32 more days.
That's what President Trump announced yesterday.
Social distancing and shut-down of public places for 30 more days - until April 30. Health officials are saying that the peak of cases/deaths won't be for 2 more weeks, and then we'll see a slow-down. I hope so. 8 weeks of basically isolation is difficult for many people. I'm ok. I mean, the first week was rough because I was trying different routines, figuring out ways to keep teaching adequately, and convincing my husband to stay the f*** home.
2 weeks later, I'm in a new phase. At first, I was motivated. I wanted to do things. I figured I had three weeks so let's get some lessons together, let's clean the house, let's try to enjoy slowing down. Now, however, I'm just wondering what's the point with some things? Why bother cleaning the back patio today if we're going to be stuck here for another 30 days? Why bother cleaning out the spare room today if we have 30 days to do it? Why can't I binge-watch ER on Hulu? What's the freakin' hurry?
I hope this stage doesn't last long.
I'd bake a cake, but I'm afraid I'll emotionally eat it in 2 days.
When I started this blog 2 weeks ago, there were 30ish cases in Harris County. Today - 928.
Oh, and the Texas DPS is now at the border, stopping people coming from Louisiana, making sure that they self-quarantine immediately for 14 days. They're doing it at the airport for flights from 11 areas (including NY, NJ, Chicago). I wonder what the next two weeks will look like.
Monday, March 30, 2020
Friday, March 27, 2020
Day 12 - Junk Food
Things that are in my house because of COVID-19 that aren't normally here.
Me.
My husband.
Jelly beans.
Shoestring potatoes.
Potato chips.
Playing cards.
Cadbury chocolate creme eggs.
Milk.
Why is it that disasters (hurricanes and now pandemics) mean that I buy junk food? I normally don't keep junk food in the house, but when I go the store for supplies, I see something and I think, "Ooh. Shoestring potatoes! I haven't had those since I was a kid. I will buy some in memory of my lost childhood and eat them." Or "Oooh. I love jelly beans. I don't eat them often, but I'm going to be stuck in my house for a few days, so let me grab some now just in case I wand them later."
That said, I'm trying desperately have a vegetable or a fruit with each meal. Lunch consisted of smoked salmon on crackers, shoestring potatoes, and a sliced tomato. Tonight we're having pasta, and I'm going to grill some asparagus.
Trying to make good choices at a time when I feel like I have fewer choices in the world.
Me.
My husband.
Jelly beans.
Shoestring potatoes.
Potato chips.
Playing cards.
Cadbury chocolate creme eggs.
Milk.
Why is it that disasters (hurricanes and now pandemics) mean that I buy junk food? I normally don't keep junk food in the house, but when I go the store for supplies, I see something and I think, "Ooh. Shoestring potatoes! I haven't had those since I was a kid. I will buy some in memory of my lost childhood and eat them." Or "Oooh. I love jelly beans. I don't eat them often, but I'm going to be stuck in my house for a few days, so let me grab some now just in case I wand them later."
That said, I'm trying desperately have a vegetable or a fruit with each meal. Lunch consisted of smoked salmon on crackers, shoestring potatoes, and a sliced tomato. Tonight we're having pasta, and I'm going to grill some asparagus.
Trying to make good choices at a time when I feel like I have fewer choices in the world.
Thursday, March 26, 2020
Day 11
I miss my students. I miss going to and from work (the peaceful time). I miss getting dressed up to leave the house. I miss the act of teaching to a live classroom. I miss my boot camp/exercise class and my exercise buddies. I miss going into a grocery store with no fear of getting what I need. I miss not being worried when I leave my house, wondering if this is the day that my asthmatic self will catch this virus.
I am grateful that I have a job in which I can work from home and get a paycheck, thus allowing me to pay my bills and not be financially struggling during the quarantine. I am grateful if the stimulus package passes because my husband can't work right now due to the quarantine, and he's getting no money in except unemployment - and the stimulus package gives additional federal money, thus allowing him to pay his bills and not be financially struggling during the quarantine. I'm grateful that we're married because individually we'd have a more difficult time. I'm grateful that I get to spend more time with my dog. I am grateful that I'm living a simpler life - less eating out, less shopping, less need to be constantly stimulated. I'm grateful that I have toilet paper and didn't need to panic buy/stocked up before the panic (because I just got a Costco card last summer and use it for all of my home goods).
I'm worried about what life will look like soon. I'm worried that tempers flaring will explode. I'm worried that there will be stark lines between those who want to open the country back up because it's financially necessary and those who want the country to stay shut longer to protect people from getting sick. I'm worried that we'll go into a depression. I'm worried that life will be soon what my grandparents lived: ration coupons, $5 loaves of bread, etc. I'm worried that our country's seemingly sound foundation is just a stone facade hiding delicate threads. I'm worried that my trip to London will be postponed because I won't be able to afford an airline ticket. I'm worried that the shut-down from the virus is emotionally taking a toll on my extraverted husband who is looking for a job in a time where most places aren't even entertaining the idea of hiring.
I'm a mixture of these emotions and so much more.
I am grateful that I have a job in which I can work from home and get a paycheck, thus allowing me to pay my bills and not be financially struggling during the quarantine. I am grateful if the stimulus package passes because my husband can't work right now due to the quarantine, and he's getting no money in except unemployment - and the stimulus package gives additional federal money, thus allowing him to pay his bills and not be financially struggling during the quarantine. I'm grateful that we're married because individually we'd have a more difficult time. I'm grateful that I get to spend more time with my dog. I am grateful that I'm living a simpler life - less eating out, less shopping, less need to be constantly stimulated. I'm grateful that I have toilet paper and didn't need to panic buy/stocked up before the panic (because I just got a Costco card last summer and use it for all of my home goods).
I'm worried about what life will look like soon. I'm worried that tempers flaring will explode. I'm worried that there will be stark lines between those who want to open the country back up because it's financially necessary and those who want the country to stay shut longer to protect people from getting sick. I'm worried that we'll go into a depression. I'm worried that life will be soon what my grandparents lived: ration coupons, $5 loaves of bread, etc. I'm worried that our country's seemingly sound foundation is just a stone facade hiding delicate threads. I'm worried that my trip to London will be postponed because I won't be able to afford an airline ticket. I'm worried that the shut-down from the virus is emotionally taking a toll on my extraverted husband who is looking for a job in a time where most places aren't even entertaining the idea of hiring.
I'm a mixture of these emotions and so much more.
Tuesday, March 24, 2020
Day.... 9
I woke up the other day with a mild sore throat and cough. I took some NyQuil Saturday night, and on Sunday, I felt horrible. Super tired, lethargic, and just crappy. Then Sunday night I realized why: I'm super-sensitive to NyQuil. I don't usually take it because for some reason it takes 24 hours to get out of my system. Yesterday I was feeling better with just a bit of post-nasal drip coughing. Today, the same thing.
Normally, I'd chalk it up to the sinus infection-turned-bronchitis that I normally get this time of year, but all of the COVID-19 talk had me panicking. I don't know of anyone who has it, but the unknown is the fearful part.
See, I have asthma. I had it as a child, and I outgrew it. Then, 5 years ago, after my 5th or 6th bout of bronchitis that landed me in the ER (the last one ended with an ER trip, not all of them), I was sent to a pulmonologist who diagnosed me with asthma - he said that I was misdiagnosed with chronic bronchitis, which just made things worse. Since then, I've been on a nightly inhaler and a pill, and for the most part it's been manageable. Maybe twice (always in the spring) I've had to up my dose of the steroid inhaler, but I rarely use my albuterol/rescue inhaler and I've only used my nebulizer three times in the past 5 years.
Deep down, however, my fear is something more than just the unknown and having asthma. My family has had notoriously bad luck with lungs. As a child, my sister and my father had really bad cases (this was before the steroid inhalers of today). It was a dark joke amongst my family: Who would go to the ER this Christmas? My dad and my sister were always taking turns. I've had to call 911 when my sister's asthma was terrifyingly bad, and my mom and sister would later joke that they remember me shouting to the paramedics, "Take my sister to Hermann; don't take her to Ben Taubb!"
My sister's asthma improved greatly when she got pregnant; that is a happy "side effect" to pregnancy. Before the was pregnant, she was afraid to get pregnant because of all of the medications she was on to control her asthma. Well, almost 9 years later, I have an adorable nephew and she hasn't had to go to the hospital for asthma once.
My father, on the other hand, wasn't so lucky.
One night, when I was 16, my father was struggling to breathe. We noticed he was using his nebulizer machine more than normal that day (he used it weekly), but we were too busy cleaning the house for a bridal shower we were hosting for my cousin the next day. Long story short, the nebulizer wasn't working. He finally let us call 911 (he was a flight nurse for Hermann Hospital Life Flight and REALLY didn't want his coworkers to see him like this). When they got him into the ambulance, he had a heart attack (from the strain of not breathing). By the time they got him to the hospital, he was in a coma and brain-dead (from lack of oxygen going to his heart and brain). He never woke up. He died 3 days later.
8 years ago, my mother's luck ran out as well.
Mom was a lifelong smoker (my dad was a smoker, too, until he was 30 and his doctor said either he quits or he doesn't see his children grow up). One fall, she started feeling sick. Her doctor said it was pneumonia. She didn't get better after several months. Her doctor sent her somewhere else. Tests were done. The verdict: lung cancer. When they caught it, she had a 10cm tumor in her lung, one in her liver, one in her breast, and 10 in her brain. After a flurry of radiation treatments to shrink the ones in her brain and one round of chemo, she died. She never stood a fighting chance.
So my concern with my cough and with COVID stems from watching both parents die of lung issues (although I do know that my mom's was self-inflicted) and my sister struggle.
That's why I am not leaving my house for two weeks, and I wish my husband wouldn't either. He's pretty good about staying, but he's a smoker (I know - I'm so irritated with him), and he won't buy enough cigarettes to last him two weeks.
Last night, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick said that 70-year-olds can take care of themselves, that people need to go back to work despite the contagion. What a horrifying idea. If my parents were alive now, I'd quarantine myself with them to protect them. Because that's what we should do for each other: we should protect each other.
Normally, I'd chalk it up to the sinus infection-turned-bronchitis that I normally get this time of year, but all of the COVID-19 talk had me panicking. I don't know of anyone who has it, but the unknown is the fearful part.
See, I have asthma. I had it as a child, and I outgrew it. Then, 5 years ago, after my 5th or 6th bout of bronchitis that landed me in the ER (the last one ended with an ER trip, not all of them), I was sent to a pulmonologist who diagnosed me with asthma - he said that I was misdiagnosed with chronic bronchitis, which just made things worse. Since then, I've been on a nightly inhaler and a pill, and for the most part it's been manageable. Maybe twice (always in the spring) I've had to up my dose of the steroid inhaler, but I rarely use my albuterol/rescue inhaler and I've only used my nebulizer three times in the past 5 years.
Deep down, however, my fear is something more than just the unknown and having asthma. My family has had notoriously bad luck with lungs. As a child, my sister and my father had really bad cases (this was before the steroid inhalers of today). It was a dark joke amongst my family: Who would go to the ER this Christmas? My dad and my sister were always taking turns. I've had to call 911 when my sister's asthma was terrifyingly bad, and my mom and sister would later joke that they remember me shouting to the paramedics, "Take my sister to Hermann; don't take her to Ben Taubb!"
My sister's asthma improved greatly when she got pregnant; that is a happy "side effect" to pregnancy. Before the was pregnant, she was afraid to get pregnant because of all of the medications she was on to control her asthma. Well, almost 9 years later, I have an adorable nephew and she hasn't had to go to the hospital for asthma once.
My father, on the other hand, wasn't so lucky.
One night, when I was 16, my father was struggling to breathe. We noticed he was using his nebulizer machine more than normal that day (he used it weekly), but we were too busy cleaning the house for a bridal shower we were hosting for my cousin the next day. Long story short, the nebulizer wasn't working. He finally let us call 911 (he was a flight nurse for Hermann Hospital Life Flight and REALLY didn't want his coworkers to see him like this). When they got him into the ambulance, he had a heart attack (from the strain of not breathing). By the time they got him to the hospital, he was in a coma and brain-dead (from lack of oxygen going to his heart and brain). He never woke up. He died 3 days later.
8 years ago, my mother's luck ran out as well.
Mom was a lifelong smoker (my dad was a smoker, too, until he was 30 and his doctor said either he quits or he doesn't see his children grow up). One fall, she started feeling sick. Her doctor said it was pneumonia. She didn't get better after several months. Her doctor sent her somewhere else. Tests were done. The verdict: lung cancer. When they caught it, she had a 10cm tumor in her lung, one in her liver, one in her breast, and 10 in her brain. After a flurry of radiation treatments to shrink the ones in her brain and one round of chemo, she died. She never stood a fighting chance.
So my concern with my cough and with COVID stems from watching both parents die of lung issues (although I do know that my mom's was self-inflicted) and my sister struggle.
That's why I am not leaving my house for two weeks, and I wish my husband wouldn't either. He's pretty good about staying, but he's a smoker (I know - I'm so irritated with him), and he won't buy enough cigarettes to last him two weeks.
Last night, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick said that 70-year-olds can take care of themselves, that people need to go back to work despite the contagion. What a horrifying idea. If my parents were alive now, I'd quarantine myself with them to protect them. Because that's what we should do for each other: we should protect each other.
Friday, March 20, 2020
Day 5 - TGIF
So this morning I noticed a rash on my chest. At first, I was like, "Oh, man. I hope I don't have shingles again" (I had shingles 4 years ago and it was one of the most painful experiences of my life). I think, however, it's hives. HIVES. Yes, the stress of these past two weeks (mostly this week) has given me hives.
I'm so happy it's Friday. Even though I'm home, even though I'm not in my classroom, I'm putting more hours in than I usually do - and more hours on the computer. I had 4 Skype conferences and three student/class conferences; that's a lot of time looking at a screen and not getting grading and planning done. And the planning was rough because are we out for 3 more weeks? Do we just-in-case plan for longer? Some schools are staying out. Some aren't. It's chaos in the education system right now.
That said, I think this week was the worst week. We're settling down now. We have a plan, we're figuring out issues. Next week, I'm optimistic. I'll have fewer morning Skype meetings and more time to focus on my students. And the hives will hopefully go away. (Side note - if they don't go away soon, I'm heading to urgent care just in case it IS shingles.)
A few more states have gone into lockdown mode. Texas isn't one of them, and the Houston mayor today said it's not planned (but I think there was an unspoken word - "yet"). The number of Houston cases skyrocketed. Last night it was 63. Now it's 90. Again, it's not necessarily more cases; it's more testing happening. The government/CDC is warning younger people not to be so blasé about it, and that does make me bit nervous. I have asthma and now my stress is either giving me shingles or hives - and so I'm pretty sure that COVID would knock me on my butt right now.
But again, it's Friday. TGIF. TGIF meaning that I don't have any Skype meetings for the next two days. I plan on de-stressing as much as possible. Reading. Baking bread (there's something comforting about kneading bread). Enjoying the fact that the temperature is below 70 (never mind that the high one day next week is 90. 90! In MARCH).
Cheers!
I'm so happy it's Friday. Even though I'm home, even though I'm not in my classroom, I'm putting more hours in than I usually do - and more hours on the computer. I had 4 Skype conferences and three student/class conferences; that's a lot of time looking at a screen and not getting grading and planning done. And the planning was rough because are we out for 3 more weeks? Do we just-in-case plan for longer? Some schools are staying out. Some aren't. It's chaos in the education system right now.
That said, I think this week was the worst week. We're settling down now. We have a plan, we're figuring out issues. Next week, I'm optimistic. I'll have fewer morning Skype meetings and more time to focus on my students. And the hives will hopefully go away. (Side note - if they don't go away soon, I'm heading to urgent care just in case it IS shingles.)
A few more states have gone into lockdown mode. Texas isn't one of them, and the Houston mayor today said it's not planned (but I think there was an unspoken word - "yet"). The number of Houston cases skyrocketed. Last night it was 63. Now it's 90. Again, it's not necessarily more cases; it's more testing happening. The government/CDC is warning younger people not to be so blasé about it, and that does make me bit nervous. I have asthma and now my stress is either giving me shingles or hives - and so I'm pretty sure that COVID would knock me on my butt right now.
But again, it's Friday. TGIF. TGIF meaning that I don't have any Skype meetings for the next two days. I plan on de-stressing as much as possible. Reading. Baking bread (there's something comforting about kneading bread). Enjoying the fact that the temperature is below 70 (never mind that the high one day next week is 90. 90! In MARCH).
Cheers!
Thursday, March 19, 2020
Day 4: So tired
I'm exhausted. Being a tele-teacher is a LOT more exhausting than being an in-person teacher. I'm having to juggle a LOT more because of all the meetings, timelines, etc.
I AM TIRED.
But I got to have a teleconference with a bunch of students today, and it did my soul good to see them and hear them and laugh with them. I love my 9th graders so much. They are good people.
And while I know that having three preps means I have to do 3x as much, it's more so now than in-person.
So now I have a new routine. One that allows me to get my work done and be "home" at a consistent time.
Wake up - 8:30: Work out, shower, eat breakfast, whatever.
8:30-noon: I'm on duty. I'll answer discussion board questions, grade assessments, put in my daily updates. All online.
Noon-1: Lunch. I will unplug, eat something healthy, try to walk around for a bit since I'll be sitting all morning.
1-4:15: Skype/teacher meetings and student/class conferences
4:15-4:30ish: Check the daily discussion boards one last time.
Then, I close my work computer.
Working from home is a new challenge. Managing time, finding motivation, etc. But I thrive on routine, once I actually get one down. And I think this one is the best. But that means I stare at a computer screen all day. So now I may set reminders to get up, to walk around for a few minutes, to let my eyes adjust to sunshine.
In other news, nothing IS new. A few school districts are closing for the year, but we're not. I hope we don't. I can't imagine not seeing my students anymore this year - especially my seniors (whereas I'll see my 9th graders again next year in the hallway).
More cases as the testing becomes easier. China hasn't reported and new cases (odd) and Italy's death toll surpassed China. Perhaps most disturbing to me is the story of a 35-year old man with a history of asthma and bronchitis died from COVID in California. My husband has been annoying nonchalant about it, but I told him that this worries me a bit. My dad died of asthma, my mom died of lung cancer. Lung issues thrive in my genes. I'm not worried about catching it, but I hope that my husband takes the "social distancing" idea a bit more seriously. He scoffed it yesterday and said, "Well, it's in God's hands." With the story today, I said, "But if you go out and catch it, then bring it home to me and I get sick and maybe die because my lungs suck, will you say THEN that it's God's will? Or YOUR fault since you CHOSE to go socialize?" That sobered him up a bit.
I haven't been to the grocery store in 2 days. I'm trying not to go. I'm REALLY trying not to go anywhere (except my workout boot camp, but we spread out so much that I don't get near anyone, and we also use our own equipment). We have enough food for a couple of weeks (although our meals might look quite interesting towards the end). We have enough toilet paper to last us 5 months (because that's how long a Costco pack lasts for us). I'm hoping that by the time I need to restock our pantry that the grocery stores will be less crazy. Fingers crossed.
Nothing else. I'm having a hard time focusing and sleeping because my brain can't shut down. It's as if there's a pinball game going inside my head, or whack-a-mole (when I squash one thought, another one pops up). I think, though, that as things settle, so will my brain.
Later!
I AM TIRED.
But I got to have a teleconference with a bunch of students today, and it did my soul good to see them and hear them and laugh with them. I love my 9th graders so much. They are good people.
And while I know that having three preps means I have to do 3x as much, it's more so now than in-person.
So now I have a new routine. One that allows me to get my work done and be "home" at a consistent time.
Wake up - 8:30: Work out, shower, eat breakfast, whatever.
8:30-noon: I'm on duty. I'll answer discussion board questions, grade assessments, put in my daily updates. All online.
Noon-1: Lunch. I will unplug, eat something healthy, try to walk around for a bit since I'll be sitting all morning.
1-4:15: Skype/teacher meetings and student/class conferences
4:15-4:30ish: Check the daily discussion boards one last time.
Then, I close my work computer.
Working from home is a new challenge. Managing time, finding motivation, etc. But I thrive on routine, once I actually get one down. And I think this one is the best. But that means I stare at a computer screen all day. So now I may set reminders to get up, to walk around for a few minutes, to let my eyes adjust to sunshine.
In other news, nothing IS new. A few school districts are closing for the year, but we're not. I hope we don't. I can't imagine not seeing my students anymore this year - especially my seniors (whereas I'll see my 9th graders again next year in the hallway).
More cases as the testing becomes easier. China hasn't reported and new cases (odd) and Italy's death toll surpassed China. Perhaps most disturbing to me is the story of a 35-year old man with a history of asthma and bronchitis died from COVID in California. My husband has been annoying nonchalant about it, but I told him that this worries me a bit. My dad died of asthma, my mom died of lung cancer. Lung issues thrive in my genes. I'm not worried about catching it, but I hope that my husband takes the "social distancing" idea a bit more seriously. He scoffed it yesterday and said, "Well, it's in God's hands." With the story today, I said, "But if you go out and catch it, then bring it home to me and I get sick and maybe die because my lungs suck, will you say THEN that it's God's will? Or YOUR fault since you CHOSE to go socialize?" That sobered him up a bit.
I haven't been to the grocery store in 2 days. I'm trying not to go. I'm REALLY trying not to go anywhere (except my workout boot camp, but we spread out so much that I don't get near anyone, and we also use our own equipment). We have enough food for a couple of weeks (although our meals might look quite interesting towards the end). We have enough toilet paper to last us 5 months (because that's how long a Costco pack lasts for us). I'm hoping that by the time I need to restock our pantry that the grocery stores will be less crazy. Fingers crossed.
Nothing else. I'm having a hard time focusing and sleeping because my brain can't shut down. It's as if there's a pinball game going inside my head, or whack-a-mole (when I squash one thought, another one pops up). I think, though, that as things settle, so will my brain.
Later!
Wednesday, March 18, 2020
Day 3 - Routine? What Routine?
So day 3 of working from home/true social distancing....
In the grand scheme of things, social distancing, working from home, etc. isn't that hard. During the summer, I'm home a lot - because it's too hot in Houston to leave the house much (I'm a weather wimp). But this is different. Being TOLD not do something somehow takes away the desire. While I have no problem spending lots of time in my house, knowing that I HAVE to kinda messes with my mind. I know it's for the best, and I'm not arguing against it. I just think that MY struggle is coming from having my choice pretty much taken away. I'll get over it, though.
On the news front, a few things of interest happened between yesterday and today. First, more cases in Texas. We're now over 40, and I think 4+ popped up today. I think that rather than we have more cases, we just have more people getting tested. My friends on FB are talking about how they or their children got really sick in December/January and tested negative for flu - so there's a question on whether or not we've actually been dealing with this longer than we thought. Interesting thought.
Another interesting piece of news is that the Treasury will be sending money to adults in order to boost the economy and the government is asking companies to forgive late payments and such. That is so important. The economic shut-down is one I have never seen in my life. Store closing, restaurants only serving to-go orders, bars shut down, major sports quiet. The historian in looks at everything with interest. 200 years ago, people didn't socialize as much as we do now, and I think it's sobering to see how dependent we are upon places and activities for entertainment and pleasure - yet how we are adjusting to not having it. For one, my husband and I are sitting outside, listening to the rain (when it rains) and just talking. Rather than eating out, we're cooking more. Rather than going to the movies, we're playing card games. With this social shift, however, comes another side of the coin: because we have become so accustomed to entertainment, our economy is almost built on it. While my husband and I are saving money with staying home, others are suffering because our money isn't helping their survival. With the entertainment industry suffering, so are people's jobs, people's ability to pay rent, people's abilities to put food on the table. I remember stories from my grandparents about life during the Great Depression. I think we're going to see another type of Great Depression - one not built on the stock market crashing, but built on the destruction of people's livelihoods - a destruction that will create a domino effect where the middle class come out ok, but the low socio-economic fall even further. With the checks, however, hopefully businesses will get better and not fire their people or not NOT pay their people. Husband and I are ordering out take-out tonight from our favorite small business/restaurant to support them. Husband is a substitute teacher and he's not working during this time, so we have to be careful ourselves - but we can afford one or two meals out to help the economy.
Speaking of work. Man, I miss being in my classroom. I never wanted to teach an online course (so I never applied to do so). As a teacher, I thrive on discussion and action. I constantly check my discussion boards to see what my students are saying, but then after it's done.... crickets. I don't know what to do. Next week will be better. I figure the majority of my students will turn in their work on the last day (Friday), so early next week I can grade during my work hours when my students aren't posting. Students - if you're reading this - I hope y'all are ok and I cannot wait until school is back in session!
Other than that, nothing spectacular. I'm having a hard time sticking to my routine. Or at least, today I did. The hardest for me is getting outside. One of my four weekly boot camp classes is pretty much cancelled, and so on a day I don't have a set place to exercise, I have to convince myself to move around. Today I didn't have boot camp. If the weather was 10 degrees cooler, I'd take a longer walk. BUT it's warm. Seriously, though - why does a pandemic have to happen at the same time that we have a warmer spring? Where's the 70 degree weather?
Signing out.
In the grand scheme of things, social distancing, working from home, etc. isn't that hard. During the summer, I'm home a lot - because it's too hot in Houston to leave the house much (I'm a weather wimp). But this is different. Being TOLD not do something somehow takes away the desire. While I have no problem spending lots of time in my house, knowing that I HAVE to kinda messes with my mind. I know it's for the best, and I'm not arguing against it. I just think that MY struggle is coming from having my choice pretty much taken away. I'll get over it, though.
On the news front, a few things of interest happened between yesterday and today. First, more cases in Texas. We're now over 40, and I think 4+ popped up today. I think that rather than we have more cases, we just have more people getting tested. My friends on FB are talking about how they or their children got really sick in December/January and tested negative for flu - so there's a question on whether or not we've actually been dealing with this longer than we thought. Interesting thought.
Another interesting piece of news is that the Treasury will be sending money to adults in order to boost the economy and the government is asking companies to forgive late payments and such. That is so important. The economic shut-down is one I have never seen in my life. Store closing, restaurants only serving to-go orders, bars shut down, major sports quiet. The historian in looks at everything with interest. 200 years ago, people didn't socialize as much as we do now, and I think it's sobering to see how dependent we are upon places and activities for entertainment and pleasure - yet how we are adjusting to not having it. For one, my husband and I are sitting outside, listening to the rain (when it rains) and just talking. Rather than eating out, we're cooking more. Rather than going to the movies, we're playing card games. With this social shift, however, comes another side of the coin: because we have become so accustomed to entertainment, our economy is almost built on it. While my husband and I are saving money with staying home, others are suffering because our money isn't helping their survival. With the entertainment industry suffering, so are people's jobs, people's ability to pay rent, people's abilities to put food on the table. I remember stories from my grandparents about life during the Great Depression. I think we're going to see another type of Great Depression - one not built on the stock market crashing, but built on the destruction of people's livelihoods - a destruction that will create a domino effect where the middle class come out ok, but the low socio-economic fall even further. With the checks, however, hopefully businesses will get better and not fire their people or not NOT pay their people. Husband and I are ordering out take-out tonight from our favorite small business/restaurant to support them. Husband is a substitute teacher and he's not working during this time, so we have to be careful ourselves - but we can afford one or two meals out to help the economy.
Speaking of work. Man, I miss being in my classroom. I never wanted to teach an online course (so I never applied to do so). As a teacher, I thrive on discussion and action. I constantly check my discussion boards to see what my students are saying, but then after it's done.... crickets. I don't know what to do. Next week will be better. I figure the majority of my students will turn in their work on the last day (Friday), so early next week I can grade during my work hours when my students aren't posting. Students - if you're reading this - I hope y'all are ok and I cannot wait until school is back in session!
Other than that, nothing spectacular. I'm having a hard time sticking to my routine. Or at least, today I did. The hardest for me is getting outside. One of my four weekly boot camp classes is pretty much cancelled, and so on a day I don't have a set place to exercise, I have to convince myself to move around. Today I didn't have boot camp. If the weather was 10 degrees cooler, I'd take a longer walk. BUT it's warm. Seriously, though - why does a pandemic have to happen at the same time that we have a warmer spring? Where's the 70 degree weather?
Signing out.
Tuesday, March 17, 2020
Day 2... no Day 1
A little about me: I'm an English teacher with a master's degree in History. As an English teacher, I understand the importance of daily writing to be a reader/writer. As a historian and researcher, I understand the importance of daily writing to preserve history, to understand perspectives and points of view.
I titled this blog "Modern Day Pepys" because of the importance of that 17th century diarist, Samuel Pepys. Through him, we know more about society, about the ins and outs of 17th century life, of the Great Fire of London, of human nature in that time period. No other diarist has been as prolific and important as him, and journaling is somewhat of a lost art. I remember going through a set of archives years ago, researching the one individual. I was able to read letters she wrote and thought, "What are historians going to look at 100 years from now about today?" And so I started journaling more. Now, however, in the midst of what is happening, I feel that my hand-writing journaling isn't enough; that my hands will get tired and that I won't be able to write as much as I have thoughts in my head. So: my solution is a new blog and write daily. And then print it for posterity.
Right now, the world is in the grips of a pandemic - the Coronavirus (or COVID-19). This is new territory for my generation and even for my parents' generation. Schools are shut down. Restaurants are shut down. Courts are shut down. We're being told do isolate ourselves ("social distance") in order to slow down the spread of this virus. 6 months ago, none of us would recognize the world we see now. Fights over toilet paper. People hoarding hand sanitizer and then marking up the price online. People bickering over which political party is at fault or is not doing enough. People claiming it's a conspiracy while others are fearful for their immuno-suppressed child. People panicking because there's no bread and no flour. People calling each other names either because they're not "socially distancing" themselves or because they're "too" socially distancing themselves. And politics. Man, the politics.
My school district officially shut down yesterday for the next 4 weeks. Suddenly, the world shifted even more. As a teacher, I have a responsibility to my students to ensure they are still learning. But many of them are now babysitting their younger siblings, earning money to support their family because others have lost jobs due to a city shut-down (both voluntary and involuntary). Some are afraid, some are not. Some have technology, some don't. Some are motivated to keep learning, some aren't. Some have parents who are forcing them to stick to a routine, some have parents who don't care about routine.
Meanwhile, I'm stuck at home. As an introvert, I'm absolutely fine. For now. My 65-pound rescue pit-lab mix is super happy that I'm home; he's taking advantage of the situation and getting all the snuggles he can. My husband has cabin fever already, but I'm hoping I can convince him to work on/in the back patio today (I'll help). The news continues to update with shut-downs, hour changes, etc. Currently there are 30 cases in Houston/Harris County area, but the first died yesterday. The news is also reporting that many people are carrying the virus without knowing it, and so the spreading of it might be more far-reaching than actually documented. I'm personally not worried about getting it. I do have asthma, but I have meds and I tend to not get sick that often. But I don't want to be the reason someone else has it.
My goal for today: start a routine.
I hope to try this routine this week:
* 5am: work out for an hour. Shower.
* 7:30am: Get online to check my class discussion boards and answer students' questions.
* 8:30-11am: Maybe work on distance learning techniques and/or give commentary on work turned in. Maybe clean my house. Depends on what I have to do.
* 11am: Skype meeting with my English team.
*11:30am: Check my class discussion boards again after the meeting.
*12-1pm: Take a walk and eat lunch
* 1-2pm: Read through my AP Research papers for class feedback.
* 2pm: Check my class discussion boards again, answer questions, look at work turned in. Disconnect around 2-3 and try to turn "work" off.
*3pm: Make a pot of tea and read my book.
* 4pm: Take another walk or clean the house (basically, get movement)
* 5pm: Read some more (must counterbalance screen time from my "work hours"
* 6pm: Cook dinner with husband. Eat.
* 7:30pm: Watch tv.
* 9pm: Bed.
My daily priorities: Work out/walk, drink lots of water, eat veggies, balance reading with screen time. Blog.
I titled this blog "Modern Day Pepys" because of the importance of that 17th century diarist, Samuel Pepys. Through him, we know more about society, about the ins and outs of 17th century life, of the Great Fire of London, of human nature in that time period. No other diarist has been as prolific and important as him, and journaling is somewhat of a lost art. I remember going through a set of archives years ago, researching the one individual. I was able to read letters she wrote and thought, "What are historians going to look at 100 years from now about today?" And so I started journaling more. Now, however, in the midst of what is happening, I feel that my hand-writing journaling isn't enough; that my hands will get tired and that I won't be able to write as much as I have thoughts in my head. So: my solution is a new blog and write daily. And then print it for posterity.
Right now, the world is in the grips of a pandemic - the Coronavirus (or COVID-19). This is new territory for my generation and even for my parents' generation. Schools are shut down. Restaurants are shut down. Courts are shut down. We're being told do isolate ourselves ("social distance") in order to slow down the spread of this virus. 6 months ago, none of us would recognize the world we see now. Fights over toilet paper. People hoarding hand sanitizer and then marking up the price online. People bickering over which political party is at fault or is not doing enough. People claiming it's a conspiracy while others are fearful for their immuno-suppressed child. People panicking because there's no bread and no flour. People calling each other names either because they're not "socially distancing" themselves or because they're "too" socially distancing themselves. And politics. Man, the politics.
My school district officially shut down yesterday for the next 4 weeks. Suddenly, the world shifted even more. As a teacher, I have a responsibility to my students to ensure they are still learning. But many of them are now babysitting their younger siblings, earning money to support their family because others have lost jobs due to a city shut-down (both voluntary and involuntary). Some are afraid, some are not. Some have technology, some don't. Some are motivated to keep learning, some aren't. Some have parents who are forcing them to stick to a routine, some have parents who don't care about routine.
Meanwhile, I'm stuck at home. As an introvert, I'm absolutely fine. For now. My 65-pound rescue pit-lab mix is super happy that I'm home; he's taking advantage of the situation and getting all the snuggles he can. My husband has cabin fever already, but I'm hoping I can convince him to work on/in the back patio today (I'll help). The news continues to update with shut-downs, hour changes, etc. Currently there are 30 cases in Houston/Harris County area, but the first died yesterday. The news is also reporting that many people are carrying the virus without knowing it, and so the spreading of it might be more far-reaching than actually documented. I'm personally not worried about getting it. I do have asthma, but I have meds and I tend to not get sick that often. But I don't want to be the reason someone else has it.
My goal for today: start a routine.
I hope to try this routine this week:
* 5am: work out for an hour. Shower.
* 7:30am: Get online to check my class discussion boards and answer students' questions.
* 8:30-11am: Maybe work on distance learning techniques and/or give commentary on work turned in. Maybe clean my house. Depends on what I have to do.
* 11am: Skype meeting with my English team.
*11:30am: Check my class discussion boards again after the meeting.
*12-1pm: Take a walk and eat lunch
* 1-2pm: Read through my AP Research papers for class feedback.
* 2pm: Check my class discussion boards again, answer questions, look at work turned in. Disconnect around 2-3 and try to turn "work" off.
*3pm: Make a pot of tea and read my book.
* 4pm: Take another walk or clean the house (basically, get movement)
* 5pm: Read some more (must counterbalance screen time from my "work hours"
* 6pm: Cook dinner with husband. Eat.
* 7:30pm: Watch tv.
* 9pm: Bed.
My daily priorities: Work out/walk, drink lots of water, eat veggies, balance reading with screen time. Blog.
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