Item
Tim Yasick Oral History, 2021/12/11
Media
Title (Dublin Core)
Tim Yasick Oral History, 2021/12/11
Description (Dublin Core)
Tim Yasick is a truck driver from La Crosse, Wisconsin. He lives with his wife, a puppy, and three cats. Tim spends most of his time on the road, only interacting with people at gas stations and truck stops, and this has allowed him to get through the pandemic without getting sick. In this interview, Tim discusses his experiences on the road, with mask mandates differing from state to state, and at home, where he just got married this June. He feels that accurate information and understanding each other are going to go much further in ending this pandemic than politics or vaccine mandates. He feels a change of heart is the only way.
Recording Date (Dublin Core)
Creator (Dublin Core)
Contributor (Dublin Core)
Partner (Dublin Core)
Type (Dublin Core)
oral history
video
Controlled Vocabulary (Dublin Core)
English
Health & Wellness
English
Social Distance
English
Home & Family Life
English
Recreation & Leisure
Curator's Tags (Omeka Classic)
Collection (Dublin Core)
Curatorial Notes (Dublin Core)
Date Submitted (Dublin Core)
05/01/2023
Date Modified (Dublin Core)
06/20/2023
Date Created (Dublin Core)
12/11/2021
Interviewer (Bibliographic Ontology)
Sarah McMahon
Interviewee (Bibliographic Ontology)
Tim Yasick
Location (Omeka Classic)
La Crosse
Wisconsin
United States of America
Format (Dublin Core)
video
Language (Dublin Core)
English
Duration (Omeka Classic)
00:34:59
abstract (Bibliographic Ontology)
Tim Yasick is a truck driver from La Crosse, Wisconsin. He lives with his wife, a puppy, and three cats. Tim spends most of his time on the road, only interacting with people at gas stations and truck stops, and this has allowed him to get through the pandemic without getting sick. In this interview, Tim discusses his experiences on the road, with mask mandates differing from state to state, and at home, where he just got married this June. He feels that accurate information and understanding each other are going to go much further in ending this pandemic than politics or vaccine mandates. He feels a change of heart is the only way.
Transcription (Omeka Classic)
Sarah McMahon 00:02
All right, we're recording. So today is December 11. And it is 930 in the morning. The total COVID cases are 49 point 8 million, the total deaths in the United States are 791,000. The total cases in Wisconsin are just over a million. The total deaths in Wisconsin are 10,000. The percent vaccinated in the United States and Wisconsin are both about 60%. Alright, if I could have you state your name, please.
Tim Yasick 00:32
My name is Tim Yasick.
SM00:34
Alright, and do you mind sharing some demographic data for the study? Like your race, ethnicity, age and gender?
TY00:41
I'm Caucasian, I'm 45. I’m a male? What else did you ask? Is that it?
SM00:50
That's good. You got it.
TY00:52
Okay.
SM00:53
All right. Can you tell me a little bit about where you live in your immediate community?
TY00:56
We live in La Crosse, Wisconsin, western Wisconsin. We own a house. Thanks. This is my wife, Kristen. I forgot to change the screen name down here. So it says her instead of me, but
SM01:16
Who do you interact with on a regular basis are you?
TY01:21
Well, I'm on the weekends, it's my wife and our- we have a puppy and three cats. And a 16 year old that lives here sometimes. But in during the week, I don't interact with very many people. Other than people who work at truckstops. So
SM01:39
So your community is pretty small.
TY01:43
It's about 50 55,000 60,000 in Lacosse. But my personal community is very small.
SM01:53
Before COVID, what were some of the activities that you do on a day to day basis, at home or at work?
TY02:00
Well, at home, we would go like hiking or bicycle riding a lot. Um, you know, we go to part of a 12 step fellowships we go to in person meetings a lot. And, you know, we go out to eat quite a bit, you know, just kind of maybe we had plans to go to a concert recently. So that didn't work out. But um, you know, we would interact a lot more with the world around us.
SM02:38
So, would you say you've stopped doing that since COVID?
TY02:42
We had to, we had to, adjust, you know, not go to like in person meetings, they do zoom meetings more often. Or interact with the world around us, we had to, you know, just go for hikes by ourselves, or bicycle rides by ourselves, which, you know, is a little different, but we, I think we adjusted pretty well. And we'll just with our lifestyle, it worked out okay.
SM03:09
What are some of your first thoughts when you like, first heard about COVID Back in March of 2020?
TY03:15
That it was just like, the bird flu, or the Ebola, or just some that were just kind of happened somewhere else, you know, and not really affect me at all. And I, you know, the, the idea of the news kind of like, like, oh, everybody's panicking, no big deal, you know, like, this happens, right? But then it started to affect, um, you know, my family and like, you know, like, I'm, like, my wife has a what you call, like, has a heart disease. So it's like something that would have, if she would get it, it would affect her a lot. You know, um, so like, I started to worry about the people around me. And I noticed that you know, the first place that really ever truly affected me, I went to a truckstop in Dallas, Texas. And there, they always have an armed guard there, which is not unusual, it's just a bad area of town. And they there was a police officer, they're not letting people in if they didn't have a mask on, and that was well- that was way early on before anything happened up here. So like, nobody, nobody had a mask. You know, like, like, that was just something that nobody was like foreign and that's what really kind of like, oh, man this is people are taking this seriously kind of a thing like, up close and personal to me, like I had seen like the NBA canceled so that was kind of a big deal. You know, people aren't just gonna get rid of a million dollars but but when it affected me personally was probably at that first Dallas truckstop that I went to was like, oh, man, you know, and that was kind of a different thing. Like it was different everywhere I went. You know, Houston didn't have that. But Dallas did you know so it just kind of a weird thing to see you Oklahoma didn't care if you wore a mask. Oklahoma still doesn't care if you wear a mask. You know, but but but some like, like coming in, you know, home and shopping at like Menards or something, you have to wear masks to go in there, you know, and like it’s just kind of weird to see it, change wherever you went, it was somewhere different. So you don't really know how to follow the rules because it was change- it changed everywhere you went.
SM05:20
Was it frustrating, not knowing the rules from one place to another?
TY05:24
A little bit. But but but again, you kind of just adapt to Well, I'm just going to wear a mask no matter where I go. Because, you know, you're just gonna make fun of me. And that's okay. If I'm in a place where, you know, you can't, you're not, you know, it's not the cool thing to wear mask that’s all right, I'll just wear one so no, you don't yell at me, you know what I mean? Like, because with my kind of job, I just want to either get loaded, or get unloaded and keep away, you know, because my family's my family's in Wisconsin. And, you know, half the week, I'm not so like, I just kind of want to get up on my day so that I can get back home. You know, so like, whatever makes that easier. I got to wear a mask and get made fun of some time, but that's okay. You know, so
SM06:10
Do people ever, like actually make fun of you for wearing a mask? Or do they just kind of give you weird looks?
TY06:16
You get the weird look, sometimes, but but not, not too often. Because, because I'm, I'm a bigger dude. And if you don't know who I am, I can I can kind of intimidate you a little bit, you know, even though my wife will tell you that I'm probably a teddy bear, you know, but, but the idea of like, they would just talk, you know more in generalizations of like, you know, we can't believe what you read, or it's just the Liberals trying to control you, or whatever, you know, because I don't want to, I don't identify as liberal or conservative, I'm kind of like, whatever, you know, like in the middle, but but with my job, a lot of truck drivers are Republicans and conservative. So like, I hear a lot of that stuff. But in my, in my regular life, I'm also friends, a lot of people who are on the other side of the aisle, and, you know, like, I hear both of those things. So like, it's weird to hear, you know, people talk about science and doctors and you know, stuff like that. And then other people talk about what Joe Rogan said, you know, and what the other side is. So, it's just kind of, it's hard to know what to believe, you know. So let's kind of dig a little bit from further thinking trying to find find your own way.
SM07:31
Yeah, I feel like a lot of us are trying to figure that out. Do you feel like being in different places all the time, you're getting a lot of different information, maybe more than the average person?
TY07:44
I can't I don't know what the average person hears so I can't really rank myself with you know, higher or lower but but like the idea of you know, you just hear things like everybody has a friend who had COVID or died from it or another person had had a friend who got sick and died from the the vaccine, you know, the shot. So it's like, it's like, you just don't, I don't know like, like it got really bad there in Texas for a minute you know, and like the state shut down you know, and you know it and, and you're not really sure and then when it opened up you could hear people like up north talk about like, they're just doing that to open up for the money you know, but reality is when Texas was ready to be done lockdown, they were just ready they're just done with it. You know, like they're just you can't you can't just make them so I don't know I think my experience with that it was like it… I again, I hear stuff on the CB that’s mostly garbage. I hear stuff on Facebook that's mostly garbage, you know, like, like, so to say that I’m more or less informed anybody else? I guess I can't really answer that. I don't know. I'll just tell you my truth. Like I said, I just tell you my experience.
SM09:09
And I feel like there's a lot of garbage going around.
TY09:13
Yeah.
SM09:14
So can you tell us a little bit about your job and what you do on a regular basis?
TY09:19
So I drive a 2021 Kenworth and I haul a refrigerated trailer. It's called the reefer trailer and I either pickup cheese in Rochester, Minnesota. And take that to Houston, Texas, and then drive down to Freeport, Texas and load bananas out of dough and bring bananas back for Festival Foods and work for a company called Potato King. I've been trucking for about 15 years but I've worked the last 10 years at Potato King here in lacrosse. So So when I've kind of just go I drive about 11,000 miles a month, you know so I go you know, through I- So I go through Minnesota in Iowa and Missouri or Kansas, whichever way I go down in Oklahoma and Texas and just come right back. I never, I never change Time Zones anymore. So, yeah, just either sleep at rest areas or truck stops, I deal with a lot of stupid drivers, sometimes I’m the stupid driver, you know, but probably not most of the time. But but, you know, a lot of bad weather. I've seen a lot of car accidents, a lot of cars in the ditch and stuff like that. I mean, I listen to the radio a lot. talk on the phone a lot. So, I don't know, is that it's kind of a general thing. I don't know.
SM10:47
How did how did COVID affect your ability to do your job?
TY10:53
Um, it was, I mean, in all honesty, not really all that much, I just had to, because I don't deal with anybody throughout the day, unless I’m at the truck stops or loading or unloading. I'm just alone in my, in my truck, you know, so it didn't, I don't think it negatively affected my ability to do my job, I haul food. So right away I was deemed an essential employee. Because everybody's got to eat, no matter where you are, people still got to eat. So as far as that, as I, all I really need to do is, you know, humble myself and wear masks sometimes. And that's okay. You know, it, I noticed pretty early on when people had to start staying home for the whenever that was called, when people were told to flatten the curve, or whatever it was, that traffic got a lot better. So I could hit Dallas at 5pm on a weekday, and not slow down over 75, which never, never happens. So like, you know, it was, um, it was a blessing in disguise. You know, like, I know, the world suffered. And I know people around me suffered, you know, and people died, you know, like, this is a real thing. But like to look at those, you know, I had to be grateful I had a job, you know, but I was also a little bit. I wish I could sit home and make money. I can't do that, you know, like, a little bit of that creeped in for a while, but I had to remember like, no, no, it's, it's still pretty cool. And I'm able to work because a lot of you can, you know, I mean, I actually work more during the pandemic than I did before. You know, I was one of those that like, oh, you can't take a week off, you have to keep going kind of thing. And my company gave me- gave us hazard pay, which was kind of a good deal. And they gave us like a giant, like an oil can thing of hand sanitizer, because he couldn't find that anywhere at the time. And they just bought like, I don’t know- several cases, whatever and handed it out to their drivers, which is pretty cool. So we, we felt appreciated, but as far as as hampering my ability to do my job not not really, you know?
SM13:02
Did you have any issues with people like being called out? Or like getting COVID and not being able to work? Or was everybody pretty much always at work?
TY13:12
I mean, again, I never, it doesn't affect me, if they have another truck driver call out, or something like that. It doesn't mean anything that would might affect me as if like someone at the warehouse I'm at would call out, but it just was never- it just was never a thing. You know? Because because I think for the most part people wanted to work because it gave them that I think that thing of like, Hey, this is a little bit my life still normal kind of thing that can go back to the routine a little bit, you know, but but that never really. And then I've personally never really affected me not to my knowledge. You know, and I never got sick, I I'm vaccinated, I got I got to Moderna I got two shots and Moderna, I did not get a booster yet. But I never got COVID and never got tested for COVID and never felt sick during this whole time. So like, I feel very fortunate for all that. But, um, so like me, me personally, it never never hampered that.
SM14:12
That’s good. Do you feel like your relationships with your friends and family have changed at all since the beginning of the pandemic?
TY14:19
I think I think a little bit. Absolutely. But part of that is is you know, we got we got married in June. So so like, you know, and part of that is like, you know, I'm newly married, so it's like I'm
SM14:34
Congratulations.
TY14:35
Well thank you but but I'm like I'm you know, I'm like thank infatuated. So like I kind of I think that's normal that you kind of cut everybody else out a little bit anyway I think with our with our recovery community, it changed quite a bit as far as you know, because he used to go into like, you know, the meetings but there was also like fellowship stuff where he'd go like bowling or to a campfire stuff like that and those kind of just went away So like that, the idea that it became more of a, because you weren't supposed to meet anywhere. So like, it became more of a underground rebel thing like, Oh, we're still gonna go meet in the median someone's backyard, you know, type of thing, you know, like, and so that kind of changed you had the the rebels versus the people still trying to do things the right way, you know? So, um, and as far as like, I don't see my immediate family all that much anyway, I live about two hours away from from every relative Yeah, like canceling holidays and stuff was with was, was pretty big and pretty. But we we kind of make the most of that, like, I never felt alone because we always had each other. So it's like, um, you know, when we do everything together, we're you know, we go shopping and go to meetings. And, and we're just it's like, We're best friends type of thing. You know what I mean? So it's like that whole, we got engaged right before the, we got engaged in November of 2019. Right, where 2019 we got engaged. So. So it's right before everything kind of hit the fan. And then you're trying to plan a wedding during a pandemic was kind of weird.
SM16:20
Yeah, I got married in July. So I feel that
TY16:23
Oh, perfect. Well, congratulations to you, too. You know,
SM16:25
thank you.
TY16:26
So, so yeah, it was, um, yeah, that was kind of weird. But but as far as, it's weird, because, you know, my mom's getting older. So like, when you start canceling Christmas family Christmases and stuff, your second set? Is that can be the last one kind of thing. You know, I don't want to think that way. My mom's she was born in ‘39. So you do the math on that, whatever. But But like, it's, that she’d probably get mad to announce that to the world, but it's public record, whatever, you know, like, like, the idea of, um, you just start to wonder, like, am I going to see any of these people again, you know, um, you know, like, that creeps in, you know, so
SM17:11
Have you been able to see her at all since the pandemic started?
TY17:15
Yep, yep. Now, there's not as often. But like, we've had, like, my niece got married recently. And my nephew got married recently. And so like, everybody gathered there, and she came to our wedding. In June, like people came, it was kind of the first time that people had seen each other, you know, a couple years was at our wedding. So that was kind of a kind of a cool thing. It was kind of like a get together. And a thing it was, it made it less, I feel it made it less awkward because neither one of us drink. So to go to a wedding where there's no lot of alcohol in Wisconsin, it's kind of weird. But it didn't seem awkward as much, because people were just kind of, you know, seeing each other again, and talking about how life was, you know, it's kind of kind of cool, that aspect, you know
SM17:59
So did you have to change what you were originally planning for your wedding? Because it's a pandemic, or?
TY18:05
I don't think there's anything that we actually did differently. Did we, you know, we didn't have any, we were all nervous about the, the, if there was going to be like, you know, limit of how many people you could have, or you're gonna have to wear a mask, but none of those things were in place at the time of our wedding. So just went ahead as as if we had a we had a buffet style taco bar was our, our meal. So like the idea of like, we they could just help themselves. That was the only thing that changed they had to have somebody with somebody put their stuff Nevermind, I guess everybody helped themselves but now that was the talk for that was that was gonna have to be something different. Just very minor, very minor. Everything was perfect.
SM18:57
I'm glad you are able to have your wedding.
TY19:00
Thank you.
SM19:01
Do you think anything else like in your family life has been impacted? Like positively or negatively? In the pandemic? Like, I know it's relatively new to you. But
TY19:15
Yeah, um I think the idea that this could be both positive it mainly negative but but the idea of that, you know, the pandemic and COVID got so politically tied to what side of the aisle you're on. And so became such a thing of, you know, if you're on the right, you don't get vaccinated. If you're on the left, you get vaccinated and then you make fun of each other for whatever choice you made. You know, I think just seeing the that ugliness of people come out. You know, family and friends that that affects you like like I may not agree or even disagree with what you decided to do, but I am watching, and like your actions will decide the place that you have in my life. You know, that's what I can really control. You know, I can get mad and I can scream and shout. But if, like I want you to do, I want you to do things for the right reasons not not because I'm nagging you to do the right thing, you know, and I think that kind of just, you know, that can slide back to the idea of hanging out with family and friends. Like there's probably a reason that that, you know, maybe you don't reach out to some people sometimes because you see how they react during the pandemic, you know, because maybe, maybe they're, they're place in your life is no longer a priority. You know, at least, that’s how I feel about it. Am I rambling, I feel like I'm rambling. Am I good?
SM20:54
You’re not rambling at all; you're doing great. How do you feel about how, on a broader scale, like at a national level, how the pandemic has politicized the nation?
TY21:09
I think it's, I think it's sad. Because you see it, it's almost like a us versus them kind of thing. In and like I said, I think it's all um, it's, I don't blame me. But yeah, I don't think it I think it's bigger than blaming. But like, you, I heard somewhere its like, this is the most divided this country has ever been right. But then you got to look, go back and look at like, a time where people made other people use other bathrooms and other waterfountains. So like, I don't, you know, I think it's divided in a different way than what it was, but I don't know if it's more divided than it was before, per se, you know. So, it's just, um, I think, I think the biggest thing is, is that there's money to be made on fear, and people will make money. And that's where I think a lot of false information comes from, and it just keeps the whole thing going. And, you know, there's masks to sell and hand sanitizer to sell and, and none of them be wrong, I use both of those things. But I use hand sanitizer before the pandemic, because I'm a trucker and it’s dirty out there. So, you know, so but, but overall, I see a lot of see a lot of people getting angry at each other. And that's the sad, you know, so I don't really, I don't know, I don't really have a good answer for that. I guess.
SM22:44
That was a good answer
TY22:45
Okayy. Well, thanks.
SM22:48
How do you think that a pandemic has affected people's mental health either right, in your immediate community, or more broadly?
TY22:56
I think it's affected greatly. Especially, I think, I think it's cool that people can talk about it now. And then it helped that, um, you know, it got brought, you know, whether you want to look at athletes as heroes or not that that's whatever, but the idea that like, that they like, the quarterback of the Cowboys, or the quarterback of the Packers can talk about mental health and not be made fun of by other people in the league. I think that, at least public anyway, but but at least I think that, that helps. I think the idea of isolation during the, during the beginning of this pandemic, really, really took a lot of people in a dark spot. Um, in the recovery community, a lot of people relapsed, you know, they, they're, like, you know, their life change, that thing happened. And they, you know, they, they went back to their old ways, you know, and, you know, when you don't have that continuous meeting presence, you know, the isolating those, those bad thoughts become good ideas all of a sudden, you know, and, um, you know, and that, and that's, I think it affected it greatly. I think the statistics, I think show that overdoses rise, and that's just not, that's not just by accident, you know, what I mean? Like, like that, that starts mentally I think, and the idea that like COVID, and everybody going to the hospital just took off a lot of resources to like, now, you can't maybe go here, you know, appointments that used to go to, to kind of to kind of help you, I think, I think at the beginning everybody, like nobody knew what zoom was at least I didn't know what zoom was, you know, like, I think, I think everybody just kind of had to learn and find their way a little bit and eventually it probably helped, you know, to do like, like meetings like this with your therapist or something, but like, I don't think that happened right away. I think that that took there was a little bit adjustment period of some people. People just can't handle that, you know, and that's okay. It doesn't mean, doesn’t mean they're bad people, you know, but I think it affected a great league. I guess.
SM25:15
What do you think? What do you think we should have done differently? Knowing what we do now? Like, if you could go back in time? What would you change what we would have done in the beginning?
TY25:27
Oh, that's just that's a good question. I mean, I mean, because you know, that the whole thing was that, well, it went back to, like, close the borders, but then that didn't work. And then you go back to like, well, you know, imaginary. Let's say, we just blow up China, you know what I mean? Like, like, they can't do that. That's not the right answer, you know. Um, so I was like, what do you do? Stockpile masks and hand sanitizer. And? Um, I don't know, I don't I don't have a good answer for that. Um, as far as what to do. I think the, I think the biggest the biggest misinformation thing that happened is politicians started talking about it, you know, whatever side it was on, and then people just picked aside, whatever one was their, their person, you know. And even though it's kind of weird that, you know, politicians will talk about don't get vaccinated as they're vaccinated. It's kind of weird, you know, but I don't, I don't know how, how I would like to go back in time and do things. Again, I know, I don't really know exactly what's real. I remember things I've heard along the way, but I can't speak to the truth that was out there. You know, you kind of stumped me with that one? That's a good question. I don't know. I'll think about that later.
SM27:08
What do you think we should do going into the future? That might be a little bit easier?
TY27:12
Yeah. Um, I think it is. The, it goes back to the old thing of like, just just love your, your neighbor type of a thing. You know, what I mean, just like, treat people with kindness and like, understand that. If I yell and scream at you, that's not gonna make you change your mind. Type of a thing, you know, that they try to get people to do things for the right reasons. You know, you can you can do forced vaccinations and mask mandates and stuff, but you're always gonna have that fraction of people, those outlaws That. That. I mean, heroin is illegal, and people overdose on it all the time. You know? So it's like, you can't you can't legislate your way out of a problem. I don't think that's the answer. That like like like, and then you got to try to reach people change their heart. And that's not gonna happen through politics and my belief, so, I mean, I don't know. It's fine, your bend your people and find your spiritual connection and kind of push forward that way? You know, I don't know if that's a good answer, but that's what I would try to do.
SM28:34
So how do you- this might be a difficult question, but how do you think the United States should go about ending the pandemic? If we can't do it through politics?
TY28:43
Um, I mean, you tried to like, you try to like, people have tried the incentive, you know, I'll give you a free sports tickets or hair, put your drawing for and that, that didn't matter. Um, I think the idea of trying to to educate people would be great. But then there's always there's always that thing of like, well, this doctor on YouTube said this, but then that doctor said that, you know, like, how do you believe which which doctor to believe in the reality is is is I didn't go to medical school. I didn't go to college. So it's like, I don't know how to do that. But I think trying to information is to keep it to that but there's so much misinformation how you decipher through and then you got the whole thing with like, you know, Twitter or Facebook, like censoring certain things like, you know, so then people are like, Oh, that censored because it's the truth. But then maybe it's not the truth because it's misinformation. There's, I just think that people don't trust the government. But the reality is, we're the government, the people are the government, you know, so people don't trust each other. So like, I don't know how to go forward with that either. Um, I think it's gonna get better. I mean, me personally, I got the two shots, but I didn't get a booster. And I will probably, but at what point am I get? I don't get the flu shot? Why would I keep getting boosters? Like, it doesn't seem like I'm, I'm kind of willing to do my part. But like I said, I never had COVID I never even sick. So it's like, why would I keep getting shots? To keep preventing? Does it you know, almost so it's almost like, almost seemed like my part. But I feel like I did my part. And other people do their part. You know, I'm just kind of, you know, like the idea of, um, I don't think the, like, during the other pandemics that we've had, like, you know, you had the one in like 1922, or whatever, in 1822, or whatever my years are probably offf, but again, I saw it on the news. So it's somewhere it happened somewhere around there. I'm guessing, but but like, I don't think he had the national media coverage that this one had or the global coverage. So I think that like the answer is that I don't have the answer to this either. I don't know. Because the idea of like, education is key, right? But maybe not, maybe, maybe education information is not key, maybe you just kind of like, talk about like, principles and moral values. And just because that kind of worked last time. You know, now when we have all this information at our fingertips people are, are divided, you know, yelling at each other over over the internet, like tough guys, you know, like so it's like, you know, I don't know. I think we just kind of, like I said, my first part of the, just be kind to each other. Just try to treat each other like you when you're your own family. You know, if you don't get along with your family or whatever, but treat treat somebody like you love them. I guess that's all.
SM32:09
That sounds like a good answer in a pandemic.
TY32:10
Yeah.
SM32:11
Would there be anything in like, over arching in the pandemic that you would say that you would want to tell? Tell the future people, I guess?
TY32:26
Oh, that's-
SM32:28
That’s a bad way of putting that, I guess
TY32:29
Oh, the future people? [wife interrupts] Um, I believe the children in the children are our future. Yes. You teach them well let them lead the way. Now. All right, um, you know, the future people probably won't get that that was a song lyric. Just, you know, like, like me. Like the idea of, just trying to find your own truth, you know, in but like, trust people who, who have actually studied things more than you have, in a way that gets it again, I feel like that's a contradiction in itself. But I don't know what the future people should should know, that they should learn. Here's what the future people need to learn. When they're driving slow, they gotta stay on the right. Like, that's that bad. That's super important. You know? That's, that would help people.
SM33:42
Yeah, I don’t even drive that much and I agree.
TY33:44
I don't, I don't have any words of wisdom, really, other than, you know, just just treat people love, you know, like, try to do the right thing and don't get, don't worry about getting made fun of by other people like, like, there was a I heard a driver say one time that we're in a mask, and a place that doesn't have a mask mandate is like wearing a bike helmet at the skate park. You know, like, you don't want to be cool and fit in. But you don't want to be made fun of either want to be safe and not made fun of you know, so it's that that weird thing of like, just don't be afraid of, of you know, being ridiculed, if you think you're doing things for the right reason, and that goes on both sides of the aisle if you if you really hold your convictions and and think differently than I do. You know? I support your your will to be weird. You know, so
SM34:47
All right. Well, I think that's everything I need from you. Thank you very much for your time.
TY34:54
Yeah, absolutely. It was nice to meet you.
SM34:55
Nice to meet you too. Thank you.
TY34:57
Yep. Bye.
SM34:59
Bye.
All right, we're recording. So today is December 11. And it is 930 in the morning. The total COVID cases are 49 point 8 million, the total deaths in the United States are 791,000. The total cases in Wisconsin are just over a million. The total deaths in Wisconsin are 10,000. The percent vaccinated in the United States and Wisconsin are both about 60%. Alright, if I could have you state your name, please.
Tim Yasick 00:32
My name is Tim Yasick.
SM00:34
Alright, and do you mind sharing some demographic data for the study? Like your race, ethnicity, age and gender?
TY00:41
I'm Caucasian, I'm 45. I’m a male? What else did you ask? Is that it?
SM00:50
That's good. You got it.
TY00:52
Okay.
SM00:53
All right. Can you tell me a little bit about where you live in your immediate community?
TY00:56
We live in La Crosse, Wisconsin, western Wisconsin. We own a house. Thanks. This is my wife, Kristen. I forgot to change the screen name down here. So it says her instead of me, but
SM01:16
Who do you interact with on a regular basis are you?
TY01:21
Well, I'm on the weekends, it's my wife and our- we have a puppy and three cats. And a 16 year old that lives here sometimes. But in during the week, I don't interact with very many people. Other than people who work at truckstops. So
SM01:39
So your community is pretty small.
TY01:43
It's about 50 55,000 60,000 in Lacosse. But my personal community is very small.
SM01:53
Before COVID, what were some of the activities that you do on a day to day basis, at home or at work?
TY02:00
Well, at home, we would go like hiking or bicycle riding a lot. Um, you know, we go to part of a 12 step fellowships we go to in person meetings a lot. And, you know, we go out to eat quite a bit, you know, just kind of maybe we had plans to go to a concert recently. So that didn't work out. But um, you know, we would interact a lot more with the world around us.
SM02:38
So, would you say you've stopped doing that since COVID?
TY02:42
We had to, we had to, adjust, you know, not go to like in person meetings, they do zoom meetings more often. Or interact with the world around us, we had to, you know, just go for hikes by ourselves, or bicycle rides by ourselves, which, you know, is a little different, but we, I think we adjusted pretty well. And we'll just with our lifestyle, it worked out okay.
SM03:09
What are some of your first thoughts when you like, first heard about COVID Back in March of 2020?
TY03:15
That it was just like, the bird flu, or the Ebola, or just some that were just kind of happened somewhere else, you know, and not really affect me at all. And I, you know, the, the idea of the news kind of like, like, oh, everybody's panicking, no big deal, you know, like, this happens, right? But then it started to affect, um, you know, my family and like, you know, like, I'm, like, my wife has a what you call, like, has a heart disease. So it's like something that would have, if she would get it, it would affect her a lot. You know, um, so like, I started to worry about the people around me. And I noticed that you know, the first place that really ever truly affected me, I went to a truckstop in Dallas, Texas. And there, they always have an armed guard there, which is not unusual, it's just a bad area of town. And they there was a police officer, they're not letting people in if they didn't have a mask on, and that was well- that was way early on before anything happened up here. So like, nobody, nobody had a mask. You know, like, like, that was just something that nobody was like foreign and that's what really kind of like, oh, man this is people are taking this seriously kind of a thing like, up close and personal to me, like I had seen like the NBA canceled so that was kind of a big deal. You know, people aren't just gonna get rid of a million dollars but but when it affected me personally was probably at that first Dallas truckstop that I went to was like, oh, man, you know, and that was kind of a different thing. Like it was different everywhere I went. You know, Houston didn't have that. But Dallas did you know so it just kind of a weird thing to see you Oklahoma didn't care if you wore a mask. Oklahoma still doesn't care if you wear a mask. You know, but but but some like, like coming in, you know, home and shopping at like Menards or something, you have to wear masks to go in there, you know, and like it’s just kind of weird to see it, change wherever you went, it was somewhere different. So you don't really know how to follow the rules because it was change- it changed everywhere you went.
SM05:20
Was it frustrating, not knowing the rules from one place to another?
TY05:24
A little bit. But but but again, you kind of just adapt to Well, I'm just going to wear a mask no matter where I go. Because, you know, you're just gonna make fun of me. And that's okay. If I'm in a place where, you know, you can't, you're not, you know, it's not the cool thing to wear mask that’s all right, I'll just wear one so no, you don't yell at me, you know what I mean? Like, because with my kind of job, I just want to either get loaded, or get unloaded and keep away, you know, because my family's my family's in Wisconsin. And, you know, half the week, I'm not so like, I just kind of want to get up on my day so that I can get back home. You know, so like, whatever makes that easier. I got to wear a mask and get made fun of some time, but that's okay. You know, so
SM06:10
Do people ever, like actually make fun of you for wearing a mask? Or do they just kind of give you weird looks?
TY06:16
You get the weird look, sometimes, but but not, not too often. Because, because I'm, I'm a bigger dude. And if you don't know who I am, I can I can kind of intimidate you a little bit, you know, even though my wife will tell you that I'm probably a teddy bear, you know, but, but the idea of like, they would just talk, you know more in generalizations of like, you know, we can't believe what you read, or it's just the Liberals trying to control you, or whatever, you know, because I don't want to, I don't identify as liberal or conservative, I'm kind of like, whatever, you know, like in the middle, but but with my job, a lot of truck drivers are Republicans and conservative. So like, I hear a lot of that stuff. But in my, in my regular life, I'm also friends, a lot of people who are on the other side of the aisle, and, you know, like, I hear both of those things. So like, it's weird to hear, you know, people talk about science and doctors and you know, stuff like that. And then other people talk about what Joe Rogan said, you know, and what the other side is. So, it's just kind of, it's hard to know what to believe, you know. So let's kind of dig a little bit from further thinking trying to find find your own way.
SM07:31
Yeah, I feel like a lot of us are trying to figure that out. Do you feel like being in different places all the time, you're getting a lot of different information, maybe more than the average person?
TY07:44
I can't I don't know what the average person hears so I can't really rank myself with you know, higher or lower but but like the idea of you know, you just hear things like everybody has a friend who had COVID or died from it or another person had had a friend who got sick and died from the the vaccine, you know, the shot. So it's like, it's like, you just don't, I don't know like, like it got really bad there in Texas for a minute you know, and like the state shut down you know, and you know it and, and you're not really sure and then when it opened up you could hear people like up north talk about like, they're just doing that to open up for the money you know, but reality is when Texas was ready to be done lockdown, they were just ready they're just done with it. You know, like they're just you can't you can't just make them so I don't know I think my experience with that it was like it… I again, I hear stuff on the CB that’s mostly garbage. I hear stuff on Facebook that's mostly garbage, you know, like, like, so to say that I’m more or less informed anybody else? I guess I can't really answer that. I don't know. I'll just tell you my truth. Like I said, I just tell you my experience.
SM09:09
And I feel like there's a lot of garbage going around.
TY09:13
Yeah.
SM09:14
So can you tell us a little bit about your job and what you do on a regular basis?
TY09:19
So I drive a 2021 Kenworth and I haul a refrigerated trailer. It's called the reefer trailer and I either pickup cheese in Rochester, Minnesota. And take that to Houston, Texas, and then drive down to Freeport, Texas and load bananas out of dough and bring bananas back for Festival Foods and work for a company called Potato King. I've been trucking for about 15 years but I've worked the last 10 years at Potato King here in lacrosse. So So when I've kind of just go I drive about 11,000 miles a month, you know so I go you know, through I- So I go through Minnesota in Iowa and Missouri or Kansas, whichever way I go down in Oklahoma and Texas and just come right back. I never, I never change Time Zones anymore. So, yeah, just either sleep at rest areas or truck stops, I deal with a lot of stupid drivers, sometimes I’m the stupid driver, you know, but probably not most of the time. But but, you know, a lot of bad weather. I've seen a lot of car accidents, a lot of cars in the ditch and stuff like that. I mean, I listen to the radio a lot. talk on the phone a lot. So, I don't know, is that it's kind of a general thing. I don't know.
SM10:47
How did how did COVID affect your ability to do your job?
TY10:53
Um, it was, I mean, in all honesty, not really all that much, I just had to, because I don't deal with anybody throughout the day, unless I’m at the truck stops or loading or unloading. I'm just alone in my, in my truck, you know, so it didn't, I don't think it negatively affected my ability to do my job, I haul food. So right away I was deemed an essential employee. Because everybody's got to eat, no matter where you are, people still got to eat. So as far as that, as I, all I really need to do is, you know, humble myself and wear masks sometimes. And that's okay. You know, it, I noticed pretty early on when people had to start staying home for the whenever that was called, when people were told to flatten the curve, or whatever it was, that traffic got a lot better. So I could hit Dallas at 5pm on a weekday, and not slow down over 75, which never, never happens. So like, you know, it was, um, it was a blessing in disguise. You know, like, I know, the world suffered. And I know people around me suffered, you know, and people died, you know, like, this is a real thing. But like to look at those, you know, I had to be grateful I had a job, you know, but I was also a little bit. I wish I could sit home and make money. I can't do that, you know, like, a little bit of that creeped in for a while, but I had to remember like, no, no, it's, it's still pretty cool. And I'm able to work because a lot of you can, you know, I mean, I actually work more during the pandemic than I did before. You know, I was one of those that like, oh, you can't take a week off, you have to keep going kind of thing. And my company gave me- gave us hazard pay, which was kind of a good deal. And they gave us like a giant, like an oil can thing of hand sanitizer, because he couldn't find that anywhere at the time. And they just bought like, I don’t know- several cases, whatever and handed it out to their drivers, which is pretty cool. So we, we felt appreciated, but as far as as hampering my ability to do my job not not really, you know?
SM13:02
Did you have any issues with people like being called out? Or like getting COVID and not being able to work? Or was everybody pretty much always at work?
TY13:12
I mean, again, I never, it doesn't affect me, if they have another truck driver call out, or something like that. It doesn't mean anything that would might affect me as if like someone at the warehouse I'm at would call out, but it just was never- it just was never a thing. You know? Because because I think for the most part people wanted to work because it gave them that I think that thing of like, Hey, this is a little bit my life still normal kind of thing that can go back to the routine a little bit, you know, but but that never really. And then I've personally never really affected me not to my knowledge. You know, and I never got sick, I I'm vaccinated, I got I got to Moderna I got two shots and Moderna, I did not get a booster yet. But I never got COVID and never got tested for COVID and never felt sick during this whole time. So like, I feel very fortunate for all that. But, um, so like me, me personally, it never never hampered that.
SM14:12
That’s good. Do you feel like your relationships with your friends and family have changed at all since the beginning of the pandemic?
TY14:19
I think I think a little bit. Absolutely. But part of that is is you know, we got we got married in June. So so like, you know, and part of that is like, you know, I'm newly married, so it's like I'm
SM14:34
Congratulations.
TY14:35
Well thank you but but I'm like I'm you know, I'm like thank infatuated. So like I kind of I think that's normal that you kind of cut everybody else out a little bit anyway I think with our with our recovery community, it changed quite a bit as far as you know, because he used to go into like, you know, the meetings but there was also like fellowship stuff where he'd go like bowling or to a campfire stuff like that and those kind of just went away So like that, the idea that it became more of a, because you weren't supposed to meet anywhere. So like, it became more of a underground rebel thing like, Oh, we're still gonna go meet in the median someone's backyard, you know, type of thing, you know, like, and so that kind of changed you had the the rebels versus the people still trying to do things the right way, you know? So, um, and as far as like, I don't see my immediate family all that much anyway, I live about two hours away from from every relative Yeah, like canceling holidays and stuff was with was, was pretty big and pretty. But we we kind of make the most of that, like, I never felt alone because we always had each other. So it's like, um, you know, when we do everything together, we're you know, we go shopping and go to meetings. And, and we're just it's like, We're best friends type of thing. You know what I mean? So it's like that whole, we got engaged right before the, we got engaged in November of 2019. Right, where 2019 we got engaged. So. So it's right before everything kind of hit the fan. And then you're trying to plan a wedding during a pandemic was kind of weird.
SM16:20
Yeah, I got married in July. So I feel that
TY16:23
Oh, perfect. Well, congratulations to you, too. You know,
SM16:25
thank you.
TY16:26
So, so yeah, it was, um, yeah, that was kind of weird. But but as far as, it's weird, because, you know, my mom's getting older. So like, when you start canceling Christmas family Christmases and stuff, your second set? Is that can be the last one kind of thing. You know, I don't want to think that way. My mom's she was born in ‘39. So you do the math on that, whatever. But But like, it's, that she’d probably get mad to announce that to the world, but it's public record, whatever, you know, like, like, the idea of, um, you just start to wonder, like, am I going to see any of these people again, you know, um, you know, like, that creeps in, you know, so
SM17:11
Have you been able to see her at all since the pandemic started?
TY17:15
Yep, yep. Now, there's not as often. But like, we've had, like, my niece got married recently. And my nephew got married recently. And so like, everybody gathered there, and she came to our wedding. In June, like people came, it was kind of the first time that people had seen each other, you know, a couple years was at our wedding. So that was kind of a kind of a cool thing. It was kind of like a get together. And a thing it was, it made it less, I feel it made it less awkward because neither one of us drink. So to go to a wedding where there's no lot of alcohol in Wisconsin, it's kind of weird. But it didn't seem awkward as much, because people were just kind of, you know, seeing each other again, and talking about how life was, you know, it's kind of kind of cool, that aspect, you know
SM17:59
So did you have to change what you were originally planning for your wedding? Because it's a pandemic, or?
TY18:05
I don't think there's anything that we actually did differently. Did we, you know, we didn't have any, we were all nervous about the, the, if there was going to be like, you know, limit of how many people you could have, or you're gonna have to wear a mask, but none of those things were in place at the time of our wedding. So just went ahead as as if we had a we had a buffet style taco bar was our, our meal. So like the idea of like, we they could just help themselves. That was the only thing that changed they had to have somebody with somebody put their stuff Nevermind, I guess everybody helped themselves but now that was the talk for that was that was gonna have to be something different. Just very minor, very minor. Everything was perfect.
SM18:57
I'm glad you are able to have your wedding.
TY19:00
Thank you.
SM19:01
Do you think anything else like in your family life has been impacted? Like positively or negatively? In the pandemic? Like, I know it's relatively new to you. But
TY19:15
Yeah, um I think the idea that this could be both positive it mainly negative but but the idea of that, you know, the pandemic and COVID got so politically tied to what side of the aisle you're on. And so became such a thing of, you know, if you're on the right, you don't get vaccinated. If you're on the left, you get vaccinated and then you make fun of each other for whatever choice you made. You know, I think just seeing the that ugliness of people come out. You know, family and friends that that affects you like like I may not agree or even disagree with what you decided to do, but I am watching, and like your actions will decide the place that you have in my life. You know, that's what I can really control. You know, I can get mad and I can scream and shout. But if, like I want you to do, I want you to do things for the right reasons not not because I'm nagging you to do the right thing, you know, and I think that kind of just, you know, that can slide back to the idea of hanging out with family and friends. Like there's probably a reason that that, you know, maybe you don't reach out to some people sometimes because you see how they react during the pandemic, you know, because maybe, maybe they're, they're place in your life is no longer a priority. You know, at least, that’s how I feel about it. Am I rambling, I feel like I'm rambling. Am I good?
SM20:54
You’re not rambling at all; you're doing great. How do you feel about how, on a broader scale, like at a national level, how the pandemic has politicized the nation?
TY21:09
I think it's, I think it's sad. Because you see it, it's almost like a us versus them kind of thing. In and like I said, I think it's all um, it's, I don't blame me. But yeah, I don't think it I think it's bigger than blaming. But like, you, I heard somewhere its like, this is the most divided this country has ever been right. But then you got to look, go back and look at like, a time where people made other people use other bathrooms and other waterfountains. So like, I don't, you know, I think it's divided in a different way than what it was, but I don't know if it's more divided than it was before, per se, you know. So, it's just, um, I think, I think the biggest thing is, is that there's money to be made on fear, and people will make money. And that's where I think a lot of false information comes from, and it just keeps the whole thing going. And, you know, there's masks to sell and hand sanitizer to sell and, and none of them be wrong, I use both of those things. But I use hand sanitizer before the pandemic, because I'm a trucker and it’s dirty out there. So, you know, so but, but overall, I see a lot of see a lot of people getting angry at each other. And that's the sad, you know, so I don't really, I don't know, I don't really have a good answer for that. I guess.
SM22:44
That was a good answer
TY22:45
Okayy. Well, thanks.
SM22:48
How do you think that a pandemic has affected people's mental health either right, in your immediate community, or more broadly?
TY22:56
I think it's affected greatly. Especially, I think, I think it's cool that people can talk about it now. And then it helped that, um, you know, it got brought, you know, whether you want to look at athletes as heroes or not that that's whatever, but the idea that like, that they like, the quarterback of the Cowboys, or the quarterback of the Packers can talk about mental health and not be made fun of by other people in the league. I think that, at least public anyway, but but at least I think that, that helps. I think the idea of isolation during the, during the beginning of this pandemic, really, really took a lot of people in a dark spot. Um, in the recovery community, a lot of people relapsed, you know, they, they're, like, you know, their life change, that thing happened. And they, you know, they, they went back to their old ways, you know, and, you know, when you don't have that continuous meeting presence, you know, the isolating those, those bad thoughts become good ideas all of a sudden, you know, and, um, you know, and that, and that's, I think it affected it greatly. I think the statistics, I think show that overdoses rise, and that's just not, that's not just by accident, you know, what I mean? Like, like that, that starts mentally I think, and the idea that like COVID, and everybody going to the hospital just took off a lot of resources to like, now, you can't maybe go here, you know, appointments that used to go to, to kind of to kind of help you, I think, I think at the beginning everybody, like nobody knew what zoom was at least I didn't know what zoom was, you know, like, I think, I think everybody just kind of had to learn and find their way a little bit and eventually it probably helped, you know, to do like, like meetings like this with your therapist or something, but like, I don't think that happened right away. I think that that took there was a little bit adjustment period of some people. People just can't handle that, you know, and that's okay. It doesn't mean, doesn’t mean they're bad people, you know, but I think it affected a great league. I guess.
SM25:15
What do you think? What do you think we should have done differently? Knowing what we do now? Like, if you could go back in time? What would you change what we would have done in the beginning?
TY25:27
Oh, that's just that's a good question. I mean, I mean, because you know, that the whole thing was that, well, it went back to, like, close the borders, but then that didn't work. And then you go back to like, well, you know, imaginary. Let's say, we just blow up China, you know what I mean? Like, like, they can't do that. That's not the right answer, you know. Um, so I was like, what do you do? Stockpile masks and hand sanitizer. And? Um, I don't know, I don't I don't have a good answer for that. Um, as far as what to do. I think the, I think the biggest the biggest misinformation thing that happened is politicians started talking about it, you know, whatever side it was on, and then people just picked aside, whatever one was their, their person, you know. And even though it's kind of weird that, you know, politicians will talk about don't get vaccinated as they're vaccinated. It's kind of weird, you know, but I don't, I don't know how, how I would like to go back in time and do things. Again, I know, I don't really know exactly what's real. I remember things I've heard along the way, but I can't speak to the truth that was out there. You know, you kind of stumped me with that one? That's a good question. I don't know. I'll think about that later.
SM27:08
What do you think we should do going into the future? That might be a little bit easier?
TY27:12
Yeah. Um, I think it is. The, it goes back to the old thing of like, just just love your, your neighbor type of a thing. You know, what I mean, just like, treat people with kindness and like, understand that. If I yell and scream at you, that's not gonna make you change your mind. Type of a thing, you know, that they try to get people to do things for the right reasons. You know, you can you can do forced vaccinations and mask mandates and stuff, but you're always gonna have that fraction of people, those outlaws That. That. I mean, heroin is illegal, and people overdose on it all the time. You know? So it's like, you can't you can't legislate your way out of a problem. I don't think that's the answer. That like like like, and then you got to try to reach people change their heart. And that's not gonna happen through politics and my belief, so, I mean, I don't know. It's fine, your bend your people and find your spiritual connection and kind of push forward that way? You know, I don't know if that's a good answer, but that's what I would try to do.
SM28:34
So how do you- this might be a difficult question, but how do you think the United States should go about ending the pandemic? If we can't do it through politics?
TY28:43
Um, I mean, you tried to like, you try to like, people have tried the incentive, you know, I'll give you a free sports tickets or hair, put your drawing for and that, that didn't matter. Um, I think the idea of trying to to educate people would be great. But then there's always there's always that thing of like, well, this doctor on YouTube said this, but then that doctor said that, you know, like, how do you believe which which doctor to believe in the reality is is is I didn't go to medical school. I didn't go to college. So it's like, I don't know how to do that. But I think trying to information is to keep it to that but there's so much misinformation how you decipher through and then you got the whole thing with like, you know, Twitter or Facebook, like censoring certain things like, you know, so then people are like, Oh, that censored because it's the truth. But then maybe it's not the truth because it's misinformation. There's, I just think that people don't trust the government. But the reality is, we're the government, the people are the government, you know, so people don't trust each other. So like, I don't know how to go forward with that either. Um, I think it's gonna get better. I mean, me personally, I got the two shots, but I didn't get a booster. And I will probably, but at what point am I get? I don't get the flu shot? Why would I keep getting boosters? Like, it doesn't seem like I'm, I'm kind of willing to do my part. But like I said, I never had COVID I never even sick. So it's like, why would I keep getting shots? To keep preventing? Does it you know, almost so it's almost like, almost seemed like my part. But I feel like I did my part. And other people do their part. You know, I'm just kind of, you know, like the idea of, um, I don't think the, like, during the other pandemics that we've had, like, you know, you had the one in like 1922, or whatever, in 1822, or whatever my years are probably offf, but again, I saw it on the news. So it's somewhere it happened somewhere around there. I'm guessing, but but like, I don't think he had the national media coverage that this one had or the global coverage. So I think that like the answer is that I don't have the answer to this either. I don't know. Because the idea of like, education is key, right? But maybe not, maybe, maybe education information is not key, maybe you just kind of like, talk about like, principles and moral values. And just because that kind of worked last time. You know, now when we have all this information at our fingertips people are, are divided, you know, yelling at each other over over the internet, like tough guys, you know, like so it's like, you know, I don't know. I think we just kind of, like I said, my first part of the, just be kind to each other. Just try to treat each other like you when you're your own family. You know, if you don't get along with your family or whatever, but treat treat somebody like you love them. I guess that's all.
SM32:09
That sounds like a good answer in a pandemic.
TY32:10
Yeah.
SM32:11
Would there be anything in like, over arching in the pandemic that you would say that you would want to tell? Tell the future people, I guess?
TY32:26
Oh, that's-
SM32:28
That’s a bad way of putting that, I guess
TY32:29
Oh, the future people? [wife interrupts] Um, I believe the children in the children are our future. Yes. You teach them well let them lead the way. Now. All right, um, you know, the future people probably won't get that that was a song lyric. Just, you know, like, like me. Like the idea of, just trying to find your own truth, you know, in but like, trust people who, who have actually studied things more than you have, in a way that gets it again, I feel like that's a contradiction in itself. But I don't know what the future people should should know, that they should learn. Here's what the future people need to learn. When they're driving slow, they gotta stay on the right. Like, that's that bad. That's super important. You know? That's, that would help people.
SM33:42
Yeah, I don’t even drive that much and I agree.
TY33:44
I don't, I don't have any words of wisdom, really, other than, you know, just just treat people love, you know, like, try to do the right thing and don't get, don't worry about getting made fun of by other people like, like, there was a I heard a driver say one time that we're in a mask, and a place that doesn't have a mask mandate is like wearing a bike helmet at the skate park. You know, like, you don't want to be cool and fit in. But you don't want to be made fun of either want to be safe and not made fun of you know, so it's that that weird thing of like, just don't be afraid of, of you know, being ridiculed, if you think you're doing things for the right reason, and that goes on both sides of the aisle if you if you really hold your convictions and and think differently than I do. You know? I support your your will to be weird. You know, so
SM34:47
All right. Well, I think that's everything I need from you. Thank you very much for your time.
TY34:54
Yeah, absolutely. It was nice to meet you.
SM34:55
Nice to meet you too. Thank you.
TY34:57
Yep. Bye.
SM34:59
Bye.