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WMass pandemic
Mar. 12th, 2020 10:10 amyesterday was mostly a series of things being cancelled
PV Ballet, which I was expecting - I got email to stop work, and bill for whatever was done
UMass actually made plans for starting to teach everything online after break
I both emailed and texted N encouraging her to think about being here, or somewhere that was not UMass for the duration
I am wondering what is going to happen with and for the seniors?? Paul didn't miss much of a semester this time.
The spelling bee for NEF, which means my team meeting last night was also cancelled
Al started working from home, and that is weird. like seriously weird, and it is hard to decide how to cope. I spent a lot of my time in my studio, and I can see how this will turn into a hugely productive time for me if I keep out of his way during the working part of the day. I could do worse than to keep busy that way, and keep on experimenting with the ideas I was having around printing and embroidery. I have all the stuff I need, and if I constrain the project to the stuff I have on hand, that will be workable, and likely interesting. I am guessing the Zea Mays class might also be postponed but it is hard to tell.
The generalized series of missives from the entity in question goes
Beyond all that is the mental stuff, watching a series of dominos dropping, and, interestingly, watching Al be right about his preparations and his paranoia and being moderately graceful about it. Even M and B, both professors themselves, were wondering in an email chain if Al was right about his level of paranoia. They are comparing notes on how UMass is planning on keeping students safe by emulating Smith and Amherst, and Mt Holyoke (and likely Hampshire, all six students) and what Mass Maritime is doing to keep the seniors, in particular, on track to finish their certifications and tests.
The local schools are still running. If I understand the pathology of the virus, kids tend to shake it off, but they give it to the adults who suffer more, and those adults take it home to their aged parents who die of it. Which is a strong argument for closing schools, but a less strong reason to deny the kids who rely on the schools for one or two meals a day their meals and company.
This virus is showing us a lot of the dysfunction of our current society, innit? Stuff we knew in the abstract was going to bite us eventually? It seems like eventually has arrived.
If I look into the future, I see a lost year - which really sucks - where the main goal is to keep everything moving as long as possible and minimize the impact on the health care system.
PV Ballet, which I was expecting - I got email to stop work, and bill for whatever was done
UMass actually made plans for starting to teach everything online after break
I both emailed and texted N encouraging her to think about being here, or somewhere that was not UMass for the duration
I am wondering what is going to happen with and for the seniors?? Paul didn't miss much of a semester this time.
The spelling bee for NEF, which means my team meeting last night was also cancelled
Al started working from home, and that is weird. like seriously weird, and it is hard to decide how to cope. I spent a lot of my time in my studio, and I can see how this will turn into a hugely productive time for me if I keep out of his way during the working part of the day. I could do worse than to keep busy that way, and keep on experimenting with the ideas I was having around printing and embroidery. I have all the stuff I need, and if I constrain the project to the stuff I have on hand, that will be workable, and likely interesting. I am guessing the Zea Mays class might also be postponed but it is hard to tell.
The generalized series of missives from the entity in question goes
1. we are monitoring the situation, right now it is far away
2. it is getting closer, we are taking the following precautions (mostly disinfecting surfaces)
3. (holy shit we failed to think about something)(new guidelines)
4. so - safer to stay where you are, we're cancelled
5. ummm, about finances, refunds, scheduling for later, etc. we're still figuring that stuff out, K?
2. it is getting closer, we are taking the following precautions (mostly disinfecting surfaces)
3. (holy shit we failed to think about something)(new guidelines)
4. so - safer to stay where you are, we're cancelled
5. ummm, about finances, refunds, scheduling for later, etc. we're still figuring that stuff out, K?
Beyond all that is the mental stuff, watching a series of dominos dropping, and, interestingly, watching Al be right about his preparations and his paranoia and being moderately graceful about it. Even M and B, both professors themselves, were wondering in an email chain if Al was right about his level of paranoia. They are comparing notes on how UMass is planning on keeping students safe by emulating Smith and Amherst, and Mt Holyoke (and likely Hampshire, all six students) and what Mass Maritime is doing to keep the seniors, in particular, on track to finish their certifications and tests.
The local schools are still running. If I understand the pathology of the virus, kids tend to shake it off, but they give it to the adults who suffer more, and those adults take it home to their aged parents who die of it. Which is a strong argument for closing schools, but a less strong reason to deny the kids who rely on the schools for one or two meals a day their meals and company.
This virus is showing us a lot of the dysfunction of our current society, innit? Stuff we knew in the abstract was going to bite us eventually? It seems like eventually has arrived.
If I look into the future, I see a lost year - which really sucks - where the main goal is to keep everything moving as long as possible and minimize the impact on the health care system.
