Ask Amy: Brothers don’t honor brotherly bond

Amy Dickinson, Tribune Content Agency on Mar 30, 2021

Of course, the 2020 and early 2021 retreats were canceled.

Now some of the women are eager to book a house for this fall.

One thing that troubles me is that a few of them have been anti-maskers and anti-vaxxers. About half of us have received the COVID vaccine so far, and the rest will soon be eligible, since our state has opened it to all adults.

I feel angry at the folks who deny science and safe practice, and I am not sure that I am comfortable spending a weekend in their company, even if there are lowered precautions and most of us are vaccinated.

We intentionally steer clear of politics when we're together. How do I engage with my friends and also detach from the few who took everyone's well-being so lightly?

– Crafting a Response

Dear Crafting: Assuming that you and your entire group will be able to share this retreat safely, I suggest you maintain a detached and open-minded attitude toward everyone, including anti-mask/vaccine women. If someone decides to proselytize against public safety, science, and common sense, you should be prepared with a calm, factual, and honest response.

Otherwise, I sincerely hope that you and the other crafters can express some of your feelings and pandemic experiences through your work, engaging in some important storytelling using timeless tools: Needle, yarn, fabric, brush, canvas and wood.

Dear Amy: Regarding all the questions you run from people whose relationships are ruined by Facebook postings, it is shocking to me what some people want to post about.

My technique is to block or “hide” their posts for a month. After a month, I’ll check to see if they’ve improved and if not, I make it permanent.

– Experienced

Dear Experienced: I took myself off of that particular platform, and I don’t miss it a bit.

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(You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.)