Day 1 - LA lifts its vaccine mandate. A vax card is no longer required.
Striders walking group tonight…
3/31/22. Thursday
5:00-5:15-My alarm goes off, but I lie in bed for transition time; then
5:15-5:30-I drag myself out of bed and head downstairs to greet the animal. She’s asleep on the couch, but wags her tail when she sees me so I take the time to rub her tummy three times. I cue the dog to go outside, but she’s not having it so I heat up my coffee while she slowly jumps off the couch. We go outside and I survey my plants briefly. Return inside and cheese for her, my coffee is done. I go upstairs.
5:30-6:15-Shower. I sit in the shower, drink my coffee, and ice my eyes, while listening to The Daily. Lotion and I dress in my “Sexy Librarian” uniform: a turquoise and black dress with a hip-length white blazer, gray tights, and black heels. I put all my bags in the car, quickly make a packet of instant maple-flavored, oatmeal and I’m out the door by 6:15.
6:15-7:15-Driving. Traffic is terrible. I take my braids out in the car and listen to By the Book. When my braids are out, I eat my oatmeal. Yes, I’m still driving. Don’t judge me.
7:15-7:45-Arrive at the parking lot and put my make-up on in the car.
7:45-8:00-I walk to the office, take my temperature at the floor-length thermometer [“Temperature Normal!”], sign in on the guest list, and walk to the classroom.
8:00-9:30-Class is in session. The students are taking the Midterm today so I work on my bullet journal. One of my female highschoolers, whom I like and who tries really, really hard in class, gets an F on the Midterm. I feel terrible for her…I want to help the student but I’m not sure what I can do to elevate her grade as she’s currently getting an F in the class after her devastating performance on the Midterm. This particular student is Nigerian so I’m wondering if there is an ESL issue…
9:30-9:45-Class dismissed. I drop off the Attendance and walk to my car.
9:45-11:00-Driving. Traffic is terrible. I listen to No One is Coming to Save Us and eat my salad on the way, along with the last two pieces of sushi that I bought last night.
11:00-11:45-Home Depot. I check the gardening section for plant options, then buy 2 cans of spray paint for the pots I’m going to paint.
11:45-12:00-Return home.
12:00-12:30-I bring in all of my bags and put everything away, then have some dark chocolate malt balls and L.s vanilla wafers for a pick-me-up.
12:30-1:15-I read Invisible Corset; then
1:15-2:30-I take a nap.
2:30-3:00-Up and I heat up a bean and cheese frozen burrito for dinner. I go to work (enter my home office).
3:00-5:30-I’ve been putting off a second letter of recommendation for one of my students from College No. 2 and now I force myself to work on this task. See, I wrote a previous letter of recommendation for this student. Then, she asked me if I would submit the same letter to two additional colleges via email links that she forwarded to me. Sounds simple enough, but I kept putting it off because I couldn’t remember where I stored the original letter on my computer.
After searching various digital files, I find the letter (whew!) and then open the links so I can submit the letter. Unfortunately, the colleges in question do NOT want a letter of recommendation. Instead, they want me to rank the student in terms of personality traits. I’m able to rank her in all but 5 traits because I’ve never actually met the student. She attended my fully online summer course so I can’t rank her on Oral Communication; Creativity; Self-Confidence; Respect for Others; and Overall Character. The form is very limiting; there’s no place to write N/A and leaving just ONE category blank means I can’t submit the form, even though I’m able to rank the student in 15 other categories. This is a major software design problem. It takes me 45 minutes to figure this out and I can’t resolve the issue. In other words, this is a complete waste of my time and it’s 45 minutes that I will never get back. I email the student and explain everything.
No good deed goes unpunished. Please leave me alone.
-The remaining 45 minutes involves:
-Completing two DMV forms for L.s transfer of title. This involves looking up the market value of the car, logging the VIN number, and writing in L.’s CDL number....I’ve been putting this horrible task off for weeks as I absolutely HATE the DMV. I’m relieved when the DMV forms are completed;
-Ordering a 3’-tall basket for L.’s Art Studio so she can store her screen-print rolls;
-Checking emails at College No. 2 and responding to one of my highschoolers;
-Preparing and mailing my monthly check for my retirement account;
-”Orlando” still has NOT forwarded the money to L. for her car accident. I’m sick of dealing with this and I’m going to pass the baton to L.
5:30-6:00-I change into my walking attire. Tonight is the first night of my Striders group for the Spring session. It’s a big turnout! I see the English couple who was at the hiking group on Tuesday and casually say to the husband, “Hi! I saw you and your wife at the Central Park Hike on Tuesday.“ [they are both in their 60s]. He replies…”Yes.”
Yes? Seriously? Is he a bad conversationalist in general or does it have something to do with the fact that he’s a Brit? Of course, he might not like strange people (me) approaching him, BUT I’ve been in the Striders group with he and his wife for the entire Winter session and have walked with them, in their vicinity, on at least 7 occasions. I try to keep it going because #socialization project , so I say, “Um…have you been hiking with Renee [she’s the coordinator of the Hiking group] for a long time?” He gestures to his wife and says, “She does.” Keep in mind that both of them are in the Striders AND Hiking groups so for him to say his wife is solely responsible for these interactions is bizarre. “That’s nice”, I say breezily. I edge slowly away.
Tonight, I walk by myself, which I don’t mind at all. In fact, I largely prefer it, but towards the end of the walk, I meet “Greta.” She strikes up a conversation with me about my backpack and we walk the rest of the distance together. Greta has been walking with Striders, two days a week, for 20 years! She retired two years ago from the real estate branch of Quest Lab where her job was to secure Quest Lab contracts for new locations. Prior to her employment with Quest Lab, Greta worked at Unilab for 25 years, securing real estate contracts for them until Unilab was bought out by Quest Lab.
I casually ask Greta if she has children and she says no. I’m starting to re-think this icebreaker question. I mean, what do you say when the respondent says “No”? A “No” response hangs in the air and could potentially open a Pandora’s Box. Did you and/or your husband have infertility issues? Did you want children and he didn’t? Was it a conscious choice both of you made? I don’t follow up with any of these questions, but Greta adds that her husband has three adult children who are scattered to the winds, in Indiana, Boston, and Oceanside. In fact, her husband’s grandson is graduating from an elite school in Indiana and she and her husband plan to go, except her husband hates flying and won’t get on a plane. Greta pragmatically presented him with the options: 1) train; 2) cross country road trip (at these gas prices!!); 3) or plane. After she presents the options, she tells her husband, ‘We’re flying.’ (smile emoji here).
The walk is over and Greta and I exchange names. She says it was nice walking with me.
7:30-7:45-I drive home and listen to the Political Gabfest.
8:00-8:30- I have a few cheese and crackers, with five potato chips. Then, I text L., tell her I’m going to bed, and ask her to lock up and set the alarm when she comes home (not sure where she is tonight). I think my Long Covid is getting worse…I’m exhausted and stiffening up from tonight’s speed walk. I lay down on my bed for the briefest of moments and fall asleep in my clothes! OMG!
12:00-12:45 - Nighttime routine. Bed.
5:00-I wake up again, put on a podcast, and go back to sleep.