Holy shit, yes!
It happened in May 2020. A month prior, I got tired of living my life in quarantine, with everything fun shut down and me unable to hang out with my friends, so I decided to get serious about CTB'ing (hence my username). While I was getting ready to CTB, I stumbled upon a radical right-wing group on social media. They didn't believe in my state's liberal lies about Covid, and were still willing to have parties and socialize. While I questioned their motives a little bit, I figured: "Since I'm gonna die soon anyway, I might as well have one last blast of dangerous fun."
Long story short, I got invited to their party, at a house 2 hours away from me. The owner didn't want any evidence of him having a party, so he had everyone park at a closed church, then walk a good distance. He had everyone bring a thermometer, and take our own temperature before coming in, but that was it when it came to "safety". The house was packed! No masks. No social distancing. Everyone was shaking hands, hugging, dancing, and getting all over each other while taking cuddly group pictures. We burned our state's flag in the backyard. It was clear that everyone at the party was starved for human contact, and were taking it out on each other. Even some married women were giving me big bear hugs, thanking me for coming; I respected the boundaries, and their husbands were cool with it. I even made out (UK: snogged) with a woman, giving the CDC and my state governor a big "fuck you".
That party gave me a taste of my life could be, once I became brave enough to defy my state's quarantine and the CDC's "safety" rules. A week after, I drove to the next state for my first haircut and a drink in a bar in months (by myself, but hey). I joined in trashing my state with the townies in the bar. Some of them looked gruff, but I felt so confident, I wasn't intimidated at all. I ran on a trail in a park across the street until I felt OK to drive back. Then a month after that, me and four people from the party took an overnight road trip together to the same state I got my haircut in, to a quirky beach town. (Rather than to a town right over the border, where I went.)
After that road trip, I didn't want to CTB anymore! Meeting like-minded conservatives, who were still willing to socialize and enjoy in-person friendships, rather than obey the CDC and the Democrats like mindless sheep walking into a slaughterhouse. I still hang out with that group today. I maintain existing friendships with liberals on a "grandfather clause" basis, but no new liberals are allowed into my life. I only admit new friends who are strongly conservative; new liberals in my life will be fringe acquaintances at best.
Still, not all that glitters is gold. My state could easily lock everything down again, when the next fake virus rears its ugly head. And that group might not be there. So I want to be able to CBT quickly and easily, if need be.
