When Do I Have to Give Up My Covid Habits?

Dear Gabby,

When do I have to give up my bad covid-acquired habits? It’s been a rough year, and I have a few. I put a post-it on my office door that said I was on a call when I wasn’t. I napped. I bought snacks and didn’t share.

Signed,
Feet up, head down

Dear Feet,

You call those bad habits? Yaaaaaaawn. These are the confessions of Elmo, Barney or an amoeba. Good news! Your bad habits don’t really rank in the pantheon of, say, marrying your sister’s fiance, slashing tires, plagiarizing, or ordering a hit on someone you may be married to. Breathe easy, head down! Pick that head up, walk tall and enjoy your gummy bears and Sno- caps with a clean conscience.

Dear Gabby,

I had a workman come into the house to install some blinds in my kitchen. He came in without a mask and announced he was double vaccinated. I told him I was too, but asked him to mask up anyhow. He was less than enthusiastic and told me I was his only client who wanted him to wear a mask. I think he should have worn the mask when he came in and only then asked if it was ok to take it off…at which point I would have said, no, it is not. Who is right?

Signed,
Mask on

Dear Mask,

It is your house and you are well within your rights to ask anyone coming in to mask up. During this transition in which we are all crawling along, inch by inch, semi-blindly in between shut down/unvaxed and open/vaxed, it’s better to be safe than sorry. However, it won’t be long before you are out in public amongst many people, some vaccinated, some not. But the ones at risk are the unvaccinated (who should be double masking), not you. You can continue to wear your mask whenever/wherever you please but in safe situations, why not take the mask off and breathe a little easier, both figuratively and literally?

Dear Gabby,

How many times per year do I have to reach out to my friend from high school so I can get invited to her wedding?

Signed,
Invitation grubber

Dear Grubber,

So many times that she confesses to you her worries and fears about getting married. Then you’re in.

Dear Gabby appears in the RoundTable every Monday. Yes, Gabby is an advice columnist – but not just any advice columnist. Because that would be boring! Gabby combines wisdom with wit. And a pinch of snark. She is not a trained therapist by any means, but has seen and loved many in her day. Her aim is to make you think while she makes you laugh. Gabby welcomes all questions and queries and is only too happy to hear your opinion, no matter how much it may diverge from hers. Write to Gabby at news@evanstonroundtable.com.