{"id":46293,"date":"2021-04-28T11:05:00","date_gmt":"2021-04-28T15:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/?p=46293"},"modified":"2021-04-28T11:05:40","modified_gmt":"2021-04-28T15:05:40","slug":"same-time-last-year-braving-the-outdoors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/2021\/04\/same-time-last-year-braving-the-outdoors\/","title":{"rendered":"Same Time, Last Year: Braving the Outdoors"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

One year ago today<\/a>, I ventured out of my neighborhood for the first time in six weeks. New York City had locked down for COVID-19, but I decided activism couldn’t wait any longer; I didn’t want the former guy<\/a> to become a lifetime dictator with the help of a pandemic. I met up with activist friends to do several banner drops around town, but I was nervous! This was back when surgical masks couldn’t be found, so I made due with various scarves, bandannas, neck gaiters, as well as heavy-duty reusable masks I found on sites that sold motorcycle gear. The top hat was added by request<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo by George De Castro Day.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The streets were deserted, meaning I had nothing much to be scared of. Even Wall Street was empty. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo by George De Castro Day. Click for April 28, 2020, post.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

My accidental resemblance to the Babadook probably frightened other people though<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I felt so cool in my top hat until I saw this.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Even though I was obviously safe, I was still jittery about taking public transportation. So, shortly after the Babadook photo above was taken near Mt. Sinai hospital, I walked home instead of proceeding to our final stop at Times Square. That’s how I missed this moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo by George De Castro Day.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Last April, I didn’t imagine we’d be fortunate enough to have a COVID-19 vaccine in under a year — nor did I imagine people would decide a deadly disease was a hoax while the prevention of the disease was the true danger. For the record, I got my second Pfizer shot this March 26, while wearing the same cold-shoulder top<\/a> I wore for the first shot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Click for my original Instagram post.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Everyone reacts differently, but I had no negative response to the second shot at all, after having a few days of sleepiness from the first injection. I’m a big fan of vaccines! I had my childhood vaccines, of course, and get a flu shot yearly. What can I say? The likes of polio<\/a>, measles, and double-lung transplants<\/a> don’t seem that fun to me. The COVID-19 vaccine is free, and it is now easy to get in New York City no matter what your age or profession — you can even walk into any state-run vaccination site without an appointment starting tomorrow. (The state-run sites include the very efficient Javits Center, where I went.) You can also schedule appointments here<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That said, don’t be surprised if you still see me out and about wearing a mask. I’ve gone a year without catching a cold, and I’d like to keep that up. Turns out I’m not nostalgic for my pre-pandemic exposure to other people’s gross germs!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

One year ago today, I ventured out of my neighborhood for the first time in six weeks. New York City had locked down for COVID-19, but I decided activism couldn’t wait any longer; I didn’t want the former guy to become a lifetime dictator with the help of a pandemic. I met up with activist…<\/p>\n

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