2020! lol.. I still prefer to bicycle and
am only using the car to get a bunch of feral cats Ive been
feeding fixed and spayed. I still prefer using bicycle to
commute and I love my mask that helps protect my health outside
my home, outdoors/publically!
From the perspective as the masked man, it sort of felt like
people sort of tiptoed around me with respect and maybe they
admired me like a thing of beauty.
I like my masked way of life, it suits my lifestyle,
The Masked Man
P.S. If I anybody pressed me about my mask(like a drunk or
mentally impaired person), I plan on politely saying "I mask for
my health" and then just avoid them. If law enforcement were to
ask why I am masked, I'd just say I am a caregiver and that I
take care of an elderly loved one or an immunocompromised
person. Ive done that with officials before and they have no
issues with that. Of course I simply mind my own business and
its unnecessary to go into it so unless pressured by law
enforcement as to why you are masking, I wouldn't even bring it
up and just be polite, attend to business, and not worry about
it.
#Post#: 6097--------------------------------------------------
Re: How to not feel like "a Mask-hole" when everyone
else has abandoned masking?
DIR By: Masked Man
Date: July 3, 2026, 6:15 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Update: During heatwave no problems masking...
On July 1st 2026 , in the middle of day, I did my masked bicycle
ride to pick up box of vegetables from Women's agricultural
center. It was pretty hot maybe 86 degrees here in the NC
Appalachian Mountains.. I simply drank as much water as possible
over a couple hours throughout morning before trip. So what I'm
saying is I had no problem masking in this heat. I don't really
find masking difficult in hot weather if anything it sort of
keeps nasal and airways kind of moist. I certainly had no
problems doing 6 miles across town and back up and down some
hills on a bicycle in mask. I sat down more on seat and didn't
climb the hills as hard but again the heat did not deter me from
my usual mask wearing whatsoever.
Also I don't get any kind of criticism for masking.. Nobody
seems to be giving me a hard time whatsoever for masking. If
anybody did pay any extra attention or comment on my mask I
wouldn't pay it any mind at this stage. People in the desert
wear turbans and face coverings to keep from breathing in
sandstorms and such .. bicycling in the heat with a mask
probably doesn't feel much different.
Just like the desert people that wear protective clothing and
face coverings, I feel comfortable & more safe masking
especially when its hot outside.. seems just as intuitive, smart
to mask in the extremes of weather along the dirty highway,
amongst the cars & truck fumes down sidewalks, past tourists,
students, & strangers and their little gatherings.
I felt like Lawrence of Arabia .. there's something to be
learned from various cultures ..that loose clothing and those
head turbans actually circulate air and keep desert people
cooler and they get quite used to their face coverings. To me
masking is ideal in this day of climate change on the hot
asphalt and perils of the cars trucks and pollution. It feels
good to be masked just incase I had to make a pitstop at a
heavily frequented area with a lot of strangers, some of who
may be ill during holiday gatherings and 4rth of July .. as with
any day, to me it just makes sense to wear a mask on a bicycle
trip in this culture, in the public, environment and with all
that is going on worldwide.
For what it is worth , I'm 55 and have a big gut hanging over
my belt.. I always have ridden a bicycle a lot .. so anyway I'm
not a super young athletic college kid or anything ...I'm no
spring chicken ..I had a small bottle of emergency water on me I
didn't have to use and I could have stopped in the shade and
simply abandoned mission and coasted home if I felt
uncomfortable. However I had no problems being well hydrated
from drinking tons of water earlier my 6 mile masked bicycle
ride was quite pleasant. By the way, to those interested, my
respiratory style mask does have little exhale valves/flaps
which I feel allow me to exhale hot air out freely. Masking
works for me.
I got spirit man!
The Masked Man
P.S. My stepfather who is 92 just entered into an assisted
living home. Its supposed to be nice.. according to my mom he's
doing well. I must say its still scary for me. I wear a mask. I
am hoping assisted caregivers can truly protect and hopefully
mask for their patients like I mask in the extremes and in
public. Its hard for guy like me who has trained himself to wear
mask consistently outdoors and in public to really understand
why I don't see more people take advantage of wearing n95 masks.
#Post#: 6099--------------------------------------------------
Re: How to not feel like "a Mask-hole" when everyone
else has abandoned masking?
DIR By: Steve
Date: July 4, 2026, 8:09 am
---------------------------------------------------------
I intend to go to a parade later today and shall be masking.
Although I haven't been challenged about wearing a mask lately,
if I am asked about it, I just say that I work with the elderly
and that they are often immuno-compromised. There. Done.
I would also prefer to say that it should be a best practice for
anyone to mask when in large crowds due to the prevalence of
communicable diseases (see any of the latest cruise liner
illnesses as just one example) but reality isn't very
fashionable these days with the public at large. They consider
Ebola is a world away, norovirus is only a thing that strikes
cruise liners and doesn't the flu and cold only strike in the
winter (and, lately, on US military bases)?
I predict that I will probably be the only one masking today
although I usually spot an additional one or two (usually a
surgical or cloth) if the crowd is large enough.
#Post#: 6137--------------------------------------------------
Re: How to not feel like "a Mask-hole" when everyone
else has abandoned masking?
DIR By: Masked Man
Date: July 9, 2026, 12:12 am
---------------------------------------------------------
UPDATE: Yet another successful 6 mile round trip masked bicycle
ride to pick up box of vegetables from Women's agricultural
center.
I'm happy to announce I sense that the workers and volunteers
at the agricultural center simply get more & more used to me.
They seem happy enough to see me. They sort of know my style,
where I park my bicycle, and how I like them to come out with my
box of vegetables. Of course I'm the only one masked. I would
still love to be greeted by other maskers but at least I can say
it feels like the group likes me and we know what to expect from
one another.
I mention this only to help other maskers. If you frequent the
same place around the same groups when you do mask rest assured
people get use to you and your mask. Out of the corner of my eye
there always seems to be a couple people peeking at me. It's
kind of like they are simply standing at attention. I certainly
don't feel like they judging me or anything .. they just stand
there sort of awestruck if anything. So anyway I'm getting
nothing but respect for wearing a mask when I pick up my
veggies. It's a comfortable routine.
Also Ive done tons of masked bicycle riding shooting down
sidewalks cutting across town and I must say I feel fairly
respected on the road as a masked bicyclist. Nobody ever messes
with me. I can't help but think more and more that a lot of
people are fairly tolerant of maskers and that there are
probably a lot of them that secretly believe in masking and wish
they too could mask.. I just think a lot of people sort of
question themselves. I think that's why nobody ever bugs me
about the mask.. its like they know I'm safer and will fare
better for wearing my mask. Of course nobody talks about their
feelings and all this could just be in my head as I am merely
speculating. I do know when my loved one and I entered a
hospital masked I overheard a couple behind us question amongst
themselves"maybe we should get masks on too!"
For me, All I know is, despite one or two stares (maybe they are
in love with me for all I know), I feel society seems fairly
cool with my mask and hopefully they will continue to be as
respectful as I am finding them to be. Lately I think mostly
people are simply admiring me The Masked Man, like I am an
object of beauty or some sort of person that possesses great
skills and talent when they see me. I'm always flying by on a
bicycle in a mask. There's probably some jealousy from the
maskless people if anything they probably wish they were me.
They are stuck there while I get to fly by on a bicycle all
masked up with music playing through my earbuds as I rip up and
down the sidewalk.. its fun.
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