This picture shows a grouse, a bird "from the order Galliformes, in the family Phasianidae."
In another sense of the word, to grouse is to complain or grumble.
In this post, expect the latter.
I like library work. I like helping people enrich their lives through education or entertainment. I like supporting my community. I like my co-workers.
What I do not like is the bureaucratic bullshit, financial waste, and arbitrary COVID-19 policies.
Our district serves many communities of varying sizes, and my library is in one of the smallest. The directors and administrators live in the largest two. They want consistency throughout the district, but what works for them does not work for us, and it pisses me off to be told I must turn people away for no good reason.
Just today, one of our elderly patrons was understandably frustrated because we had our front door locked and wouldn't let her in to browse our DVD collections. With two staff members and one patron, we would have been well within even the most stringent social distancing measures. But nooooooo. We can't let people browse the stacks, because.... reasons.
COVID-19 is potentially a very serious disease, but people are not responding rationally. Social media and politics have turned everyone stupid, it seems. There are people in our district with conditions that place them at a higher risk. I don't deny that. But this isn't the 1918 Spanish Flu. It was here before the experts even knew it existed. Surface contamination does not present a high risk of transmission. Mask hype is at an all-time high, but it seems masks vary in efficacy, and some may even worsen the problem due to creating finer airborne particles or even straight up dumping what you exhale via an unfiltered valve, rendering them useless against the fearsome threat of asymptomatic carriers who are used as justification for mandating everyone mask up in the first place.
And all the while, there is poor correlation between mask mandates, mandate obedience, and infection rates anywhere. Governments spent all their time and money crafting policies that impose restrictions, and nothing on expanding ICU capacity as we enter the WINTER COLD AND FLU SEASON when RESPIRATORY ISSUES ALWAYS SPIKE.
So get off your high horse, Karen, and let us do our jobs while taking precautions WE deem necessary for OUR SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES!
"Politics ruins everything." Who ever said this quote knows exactly what he or she is saying. In my country, there are also lock downs but they're not as bad as that of the US. Here, people could still open their businesses or go to work or outside as long as they observe social distancing and follow safety protocols. In my humble opinion, lock downs are overrated and would only make people grousy? I meant it in both meaning. Stay safe and thanks for the good read.
If I may ask, where are you? Most countries actually have more restrictions than the US, as I understand it, though you wouldn't guess that from looking at New York or California, whose governors are absolute tyrants. Either way, lockdowns don't work, are unethical to boot, and the experts (by which I mean immunologists and the like) actually agree. It's too bad that we live in an age of paranoia, when he who has the jerkiest knees makes the rules.
I'm from the Philippines, and although we have strict lockdowns, it's really not that restrictive. Also, my impression of the US actually stemmed from what I've seen in the news so it might be a little bias. And yes, you can blame the governors of New York and California for that since the news I've watched was almost always about them, and their lockdown orders.
Yellow journalism is alive and well. "If it bleeds, it leads." Take it all with a grain of salt.
Would you all get fired if you implemented your own rules for your particular library?
Hard to say. No one has been that mutinous yet. Mrs. C could face being fired for sure if she disregards policy, since she is the manager. The restbofnus could get a scolding and have to train a new manager. That would suck.
Exactly. Echoing your sentiments on media stupidity and hype instead of focusing efforts and money where it is needed. They've had a year now to prepare for what any reasonable person knows will be an "enhanced" flu season. Yet, they still claim masks needed to prevent over-capacity at hospitals. Well, staff up and equip idiots.
AArgh.
They also keep talking about hospital capacity as if they didn't completely distort the availability of routine treatments all spring and summer. Then they say hospitals are approaching capacity as of all the delayed surgeries and treatments contribute to COVID crowding. The local health district is outright conflating the numbers in offocial policy.
I feel your frustration. It is a serious disease, yet folks do need to live as well. As with so much of life, does it not come down to balance? Hopefully things will be better in the not too distant future.
What did you do last year to not catch a cold?
Pose this question to everyone you meet!
My answer: I don't know, I haven't been sick in years, unless you count seasonal allergies.
Lucky bastard. I live with chronic illness all the time, and seem to catch most bugs that rampage through the community.
I like watching them twitch when they realize that I don't buy their bs.
2 million less people are gonna die this year than last, this plandemic hits like a girl.
Washed my hands. Avoided obviously sick people. Had two severe flu-like ailments anyway. But COVID-19 officially wasn't in the US last November or rampant in February...
Well, that is much better than my 'not a damn thing'.
I'm just glad that folks around here don't flip out when I don't have a mask on.
If they could force me into a mask, they might get the idea they can force me to take a shot, and I don't need them thinking that.
Your comment suggests you did not, in fact, read my post. I know English is not your first language based on your introduction post, but please be aware the comments that don't engage with the meat of a post can be deemed spam and result in downvotes.
Also, the first hyperlink is to the image source. That isn't my photo.