I for one began my week by showing up in person at my office, since the unspoken agreement at the time was to keep coming in until given explicit permission to transition to the "working remotely" model. (Although there had been LOTS of updates about what was happening with students--for faculty and staff? Crickets...).By Monday afternoon, however, my supervisor and I sat down for a conversation about that very thing, since the Powers That Be had finally succumbed to the inevitable, jumped on the bandwagon, and decided we should follow the current "social distancing" recommendations and avoid other humans as much as possible for the time being. So we drafted a plan by which I'll log in during my normal hours and be available via cell phone/Skype/email/etc. for 3 of my usual blocks, and spend one day physically on-site to catch up with whoever needs to touch base face-to-face.
I don't have to tell you that this was a HUGE relief, not only from the standpoint of doing my part to help slow the spread of the %#$@ virus...but also because of the tacit understanding that I 100% intend to take full advantage of being freed from the burdens of makeup...and confining professional clothing...until further notice. (To clarify: this does NOT mean I'll be performing my duties naked! Pajamas and/or workout gear will be the apparel of choice. It probably goes without saying...but I just wanted to short-circuit anyone's brain from going down that path!) Sure enough, the first day of the new regime I participated in a Zoom meeting in which most of us appeared a lot more...let's say casually put-together....than usual--but it was utterly delightful to see everyone's smiling faces, hear their voices...and enjoy whatever form of modified interaction is deemed safe and appropriate for the moment.
This is not to imply that there weren't tiny hiccups in the process, of course. Such as the fact that my "workspace" (as shown) lies in the spare bedroom, which is connected to our bonus room over the garage...aka the"Team WestEnders Gym"...where one individual ("Riley") incorporates the punching bag into his daily fitness activities. What, doesn't everyone have to be very careful to remain muted, due to the sounds of a simulated boxing match happening in the background? Fortunately my colleagues--some of whom were busy feeding/distracting/shushing/shooing away small children of their own during our chat--didn't even raise an eyebrow or comment...even when the sweaty teenager sheepishly snuck behind me to get to the shower after finishing his set. I mean, we're all doing our best to adapt during these wacky times, right folks?
As for the other denizens of our household, the boys' schedules have obviously undergone a cataclysmic transformation this month as the COVID story has unfolded. Riley is now halfway through his early-and-also-extended Spring Break, so he hasn't had to meet any school demands yet...although he tells me his APUSH teacher has been communicating with the class through some kind of video format every day, presumably to try to keep up with the content they're supposed to be covering during a normal academic period. And since he recently started his own job at a supermarket...and now finds himself with unexpected, extensive free time...he offered to pick up extra shifts to accommodate the general populace, who continue to freak the heck out over stockpiling enough groceries for the apocalypse. This made his employer super-happy--so they get willing labor, and Riley brings in more moolah...it's a weird win/win, but we can roll with it.
Meanwhile, Derek's status with UofSC went through several progressive steps as they tried to figure out the endgame...but finally seems to have solidified. You see, at first they announced they would be conducting classes online on a very temporary basis while they waited for all this to hopefully blow over soon. (Um...yeah, about that...) At that point, Derek was pushing to travel back to Columbia, arguing that he could go about his business by logging into his courses from his apartment or the student library facilities.
But then, the university moved to closing the campus for several weeks, which was absolutely the right thing to do, but also (on a selfish note) reinforced my claim that it would be better for him to stay here rather than try and navigate the crisis on his own 300 miles away. Given the new information, he grudgingly agreed that--without the rec center or places to study, and with limited dining options--there was "no reason for me to be there". (Yessss!)
This of course meant that he still had to make at least a brief jaunt back down, to pick up the textbooks and materials he'd need to complete his distance-learning assignments. So he lobbied for a compromise: drive down, get his supplies, and spend a little bit of time with his (small group of ) other Carolina buddies, since he wouldn't be seeing them for a while after that. (I know, I know, this isn't strictly playing by the rules, but we reiterated all of the anti-viral, pro-mega-hygiene precautions and procedures...and it felt like a relatively minor concession to make the best of a sucky situation.)
Aaaand, wouldn't you know...seemingly right on the heels of THAT dust settling, they turned around and--following the lead of so many colleges around the country--shut it down for the remainder of the Spring semester. So his excursion expanded from "grab my school stuff and hang out with the guys for a while" into "and also vacate my off-campus apartment and return home 2 months ahead of schedule". (Siiighhhh....don't get me wrong, I'm grateful to have him back...but also soooo disappointed for him--and all the other kids whose lives are being disrupted right now, in myriad ways...)
Even with the prevailing atmosphere of "stay home" and "everything's canceled", people are trying to maintain some semblance of routine. Such as the weekly running group I attend on a regular basis, who suspended the "exercising together" portion of the program, but encouraged everyone to go for their own solo jog and post photos on social media so we could give each other a virtual shoutout. Or when Derek and I mutually agreed it was high time to re-watch Frozen 2--since Disney had so graciously gone ahead and released it for streaming--so we could cheer ourselves up with some high-quality singing princess content to combat these dark and scary times.
And finally, I'm thrilled to report that one issue which had me extremely tense and upset for the past week or so has been resolved in a satisfactory fashion. I'm referring of course to the Great Toilet Paper Hoarding scandal. Lest you believe I'm exaggerating (perish the thought) I swear I was checking multiple types of stores every day, besides scouring the interwebs, and coming up with nada.It got to the point that I would feel my stress levels rising as I simply walked into the front door of an establishment, before the bare shelves brought me to a screeching halt yet again, and I was forced to shuffle away in defeat. But at long last, once some of the furor had died down, I concocted what I prayed was a foolproof scheme: I'd roll out of bed one morning, throw on some sweats, and rush straight to Target. The desperate wish was that they would have restocked overnight, and that I'd beat the bathroom-tissue-starved crowds by showing up so early.
And whattya know...SUCCESS. I was able to lay hands on not only the aforementioned mega-important personal care item, but also paper towels and hand soap, which I'd previously struck out on as well. Plus, they have a Starbucks, so I was able to reward myself with a delicious iced beverage in celebration of my hard-earned victory...and all before 9 a.m. And if my...household goods triumph....isn't a fitting metaphor for the bizarre state of our planet at the moment, well, I don't know what is. On that note, be safe and well, mis amigos. Let's keep watching out for each other...and facing this whole ball of nonsense one conference call/online meetup/cup of coffee/day at a time...
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