One of my nephews in Australia tested positive yesterday. My wife’s entire fam will probably be in iso when we arrive next week.

I’m sorry for your loss.

more wild boar for you

Hilarious.

Thanks for your reasoned response, McP. I appreciate that even though you disagree with my view, you took the time to spoiler it all the same.

FWIW, the photo -- along with the arguments that followed, and the related fears I have around my daughter and other loves ones living in this world -- kept me wide awake from about 4am onward today. So this is not a hypothetical for me, and maybe some other posters: Upsetting imagery can be really invasive to our sense of security, and I don't think it's out of line to ask posters to practice a little prudence around this.

I don't think I have anything else to say on the matter.

sorry Anders! I hope everyone pulls through ok.

Alex

Your Christian name is Alex?

Trag I think part of the problem for one is that’s almost impossible to know what is going to be an issue or trigger for just one individual, but your responses to people and general tone didn’t help garner sympathy or empathy.

Thank you, I hope so too. My daughter, who turns two on Saturday, got it first. She has barely had any symptoms, just some fever, and a sneeze once in a while, despite being too young to get vaccinated.

I can think of one thing you could say.

Glad she’s powering through, Anders. My daughter is a few weeks younger than yours, and she handled it fine.

my father tested positive. considering that my parents basically relegated themselves to simply paying lip service to what they know to be the correct prevention, they pretty much went about their days as if covid is a relic of the past since they got vaccinated (no masks; hanging out with unvaxxed relatives, etc.). it finally caught up with my dad. he's got mild(er) symptoms, but still it's hard not to be judgmental and a tad bit angry.

My parents are behaving similarly (they won't even get the booster), and I'm too exhausted to cajole them anymore, so it's only a matter of time at this point. Hoping it stays mild for your dad.

thanks mickey.

it's just so frustrating and, at the same time, exhausting -- i'm constantly reminding them (er lecturing them) what they need to be doing to keep safe. After awhile they just tune me out and try to change the subject.

What do you expect them to do?

It's tough. My parents are vaxxed, boosted and masked, but that's not really going to keep you from getting Covid anymore.

At this point we've all done all we can. We've got as much protection as we're going to get and we've now been dealt a favorable strain.

My parents aren't getting any younger and they've decided that the risk is now low enough that they can pretty much go back to normal (with masks still)

My sister's kids are in public school and we're a close family so it's pretty much inevitable now anyway.

If I were ancient I'd get vaxxed and boosted, but otherwise live what life I had left. Not living your life or not hanging out with your friends is a much bigger deal when you're old than young.

simple things, while not 100% guaranteed to prevent it, help -- like masking up when going to the grocery store or not hanging out indoors and unmasked with my anti-vaxer aunt and their anti-vaxer friends who never once masked up through this whole thing, all the while thinking that because they're vaxed, they're immune. They're in their mid-70's. The vaccine is not foolproof way to avoid getting really, really sick. They know this. But yet . . .

Man, I am really sorry about your struggles with having a child. We had two miscarriages, both early term, and the general feeling was one of futility and sadness; I can't even imagine what five would feel like.

As for the adoption challenges, I don't fully understand what the roadblocks are there, so I'll just reiterate what I've shared privately in the past: I am sorry, and I hope you guys find a path to being parents together.

Welcome to the party, JuanHamm.