A02: September 24, 2020
Awoke just before the 7 AM alarm. Slept in a different bed because B. was getting up super early to help with a voter registration drive, so it took me a moment to figure out where I was. Was groggy, in part because I stayed up too late watching NBA playoffs. Spent a minute mulling over the Celtics loss to the Heat, which was frustrating since I was rooting for the Cs. They should have won—they’re better. Then my mind drifted to the day ahead. I had a morning class to teach so I thought over the readings I’d assigned and what to discuss.
Still in bed, I grabbed my iPad from the night stand. My eyes drifted to the email icon and I tapped it. Checking email before I get up—stupid habit. Mostly junk. Flu shots now available and I made a mental note to get one. Normally I don’t bother but it seems wise given pandemic circumstances. It’s diary day, so I make a few notes for that.
These mental exertions took perhaps ten minutes. I stood up—my back was stiff as usual but not as much as I expected. Maybe the different bed helped—it’s more than time for a new mattress on our bed. After dressing I head to kitchen and make a quick breakfast—a large tea and some oatmeal plus a banana. I read the paper (via my iPad) with TV news on in background. It was mostly political and although I am following the Presidential campaign to an unhealthy degree, I don’t track much of what’s on this morning. It’s just background noise today.
I take a bit too long and have to scramble to head to campus. I am teaching in person and have a little bit of review to do before class at 9:30. It’s a short drive so I get in around 8:30. On the drive I listen to a podcast about the NBA playoffs—part of a conscious effort to avoid constant focus on politics. (I listen to a lot of podcasts about politics.)
When I get into the office I start by going over the plans for the day. It’s going to be fairly busy—I’m leading a meeting for a statewide group later this afternoon, so I write up a short to-do list and go over my notes for class. I like to write lists of things to do as a way of putting them aside so I can concentrate on whatever task is at hand—class prep at the moment.
Class goes quite well. It’s a small but talkative group and most of them prepare well consistently—they do the reading. I notice a few absences, not for the first time this term. Are they sick with Covid or just taking advantage of the fact that more of the course is online as a hedge against pandemic-induced school closure? I suspect the latter. At the start of class I asked them how they liked this arrangement and either they think it’s going well or they’re too polite to say otherwise.
After class I head to Starbucks and grab another tea—caffeine is a little more important today given my short sleep. I run a couple errand on campus and head back to my office, where I will have to spend the majority of the day, with door shut and window open. I get to work on writing up some paperwork for a grant. I have to justify a rescheduling of a planned workshop because of Covid restrictions, another example of how the pandemic has created work challenges—and in some cases, just plain created more work.
I run out for a sandwich around 12:30, a tuna sub from Jimmy Johns, with chips and a Diet Coke. Not Nutrition-Hall-of-Fame stuff, but it tastes good and is filling. Plus service was fast so I could get back to work. I scan Twitter while eating at my desk, indulging my obsession with politics and the election for a few minutes. The debate online, and in my mind, is whether the U.S. is heading for some kind of crack up in November, regardless of who wins, or if American institutions can sustains themselves sufficiently to avoid that. I don’t know, and that’s generating a low-level current of unease through my thoughts. I’m trying to do a little political work instead of fretting, but I’ve been busy with work and haven’t done as much as I should. B. is carrying the load there at the moment. I also come across a colorized film of Jerusalem in 1897. I watch a bit-it’s very cool. I like that kind of thing.
I write for a little bit more and then turn my attention to a meeting that I think is happening at 1:30. But when I look at my calendar it says it’s tomorrow. I’m confused for a moment, but sure enough it’s tomorrow. Phew. That’s good because progress on my grant paperwork is slow—it’s a federal grant so this stuff is more involved than seems necessary—and I want to get it drafted this afternoon and revise the budget, which requires a separate justification. I keep grinding at it until about 3:45, when it’s time to prep for the 4 pm Zoom meeting. I can’t tell you much about what I thought except that I was absorbed in the details of the grant writing. The meeting itself is enjoyable—it’s a good, funny group of people from various institutions around the state—and we make a plan for the next steps on the project. The only problem: I end up with some new work to do. I volunteered to organize the first meeting for this group and I’ve evolved into the de facto chair of the group.
The afternoon was busy and focused. It went quickly, as a busy work day does. After I wrap up a few small things and get organized for tomorrow’s work, I head home, listening to a little more of the morning’s sports podcast.
- is reading and not terribly engaging when I get home around 5:45. I have an internal debate: I’m tired but I haven’t gotten any exercise for the day. I resolve to hop on my stationary bike and pedal while I watch some TV news—more politics. I have trouble motivating myself and my exercise effort is lackluster,. I’m not into it and pretty tired, but at least I did something. I promise myself I’ll go for a run tomorrow, and will go a little further than usual.
I shower quickly and straighten up our bedroom. I have a habit when busy of leaving clothes lying around and by the latter part of the week there’s a pile in a corner that needs to be put away or tossed in the laundry. By the time I head back downstairs around 8, B. is heading up to bed to read and go to sleep, tired from her pre-dawn wake-up. I cook up a quick dinner for myself since B. ate earlier—salmon burger and some veggie soup. I text C. about weekend plans. He’s been a bit cooped up after getting injured so he’s anxious to do something now that he is recovering. We organize a socially distanced, outdoor burger and beer at a local bar for tomorrow night.
I clean up the kitchen, then do a little reading. The book is The Great Arizona Orphan Abduction, about the Anglo freak-out in a town when a Catholic charity tries to place white children with Mexican families in 1903. It’s a bit too good a fit for our times. I tune in to some basketball—Lakers vs. Nuggets. I have no rooting interest here except to support Denver because they are the underdogs. Basketball is my favorite sport so it’s enjoyable to watch and I can essentially tune everything else out. Except the Lakers win. Boo.
It’s nearly 11:30 when I head to bed, later than I should be and I’m tired. Sleep will come quickly.