Quarantined-ish Day 22
Wednesday, April 8, 2020 - OKC, OK

2:06am
Apparently, the price to pay for that satanic glass of wine is insomnia. And migraine. And nausea. I still hate that wine.

4:04am
Baking again and trying to ignore that every step I take makes my head throb harder. And now it has Sting in it. Did he actually watch that girl? I hate that wine. Find Tylenol near the cooking spray, because where else where it be? And am, for once, grateful that none of the kitchen girls know how to give things a proper home. I take three because a) I can’t read the package, 2) this isn’t a ‘less is more’ sort of situation, and reason 1 million) I’m supposed to go to Mount Scott later. I’m hoping that my normal refusal to take medicine for headaches will serve me well.

7:00am
Scared to drink coffee. Scared to not drink coffee. Back in my bed. Covered in flour. Couldn’t give any fewer fucks about it. Determined to go to Oklahoma’s version of a mountain today.

9:30am
Yoga for BMY on IG Live. Dare I risk the coffee now?

10:50am
Running out the door to meet Elena for the Wichitas. I’m in charge of snacks, so obviously I grab a jar of pickles, some week old hummus, and two packs of fake tuna. Can you say weird vegan bachelor? Note to self: don’t be in charge of snacks when you feel like shit. Also, don’t ever drink that wine again.

1:09pm
Twice up and down Mount Scott. The last time I did even one repeat was January 2019, just before fracturing my sacrum. Elena has never done it and I’m so damn proud of her. She does NOT like to be in pain like that because she’s a normal human being. Also, I’m pretty sure she’s questioning the continuation of our friendship, now. Notes from the trips:

**while she’s going to the bathroom on the side of the road:
me: Elena, put your butt down.
Elena: Can you see it?
me: Everyone can see it. Why are you in a forward fold peeing?!
me again (after she’s done): Elena, pull the right side of your shorts up OVER your cheek. How do you not feel that? Also, how do you not fall down more?

**almost to the top on round one, a friend sees me
Elliott: Hey, I know you. I’m pulling over.
me (to Elena): Where?
me again: I guess pulling over is stopping in the middle of the road since there is no “over” here.
Elliott (as he hugs me, which I forgot to resist): How are you?
me: I’m great! Just dragging Elena along for some repeats. How are you?
Elliott: Great, as well. Just got out of a three week quarantine in Austin. I had COVID.
me: Thanks for the hug.
Elliott (laughing): I’m immune, now, and have sterilized everything. It’s good to see a familiar face.
me: Well, if you didn’t just initiate my slow death, you’ll see it again.

**on veganism
me: I think I have to start adding animal products back into my diet if my bloodwork doesn’t improve. Body doesn’t seem to be absorbing the iron, D, or B12, anymore, and each time I go, the numbers are worse.
Elena (excited at the possibility of having a non-vegan, non-allergic-to-everything-under-the-sun person in her life): Yay! What can we break you in with? You should try cricket powder. It’s more environmentally friendly.
me: Um, maybe I’ll stay a vegan.
Now, I’m the one questioning this friendship.

**text from my cousin
Kim: Uncle Dumpling (what she calls my stepdad) is in the ER, waiting to get into the ICU to be tested for COVID. He couldn’t breathe and called the ambulance. Definitely pneumonia, too.
me: Fuck. Okay, I’m on the side of a mountain, but I’ll call you when I get to better service.

**heat stroke
Elena: I think I have heat stroke.
me: You’re fine. We’re 20 feet from the top, which means you’re 20 feet from doing something you’ve never done before. You’re a badass. Get up.
Yeah, she’s definitely ending this friendship. For the record, she did not have heat stroke.

It’s a game of musical tourettes coming down the second time. Addicted to Love, Insane in the Membrane, Joy and Pain, Come Undone, and I Believe the Children Are Our Future. I can’t explain that last one. Or any of them, for that matter. I’d like to blame COVID, but this ridiculous game predates this ridiculous virus.

8:38pm
Home. Showered. Refueled by not pickles and hummus and fake tuna, and fighting with Squarespace to get the past few days of COVID blogging uploaded. Contagion wants more to read, and he’s just gifted the world with The Graduate*, so I’m happy to oblige. Tom Junod-esque words for comedic sarcasm - seems fair, right?

9:25pm
Finished It’s A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. The journalist’s character is my favorite. I’d like to see more movies made about him.