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!