A Journal of the Plague Year, Part the Tenth - Notes from Lockdown

1. We’re still doing pretty well here in lockdown.  Everybody's well so far, and we haven't gone full Lord of the Flies yet.  It’s nice to be able to get out once in a while and do socially-distant things now and then, but mostly we’re staying home and doing our things.

2. Tonight we ordered take-out from one of the local restaurants because it’s nice to have take-out food now and then and our local restaurants really need the business.  A lot of small businesses are not going to survive this pandemic even if everyone involved stays healthy, and since we have reached the point in our lives where we can spring for take-out now and then it’s a good thing to do.  I like these places.  I want them to be there.

3. Somewhere in Lauren’s travels before returning to Our Little Town last month she picked up a Buffalo nickel.  I don’t remember the last time I saw one of those in the wild.  It’s actually in pretty nice condition – if you know anything at all about Buffalo nickels you know that the design was particularly susceptible to wear – and I looked it up on eBay to see what it was worth.  It might buy a fast food lunch, if you’re not extravagant, but really – it’s just cool in itself.

4. One of my favorite old jokes concerns a flood.  The waters are rising, the rain is lashing down, and an old man finds himself on the roof of his home.  A devoutly religious man, he comforts himself with prayer.  Eventually a boat comes by and the guy in it tells him to get in so he can rescue the man.  “No, my son,” he says.  “I have been a good and faithful servant of my Lord and the Lord will provide.”  So the boat goes away.  A few hours later a second boat comes by and the scene repeats.  A third boat follows not long after.  And then the man drowns. Righteously angry, the man barges past St. Peter and corners Jesus in a nearby field.  “I was a good and faithful servant and I placed my trust in you and you abandoned me!” he cries.  “Give me a break, pal,” says Jesus.  “I sent you three boats.”  I’m not sure why this joke has been running through my mind of late.

5. Attention dog owners: nobody wants to listen to your stupid mutt and if you could keep it on your own property for a change that would be good.  Seriously.  Control your animal or get rid of it.

6. We’ve been back in session down at Home Campus for almost a week now and so far it’s been an adventure.  I’ve held advising sessions by telephone, email, Webex, and FaceTime in the last few days, but it’s getting done.  I’m actually getting pretty good at Webex.  The things you learn.

7. My fun diversion for the lockdown has been listening in on the music education livestream videos that Voces8 is putting out.  I’ve learned a great many new things, and remembered a couple of old ones from back in my choir days. 

8. My other fun diversion has been Zoom calls with family and friends.  We’ve had a couple of them with my side of the family and one with Kim’s side of the family so far, and I’ve got a regular appointment for one with my UCF friends – the online group that I found about a decade ago (note the purple and black logo to the left).  The fascinating part about the UCF calls is that I’ve met rather less than half of that group in person, so it’s been fun talking with them in real time.  And Fran joins us for the calls with my side of the family.  Honestly, in some ways I’m probably getting more social interaction now than I usually do. 

 9. I am getting far less reading and general-project-working done than I thought I would, though.  The joy of online teaching.  On the plus side I’m still employed, and I’m deeply grateful for that.

10. Stay safe, people.  Stay home.  It’s going to get worse before it gets better and it won’t get better for a long time, but we can keep things from going completely off the rails if we work together.