I also quit drinking (temporarily? maybe?) for health reasons and that has just shown me exactly how much I depended on alcohol to drown out the social anxiety I didn't realize I was carrying around for so long. I have no idea what to do about it except retreat back to where I've been, behind a screen. If anybody has been through this and come out the other end, I'd love to hear from you. This is a very uncomfortable and awkward way to live.

Finally, I was 42 when this pandemic began; I'll be 46 this year. I feel like those were important transition years between "I'm still young enough to hang out with the younguns" and "oh holy fuck, society has moved on without me." I think fighting disinfo and all that other shit has added to the general feeling of being at right angles to a lot of the rest of society, except for the few (wonderful) people who are just like me and don't mind my awkwardness.

Anyway, I guess I needed to let it out a bit, just a little Saturday morning emo shitposting before this server goes away, as a treat

@brooklynmarie
I think there are a lot of us in this position. In your case you suspect it's age and possibly sobriety related, in mine it's because I got lost in politics mania and also buried myself inn sewing, so coming back into society I feel like I'm only talking about subjects no one else is interested in. For friends of mine, they feel vulnerable, and don't want to be around people who don't take EVERY precaution...

@Angry_RN Oh absolutely same regarding vulnerability and talking about things no one else is interested in. All I can talk about is destroying Nazis and no one wants to know about all the Nazis!