Wearing Out My Welcome With A Few Insignificant Collections
I’m worried about myself. At first I posted here maybe once a week. Then a couple times a week. Recently I’ve been writing stuff on Cycle365 almost every other day, but today marks my third day in a row. What next? Two or three times a day?
I promise to back off before that happens. But, here’s the thing: the isolation from the Coronavirus has pushed me into writing like never before. I practice social distancing, so writing has become about my only connection to the outside world. Thank goodness for e-mail, text messaging, and my cycling sites. Sure, I have Diggity and The Feeshko to talk to in person, but man does not live by talking to his dog and wife alone. And, as exemplified by the picture at the top of the page, even they are getting bored with stories of my relationship to Mohammed Ali and Hunter S. Thompson.
Yesterday, my social distancing was ramped up even more. I had just fired up the grill to barbeque some chicken, when my next door neighbor stepped out of his house to tell me that he, his wife, his brother, his co-worker, his daughter, and her boyfriend had all tested positive for the Covid.
I wished them the best of luck, maintained a distance of at least 30-feet, and asked if the Feeshko and I could help by picking up groceries or medicine or anything else for them and dropping it off on the front porch.
After that short conversation, I suddenly got a little paranoid. My throat felt a little scratchy, but it went away. I coughed. I had to clear my throat a few times. I felt a little tired. There could be no reason for any of those symptoms, I thought, other than COVID-19.
In my reasonable brain, I knew I was an acceptable distance from him. I knew it would take a few days for the virus to manifest itself. But sometimes one’s UN-reasonable brain takes over and sends all kinds of crazy thoughts to mess with one’s head. Damn it all, I was sure I was getting the Covid and I was going to spread it to my wife and dog. I quarantined myself in the Gregroom for the next five hours until I needed to come upstairs for a root beer.
After a good night’s sleep I felt pretty good today, but I still imagined some kind of sinus issue. I determined that only a bike ride could take my mind off this little bout with hypochondria. So I went out in search of a couple more collections. It worked! I no longer feel any Covid symptoms, but I do feel anxiety in not being able to find anything as cool as a herd of elephant seals.
See you later. Hopefully not later today.
gregblood
Hi. My name is Greg and I ride my bike a lot. That is to say, I ride my bike almost every day. I go on long rides and short rides. Sunny rides, cloudy rides, and rainy rides. I like commuting, errand-running, day-tripping, overnighting, and touring on my bike. I ride on city streets, highways, gravel, single track, and snow with equal enthusiasm. Sometimes I ride fast and sometimes I ride slow. I try to keep my feet on the pedals at stop lights and I do not dismount when I hop up on a curb. I have a roadie bike, a mountain bike and a touring bike. I try to accept any challenge a bike ride can throw at me without complaint. But I don't like bugs.
10 response to "Wearing Out My Welcome With A Few Insignificant Collections"
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I know what you mean about the paranoia. Every morning that I wake up with a cough or bit of congestion I wonder if this is it. That’s terrible news about your neighbors.
Rest assured that your numerous posts are well appreciated, at least by the website. And you needn’t be concerned – we have no plans for increasing your subscription fees to the high-usage rate. They would normally be double the usual rate, but we’re waiving them for the duration of the pandemic.
Sorry to hear about your neighbors. I’m sure it’s a bit of a shock when someone you know gets sick. Hopefully they’ll have a speedy recovery.
I’ll echo Scooter and say your posts are appreciated. I look forward to my afternoon entertainment! I’m suffering from the opposite problem. Just doing the same ride every day, but feeling uninspired to take photos or write about it. So keep posting. Perhaps you’ll provide me some motivation!
Don’t let the lack of variety stop you. For one idea, you could always take a photo from the same spot several days in a row and submit them as a collection.
Hmmm, interesting. I kind of like that idea.
Sorry about your neighbors – hope they come through ok.
Since we are all in the same boat, your regular entertainment is very much appreciated! Actually, even without Corona restrictions it would be. Write to your heart’s content.
I like the collection of potholes and patches. And I think the bun collection came from a collection of coeliacs.
We all enjoy your posts, so post as much as you like. I always get a chuckle from your posts and that is good in times like these. Whatever it takes to get through COVID is what you need to do 🙂
Keep up your light-hearted posts Greg. I do appreciate the efforts that people go to sharing their life experiences. I’m far too lazy myself, then again I still work fulltime and have a son to keep busy. Covid seems everywhere there, we’ve been lucky here so far.
All the Best to your neighbors — great of you to offer to help out — being isolated for a period of time is to say the least putting people in a precarious position.
Nice collection of collection photos — keep on riding and snapping photos — now you have a new destination(s) — retrieving stuff to supply your neighbors.
Self-projecting Covid symptoms might be the new normal (annoying term( for awhile. I do the same thing. Sneeze? Uh oh. Sinus drainage? Crap, why me???
But I like the collection photos particularly the hexagonal tables. And as long as the gracious and benevolent Admin is offering you the screaming deal on the subscription, keep posting! Where are you going to find seals like this?
Reading your posts makes my day! Keep up the good work!