think for themselves.

Every bit of this was predictable. I predicted it. I'm no one special, but I have access to data, research articles, a decent command of math, and at least a basic understanding of how people react.

My parents had to skip celebrating their 65th anniversary last September 1. My 40th anniversary is on September 11 this year. I had been hoping that we could combine the two for one big celebration. I hadn't yet mentioned it to my parents, since I saw where COVID was going.

I had to skip my annual 150 mile bike ride (MS 150) five years ago when I was diagnosed with breast cancer and had to do radiation all summer. Since then my faculty has decided they like my work so much I need to do double, with 66% of the staff - and I haven't had any room to breathe. Then there was COVID. Then there was my 2nd cancer diagnosis. I had planned to do one of the first in person post-COVID rides on my 65th birthday in September. That one I have mentioned to my parents, doctors, family . . . but at this point I'm just waiting for them to cancel. It's in Michigan . . .

I haven't been able to take a vacation (i.e. more than Christmas Day) off since 2016. See the above. I was planning to go diving in Cozumel in November - steal time from something else to take care of my emotional needs. My guess is that no one will want anyone from the US to visit pretty darn soon. Certainly before November. That's the only window I have until a year from now.

So, yeah. I'm really angry - at everyone who contributed to making this mess worse than it had to be. This was absolutely predictable. It didn't have to be. It didn't even have to rest on convincing the jerks to get vaccinated - ALL it required was to enforce masking for anyone not vaccinated. I'm pissed at the CDC for acting as if they were advising a single patient about their risks - rather than focusing on the health of the community. And I'm pissed at people who got vaccinated and are too selfish to continue wearing masks until we have this virus under control.

I've been making sacrifices to stay safe - and to keep others safe - more sacrifices than most. And now I see the little joy I hoped to capture snatched from my grasp for at least a year.

So I completely get the anger. What I don't get is using that anger to justify making 0-12 year olds sick, or contributing to the creation of variants.