Should it stay or should it go?

[MacMadame]

With apologies to The Clash for the thread title.

I have been thinking about all the changes since the pandemic started about all the changes we had to deal with and how some of them are kind of a silver lining and some I want never to see again. This article is about how towns in the Bay Area are either getting rid of their outdoor dining (where streets were blocked off from cars so restaurants could use the streets for tables) or making them permanent. One town, in particular, is well setup for a permanent outdoor dining, pedestrian-only area and is calling creating one a silver-lining of the pandemic and making it permanent:

This Bay Area city plans to ban cars, expand outdoor dining for good along its ‘crown jewel’

City leaders say they have no intention of doing away with what they see as one of the silver linings of the COVID-19 pandemic.

www.mercurynews.com

But there are other things. Here is my list:

Masks - in the beginning, I thought it would be great if we became more like Asian countries where people wear masks during flu season and when sick but now I never want to wear one ever again! My verdict: GO

Reduced capacity in public venues: I know it's not practical for them to make money but I love going to the movies and not having the place full of people. STAY

Reduced traffic: STAY (but it's already back in my area and it makes me sad)

WFH semi-permanently: STAY

Politicizing of public health crises: GO

Being rude to customer service workers over said public health policies: Also GO

People enjoying the outdoors more. MIXED. OTOH I like that other people have discovered the greatness of enjoying nature. But on the other, I hate how crowded some of my favorite places have become. Okay, I'll stop being selfish: STAY

Adopting pets: STAY!!! And if you did adopt one while WFH, please don't give it back when you have to go back to the office. Your pet will deal with you working better than being abandoned.

What are everyone else's lists? Do you agree or disagree with mine? Did I leave out something important?

 

[Miezekatze]

Capacity restrictions are the worst for me, cause it ruins cultural events like concerts IMO, partly because they keep being cancelled and partially because the atmosphere is really lame.
Needs to go ASAP.

Even though people were talking about how everybody was going to wear masks during cold/flu season, now that the season actually starts everybody seems to be really fed up with them, so I'm also convinced theyll disappear very soon again, once it's allowed. I actually don't really mind the masks and I wore one all throughout Nebelhorn trophy, but I still wouldn't do it voluntarily.

The only thing I still like is home office, but not necessarily 100%.

Extended Outdoor dining is fine with me but in Germany next year, the restaurants will have to pay for the extra space again (they could extend their outdoor spaces for free during the pandemic), so I assume things will scale back again.

 

[missing]

The camaraderie of The Worldwide Health Forum- I'd love it to stay but my guess is it'll go.

Tiny URLs and the absurd censorship of everyday terms- No insult intended to Tiny URLS but I'm fine with them going.

Fear and trembling at attending major events- it'll go but I suspect I'll still be feeling it as I prepare to attend Nationals.

The intense focus on that whose name cannot be used- I feel it going already. Barring a truly nasty variant, I think it'll be gone by spring and I sure as hell won't miss it.

The political ramifications in the US from CV19- I tend to think it will last a long time because I don't think that deep an anger dissipates easily, and I'm not sure if that's a bad thing. People I have no respect for have done quite well for themselves stoking the flames of anger. Why shouldn't people I do respect succeed in doing the same?

 

[allezfred]

I am going to keep wearing a mask when I am indoors and on public transport, especially during winter. I don’t find it much of a burden.

I would like to work from home most of the time, but I know my current job is not going to go for it. Sadly.

I used to like going to the cinema, but even pre-YKW I was getting increasingly annoyed by how other patrons behaved (constant chatting during the screening, checking mobile phones etc). I have lost all desire to go the cinema any time soon.

 

[Vagabond]

A couple of public transportation lines in my neighborhood were rerouted. For various reasons, I like the new routes and would like to see them stay. Unfortunately, one of them almost certainly will not.

Several streets here were closed off to through traffic. I do take advantage of one of them when I go out on walks, but I'd like to see all those streets opened back.

And as for fear and loathing? Good riddance!

 

[once_upon]

Vaccines - I believe it will be an annual C-19/flu

Masks - I've gotten used to a mix use. I don't mind wearing them, especially in mass transit (planes) or theater. Especially in flu season I'll assess risks.

Cinema- I think it will be hard to put the cat back on the bag, so to speak. I think movies will premiere both in Cinema but also on streaming services

Alcohol to go - I'm not sure.

Grub Hub/Door Dash/Uber Eats-I thought they were here to stay. But the last 4 times I tried to order, the restaurants that I wanted were no longer using delivery services. They either did their own delivery or were take out only according to their websites.

Curbside pickup - I think is here to stay, especially grocery stores.

Outdoor eating - in my area it will be spring, summer, fall. But more people like the openness of Outdoors.

Political and income divides - will grow.

Jobs - help wanted signs/ads will continue until we make changes

 

[MacMadame]

I used to like going to the cinema, but even pre-YKW I was getting increasingly annoyed by how other patrons behaved (constant chatting during the screening, checking mobile phones etc). I have lost all desire to go the cinema any time soon.

Now that there are maybe 20 people in a theater designed for 200, this is much less of an issue.

Outdoor eating - in my area it will be spring, summer, fall. But more people like the openness of Outdoors.

I used to be the one who always wanted to sit inside because I didn't want to worry about my napkin blowing away or feeling cold but I'm totally hooked to patio dining now!

 

[allezfred]

Now that there are maybe 20 people in a theater designed for 200, this is much less of an issue.

The cinemas I go to here are small ones so it’s not a really a problem of numbers.

 

[TOADS]

The bullfrog that showed up in our frog pond this summer, much to the delight of Lady Figureskates. We hope he STAYS!

 

[Lemonade20]

Love this thread!!

Working from home - STAY
Reduced capacity - GO
Masks - I feel mixed on this one. STAY for airplanes & traveling (by train, bus, etc). Otherwise GO
Being nice to people - COME BACK

Our society has become ruder and less considerate, especially with this dividing people more than ever. We need to bring back respect and kindness.

 

[Aceon6]

Grub Hub/Door Dash/Uber Eats-I thought they were here to stay. But the last 4 times I tried to order, the restaurants that I wanted were no longer using delivery services. They either did their own delivery or were take out only according to their websites.

Nearly gone already in my town. The people who like driving are choosing to drive stuff that isn’t expected to arrive crispy and/or hot. Many restaurants are using drive up pickup, others are delivering Tues-Thurs, but not on the busiest nights. The best deal in town is the place doing dine tonight, reheat tomorrow. You order your to go meal at the same time you place your dine in order. The waitstaff brings your bag with your check. Big win and very popular.

 

[MacMadame]

We were using GrubHub and DoorDash before the pandemic and I am sure that meal delivery is here to stay. They will probably consolidate into a few firms rather than the bazillion you can choose from now but there is a market for this stuff.

 

[once_upon]

We were using GrubHub and DoorDash before the ********* and I am sure that meal delivery is here to stay. They will probably consolidate into a few firms rather than the bazillion you can choose from now but there is a market for this stuff.

I tried to order pizza 2 weekends ago. Three of our go to places during the last 20 months, were no longer on any delivery service. Another one had it's own delivery service (which was their pre C0vid practice that had gone to Grub Hub before reverting back). Two other were take out only (no option for eat in or delivery of any kind).

 

[flyingsit]

Some restaurants here have stopped doing carry out/delivery at all, because they don't have enough kitchen staff or space to handle both dine-in and take-out, and they are prioritizing dine-in. Which I have no problem with.

 

[MacMadame]

I tried to order pizza 2 weekends ago. Three of our go to places during the last 20 months, were no longer on any delivery service. Another one had it's own delivery service (which was their pre C0vid practice that had gone to Grub Hub before reverting back). Two other were take out only (no option for eat in or delivery of any kind).

Oh well, then GrubHub is dead then because pizza places you frequent aren't using them.

Seriously, these services existed before the pandemic. Why would they go away after? And many pizza places had delivery service before the pandemic and didn't use GrubHub so why would they use them now?

 

[once_upon]

Oh well, then GrubHub is dead then because pizza places you frequent aren't using them.

Seriously, these services existed before the *********. Why would they go away after? And many pizza places had delivery service before the ********* and didn't use GrubHub so why would they use them now?

I wasn't saying they would go away completely. I was saying that fewer restaurants will be wanting to pay the fees. Maybe the fee structure will change

 

[MacMadame]

I wasn't saying they would go away completely. I was saying that fewer restaurants will be wanting to pay the fees. Maybe the fee structure will change

We'll see. Pizza places often deliver so I can see them thinking GrubHub, et al isn't worth it. But a lot of restaurants never used to have delivery and it's easy for them if another service does it so I can see them continuing. It's extra easy money. Even with fees.

 

[Hedwig]

absolutely stay: less waiting times in medical appointments because they learned to manage their times better and often I can now wait outside and get called like 10 minutes before.

and in amusement parks - not having to wait 1 hour in a line but getting a buzzer or an app and get called to the line as well. so much better.

I also liked smaller classes in school - we had for many months only 10 kids in my son's class but then only alternating school and homeschooling. So each day only 10-12 children in class would be a dream - he learned so much more and was less exhausted when coming home. But this will never happen unfortunately.

 

[sk8pics]

We'll see. Pizza places often deliver so I can see them thinking GrubHub, et al isn't worth it. But a lot of restaurants never used to have delivery and it's easy for them if another service does it so I can see them continuing. It's extra easy money. Even with fees.

I wonder if the Pizza places are short handed and so don’t have employees available for delivery, and they don’t want to pay the fees. I guess we’ll see.

 

[Spikefan]

Attending SkAm has been the longest I have had to wear a mask and it was an inconvenience (glasses fogging, my peripheral vision seemed off, etc). However, I always have a cold by my return flight or once I get home and I did not this time. I think I will definitely continue to mask at airports and on public transit. At crowded indoor events it will probably just depend on the time of year and who is around me/type of event.