IMG_1526Here lies The COVID-19 book, the crappy notebook I found in some box in the days after I started working remotely, now with only one empty page left. Normally, I keep scrap paper at my campus office desk and jot little things down I don’t need to keep. I note anything else of record electronically. This book is filled with all those little things, now an accidental historical record of how events at home and work-from-home unfolded since March.

There are plenty of quick "need to do" things, Zoom meeting notes, and project reminders. But there’s also grocery lists for curbside pickup, new passwords for new accounts I had to create for SO. MUCH. ONLINE. SHOPPING., the notes about what’s wrong with my eye "red, sore at the temple", what’s wrong with my tooth "hurts, size of a golf ball", what’s wrong with my hip "started suddenly, no injury I remember" — all to explain to various doctors and dentists, some for whom it took many phone calls and friend and family recommendations to make appointments to see during a pandemic. It was much harder to see a dentist than a doctor in those early days. A dental patient is the worst patient of all. Your mouth is open and everything sprays. COVID loves that.

There are other notes.

  • "Take vacation." What a joke. I forfeited a week and I’m on track to lose much more this year.

  • "Set up family zoom session." Missing my family.

  • "Gueben. Cole slaw. Chips." First curbside takeout order.

  • "Gained 7 pounds. Still able to walk. Feeling overwhelmed and depressed." Virtual doctor visit.

  • "Great answer." During a now colleague’s Zoom job interview.

  • "OMG. She got furloughed. Are we next" The woman in question probably never coming back.

  • "Staff restructuring." "Layoffs/furloughs." "Reduce expenses." "Slow return to campus."

  • "I don’t have enough help."

  • "Can I floss right away?" Follow up to temporary filling before complete root canal replacement.

  • "Holy shit. Love him." A new staffer with a refreshing attitude.

  • "Call UGI. A/C broken."

  • "Dominick the Donkey." Answer to a Fibbage question on family game day.

  • "Eggs. Smart Ones. Uncle Ben’s rice." Grocery.

  • "Outpatient rehab services. Hip.

  • "Stay in vehicle. A nurse will come get you and take temperature." Dentist.

  • "Send in request to work from home indefinitely."

  • "Signs needed: Rules, masks, swipe in, locked dors, digital, print, hours, one per elevator."

  • "COVID student isolates. Roommates would quarantine."

  • "Ring light. Bidet. Floor lamp. Office chair. New rug.

The list goes on and on, and so does the pandemic. I start a new notebook tomorrow.

Stumble it!