We (Houston) just finished our 4th week of social distancing-turned-self-isolation.
28 days.
And we still have 3 weeks until school MAYBE opens.
Governor Abbott is going to released his plans for re-opening the state this week, and he said it will be done in phases and will hopefully begin the first week of May. If it's done in phases, I doubt schools will start. There is absolutely no way we can do social distancing or minimize groups when you're in a classroom with 25-30 other people. Truth be told, I'm a bit nervous about going back, and I'm thankful I'm a teacher. Thankful because even if we do go back, we'll be out again soon. Some worry that there will be a second wave in the summer, and maybe another wave in the fall. If that's the case, I might be able to wait out the second wave at home. I can practice social distancing without fear of losing my job. I feel for others, though, who rely on working face-to-face with people who don't have total respect for humankind all of the time. I especially feel bad for waiters, waitresses, baristas, store clerks. I've worked retail and restaurant, and sometimes customers are just assholes. I'm glad I left that life years ago to be a teacher.
I'm reading again. I've only finished 1 book while home, and in 28 days, I should've finished at least 4. I'm going to have to put one book on hold because it's just not moving fast enough (as much as I'm enjoying it), and I need books that keep my attention/focus. I'm reading a new one for a Quarantine Book Club (a former coworker made the club), and it's keeping my attention pretty well. I need to set a goal of one book per week (at least). I have the time - I need to just get over my anxiety, sit down, and freakin' read.
As of today, Harris County has 3,261 cases and only 40 deaths. 2 days ago they had 615 new cases in one day, and Judge Hidalgo and the Houston mayor spoke of how Reliant Park is getting transformed into an emergency field hospital if need be. Yesterday, New York City surpassed the deaths in other COUNTRIES. There are temporary mass graves until things slow down and proper funerals/burials can happen. Poor NY. I was hoping to take a trip there in the next year, but I don't think that will happen.
A friend of mine really wants to open the state back up - she's frustrated with rights being taken away (the right to assemble, the right to go to church). Her logic is, "If I'm going to get it, I'm going to get it. It doesn't matter to me if it's now or July." She said that she's in the at-risk category and her thoughts on death are the same - it's either now or later, but it'll happen. I'm not at that stage yet. I've had a few friends who had it - and survived - and they said it was just awful. As an asthmatic, I'd like to avoid it until the vaccines come out. I'd like to not die of a lung issue like both of my parents did.
But it's Easter. Husband and I are making an Easter brunch for two - steak, eggs, homemade brioche bread (yummmm), and non-alcoholic Bloody Marys (only because we don't have any vodka in the house). Maybe I can convince him to watch a Pixar movie - something fun and family-oriented.
And then it's just another day.
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