#sol2020 Lessons Learned This Week

This week, I have learned a few lessons about living and working in a pandemic.

• You can do a virtual (remote) case study even if you thought you could not!  My graduate students turned in final projects this semester that were some of the best I have ever read.  Did they actually work harder to make it work in this new way of teaching/learning?  
  
  
  
• Keeping the "mute" button off is an essential skill for remote classroom success.  I read several case studies that propose ways to channel that desired behavior.  (let me know if you need ideas)
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• You can have a house full of potential presents without going to a store.  You may end up with 3 of something when you only need 2 and 1 of some things when you need 3 and none of something you thought you needed.  In the end, it won't matter.  As the Grinch found out, Christmas will come without presents or boxes or tags or ribbons. 
  
  
  
• You can make your own evaporated milk if your Shipt shopper claims the store does not have any!  At first I wanted to scream that I put the order in because I needed evaporated milk in order to make gingerbread cookies!  Then I took a breath and Googled, "make your own evaporated milk."  You can.
  
  
  
• You will be (rightly) upset and worried and scared when you find out a family member or someone your care about has tested positive for the "sickness" we have been trying to avoid for many months. You will be anxious and you will think about the risks and dangers. You will not be able to sleep through the night, You will have moments of intense anxiety that take your breath away.  You may even feel a little like you felt when you heard the word cancer that day long ago. BUT, you can and will be calm and reassuring to the persons sharing the news with you.  You can and will drop off food and goodies and encouragement from the sidewalk without crossing into the sequestered zone. You can and will be worried but you will fill the air with hope and reminders about drinking and eating and resting and taking zinc.  You can and will rejoice in any good signs shared from the zone you cannot enter.  You can and will pray and hope for safe keeping....for them....and for all those who have many, many months before it's our turn for vaccines.....