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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

JCC Coronavirus Escape Pod (Vent/Emotional Support/Share/Homeschool Help!))

Discussion in 'Community' started by Luke02, Mar 20, 2020.

  1. A Chorus of Disapproval

    A Chorus of Disapproval Head Admin & TV Screaming Service star 10 Staff Member Administrator

    Registered:
    Aug 19, 2003
    Tomorrow is our household's first ever "completely of her own choosing" e-schooling. When it was put upon us last year it became rapidly apparent that it was the ideal learning platform so we enrolled for this to be the new norm. With a beta test period of half a school year with the option of reinstatement into the brick and mortar school if this suddenly implodes.

    Her krav maga classes are starting back up and she has been actively playing football (soccer, plebs) at the park so her phys ed is accounted for.

    Our governor has been one of the strictest throughout all of this so we are trusting that if specific activities are clear to reinstitute that we can ease back into them, with precautions.
     
  2. Runjedirun

    Runjedirun Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Sep 3, 2012
    Virtual learning went really well here yesterday. The schools have done a really good job, as promised. Technology worked, kids were present and learning. Not sure how it will work out when I am back at work, tomorrow! At least in my house.

    Talked to lots of teacher's in my neighborhood last night. They were also pleasantly surprised by the first day, but they all think this will be a year long virtual year. No one sees us getting back safely :( Sad face because this situation really sucks for the kids. Socialization is important and more learning would happen in buildings, but under the circumstances it was a really good start :)
     
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  3. Obi Anne

    Obi Anne Celebration Mistress of Ceremonies star 8 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 4, 1998
    So today at the coffee break at work I got so frustrated with some people. We were discussing working from home and how studies have shown that a lot of people work more efficiently from home than when they are at the office. It was so obvious that the people talking about this were totally oblivious to their own privilege. I tried to bring up that it's probably very efficient to work from home - if you have a house or an apartment that is big enough that you can set up dedicated workspace, and you don't have any young children around to disturb you. They didn't even listen to what I had to say.One of the people discussing it calls herself socialist and is woke with all the right opinions, but this was such a "let them eat cake" moment that I just felt that it was impossible to discuss the issue.
     
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  4. Runjedirun

    Runjedirun Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Sep 3, 2012
    What are the things that happen when there's a worldwide Pandemic?
    1) A table in your house now has a basket for clean face masks (I'm currently using one of those plastic trik-or-treat jack-o-lanterns for all our clean ready to use masks).
    2) A goody bag given to kids includes a face mask and hand sanitizer.

    Anyone want to play along and add to the list?
     
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  5. anakinfansince1983

    anakinfansince1983 Skywalker Saga/LFL/YJCC Manager star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Mar 4, 2011
    Box of paper masks and gallon of hand sanitizer on the kitchen counter.

    Every Friday, cloth masks go in the washing machine on the hand wash/wool cycle and then air dry.

    I look for book-themed masks online.
     
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  6. Luke02

    Luke02 Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Sep 19, 2002
    What can happen on a zoom call with a parent (this was earlier today):

    "Good Morning Ms. X, thanks for meeting with me this morning" - Me
    "You are very welcome and sorry I am just finishing up putting on my makeup as my daughter said you were cute...and she was right!" - Parent
    "Oh well ummmmmm no trouble at all...*flashes my wedding ring as I begin to talk about how her daughter is doing in class" - Me

    I mean seriously can we just have this pandemic end so I don't have awkward conservations like this! I mean this is the second one I had the past few days I had a awkward convservation as my BFF got royally drunk on Saturday Night and admitted he has been crushing on Tiff (my wife) for months now as he admitted to missing watching her workout during the morning with his wife as part of the neighborhood mommy workout group. That one I took more in stride as I always known he likes how my wife looks (cannot blame him obviously) as ironically she is more looks wise his time since my wife has dark brown hair with blue eyes which he is always been attracted to even though his wife has blonde hair and brown eyes. That one I took in stride as he said stuff like that in the past but it was still funny when he call the next morning wondering if he said all that. I just laughed and said you did but don't worry as I already knew. :)

    And SP did what is so far the best interpenetration of what zoom learning is like:

     
    Last edited: Oct 5, 2020
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  7. Obi Anne

    Obi Anne Celebration Mistress of Ceremonies star 8 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 4, 1998
    Today I definitely feel down, like I can't see an end to the pandemic and when it will be possible to plan for events and activities again. :(
     
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  8. LAJ_FETT

    LAJ_FETT Tech Admin (2007-2023) - She Held Us Together star 10 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    May 25, 2002
    News has been talking about tighter restrictions in parts of England being announced next week. I doubt it will affect my area but it might affect parts of London as well as areas in the north of England.
     
    Last edited: Oct 8, 2020
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  9. Fifi Kenobi

    Fifi Kenobi Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 13, 2019
    I'm sorry you feel down. This is a marathon, it will end - gradually. One day you will look back at this time, it will pass. :)
     
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  10. Runjedirun

    Runjedirun Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Sep 3, 2012
    So about 2 weeks ago we got news my autistic 2nd grader would go back on Oct. 19. I hated the idea, I am so afraid of any of us getting sick and these special ed kids do not keep their hands to themselves. But if I refuse to send him in he has to get another teacher, so I slowly warmed up to it and they changed it to Oct. 26. Now cases are rising everywhere again even here and gosh I hope they change their minds. My kid is doing really good online and I don't want to have to change his schedule and most likely change back when a case pops up. What these kids need is a regular schedule let's make sure we know it's safe before school goes back for anyone. Please.

    Also I live streamed 3 Hanson concerts this weekend. For the record I hated that Hanson was doing this, they invited 45 tables of 4 people to join the show, you had to be a paying fan club member so I qualify, but I never thought about going. I can't trust people here in Fairfax VA to wear masks in public why would I trust people in Tulsa Oklahoma especially people willing to travel. Anyway Hanson had a huge piece of plexi-glass in front of the stage between them and the audience, hopefully that protects them, because the masks were not enforced in the venue. But they were supposed to be required if you weren't eating or drinking. There were some audience shots and I didn't see many masks. I really love Cains Ballroom and I know they need the business I just wish they'd enforce the rules. Gosh I miss concerts especially Cains, if your a Hanson fan or from Tulsa you would understand. Let's see if @Rogue1-and-a-half wants to back me up. (sorry if you say your from or living in Tulsa, I remember)

    The concerts helped a little bit, but mostly they made me miss live shows more.
     
    Last edited: Oct 11, 2020
  11. Rogue1-and-a-half

    Rogue1-and-a-half Manager Emeritus who is writing his masterpiece star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Nov 2, 2000
    Yeah, yeah, yeah, Cains! Classic venue. I saw Hanson was doing that livestream thing, but I didn't go. It would be a shame for the Cains to go under; surely some of the deep pockets here in Tulsa wouldn't let that happen. I have been back to the Circle Cinema to see a movie (I was the only one in the theater, so I felt safe) because I really want that place to stick around too. Of course, they've never been fully self-funded, but every little bit helps, I reckon. Be a shame to lose some of these historic and important artistic venues. Hopefully next year maybe I can actually get back to Cains. I have to say that this shutdown has made me really, really want to go, so as soon as things are genuinely safe I will definitely be going. I've never been as big on concerts as on a lot of other artistic events, but I am really itching to get to Cains these days. Only when safe though.
     
    Last edited: Oct 12, 2020
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  12. Jedi Knight Fett

    Jedi Knight Fett Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Feb 18, 2014
    This is the way to look at it just look back at stuff like the 1918 pandemic. We eventually went back to normal. These things just take time. Most experts think we’ll be back by Q4 2021 and likely many activities will resume before that in 2021
     
  13. Obi Anne

    Obi Anne Celebration Mistress of Ceremonies star 8 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 4, 1998
    My issue is that I had a very important thing for me coming up in November, we are talking about a thing that I had thought about since I was a kid and realised that it would happen. Of course now it's clear that it's not going to happen as planned and I need to readjust to it, but it is like going through a grieving process for missing out on this thing. At the same time just seeing the second wave getting stronger and stronger has really left me quite down.
     
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  14. Fifi Kenobi

    Fifi Kenobi Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 13, 2019
    That's understandable. It's hard to put the Pandemic in the back of your mind when long planned milestones are cancelled or postponed. I'm sorry. It does suck.
     
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  15. Obi Anne

    Obi Anne Celebration Mistress of Ceremonies star 8 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 4, 1998
    Thank you. :) It helps to get it off my chest. It's really a silly thing when compared to what other people are going through, but it still affects me.
     
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  16. Runjedirun

    Runjedirun Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Sep 3, 2012
    PE during a pandemic will get this video a youtube view at least twice a week in my house:

     
    Last edited: Oct 15, 2020
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  17. Luke02

    Luke02 Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Sep 19, 2002
    Don't feel like you @Obi Anne you are struggling with this, not at all. The past two weeks have been well rough. Last week was supposed to been homecoming week and it was absolutely depressing here. Our spirit team went beyond the call of duty to try and cheer everyone up which did work some (we decorated the outside of the school including by the football field and in return the students left chalk messages to us in the parking lot, we also had a food truck on Friday which was a nice change of pace) but by Friday afternoon we were all in groups (both on line and in person) testing out how hybrid would work when we should been in the gym for the homecoming pep assembly you could just everyone was just feeling so blue. Then Friday night instead of being in the press box helping out for the game, I was at home with my family which was nice but then once I got very melancholy. And then got worse when us coaching staff zoomed together for a few minutes and our head coach began to tear up wondering when will ever get to experience that again. We know we but the odds of playing in the spring as planned seem really remote and I think even a fall season is in jeopardy right now unless things change drastically better soon. Then Saturday afternoon was good (quality time with the family on a nice day) but then the evening hurt since my wife and I were schedule to chaperone the dance it's her twenty five year reunion from high school and their party was supposed to been tomorrow night. So she wanted to buy a nice dress for both so the homecoming dance at my school was supposed to kick her off reunion week culminating in their reunion party. Again both got cancelled which was a huge gut punched since we were looking forward to it for over a year and my wife was even helping with her high school reunion plans. The only salvation is that the homecoming king and queen are dating therefore her parents had a little dance for them in the backyard. We (my wife and I) along with a few other staff members got dressed up and showed up (their parents invited us and my parents came over to watch our kids while we were gone) and were able to watch at least them dance and had a few laughs. The kids were honestly crying we should up so that again was hard to watch.

    Then this week we been going thru our hybrid plan will work and despite the best of the best efforts of our administration...it's well just a mess. Just a mess. There is no way to really do this properly and honestly the whole thing has to be such a military drill (we even have circles on the walls in the hallways so students know where they can sit or stand while social distancing) it will be really hard to concentrate on school. Plus too it's impossible to have two lesson plans like the Board of Education here suggested therefore myself and many others are simply going to have everyone on zoom for much of it regardless and when we break into groups, will have the kids at home be in breakout rooms while the kids in person can work together. Myself and a few others simulated what it be like to have kids in the classroom work with the kids on zoom and it was absolutely horrible. Kids in person working together separate from the kids on Zoom was so much more orderly and flowed better. I know they want us to try and have them mix to have a "full classroom experience" but it does not work well. And all of this effort we been doing (including having an entire institute day for it) might be for it as cases have skyrocketed here (Illinois) and the drumming around the governor's office is he going to send all the kids home in mid-November until the end of the year as a way to get the numbers down hopefully especially since we have two breaks (Thanksgiving and Christmas) anyway so those are weeks the kids are not here anyway so class time lost will be minimum. Plus we don't even have finals this year so come the end of the year it will be really about trying to get the books squared out and make sure we completed everything we needed to.


    Again all of that just sucks...and I did not even mention this was supposed to been my 20 year reunion from college this weekend! And it looked like it was going to be the first time since graduation my entire "group" from college was able get together again. But that obviously got cancelled as well. They are doing "virtual" stuff all week including a virtual reunion but I really not bothering with it. My college friends and I are trying to find another weekend to zoom together. Doing this weekend felt just blah. So yeah it's been two weeks of gut punches. Thank God for my wife. She is a rock beyond rock. I don't know what I do without her!
     
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  18. Jedi Ben

    Jedi Ben Chosen One star 9

    Registered:
    Jul 19, 1999
    That feels about right. Can't put my finger on exactly what but yeah, these last two weeks have felt harder. Combination of government incapability combined with coivid's resurgence and too many people not caring about it? That fits.

    One boost is Inspector Montalbano is back on BBC4, those are always good in Autumn. Then, next Friday, The Last Leg is back on, which is an excellent addition to any coping strategy.
     
  19. Runjedirun

    Runjedirun Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Sep 3, 2012
    My 2nd grader is set to return to school in one week. Safety measures sound good, but school sounds no fun with safety measures. My son is looking forward to pancakes, hamburgers and chicken nuggets!

    The hardest part on me is this 7yr old keeps talking about 21 and how things will be new in 21. He's talking about 2021 and I am so tired of being the bearer of bad news. I don't think 2021 is going to be much better. Ugh
     
  20. Jedi Ben

    Jedi Ben Chosen One star 9

    Registered:
    Jul 19, 1999
    2021 may be better in two respects. The spectre of Brexit and no-deal lessens and no Trump, but it's a very bumpy ride to get there over the next two months.
     
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  21. Pensivia

    Pensivia Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Apr 24, 2013
    I really wonder how far into 2021 we'll have to get before it seems like there will be significant changes for the better in terms of the pandemic. Let's hope at least by Aug/Sept 2021 that we can have a somewhat more normal school year for both K-12 and colleges!
     
  22. Runjedirun

    Runjedirun Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Sep 3, 2012
    One of the things Dr Fauci said on 60 minutes overtime this weekend was that he expects us to be right where we are now next year 3rd and 4th quarter. Even with a vaccine developed by Spring it won't be widely distributed by next fall. Maybe Spring 2022 is our earliest hope. That's what I gathered and that's only if we vote in a better administration. If we keep this president, well I don't want to think about that.
     
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  23. Pensivia

    Pensivia Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Apr 24, 2013
    Yeah I just saw that Fauci "overtime" piece this evening. If people have "pandemic fatigue" now, I can only imagine what those levels will be like by next summer...
     
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  24. Runjedirun

    Runjedirun Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Sep 3, 2012
    I want to add I think the rate of infections, deaths, hospitalizations will be down. Social distancing and mask wearing will still be in place. So probably hybrid school.
     
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  25. solojones

    solojones Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Sep 27, 2000
    I don't know about elsewhere, but in Missouri the official plan is to have the vaccine available to the general public in April.

    I didn't wind up going to Florida. My back isn't healed enough. So now the plan is to go the week after Thanksgiving.