Stay Safe and Be Well

I’ve ended most email messages sent over the past two weeks with “Stay safe and be well.” It was the most natural thing I could think of replace my standard “Make it a great day,” which, of course, felt tone-deaf and not remotely appropriate in our new normal.

COVID-19 has changed our lives forever. Sure, some can’t comprehend that truth, but we are going to be away from our offices and social gathering spots for quite some time, and we can’t know what is around the next corner.

I’ve stopped and started posts numerous times. Choosing to write in my private journal instead so that years from now, a grandchild might read my words and get a personal connection to what was going on during these times that they had only experienced through VR and the deluge of live streams created during these days.

Words are essential for history, though, so I felt compelled to dump some thoughts here. For myself, perhaps for others, but for history.

Virtual teaching is going okay so far. I’m holding live lectures one day a week, and I’ve made it clear to my students that they don’t have to attend them live for any reason. But, I felt it was important to give structure to those that craved it. I was surprised to see in one class that I had students from Arizona to Finland to Mumbai, all in attendance. They all might have thought it was goofy, but seeing their faces again warmed my heart. Even the one who passed out and slept through the entire class gave me a needed smile.

This is hard for the students. I’ve talked to many of them, and each is having to battle with all that is going on around them AND trying to focus on writing papers, doing homework and getting good grades for the semester. I’m proud of what Wheaton is doing for our students to make it bearable and hope other schools at all levels are doing all they can to help.

Last week, I took part in an event called #VirtualAustin that brought together a variety of speakers. Amid a global pandemic, I couldn’t feel right with giving tactical advice, so I chose to focus on humanity and stressed to everyone not to forget empathy and compassion right now. Of course, my computer locked up and crashed right in the middle, and I had to call an audible and quickly switch to my phone, but in the end, it all worked out. You can watch my talk below:

Dylan arrived home late Monday night. My heart still isn’t complete, but it was a big step closer.

Having him home changes some things. There is now one more person to be concerned about, provide for, and interact with. We set up a dedicated space for him in Laura’s office so that he can work, play, and learn there. I’m not sure he is happy about our ability to check in on how his homework is going and waking him up to make sure he gets to class on time. But, I know he appreciates the home-cooked meals and more than just a dorm room to move around in.

I try to find anything I can do to keep me focused away from what is going on. Before this is done, every one of us is going to know someone infected. So far, I only know one person, but I expect that number to rise.

To keep my sanity, I need to do things. Lately, that has been focused on making sure that there is a warm meal and a cold beverage ready when Laura walks through the door. I need more, though, as there are too many hours in a day.

I was allowed to liberate a 3D printer from our maker space at school. It was missing a vital part that I thankfully found an American company that does their own shipping (Amazon is backed up), so it should be here soon. I want to learn more about digital fabrication, and I know it will help my students to understand it better. Plus, I’ve always wanted to play more with these, so it is sitting next to my desk, and soon, I’ll be able to begin working with it. Once I get it figured out, I think I have to start by printing a Scura.

I wish I were set up to help with printing needed PPE for our healthcare workers, but I’m not, and the supplies are hard to come by these days. Thankfully the Maker community has stepped up and is doing amazing things with what they’ve got.

My coping is focused on each day and trying not to think about the extended future. I know for the moment that I will be teaching online for the rest of the semester. I know that we won’t be going to Arizona for Dylan’s graduation in May. I know that our pantries are stocked, and I try only to go out once or twice a week to get fresh necessities and remain at home the rest of the time.

Cutting down on news consumption helps greatly. For some reason, it has been near impossible for me to play games, read books or watch shows on my own. The urge isn’t there, and that is a complete 180 degrees for me that I can’t explain.

My prime directive is to help. Even when it is the smallest of things, if it helps, I try to do it. That has been helping me get through all this. I am talking directly with students. Using my photography to create virtual backgrounds for fellow Faculty members. Considering firing up the microphone and recording some homefry goodness. All little things. All help me if they help others.

If you are reading this, I hope that you are healthy. I hope the ones around you are as well. I hope that in the weeks and months ahead that we can still come together and support each other rather than tearing apart at the seams. I hope that decades from now, we can look back on 2020 as a whole, and it isn’t as bad as it feels right now.

No one knows what the future holds. We’ve never been promised tomorrow.

These days that truth is more evident than ever.

Stay safe and be well.