COVID Diary: Month 8

Eight months ago, in March, it was becoming clear that we were headed towards some kind of lockdown.  By way of Twitter and Facebook postings, I was hearing of shortages, particularly flour and yeast.  I was reading about the over the counter medications we might want to have on hand, just in case.  Early one Saturday morning, I went to the Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market and stocked up on as much as I could.  Some of that food we still have, dried beans primarily.

Perhaps it's good that I still have those supplies.  Here it is, eight months later, and there are rumors of more lockdowns to come.  Unlike 8 months ago, I don't expect National Guard troops keeping us in our houses.  However, I'm still buying in bulk, just so that I don't have to go to stores as often.

Those who know me know that I always bought in bulk--I've never wanted to go to the grocery store more often.  I've always been expecting an apocalypse.

I confess that this apocalypse was not the one I planned for.  In terms of disease apocalypse narratives, I'd have been expecting something more lethal.  But in terms of plot, this one is a doozy:  something so contagious and experienced in such different ways.

As I think about where we are now and where we were in March, I think about the supply of sketchbooks that I bought; I've sketched my way through them all.  I think about my trip to the library on the last day the public libraries would be open.  They have only just re-opened.

But I also think about our academic call last week.  As we were talking about Student Appreciation week and the ways we might think about those activities differently, I saw several e-mails come through, each one talking about a student who had possible exposure to COVID-19.  So far, thankfully, each student has either tested negative or hadn't been to school because we've still been operating remotely, as much as we can.

Still it was that surreal milestone:  3 students, from 3 different programs, all in danger.  And to be fair, the exposure didn't come from school.  We are all moving out in the world a bit more, and the exposure came from a work situation or an infected family member.

My skin has been breaking out in itchy bumps, which might be allergies or stress or heat rash.  Just one more strange milestone of these COVID times.