Some end of year pandemic random thoughts

I wanted to write a bit about the experience with the pandemic sooner, but one thing after another this year kept me from it. Also to be honest, I did not feel much like thinking about it, but as 2020 comes to a close, I want to at least have some notes of some impressions of the experience to remember down the road. I started drafting this shortly before the 2020 election, and I kept adding thoughts as they occurred to me. So, in no particular order: 

• The college went on lockdown for the spring term 2020 on March 13.I remember this mainly because it was a Friday the 13th. When the decision was made earlier that week, students barely had three days or so to pack up and go home. We had a few students stay on campus who were unable to go home for various reasons, but otherwise, students were all sent home. We switched over to online classes. This did include the library. While we could not do online instruction, we did maintain online services, implemented (or beefed up) virtual chat reference, and eventually moved to doing research consults virtually via Zoom. After the spring term, summer school was mostly virtual as well. You can see here our COVID-19 library services web page. 
• On a side note, our Special Collections and Archives Department started a "Bereans and COVID-19" initiative to get students, faculty, staff, and campus community to tell our stories during this pandemic lest we forget. 
• Side note: I am not sure if those links will remain live after the situation passes, so I will have to keep an eye on things, maybe consider taking a screenshot or two and adding it here. 
• My work situation. Personally, my work situation did not change that much, and I am thankful for that. While the college did encourage working from home as much as possible, we were also allowed to work on campus. I made that choice to keep working at work in order to avoid cabin fever for one. Also I work more efficiently at work. Those of us who stayed got declared as essential. For me, in the summer, the library was extremely quiet as the building was fully closed to all except staff, but I was able to work from my library office on things like virtual reference chat, reference online consults, and other projects. Once fall term started, this work continued as some students returned to campus, under certain conditions, and others worked and learned online from their homes. In terms of research consults, a challenge at times was whether students were on campus or not. Depending on their location, I had to assess what resources were best for their needs. Though we can mail books and library materials to students who are distant, given the 2 seven week terms this fall, mailing things may not have been as viable, so that meant recommending and emphasizing online resources as much as possible to students. 
• Other librarians and staff chose other options. Some chose to work fully from home, and as long as their work allowed it, that was fine. Some did a bit of a hybrid working some time from home and some time on campus. 
• I've been doing online learning via webinars here or there in order to keep up my skills as well as continue to learn new things. If nothing else, the pandemic has shown that a lot of conferences and such can be done virtually just fine, often free or at more modest cost. I think this is a trend that should continue. 
  
• Family. The Better Half kept on working as well. She is a fast food restaurant manager, so they kept on working and moved to drive thru service only. She has been busy. Like many businesses, they soon adopted safety measures like face masks in the store. We are grateful for this because we were both able to keep on working (and thus getting paid). We are aware a lot of people were not so lucky. Our daughter worked in fast food a bit, but this year found a new job in a trading cards and collectibles store. They are masking up and doing social distancing as much as possible. It is part time, but that works out for her. 
• Travel. LOL. We have not been anywhere other than small trips to do groceries or other minor shopping since March when things hit. At this point, it is what it is. We cannot take the risk to travel and bring the virus back. Heck, the Better Half's dad had a memorial service from his Lions Club chapter, and she could not attend because it was out of state, and well, there is the risk. She certainly cannot afford to take off 2 weeks for a quarantine that would have been required, not to mention send us to have to quarantine too. This is why I have no sympathy whatsoever for people who travel for leisure, do big gatherings, etc. They basically undo the sacrifices that others do in order to stay healthy and safe. 
• This for the most part means no vacation for us this year, well, at least not one where we go anywhere. A staycation may be possible in November. She has time she needs to take so she does not lose it at end of year. For me, once the second 7 week term ends in November, I may be able to take some vacation as things slow down. As of this draft, it is wait and see on this. On an update, the Better Half did take a week off right before Turkey Day, mainly a staycation. She needed it as her work will likely keep her busy in December.
  
• This year has just been strange and tense. The news are often focused on the pandemic, plus in the U.S. we had to put up with the shitty election season of 2020. Add to it other events like murder hornets, wildfires in the western states, a long line of hurricanes in the Atlantic, and who knows what else, and I am like most other people waiting for this damn year to end. 
• As for the election, I honestly do not want to say much on it. The ads have been obnoxious and extremely invasive. For months, our mailbox was full of political ad flyers every single day (we kept an eye on that). Political phone calls were just as bad, so while I admire the commitment of people who do phone banking for campaigns, people, find another way because honestly calling at all hours at home and on my mobile is just a nuisance, and at the end of the day you are just pissing us off. We voted early this year, which meant once we did that, we do not give a fuck about whatever message you are peddling. There should be a registry somewhere, probably the same place where they get our information to call, where you can put a mark for people who "voted early, leave them the fuck alone, do not call or mail." If someone creates a system like that, they will have my undying gratitude. 
• As I said, yes, we voted. Otherwise, how we voted is our business and no one else's (though if you have been one of my four blog readers or follow me on social media you may get an idea where I lean).
• By December, it is pretty clear Biden got the presidency despite the Pendejo In Chief's hissy fits and refusals to concede. As of this post, I have no idea if Trump is getting dragged out of the White House in handcuffs were he to refuse to leave (but I admit that would be a spectacle I would not mind seeing). Having said that, to be honest, I am not holding high expectations for Biden and the Democrats. Sure, they may be marginally better than the GOP Party of Stupid, but being Republican Lite is not saying much. When it comes to the U.S. and its politics, I am taking it a day at a time with a big grain of salt. 
  
• Personally, I have found some peace and solace in reading books, watching old movies and television shows, and in my cartomancy studies. Also blogging has been a good thing for me, mainly doing book reviews here and some cartomancy content over at Alchemical Thoughts. I am even feeling inspired, and I am considering launching a new project. It could be a podcast and or a YouTube channel that would feature book and reading content as well as some cartomancy. This is still in very early planning stages. 
• It has been amusing to see face masks becoming a fashion statement. From cute designs to political statements, you can find a face mask to fit your personality and to express what you wish. I do have a few face masks featuring things like Dr. Seuss, Curious George, and Day of the Dead skulls. 
• Over time, I find that I have lost any and all sympathy for anyone refusing to take precautions, wear a mask, etc. If you really are that kind of selfish, inconsiderate, willfully ignorant asshole, I could not care less about you. "Cull The Herd" has become a mantra for me. My theory on this, and I have said this before on social media, is that not enough people are actually dying. Sure, numbers of positive cases are high, and we hear there may be a big number of deaths. But that "big number" to most of the COVIDIOTS is happening to someone else in some far off state. It is not near nor affecting them more often than not. While I do not wish ill as a general rule on people, I do think that until people literally start dying in droves in sidewalks, so on in a seriously high ratio, say every three out of four positive cases die, and die in a gruesome way, the U.S. is just not going to get its act together. 
• November brought announcements of vaccines showing promise. They are promising, but at the time I am typing this they are preliminary (i.e. no real peer review done or them or such). I am betting this may make people more complacent and again relax further at a time they should not. 
• Academic conferences and travel. This is something I have not missed much. Given cost and travel, I have been doing less academic conference and related travel. If the pandemic has proven anything is that many of those conferences and professional meetings can be done online at much lower cost. You can get the professional development right on your desktop. Far as I am concerned, when the pandemic ends, I am still favoring online for academic conferences and other professional development.  
• In late November going into December, as noted above, announcements came out about a vaccine becoming available. The first person to receive one, outside of clinical trials, was an elderly lady in the UK in the week of December 7. For us here, that means it will likely be weeks, more likely months, before we can get it. So needless to say precautions still need to be in full force. Still, it adds a note of hope to the end of this terrible year. 
• Thanksgiving was spent at home just the three of us. We stopped doing "traditional" food years ago since we figure we may as well eat food we actually like. This was beef and cheese enchiladas year, and they came with a 6 layer bean dip (did not quite make it to 7), and two pies: pumpkin fluff pie (pumpkin pie is our only nod to the "tradition") and chocolate chip cookie pie. 
• Christmas we will be spending at home just the three of us. We finally got our holiday tree up this week (on December 8). New Year's we are staying at home too. The Better Half will very likely work Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve (that is fairly consistent for her). I should be on break from work starting December 18 (which is a weekend earlier than the usual December 23 or so the college usually makes us go. Enough staff griped that the college relented this year. Can't say I blame them. 2020 has been heck on everyone, so they deserve a bit more time off far as I am concerned). 
• Finally, to end this, let me make a small list of things I am grateful for as this year comes to an end: 
• So far, family and I are healthy. No one has caught COVID-19 (*knock on wood*). The two cats, Isis, and Clio, are also relatively healthy.
  
• So far, family and I are able to keep working. 
• Our daughter's new job in the TCG shop seems to be pretty good. They are all staying safe, and from what I hear they are a good group of employees and a good boss. 
• We have food on the table and a roof over our heads.  
• For good or ill, the damn 2020 election is (mostly as of this post) over. 
• Through my cartomancy studies, I have met some new interesting people online that teach me new things. 
• Books and reading. I will be writing on how my 2020 reading year went in another post. 
• That overall I do not really need much, and we have enough. Also, we are together at home. 

Wherever you are near, or far, stay safe. Hopefully things get better in 2021.