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My Search for the Perfect Mask
Instead of Netflix, I binge on masks
The first one I ever got was gifted from my sister in law, a coveted n95, a cardboard-like mask that I firmly placed over my face the first time I ventured out of my apartment in search of sundries. Snug on my face made it difficult to breathe but allowed me to feel brave enough to venture on the long lines at CVS and Walgreens that I had avoided all these weeks. I came back with a bag full of hair dye, alcohol-free wipes (all that was left), and a desire for a more fashionable, breathable accessory to go be part of the new normal. I thought if perhaps I could put something on that was pretty, new — it might help me feel that way too. Masks were still hard to come by back in April, that’s when I began the search.
Like most things of interest, I did it with a laser-focused tenacity. I needed a distraction — With most masks sold out on Amazon, and an inability to sew I turned to Etsy to begin my collection and patiently waited for my packages to arrive. It started out small at first; a green cloth mask with cherry blossoms on it for the spring, a reversible flannel black and white one for the evening, and a mixed floral one for my jaunts during the day. While fashionable, I found with my Dumbo-like ears and constant movement, these masks, were in constant need of readjustment and that’s when my obsession…
