SOL20 Slice #17: Everything is virtual

I am participating in the

 Slice of Life Story Challenge (SOL20).  

All participants are sharing stories about moments in their lives, writing 

 every day for the month of March 2020.

Thank you, Two Writing Teachers!

It's St. Patrick's day, so I'm thinking of limericks.

There once was a big old pandemic
With a reach that was so systemic
We were all forced indoors
Spouse, children, and chores
And tasked to pursue academics.


I don't know about you, but my head is bursting from all the new learning I am doing, trying to do everything virtually! I participated in an IEP remotely - how do business people do these conference calls all the time? That was just a nutty experience, trying to listen to and hear from individual folks, and trying to concentrate with all the background noise.

I had this idea to read a book to the preschoolers, so that they might see my face, feel a connection from their teacher, as they hunkered down in isolation with their families. Simple, right? Make a video and put it on my class page. Oh my, this was a technical challenge for me, involving missteps and confusion.

I'm also trying to call my little sweeties on a regular basis. I've never really needed such frequent access to their telephone numbers, so I decided to create a phone list for easy access in my cellphone...well, this was much harder than it should have been. Now, I've sent out messages, and families are responding with their preferred numbers and the best times to get in touch with them...adding these individual details to my group list has just about put me over the edge!

Simple, ordinary tasks are taking me so long to do because they are done differently under these circumstances. Who knew that isolation and alone time would be so demanding?

A parent texted me about the challenges of this time of isolation with their preschooler. Their routines are totally out of whack. It is clear, already, that this time with family is not a vacation, not a weekend, not pure fun. This is hard. It's only Tuesday!

Last night on PBS News Hour, Dr. Asaf Bitton noted we're creating "a new social compact by coming together by staying apart."

I need to remember this is new for all of us. I must work on my self-talk. There is no need to feel as if I'm not doing something fast enough, or I'm doing it wrong, or I'm not doing enough.

I need to remember:
This is hard.
This is new.
This will take time.

I'll be okay, we'll be okay.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

There once was a writer named Maureen
Who loved to be quiet and unseen
Along came this virus
With its plan to hide us
She was alone so much that she screamed!