Don't do it. Don't do it!

Check out our weekly newsletter here. Among other things, you’ll read about the girls group being coached by our younger daughter, Hollis. Daughter number two becoming a TJ’s Coach makes me proud.

This week’s message:

A couple of Saturdays ago, I went to the mall to pick up a salad for Allison at Blue Barn.

As I entered the mall, I was happy to see that the mall was hopping.

There was a sign at the entrance recommending the use of masks while on the mall premises.

Without hesitating, I put on my mask.

As I walked past the many full restaurants (Pig and a Pickle, Counter Burger, the new chicken place called Starbird Chicken, and past World Wrapps, which had a line out the door), I couldn’t help but notice the absurdity: Everyone outside had masks on and everyone inside didn’t.

Of course, the workers and the folks on line inside had theirs on, but everyone at a table ate, talked, and laughed…maskless.

I tried to think about what I felt, and all I could come up with was something along the lines of embarrassed.

I felt tricked. I felt exposed.

When I came to the gym on Monday, I polled people in the classes.

I asked “When you guys go to other fitness places, do they make you wear masks?”

From hot Yoga, to indoor cycling to giant corporate box gyms, to small pilates studios, 90% of those polled said no. Nobody was enforcing masking.

“You’re pretty much the only ones who do it.”

Now, here is what I think I’m trying to say. I don’t actually have a problem with masks.

I have a problem with absurdity.

What I found interesting is how little everyone knew about the mask mandate, especially the part that is probably the most important for this discussion: There is no accountability process. It’s just a mandate.

No governing body, no fines, no one checking to see if anyone is abiding by the rules.

Who, then, is making us do this?

I know exactly who. Those platforms that we all agree have no value and are cesspools of the worst parts of our brains. Social networks.

Yelp, Nextdoor and Facebook are the judge, jury, and executioner of this mandate.

Small businesses tremble with fear from these technological tyrants who bribe and torture us with their keystroke power.

Our local, state, and national governments know this and use this weapon like Thor’s hammer.

These tech dictators profit from pitting neighbors against each other and force us to defend our personal decisions, moral principles, and legal rights.

I don’t have a problem at all with laws, rules, and mandates.

I have a problem with the fact that, because we have a conscience for doing the right thing and following the rules (not to mention our big street-facing windows), we hold ourselves to a standard that others chose not to. And they are rewarded for that.

I know for a fact that many people are choosing other offerings simply because we follow the rules, and nobody wants to mask up while sweating.

When the next mandate comes, which I believe it will, we will follow the rules again, and again we will be punished far more than by a fine or legal repercussions.

We will be punished with the inability to compete as a business on a level playing field.

I just want it to be fair. I want it to be logical.

Sorry for keeping it real. Rant over.

I’ll be back to my regularly scheduled fitnessy stuff next week.

~TJ