Day 33 - Governor Newsom reinstates the mask mandate in California

College No. 1 mandates that all teachers wear N95s…or surgical masks…

 College No. 1 teachers are losing their shit again. 

Omicron cases may be peaking in the US, but in LA County they continue to spike. As of today, 1/17/22, US positive [reported] cases are at 65,699,947 cases, while in LA County, Omicron cases are at 2,289,045 - these are just the reported cases. There’s probably another 2 million LA County residents who never bothered to test or couldn’t find a test.  LA County’s population is 9,969,509 which means we’re at a reported 22% positivity rate, but I believe that percentage is probably double [44% positivity rate]. 

Instructors at College No. 1 are questioning why we’re expected to teach F2F when Omicron cases are out of control.   Since January 3, positive tests have been slowly decreasing in other parts of the country…but not here.  LA County is currently the epicenter; Omicron infections are still off the charts in this community and students are falling out left and right. Instructors are asking, “Wouldn’t it be more prudent to revert to Distance Learning until the surge is better contained?” This reminds me of the Chicago Schools similar request…Mayor Lightfoote told them to “get back in the classrooms and do your jobs.” 

College No. 1’s President makes a concession: College No. 1 will close for ONE week, from 1/17/22 -1/21/22.  How convenient…the college is already closed on Monday, 1/17/22, for MLK day, so this closure doesn’t benefit me AT ALL, unfortunately and, when all is said and done, it’s only a 4-day closure. 

After 1/21/22, however, College No. 1’s president has issued yet another new mandate:  all Instructors must wear N95s or approved surgical masks while on campus, from this point forward – no exceptions.  This begs the question: If infections are so prevalent that teachers are forced to wear N95s, shouldn’t we convert to Distance Education until Omicron cases have decreased? Have you ever tried teaching in an N95 mask?  What are we doing? 

Finally, how about a Vax mandate? Maybe that would slow the spread down at this college.  Vaxing is optional at College No. 1 and nobody has to produce a Vax Card.  Seriously, this is the ONLY college I’m aware of [in California] that does not have a mandatory vax policy in place for students…of course, I happen to work here. 

1/17/22. Monday

MLK day – L. and I have it off

8:30-9:30 – Terrible cramps!  I’m awake and immediately take two Advil, then stagger downstairs to take the dog out. I missed my period in December and was certain I finally entered menopause, but…it’s back in full force. I pet the dog’s tummy and we go outside, where I lean over a patio chair while she goes potty because if I sit down, I don’t think I can get back up…at least, not until the Advil kicks in. Return inside: turkey for her, coffee for me. 

I’m doubled-over so I go back to bed and listen to Organize 365. 

10:00-12:30 – Advil and coffee are helping. I limp to my chair and work on blog posts.

12:30-1:00 – Downstairs and I thaw a few squares of my Mom’s banana bread and eat with tons of butter.

1:00-2:00 – Bullet journal.

2:00-3:00 – Shower. I wash my hair then sit in the shower, rest my head against the tiles, and ice my eyes. Lotion. Covid-19 uniform. I listen to The Daily.

3:00-4:00 – I braid my hair and read Friendshipping in preparation for my upcoming book club meeting next week.

4:00-4:45 – I take the dog for a walk and listen to several episodes of Best Laid Plans.

4:45-6:00 – I make a poached egg and listen to Vox’s The Weeds.

I’ve been ‘down’ the past couple of days and this is out of character for me…I think depression is one of the symptoms associated with Long Covid…

6:30-7:00-I do a 15-minute Insanity Max – Ab workout.

7:00-7:30-I check email to see where my hiking group is meeting tomorrow, then research the location. After, I have some crackers and cheese, along with these amazing Trader Joes Salt and Pepper chips that L. picked up.

7:30-8:00 – I have a major coughing attack and I’m incapacitated for the next 30 minutes…depressing.

8:00-9:15-I do a 30-minute Insanity Max – Friday Fight workout. It’s a struggle.

10:00-12:00 – L. returns from doing Door Dash with N. – he’s trying to make extra scratch during winter break before he goes back to college. L. reveals that N. and J., her best friends, didn’t buy her a Xmas or  birthday present…this hurts her deeply. I feel bad for L. Even when L. was sick and quarantining, she managed to put their gifts, which she thoughtfully selected weeks before and then wrapped in beautiful Xmas paper, on our front porch for them. L. said J. asked her months ago what she (L.) wanted for Xmas and L. requested a large umbrella, but J. never delivered.

-L. goes onto say that work at the Art Studio is very stressful…she’s sick of the students and I don’t blame her.

-I rarely see L. so I take this opportunity to ask her to fetch her planner and we schedule book club brunch, to include my Mom, for February, on the only day L. has available, that’s how jammed her schedule is. Next month’s book club brunch is featuring…drum roll please…my favorite book of 2021…Lady Parts.

12:15-1:30 – L. goes to bed and I upload blog posts.

1:30-2:15 – Nighttime routine. Bed. I set my alarm for 6:00.