Items
Date is exactly
2020-07-25
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2020-07-25
Middle-age spread
A comic strip about Covid-19 -
2020-07-25
A Different Online Meeting
Athletics has always been a big part of bringing together a school's community. It's an important aspect for not just the athletes but also the supporters. The complete cancellation of sporting events can be a jarring disruption to a school's morale and spirit. The rising of popularity of esports and competitive videogames though has been helpful in keeping people connected. Though physical, in person sports have been cancelled, classmates can still keep in touch with each other through their school's team by playing and watching the school's online games. The St. Mary's esports team has provided a way for people for people with similar interests to meet without actually ever seeing each other in person. A placement on the team isn't even necessary. Videogames have been an important outlet for me in the pandemic to keep me mentally happy. The closure of many places and the inability to see certain people in real life has made me rely on them instead. -
2020-07-25
Even Bigfoot wears a mask
Even the Bigfoot inside Saturday's discount store/gas station in Leadville, Colorado wears a mask. I took this photo while getting gas and snacks over the summer. It made me smile after a hard week- if Bigfoot can do it, so can I. -
2020-07-25
COVID-19 Military Service Leads to Scholarship
I decided to attend St. Mary's University while on the COVID-19 relief mission with the Texas Army National Guard during Summer 2020. The attached email is the email I received when I was notified that I had earned a scholarship that would lower my costs of attending graduate school. I was overwhelmed. I applied to the scholarship with the following essay: I am currently a graduate student completing my Graduate Certificate for Dual Credit Teaching in U.S. History. I am on track to graduate in May 2021. I work as an Anthropology Instructor at Blinn College. I currently serve as the Anthropology Instructor to RELLIS Campus for the joint Texas A&M Engineering at Blinn Program. Students are co-enrolled in the College of Engineering at Texas A&M University and Blinn College. Given the expansion of the Blinn RELLIS Campus, there is a need for instructors who are certified to teach in multiple disciplines. Though my Ph.D. is in Anthropology, I possess a B.A. in History. I decided to go back to school in order to become certified to teach History courses so that I could further advance Blinn’s vision for the RELLIS Campus. I have a proven track record of academic excellence that I intend to continue at St. Mary’s University. I finished my undergraduate studies and previous graduate studies with GPA’s over 3.90, receiving various awards along the way (see C.V. for details). The most important thing in my life is not my job or academic achievement, but my family. I am married to a loving and supportive wife, Helen, who works as a high school math teacher. We have two amazing daughters – three-year-old Annie and one-year-old Rose. Though difficult, I have decided to surrender some of my limited time with them in order commit to and finish this graduate certificate online by May 2021. Finally, in addition to my work at Blinn College and my family obligations, I serve as a Commissioned Officer in an Airborne Company with the Texas Army National Guard. Most recently I was activated for the COVID-19 Relief Mission, leaving my wife behind with the children. My orders ran from 18 April-18 July. While on this mission, I initially served as a COVID-19 Mobile Testing Team (MTT) Officer-in-Charge (OIC). Subsequently promoted to 2nd-in-Charge/Executive Officer (2IC/XO) of Texas Region 6, I led a staff of 18 Soldiers in personnel management and logistical resupply for 12 MTTs, encompassing 229 Soldiers and Airman. In all, my region served 8.2 million people in 25 counties - 29% of Texas. Working with multiple civilian agencies, including the Texas Department of Emergency Management, Texas Emergency Management Task Force, and Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service, I managed the resupply of 546,825 medical supply items and the testing of 58,550 COVID-19 patients at nursing homes, assisted living centers, meat packaging plants, drive-through sites, and walk-up sites in the region. Thank you for making this scholarship fund available to non-traditional students like myself. Additional funding would significantly lighten the overall family burden of completing this graduate program. Thank you once again for your generosity. It was very uplifting that my hard work with the military also allowed me to attend school full time upon returning from duty. -
2020-07-25
Overcrowded Hospitals
As a nurse at St. Josephs Hospital, my sister is at the heart of this pandemic. She is watching as her workplace is overrun with patients infected with the virus. Taking every precaution possible, she is doing everything she can to help her patients and the other nurses on her unit. Since the influx of positive cases is overwhelming the hospital, nurses from other units are transferred and trained on the COVID unit. Neonatal unit nurses, Neuro-ICU nurses, and anyone else that can help is fighting on the front lines of this pandemic. This is a screenshot from her Instagram, pleading with anyone who will see it, the consequences of not taking this virus seriously. -
2020-07-25
My Covid Graduation
Throughout my high school career, the one thing I was most looking forward to was graduating, as any high schooler would look forward to. Not only just getting my diploma and starting my next step in my life, but the actual action of walking across the stage, looking out seeing my family and friends sitting in the crowd cheering me on. The whole concept and excitement of graduation day. Getting all ready in my cap and gown, sitting in the seats next to my classmates who I had grown up with for 13 years and listening to our principle and class president speak. The feeling of finally being free from that era of my life and walking out of the arena with the diploma in my hand. This is what I was looking forward to at the end of my senior year. When my school first switched to online, I still had hope of going back to normal in a couple of weeks. Unfortunately, as we all soon began to realize we were not going back, I realized I would not have this dream of a normal graduation after all. My school still had big plans for our class of 2020 graduation. We had a big senior parade where we drove through our village past all of our teachers and big posters of our pictures lined up on the street. Following that, we had our covid-19 version of graduation. There was a stage set up outside of our school and a section in front designated for close family and friends to watch. That day, I had many emotions. I wanted to be excited for graduation, but the thought of all my class has missed out on was still lingering in the back of my head. I walked across the stage and received my diploma, wearing a mask along with everyone there. I watched all of my friends walk across the stage and receive their diplomas too, but on a video. As heartbreaking as it was, I realized this wasn't something I should be sad about. The pandemic opened up a whole new idea of adapting for everyone. It showed everyone that no matter what could possibly happen, such as global pandemic, there is always a way to make the best out of a bad situation. I was still able to make unforgettable memories and have a memorable graduation. This is important to me because I know this is an event that will always be remembered in my life and it was something that helped change my perspective on everything in life. -
2020-07-25
Anti-Mask Protests
After living in Massachusetts throughout the emergence of COVID-19, and watching the state promptly implement and obey lockdown restrictions and mask mandates, traveling to north Idaho in mid-July was a complete culture shock. Less than a week after I arrived back to my hometown of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho to visit my family, Kootenai County finally passed a mask mandate. As a result, a huge portion of the city’s population protested the simple act of wearing a face mask, claiming it was a complete violation of their freedom. The protesters threatened those who did obey the mandate. The difference in reactions by the people in Idaho vs. Massachusetts as a result of something so simple as a mask mandate was shocking to me. It is a completely different world than what I had gotten used to in Massachusetts, and I’ll never forget the hostile feeling that filled the small town of Coeur d’Alene, for the first time that I can ever remember. -
2020-07-25
Arras, Rehas, Oxygen Mask
This describes another take on being a bride during a pandemic: a bride worried if she will walk down the aisle, or into a jail cell, or be wheeled into a hospital bed -
2020-07-25
In Search of a Bathroom
In this recording, I talk about an experience I had a couple of weeks ago when I was looking for a bathroom on a road trip. The manager of a closed IHOP allowed me to use their restroom when no other places would let me because of COVID-19 concerns. I was so grateful that I returned the next day so I could give the restaurant some business. This experience was very meaningful to me; it was a moment of shared gratitude during a challenging time. -
2020-07-25
Orange County Fair at Home!
It is a huge summer tradition in our family to go to the Orange County Fair. Even when we go somewhat ironically, we always have a great time. When the fair was cancelled this year, my mom and I decided we would run the fair for my kids at our house. We went all in. We made a “photo booth” and a theme, to emulate the somewhat cheesy themes the fair has every year. My daughter made rides and games, with tickets for purchase. There was an art exhibit, and a “carnival of products” where my daughter “sold” suncatchers she and her brother made. We awarded items in our garden with fair ribbons. And, most importantly, we home made every fair food you can imagine - Orange Julius, soft pretzels, sausages, grilled corn, corn dogs, funnel cake and more. Orange County Fair 2020, COVID, Quarantined, and Closed actually turned out to be a pretty amazing day! -
2020-07-25
Deborah Hoile Oral History, 2020/07/25
This is an interview of Deborah Hoile about her day to day life during the COVID-19 pandemic. Deborah is retired and speaks about spending time taking care of her granddaughter. She offers her thoughts on the effects of the pandemic upon her community of Blanchard and ways that it has responded to COVID-19. Deborah also talks about the ways COVID-19 has affected seeing some of her children and grandchildren, as well as her thoughts about how the community of Blanchard could benefit from its current desire to watch over its more vulnerable population. -
2020-07-25
119 New Covid cases in the last two weeks inside California prisons
This Tweet shows the continuing crisis inside of the nation's prisons. Five months into the pandemic and the virus is still spreading like wildfire. -
2020-07-25
Break the Union
Recently my school district announced that we will begin the school year with remote learning. While many members of the community were in favor of remote learning, many were also incredibly vocal about their wish for a return to full in-person learning. This does not surprise me. There will always be multiple perspectives and positions on any major decisions that need to be made that impact large groups of people. Some individuals in support of full in-person learning have taken to social media and have begun attacking district teachers blaming them and their union for the district's decision to start the school year with remote learning. There is an aggressive tone to many of these posts. As a parent of children that attend school within the district, as well as teacher within the district, I worry about the environment that teacher's are going to be educating children in this year. With remote learning, we will literally be teaching in the homes of parents that are openly demonstrating hostility toward teachers. This brings a great deal of worry and anxiety as I prepare for the upcoming school year. -
2020-07-25
Danville School Lunch Delivery Service "ChoiceLunch" Helping Serve The Community
An East Bay school lunch delivery company is switching gears to help serve the community during the coronavirus pandemic. KCBS Radio's Carrie Hodousek has details of the partnership between ChoiceLunch in Danville and the Alameda County Food Book.