The return
Oops, started a blog and then abandoned it. That happens.
So, lock down (which is being less locked down but still, lock down) is almost in its 13th week. My school finished until September back at the start of April. I don't have to go back until after Labour Day and even then who knows if it will be in person or online. The president of the college is postponing making a decision while being tortured about it I am sure. My college lags behind decision wise and in fact shut down a week after all other post-secondary institutions back in March. No matter, there was just one small outbreak in the library at the other campus that extra week.
Meanwhile, almost every other post secondary institution in the province has said they are going online. Because . . . lives saved or . . similar. I am not certain if the president of my college doesn't realize that if it isn't online it will most likely be - go to school for a week, oooh outbreak, shut down for two weeks. Clean things really well. Repeat.
Deleted section with further commentary about the college
I have five in class classes left to do over my final (finally!) two terms with a practicum of four and then five weeks, one in November and one in March. Uh huh. I am fairly certain the November one will be postponed so I'll be in school for the rest of my life being locked and unlocked in order to get a diploma for work that is not safely available at the moment because seniors and lock down. I don't know - I've had vague thoughts of looking for this kind of work say in July or August so that I don't have to return to school at all (to be a recreation care AIDE not even a rec therapist) but I am unmotivated x 8,000. If this all sounds quite negative to you, well, there has been isolating for 12 weeks and no volunteering with my favourite seniors who are themselves mostly really locked down.
Some folks think I am studying to be a residential care aide - no, no, clearing that up. Recreation aides don't do personal care - think more recreation in care homes or hopefully, adult day centres.
Deleted section about concerns about never actually finding consistent decently paying work in this field
Isolation doesn't agree with me but that said, clearly where I live the lock down has been (up until now) much lighter than in other parts of the world. Yup, I get it. And people get rightly fatigued when you tell them too often that isolating alone is very difficult. They've got their own situations. But I tell you, if I could crawl right out of my skin I would. That is how it feels - skin crawly, can't sit still but do, etc.
What I have been doing is buying a lot of books on Kindle and Kobo because it gives me a sense of happy for a minute, relief, etc. I miss real paper books but it is what it is. I have also been taking a lot of E-books out of the library. So there's that. I thought I'd make a short list of some of what I am reading in case anyone was looking for ideas. Focussing can be difficult at times like this so there are some lighter books in here as well. I also got some ideas from the awesome Hay Literary Festival which has gone totally online this year. A brilliant surprise. I won't describe the books but if they sound of interest, a little Googling will get you there or you can download samples from Kindle or Kobo. Lots of non-fiction with a smattering of fiction.
I would also like to mention the Kickstart Disability Arts and Culture Festival coming up starting Monday. Lots of free workshops on writing about disability, etc. Should be very good. You can find more information about it on Facebook. It is virtual of course. I am virtually crawling out of my skin and it is pouring rain today so no yard visits with some of my fellow tenants or the building baby who is 2.5 months old and fits nicely in my lap.
So in no particular order;
1. Why we Swim: Bonnie Tsui
2. Between the Stops: The view of my life from the top of the number 12 bus: Sandi Toksvig
3. How to be successful without hurting men's feelings - Sarah Cooper
4. Soap and water and common sense - Bonnie Henry
5. Undercover Economist - Tim Harford
6. We had no rules (short stories) - Corinne Manning
7. Barrelling Forward (short stories) - Eva Crocker
8. The High Places (short stories) Fiona McFarlane
9. Europa 28 - writing by women on the future of Europe
10. Redhead by the Side of the Road - Anne Tyler
11. Humble Pi: When math goes wrong in the real world: Matt Parker
So, lock down (which is being less locked down but still, lock down) is almost in its 13th week. My school finished until September back at the start of April. I don't have to go back until after Labour Day and even then who knows if it will be in person or online. The president of the college is postponing making a decision while being tortured about it I am sure. My college lags behind decision wise and in fact shut down a week after all other post-secondary institutions back in March. No matter, there was just one small outbreak in the library at the other campus that extra week.
Meanwhile, almost every other post secondary institution in the province has said they are going online. Because . . . lives saved or . . similar. I am not certain if the president of my college doesn't realize that if it isn't online it will most likely be - go to school for a week, oooh outbreak, shut down for two weeks. Clean things really well. Repeat.
Deleted section with further commentary about the college
I have five in class classes left to do over my final (finally!) two terms with a practicum of four and then five weeks, one in November and one in March. Uh huh. I am fairly certain the November one will be postponed so I'll be in school for the rest of my life being locked and unlocked in order to get a diploma for work that is not safely available at the moment because seniors and lock down. I don't know - I've had vague thoughts of looking for this kind of work say in July or August so that I don't have to return to school at all (to be a recreation care AIDE not even a rec therapist) but I am unmotivated x 8,000. If this all sounds quite negative to you, well, there has been isolating for 12 weeks and no volunteering with my favourite seniors who are themselves mostly really locked down.
Some folks think I am studying to be a residential care aide - no, no, clearing that up. Recreation aides don't do personal care - think more recreation in care homes or hopefully, adult day centres.
Deleted section about concerns about never actually finding consistent decently paying work in this field
Isolation doesn't agree with me but that said, clearly where I live the lock down has been (up until now) much lighter than in other parts of the world. Yup, I get it. And people get rightly fatigued when you tell them too often that isolating alone is very difficult. They've got their own situations. But I tell you, if I could crawl right out of my skin I would. That is how it feels - skin crawly, can't sit still but do, etc.
What I have been doing is buying a lot of books on Kindle and Kobo because it gives me a sense of happy for a minute, relief, etc. I miss real paper books but it is what it is. I have also been taking a lot of E-books out of the library. So there's that. I thought I'd make a short list of some of what I am reading in case anyone was looking for ideas. Focussing can be difficult at times like this so there are some lighter books in here as well. I also got some ideas from the awesome Hay Literary Festival which has gone totally online this year. A brilliant surprise. I won't describe the books but if they sound of interest, a little Googling will get you there or you can download samples from Kindle or Kobo. Lots of non-fiction with a smattering of fiction.
I would also like to mention the Kickstart Disability Arts and Culture Festival coming up starting Monday. Lots of free workshops on writing about disability, etc. Should be very good. You can find more information about it on Facebook. It is virtual of course. I am virtually crawling out of my skin and it is pouring rain today so no yard visits with some of my fellow tenants or the building baby who is 2.5 months old and fits nicely in my lap.
So in no particular order;
1. Why we Swim: Bonnie Tsui
2. Between the Stops: The view of my life from the top of the number 12 bus: Sandi Toksvig
3. How to be successful without hurting men's feelings - Sarah Cooper
4. Soap and water and common sense - Bonnie Henry
5. Undercover Economist - Tim Harford
6. We had no rules (short stories) - Corinne Manning
7. Barrelling Forward (short stories) - Eva Crocker
8. The High Places (short stories) Fiona McFarlane
9. Europa 28 - writing by women on the future of Europe
10. Redhead by the Side of the Road - Anne Tyler
11. Humble Pi: When math goes wrong in the real world: Matt Parker
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