Does anyone else feel like the years since the global COVID-19 pandemic hit the globe feel more like 10 than they feel like 2 and a half? Nope, just me?

Just to illustrate this point, my husband and I were helloed by a couple at a bar last night indicating that they knew who we were. The awkward thing was I had no idea who the Hell they were! However, I put my “social skills” hat on (which is kind of a tattered and dirty trucker’s hat, not a fancy felt hat with a feather) and played along like I also knew who they were. That was easy, since the words they said to us were:

“Hey guys, it’s been a long time. Since before the pandemic, right?”

Me trying to be social and failing badly: “Yeah, right, doesn’t it feel like 10 years?”

Other woman: “Yeah, well I feel 10 years older.”

Truth be told, the combination of being fearful of catching an illness that could kill us and or be spread to family members and thus kill them, stay at home orders at the beginning, being out of work for nearly three months in 2020 and just barely being good at being “social animals?” Well, then you may have a little difficulty shifting back to doing things the same way you did before March, 2020.

We try to only see movies at theaters if they’ve been out for at least a couple of months (have only been out twice to see movies in this fashion), only sit inside a bar/restaurant at non-peak times and only if it’s not crowded. We have only played three in-person trivia games since the long, long ago (one of which was hosted outdoors).

Well, now that’s changing a bit! But just a bit (don’t get too excited)!

My husband told me about an e-mail he received from Sporcle Events that mentioned a “cash tour.” You can try looking up information about this thing if you want, but apparently, it’s an invitation-only thing for league teams. I do not know if ALL league teams have been invited or not since I am not privy to such info. Long story short, I looked into it and yes, we’re totally doing it!

The deets – four person max team sizes, RSVPs required and a top prize of $150 for the team at the top of the heap at the end (also lesser prizes for second and third). I’ve invited a couple of other Pods “OGs” (players who have played since the beginning) and we’re going to be doing this…soon! Sometime in the next couple of weeks! Hey, I want to maintain a little air of mystery!

This does NOT mean that we’re going back to playing trivia games in person on a regular basis. And I don’t know if that will ever happen regularly again, though we may venture out of our lairs from time time like our cephalopod/octopus mascots. Have I ever mentioned that octopuses like the dark, are nocturnal and enjoy being out of view of others while still finding creepy ways to reach out and grab people? How cool are they?

Yes, there is a chance I could change my mind and bail out. But until I do that, assume that we’re TOTALLY DOING THIS! Allegedly!