Day 8 - COVID19 Pre-Planning:  Hanging on is Exhausting

Yesterday we had technology training that was pretty overwhelming for those that had not had a lot of experience on MS Teams.  Luckily that was the platform I grabbed onto last spring, or I probably would have been underneath my desk too.

We are closer in the journey to Monday, and all trying to hang on and not get too frustrated, to breathe, and put one foot in front of the other to get through the hills of work to be done before we "see" our students.  Our neighboring county did a test run with students online on Monday, and the system freaked out - I am hoping they got it settled as they are starting today.  We of course are hanging on and hoping for the best with our technology on Monday - I wish we would have done a trial run like they did.

I would be remiss if I did not talk about Kamala Harris today.  I am absolutely thrilled she is part of the Democratic ticket for the presidential election, and I feel more confident in a win save for any fraudulent activity on the other side.  I am proud for black women today that are waking up to see one of them break further through a ceiling that is multiple times thicker than it is for us.  I think she is and will be a phenomenal vice-president or "co-president" as Biden as said he will need 2 equally at the hands of the job ahead after the election.  Now we all just have to hang on and hope for a win and turn in the tides in November.

Being back to school, even if it is only working in my room, has been more therapeutic for my soul than I could have every imagined.  Still, I look around my room this morning and it is not set up like it would have been for students to come back in a few days, so I am really feeling that part this morning.  As I said yesterday, maybe students will be able to phase in as suggested by our county after labor day, but it would be another month before we see them.  Maybe the phase in will start, maybe it won't, maybe we will end up staying virtual all semester - we are all just hanging on to see what path COVID19 will take next.  It may well keep on its journey until next year, but I hope with all my soul that there is a new administration to deal with it come 2021.

I really do not have much more to share today.  Just hanging on for the start of school to be as successful as possible, for technology to work next week, for possibly seeing students if we can be safe enough, for the election to turn the tides, for COVID19 to finish its path through our lives, to see what life becomes after COVID19.

And sometimes hanging on is just exhausting.

Three Positive Things

1.  My new furbaby follows me around the house and is always on my lap or sitting near me - it fills my cat heart fuller than I ever thought it could be!

2.  It was awesome collaborating with my colleagues from my former school - good to have another group to share with.

3.  I am going public on teams with kids today and look forward to hearing from them.