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

My cat's hiding.

Stupid firework loving idiots in the neighborhood.

 

We are some of those, but my parents' dog LOVES fireworks. She is outside with her tail wagging watching them with joy like a little kid. Weirdo.

My sensible dog and I are sitting inside to watch because my asthma is acting up.

 

Yesterday was really hard for me. Every year I take my kids to a parade in the hottest sun you'd ever know and in the evening we go to fireworks. For the best reason ever, not to spread a virus, there were no professional fireworks yesterday. I drove through McDonalds early and got my kids breakfast. I won't eat anything at McDonalds so I got a latte at Starbucks (also drive thru). I came home and was delighted to hear their happy reactions to breakfast. My little one actually reminded me there was no parade this year. We went out in the backyard by his pool and he realized it's pretty small. He actually complained. I feel bad because I would have ordered a bigger one if I hadn't been so tired and stressed when I made the order. To my defense we'd just gotten home from my mom's house after my dad passing, but I really should have noticed how small the pool was before I hit order and paid for it. Now I just don't want to have to buy another one. Plus throwing this one out would be wasteful and yes I am way too lazy and embarrassed to ask around if anyone wants the small one. We are just going to hopefully deal with the small one. I survived most of the day, I did my big puzzle, took two walks in the heat, called my mom. But then it started getting dark. Every year since my oldest son wasn't under 2 I have been to big firework shows. I took off those two years because it didn't seem practical with an infant or 1 year old. But as soon as I could tell him where we were going and he might enjoy part of it, we were there. My dad he took me down to the national mall and even though my eldest is old enough now I haven't been interested in anything DC or America since 2016 so we've just been doing local shows. Anyway it tore me up inside that there's no fireworks this year. I convinced my youngest son to ride around in the car with me and we pulled over every time we could to catch a decent backyard show. I missed the crowds though and the traffic and I'm still feeling really sad inside. I don't know how to replace being in crowds. Sitting alone doing a puzzle or going for walks, even with friends or running or eating chocolate does not replace being one of thousands of people experiencing the same live event at the same moment. And that is my vent on the 5th of July.

 

Thank you @DarthTunick as I hope essential workers like yourself continue to get better pay/benefits and appreciation AFTER this ends. We need to reward more to those who work hard.

Our neighborhood fireworks @Juliet316 went on to 11 PM but really died out after that. They were quite a few people shooting them off but it wasn't a big deal. What startled us was that their was a firework show a few towns over that we had no clue about (apparently it was a "social distancing" firework show which I have no clue how they did that) therefore we heard that for nearly an hour. Ourselves and neighbors went out on our deck as you can just catch glimpses of them so we did get to see fireworks on Fourth of July

And sorry @Runjedirun if you had a bummer of a holiday though I hope you enjoyed it for what it is. I think that is most people did. I think by now you realize I am not a crowd person but what bummed us out our boys were not in the annual Fourth of July parade due to baseball. They were bummed too as well. Really bummed. But we tried to make the best of the day as it was. My in laws and parents came over around noon and we made sandwiches using Jimmy John's bread (their bread is not day old bread, it's just the tag they use to sell it therefore we just buy a few loafs for a few bucks and get meat/cheese/veggies from the store - save us a fortune and IMHO teaches the kids the value of eating at home) before my brother came over with his family. Then a group of us (myself, my boys, my brother and dad) went golfing while everyone else stayed back (my father in law had shoulder surgery in February therefore still cannot play) before coming home so the kids could cool off using the slip n slide (we had a tourney) while I grilled. Had a small bonfire in the back so we I mean the kids could make smores and then everyone started to head out around 9:30 PM right when the fireworks started ironically from that one town who had them this year. We did a few celebrating America the past few days stuff mostly I show the boys how a bill is passed which we discussed along with the importance of voting (which if you were ever my student, you will get sick of me talking about since that is the issue I get perhaps on the soapbox the most for...GO OUT AND VOTE!) and then all the kids watch the Charlie Brown 4th of July cartoon. This morning we went to play tennis after breakfast (my daughter loves being the ball girl) and then took a walk before coming home and quite frankly needing all showers again since it was that hot and humid this morning. It's actually a bit cooler now since the humidity dropped.

Today is really just a veg day otherwise. Both my wife and I have really big weeks at work as not only our zoom call for our school will work this upcoming term but we are starting to find out how sports is going to work or if they even can. Meanwhile my wife will be in the office quite a bit this week since we are going to be gone for a week later this month to Galena plus they are going to have a social distancing kindergarten graduation on Wednesday this week (it was already schedule for Friday but it supposed to rain all day on Friday so they move it up by two days). Three different ceremonies. Only way to really do it and have the numbers work but at least it's something. The kids apparently are over the moon and so are the parents so it hopefully it works. Weather is supposed to be sunny and hot yet again. That has been the entire summer weather so far. Hot and sunny. Last year it was cold and rainy until after July 4th. This year. Sunny and hot with not a POOL OPEN ANYWHERE. There is talk they might open the splash pad not too far from us. If does open and it's not crowded in the morning, we might take the kids there just to cool off though the boys are starting to become as my wife says "little men" so they might not want to come. They just got GizmoWatches from each of their grandparents as a gift but also so we can keep tabs on them as they are starting to ride their bikes around the neighborhood without us. Now granted it is just to their friends house (who are apart of our COVID circle) but still it's nice to have tabs on them and it is something they can use as they get older. I told my wife don't be surprised by next year they will go to Starbucks and the local pizza shop especially if they find out a cute girl or something is there. She said she isn't ready for that. I told them to get prepared.

But yes today is just a veg day. Reading my books (I am engulf in my current one which is good since I got two at the library I need to pick up tomorrow) watch a bit of golf and just relax. Hope everyone has a good rest to their holiday weekend. Hopefully the fireworks aren't too loud or long tonight!

 

The 4th would have been more tolerable for us if we had people to spend it with. Eh, we don't live close to family and I'm still isolating from the neighbors for 5 more days due to the funeral. We had really sucky circumstances, what can I say. At least it's over and hopefully I can stop by my office on Friday.

My mom says the schools in Henrico County VA (just outside of Richmond) have also announced only going back 2 days per week. Going to be one heck of an interesting year, remember when we thought this would be a few months? Honestly I'm so over this. I doubt even next summer there will be travel. Not even going to mention how much I miss travel. Okay, lots of people are travelling, but I'm not comfortable. I think it's weird so many people are taking the risk. I guess they think I'm weird for staying home.

 

@Luke02 The hazard pay ended yesterday, but there's this: Company-wide pay now starts at $15 an hour; $200 bonus coming at the end of this month



I already made a bit over $15 anyway (5-year anniversary is tomorrow ), but the $200 bonus is nice-enough; don't know what'll happen beyond that. The hazard pay ought to be continuing, particular given the recent COVID spikes, but alas it's not.

 

Haircut. Next Monday. 5pm.

That is all.

 

More Groceries.

 

Back to work. It is quiet around here today which isn’t bad, but my lack of sleep isn’t helping after having had 4 days to ignore my alarm clock. To compensate, I took a 200 mg caffeine tablet this morning after getting up plus two cans of monster energy (150 mg of caffeine each), for a total of 500mg of caffeine and I *still* feel like I could use a nap.


Otherwise, just a few scattered VPN issues and software vendor stuff. Typical, just quiet enough to lull me off to sleep after ingesting enough caffeine to stun a donkey.

 

I’m always amazed at the tolerance levels of caffeine some folks have; at most during work days at Target, I’ll have a 16 oz. Red Bull (114mg) at the morning bus stop and a 12 oz. Coke Energy (around 110mg) at lunch, which is a good 5 1/2 hours apart, and sometimes I feel that’s too much.

 

I can understand that @Runjedirun as my wife does not have much family in the area anymore so we typically outside of her folks and a few other relatives spend much of the time with my family. It is good to see though you are following quarantine procedures and makes me feel better that not everyone was out like an idiot this past weekend. My God that was just embarrassing. I get it I really do that people want to get out. Even me the ultimate homebody is ready to get out more but obviously with cases just exploding (though around here it's going much better overall) we should stay in this Fourth of July. And yes while i know that the vast majority of us did that (like 75%) that leaves just too many "fill in the blanks" running around not following the guidelines and sorry they come from all walks of life. Yes Trump fans are leading the no mask movement (*SMH*) but there are plenty of other people who are either refusing to wear masks or not social distance. All of it this has my wife said kind of validated who I am at least in my mind. Does that make me right or wrong? I don't know. Just know that our we live our lives/raising our kids feels more validated now in our minds.

And yes travel has definitely changed not just how we do it (car trips are becoming more popular at least with us) but where we go as well. Suddenly Disney World, Vegas etc does not look that interesting. What does? National parks, the ocean, museums etc. But I always been a person who takes the road less travel (I double major in history and philosophy in college, how can you get off the beaten path then that!) so it is not like I never was interested in that stuff, now i am just more interested in them. I talked before about taking my wife to Vegas just so we can be alone and look at the hotels/walk around/etc. And part of me still wants to do that, it does not look as appealing now then it did a few months ago. Instead renting a cabin in the woods or especially traveling out west to see Yellowstone and then head up to the Pacific Ocean looks much more appealing assuming not everyone else has the same idea and wreck the place LOL!

It is honestly more dangerous @DarthTunick to work now then it was even in April considering how cases have exploded. Utter bullcrap. Happy you got a raise and $200 bonus but still. Just insane. Billionaire are getting trillions, millionaires are getting even more rich (just look at the deal that was signed in the NFL..bleeping crazy) while everyone else fights over peanuts. Guess we learned nothing in a pandemic. Absolutely nothing. Again until the likes of Dr. Fauci and essential workers get SIGNIFICANT raises, I say we learn nothing from all of this.

I am do for one @Jedi Ben in about a week or so. My Godmother is just coming over so she can cut it again along with the boys. I must admit I can get used to someone coming over and cutting my hair.

We are burning thru groceries like crazy here @Juliet316 as while my wife and I continue to portion control (except this past weekend), the kids are going thru a growth spurt...all three of them at the same time. Even my four year daughter is having one. She can eat all of a sudden!

I would not @Kyle Katarn sleep for a week if I did that. Hell one cup of regular coffee keeps me up all night. Welcome to middle age!

Well the town hall zoom meeting for us (faculty) is tomorrow morning and while I am not nervous or anything, I am definitely getting antsy about it. Basically we have a month to school resumes and it's time to figure out what we are going to do and start planning for it especially we there will be three different situations we need to adapt for (full, hybrid, remote) which we are going to be told that not only can depend on the situation in the state and locally but also within the school. There is very likely going to be times when one school is continuing to have classes in person while another school in that community doesn't do to an outbreak within the school. So to me, we just better start knowing what we are dealing with so we can start preparing. We are definitely starting in person classes of some kind. That we been told. What the model will be is to TBD but my guess is we start off in the hybrid and see how it goes for the first few weeks. Again the first two weeks of school is mostly reading the syllabus and just getting everyone use to it again. Plus it will give us time to work out the kinks when it comes to social distancing or our attempts at it. I really don't know how we are going to get teenagers to truly social distance especially if they are dating. I guess we say no kissing since you cannot take your masks off?? I don't know. A lot of awkward discussions to be had for sure.

Meanwhile it is mid-90's again with no pool open in site. We might take the kids to the splash pad after all if it opens just so they cool off. The trip to Galena is so needed to. My poor wife is non stop calls trying to put together everything. It's normally busy for her as school about to start but now it's absolutely bonkers so even though she will have to do some remote work when we go away, it will be good for her to just get away a bit. And its my mom's birthday this week which means it's a week long celebration though there is not much to do. She wants to head into a few retail stores for the first time since this all started but other then that we will just be their place or vice versa. Just nothing to do and the options that are open like eating out are just not within our comfort zone let alone theirs.

 

While insane, because the current setup of pro-sports salaries are a bit out of control (to put it mildly), news of Mahomes' contract/similar things don't really bother too much, because 1) it's got no effect on my salary and 2) the athletes do put in the work for it; can't begrudge him or others, really. It's the setup of retail, being in such an essential business these days, etc, is what gets to me, never mind all the little things about work I find terrible (all not explicitly related to COVID, to be fair, such as our crew at my Target no longer being overnights, for example... that changed occurred in May of '18).

 

Everyone's milage is different, of course, however I believe I read somewhere that physicians don't think it's safe for people to consume more than 300mg of caffeine daily - be careful @Kyle Katarn !

Caffeine is the only substance in the world to which I've been borderline addicted at times. I get it, it's not easy to cut back.

 

Hi, coming late to the 4th of July discussion. In my small neighborhood in Brockton Massachusetts, we had a surprisingly decent 4th of July. Most families had family cookouts and we had some small displays every other block or so. The little kids were having a ball and my daughter and I sat on the porch and watched. Usually we would be on the Cape at a friends house and watch the Falmouth fireworks from the beach and swim in a pool, then drive home, but this is NOT my favorite holiday so it ended up ok.

 

Haircut this afternoon. Just me in the back yard with a couple of mirrors and clippers. "I've had worse."

 

So it turns out we aren't going back to the office yet. One of our presenters has a Covid positive case in her household. Luckily she hasn't worked with us in four weeks. But it's just an example of how the danger is still present. Maybe August now.

I want clarification from HR, but it really sounds like those of us with asthma won't be required to go back until there's a vaccine. I sure hope not.

 

Now my county is advocating to go back to school Sept 8 so teachers and everyone who works in schools in general has more time to prepare. Ugh, just another reminder how bleak things are in the US. Our county is really holding steady on cases though, way down from our peak.

 

We are in the opposite boat @Runjedirun as we were told yesterday on our Town Hall Zoom Meeting with the superintendent that the school year will start on time barring a true catastrophe like the state is completely shutdown and we are unable to get I-pads to all the students who need them (the freshmen and some other students who are do for a upgrade). Every student in our school has had i-Pads since 2015 so that part of transitioning to remote learning has not been a problem therefore delaying the start is not really necessary especially since has I been saying, who wants to be still stuck in school mid-June especially if things are *fingers crossed* getting better and life is slowly truly returning to normal. Nobody from the administration down to the students will want that therefore we are going to start on time unless the bottom of bottoms fall out.

As for the call itself, there wasn't much that went unexpected. The idea of "regular school" is just unrealistic this upcoming school year but the superintendent that if somehow that small chance of us being able to be at full capacity is possible, we aere going to take it. Even if it's just the last month of the school year she wants everyone to come together again especially the seniors since as I told my wife, they are going to be the class that really gets screwed even more then 2020. Yes this year's class missed all the spring stuff like prom, spring sports and obviously graduation but over 2/3 of their school year was normal. We had both fall and winter sports along with homecoming, winter dance (which is turnabout) etc. So they got some real memories of senior year. This year's class? Unless something really changes hardly any of that is happening. We already been told no dances or anything unlike things take a sudden better and sports if they are played will be essentially no fans except parents.

So that leaves us with remote learning (which will be done with Google Classroom at least that is the plan so far which is different then what we did in the spring which was just well whatever we could get done we got done) and the hybrid model which we found out more about. Not too much that was surprising. We found out that instead every other day with half the school and the other half the next half or two on/two off it will be done every other week. Half the school comes one week and the other half comes the following week. We all agreed we like that a lot better then other school districts are doing it. It is much simpler and think will be less confusing to students. The confusion IMHO is that the school day is now shorten. I get the logic behind that since it cuts down on exposure time, will be easier to ask students to wear masks until only 12:30 PM and most students will now go home for lunch (which let's it was a MAJOR problem that my wife said they simply could not come with anything that makes any real sense which would be safe) along the extra time between end of school/extracurricular activities will give students who were not there and were learning remotely a chance to come in for an hour or so (we are doing additional bus runs for students who wish to come in for tutor help that were at home that week or need to come in for extracurricular activities).

But how many students who were not at school as they were doing remote (we are having cameras installed in the classrooms so students watch the board which is going to be used even after this is all said and done, students now access to classroom lessons in real time and they also be archived which is both great and horrible as truly feels like 1984 coming to real life) just for tutoring? Basically none IMHO. Sure will have some who were there that week will stay after and/or come in for a after school activity but I really don't see many kids coming in for tutoring help in the after school that were not at school that day. Again I get the logic behind this especially since this has been something that has been discussed for awhile now of how to set up the school day (having the afternoon be all about more hands on learning after the morning is a traditional setting) but still I just don't see many kids doing that. I think that is were a lot of us are struggling. The alternate week schedule makes perfect sense and even shortening the day makes sense but how the afternoon will work just does not make much sense especially everything must be reserved which means everyone from teachers to TA's will have afternoon duties even if that is just sitting in a classroom of about 12 kids spread out and watch them do their iPad/waste time waiting until 2:45 PM so they can go to do "fill in the activity". I guess that gives us a lot of time to lesson plan/grade but still it's going to make for some long afternoons at least for me. I like being active and in the classroom.

Still overall I do not think it's a horrific plan and I was happy to hear that we have huge contingency plans in case an outbreak happens within the district and/or particular school. They are not messing around. If there are more then a few cases, we go into remote learning for at least two weeks and start the process over. We also and I think @anakinfansince1983 will find this interesting that yes will have subs this year in the building and they are in the process of trying to find more subs since quite a bit of our subs are older and some have indicated they are not interested in working this upcoming year. But because of the shorten schedule they will rely even more on "in house subs" aka staff members to pick up the slack. That already has been a problem the past several years and the union is asking for a higher hourly wage for not only subs but us faculty (like myself) who pick up classes of fellow teachers. So hopefully we get extra $$$ for filling in this year considering we are going to have so many more responsibilities this year though one relief is we will not be doing temp checks at the door as the district is buying ones that automatically when you walk thru the door. Again that will be something they keep long term even after this is over with as our superintendent said the district is trying to invest in much stuff as possible that will stuff we will use long term with exception of masks. But the cameras in the classroom for remote learning, temp checks etc are all stuff we are going to use long after this is over with.

How this will play with the parents? I have no clue. Feedback is ongoing and my former boss says it has been a mix bag so far. Many totally understand and are happy the district is getting creative with our blended schedule, others are insistent this doesn't go far enough and they want 5 days a week like normal no questions asked while a few parents said they do not feel comfortable sending their kids back no matter (though most were gracious enough to say the district is making safety the #1 priority) therefore are opting out and want remote learning only for their kids which is an option that can be done each semester. Parents can opt for the fall semester and can either keep that way or re-enroll in the spring if they wish or vice versa. If parents opt in this fall but decide to opt out this spring they can. Just once a decision is made for a particular semester it's final UNLESS we are given all the all clear to bring everyone back. If that happens say towards the end of the spring semester, parents who opted their kids out can send them back. But if it's only the hybrid option, they cannot opt back in during a semester.

So that is where we stand for now. Feedback from staff and parents goes on to the end of next week then after another week the district will let us know what plan we start on which most likely sounds like the hybrid plan unless things go south fast. The plan itself can have tweaks but the superintendent made it clear the plan overall is pretty much set in stone as they spent the past two months running logistics and are set for this to be the plan. So we will see what comes of it. I be surprised if we start with all remote to start the year. As my wife puts it, every district and school has the same goal. Get to Thanksgiving break. Then if we go to remote learning until the New Year (or even February) even in a precaution situation it isn't a big deal. I totally agree with her especially since we been told that finals are just most likely not going to happen this year therefore that period between Thanksgiving break and Christmas break can really be okay for remote learning since there is no prepping for finals.

And it is pretty crazy @jedijax that your district is just getting to Chromebooks now for everyone but better late then never. In the long run much of this is good for learning especially now we will be able to handle students missing time so much better and in my case, snow days better but God what a crash course!

 

The shortened school day and pupils going home for lunch will be rough on working parents who can't work from home and rely on school for child care. Did they address that issue at all?

 

This is definitely the big issue. Our workplace should just keep letting people work from home for this reason, because their kids might be home every other day.

 

I was thinking more of people who just can't work from home - doctors and nurses, for example. I agree that if you can work from home you should be allowed to keep doing that.

 

FTFY

^my husband perfected a "two-mirror + clippers" system some time ago. I told him in March, "you've been preparing for this situation for years!"

edit: He's also offered to cut my hair. So far, I've decided I'm sticking with an ever-longer ponytail and headband

 

I read this as 'limited space camp'. Then I thought about how space camp had to be canceled this year, and that's sad.

But yeah, also shift workers in retail and food service can't work from home, nor can construction workers or factory workers or grocery store workers. It's quite a few people who can't. There's gotta be some kind of assistance for those people on a government level if their kids aren't gonna be able to be in school full time in the fall, which it seems they won't be able to.