I find that one of the few pleasures of this time is reading. I am reading more than usual, but with no children to chase around, I have more time than many other people. For me it is submersion. The…
observer
Creativity, Courage, and Resilience
We took a trip to DC yesterday and it is interesting to see how differently various localities are treating mask wearing. In Washington, every person on the street had a mask on. This is because of an order from the…
Which Crisis?
I am carrying on with the daily chores of life, although with a little more care and trepidation than a few weeks ago. So many students are infected but have stayed in town, so I am trying to avoid running…
The Strain of These Times
The university started classes last Wednesday. Last night (Tuesday, less than a week later), we got the message that the university is reverting to online classes after 513 active cases of covid have been recorded among the student body. Totally…
Numbers
It is so difficult to interpret virus numbers lately. For example, the JMU Dashboard says 15 students have reported positive covid tests to the health center since July 1, but then another box says 107 students have reported positive cases…
Classes starting
“The wilderness reminds us that we humans are temporary custodians of lands held in trust for future generations. Wild places accentuate geological time, reassuring us that present crises will pass — but also impressing upon us the need to address…
Upside down
Here is a snapshot of what is happening today. Food prices are going up for the six straight month. Trump says virus "will go away like things go away," but that does not seem to be happening. Fifteen states have…
Challenged but content
This past weekend, I went up to DC today to visit my 93-year-old mother. Her assisted living home has been shut down to outsiders in order to protect the six residents and their caretakers, but they recently started allowing two…
One thing missing
Walking from the bedroom to the kitchen, I had one of those revelations that you have at mundane moments. I thought about how comfortable we are compared to so many others. Our kids are grown and employed, so we don't…
Why documenting this year is so important
From New York Times: This Year Will End Eventually. Document It While You Can. Museums are working overtime to collect artifacts and ephemera from the pandemic and the racial justice movement — and they need your help. By Lesley M.…
