Dear Diary

At some point, we're going to start recognizing what's been changed forever. We're going to see lots of think pieces and meandering essays, poring over the ruins of our once-impressive culture and mourning.

So, I guess first of all, we should note that our culture might not be all that impressive. Reality television is a thing that exists, and anyway, how can there be so much ignorance? Art enlightens and educates, and we are a dumb people. I think we may have missed something special.

But things aren't going back to normal, because normal is getting a facelift. Or a new hip, let's say. Adjustments will have to be made, and that's what I'm talking about.

Local journalism, where I've been plying my whatever for nearly 20 years, has been on life support and this should kill it. Advertisers don't advertise closed shops, end of story. Journalists work for pennies and always have, but even pennies run out. I suspect in a month I won't have a gig, or else I'll be writing for free, but that's hardly a big concern for me. It's the jobs that will be lost and won't be coming back that bother me, people I know. Words I read.

And let's not pretend that social distancing will go away eventually. Tell that to people from 1999. Tell them they'll be taking their shoes off to go on a plane in a few years, and then tell them that'll be the least of the hassle.

We're going to feel weird about going to public spaces, and that weirdness is going to be magnified by millions of people freaking out at once. You've maybe been watching more films and TV lately – notice how the way people interact in those innocent times of three months ago gives you the creeps? Everyone is so close. Think you'll be feeling like heading to the mall for a movie anytime soon? A ball game? Ripple, ripple. Yeah. Change is coming. I mean, it's here. It'll take a while to notice, maybe.

What happens when people stop going out to restaurants for three months? Does that snap back immediately? Does Major League Baseball exist in the same way? How about independent bookstores, such a surprising success of the 21st century?

How about our celebrity culture, now that we've had a chance to see famous people talking to us from their Bel Air redoubts, showing us how to wash our hands?

Does anyone think this won't hasten the end for independent theaters, art houses? Or that going to the cinema, should we go, will probably be similar to Martin Scorsese's nightmare, special events that feel like theme parks?

I just feel as though I should be keeping a list. The way things were, way back in 2019.

I'm curious about what I'm missing, too. I definitely miss touching. I miss idle shopping, walking to the grocery store for exercise and then wandering the aisles, picking up tiny things we might need, coffee filters and more bananas, just random consumption and mingling for the sake of socialization.

I miss spontaneous decisions to go out to eat at our favorite Mexican place, or Italian place, or Thai place or burger joint.

Actually, I miss spontaneity.

Restaurants will come back. Movies, too, I assume. Things will be different, again, but we'll find familiar things and some sense of normalcy. But I definitely wonder about quick, spur-of-the-moment choices, and how guarded we might feel for a long time. I wonder if face masks and gloves will be standard issue for civilians in the winters, now. I got nothing but questions, and for the moment, time to ask them.