So I finally joined Facebook. I know, I am a true trendsetter, riding the bleeding edge of the social-media movement. I did it in order to become part of a small writing group run by one of my scribbler friends. The group features flash-fiction sprints and other challenges, and I hope these will be the kick in the pants I need.
Walking through the neighborhood today was really creepy. It was 7 pm, not 2 am, but not a soul in sight.
After ten days in quarantine, I am bracing myself for shopping again tomorrow. Do I even remember how? My middle son might eat my youngest one if I don’t get some groceries, stat.
I received a story acceptance today, which is surreal. This weird year has been a good creative-writing one for me.
I have online office hours set up and a video conferencing group meeting. nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
I kid you not, I dozed off. I’m not erasing those n’s; they are a true testament to the weirdness of this particular day.
Whassup, blogosphere? What’ve you been up to?
P.S. Aaaaand an evening declination from the NSF. I skimmed the panel summary, then reviews. Two in-depth, thoughtful reviews that also gave high scores; one brief, drive-by-night miscapitalized and mispunctuated review, written by someone who was clearly very loud during the panel. None of this is a surprise to anyone who has experience with the NSF. Whatever.
xykademiqz 
Yes, it is so creepy to be outside at the moment. Sunshine and everything is so quiet. As if everyone is already dead. And the few people who are outside avoiding each other and looking at each other suspiciously. I have apparently read too many dystopias, I am constantly reminded of them. Especially those where all people suddenly disappear.
Our neighborhood is the opposite– way more active than usual. We haven’t been doing our regular walks because it’s nearly impossible to social distance. (Instead we’ve been doing stuff in our backyard and in the house.)
It’s very weird, indeed. I both love and am exhausted by the extra time with my kids. I wonder what this isolation is doing to their tiny psyches. I wonder what this isolation is doing to our adult psyches. We’ve got it pretty good — stable jobs, can work from home, I’m on sabbatical, we’re still pulling in two paychecks, we’ve got a house with a yard that we can run the kids and the dog around in. On the other hand, my mom is a 67-year-old healthcare worker in MA, I miss everyone, I’m worried about my students and their futures, we have so much anxiety about the economy and there’s no end game in sight. Trying to just take things one day at a time, and sometimes one hour at a time. I wish I felt that someone in the federal government was in charge and had a plan for bringing about a satisfactory resolution to this insane situation.
Grading. About 5 more hours to go, which I should be able to do before tomorrow’s grade deadline.
After that, Whee! I’ll do laundry, maybe even go to the corner store to buy more milk!
Congrats on the acceptance!
Thanks, Ms D!