I hope you had a good fourth of July. At the beginning of the month, i had customers ask me if Eureka was going to do anything fun for America's Birthday. Would we have live music and vendors lining second street as we usually do? Would we gather with family and friends to see Fireworks at 9PM on the Waterfront.
I answered their question: No, I'm sorry but fun is illegal in California this year, we are hoping it will become legal next year.
The night of July Fourth really was something special. All night long you could hear the booms, as people fired off fireworks. Of course some were legal and some were probably not. But I was happy that for at least one night, most of everyone enjoyed themselves.
Enjoyment, and the lack of it, is something that we don't seem to talk about in the media. Yes, we are wearing the masks and doing the social distancing, and so far we are all putting up with this hoping that it makes a difference. I would like to see some reporting on what is going to happen the longer we withhold enjoyment from the public. How does the banning of enjoyment affect mental health? Can you really enjoy dining in a restaurant wondering when and how to wear and not wear your mask? Did you see the hilarious video taken at a casino where someone was wearing a mask, playing a slot machine whilst smoking a cigarette. While enjoyment has eluded most of lately, that person found a way to make it work!
The Social Distancing has permanently changed the lives of countless young people who would have otherwise attended real graduations. There is a special feeling of accomplishment, school spirit, the bonding between friends that accomplished something together. Not so in 2020, young people that graduated elementary school, high school or college, they missed out on that.
What about people that fall in love and decide to get married. Nope, No weddings you miserable peasants. Thankfully Humboldt County is rural and full of places to hide a get together.
There is a place for sacrificing for the greater good, and I am fully aware of that. But we are Americans, not quiet residents of a Command and Control Government where your daily activities are dictated by a powerful few. Problem with how the health mandate is playing out in California, while other states have been relaxing their approaches, many of us are noticing that society feels like its becoming much more command and control and less patriotic and popular. As I have said, we are all putting up with it, because we've decided its still reasonable, but as Enjoyment continues to be illegal, it makes me wonder how long the compliance will last.
