What are YOUR plans for the summer? How confident in them are you? Do you have a contingency plan yet?
I had a conversation with a former coworker this morning. He usually takes his RV about over the summer. He teaches 2 online summer classes and most of that is already automated, so he doesnt have much to do while on the road. Today he mentioned that he doesnt know what he will do given that currently a lot of places are shut down. He mentioned that his employer (my former employer) is alerting faculty to prepare for only online classes in Summer AND fall as well!
In December I had booked a cruise to Alaska for mid-late May. In February when it was time to pay or cancel, my travel companions balked, so we cancelled. As of today anyway, the cruise line had cancelled several departures, but my original departure is still (at least today) on the books for a departure.
After we cancelled the Alaska trip, I booked a Disney trip for May 17 - 24 anticipating some of my family may join in as we are Florida Natives (and they have not transplanted). That is still ready, but this weekend Disney announced that it would be closed until Further notice. If I understood it, they are not taking reservations before June 1, but that may not be correct. When Disney first announced it was shutting down it was only until March 31, so I am not surprised by the reluctance to reopen, especially when the Fl governor moving to quarantine people arriving from several states for 2 weeks!
Soooo,.... I was thinking (maybe naively) that this virus would be well in hand by Mid May and that by then we would all be back to work. It is not looking that way as I type on March 30. So I have plans to visit Disney (though my fiance is giving me the "we'll see" yellow flag!)
Otherwise, I have no travel plans. I had already planned to teach 2 online classes, so that should not change.
In summary, it looks like my summer plans from December have changed to Contingency Plan Disney, and I have no additional contingency plans (other than 'stay home'). I have not even considered teaching FALL online totally!!
I talked to my parents late last week. The usually take their RV to TN and visit Dollywood and the Blue Ridge Parkway area parks in late spring. They like Dollywood because at that time of year they have a lot of Gospel groups and bluegrass groups play. My mom indicated that because of the closures of so many rest areas and the closures of the national parks, and of course Dollywood, that they have cancelled. Even if things reopen in April, it will be too late to make reservations, so no Spring Flower - see the fawn and other babies in the national parks trip for them this year.
At the moment they are working in their respective gardens - (Flowers for mom, and veggies for my father).
They dont usually do much 'fun' over the summer. At least so far THIS summer is not scheduled for surgeries! The last 2 summers have been devoted to knee replacements!
I would like to clear out part of my backyard so that I can put in a nice Victory Garden! :) I still plan to keep large spaces untouched as habitat for birds and other wildlife. I'll probably end up teaching online unless they revoke the quarantine measures.
I plan on doing absolutely nothing! :-)
Hoping that things will have returned to normal enough by summer to hold our library summer reading program as usual. We've had to cancel an awful lot of what we had planned for this spring.
I'm thinking we'll all be watching it and staying home until September--at least I'm planning for that.
My summer plans rarely involve travel since I'm one of the folks who guides visitors to my area around specific historic sites in July and August.
I'm guessing my next 4 months will look like this past month has looked, and I'm fine with that. I've delayed work on two papers (for cancelled conferences) in order to dig into a book project that could take all year, and I'll probably have more music students than usual in the summer if people still aren't travelling because it occupies their time pleasantly and productively--and that's fine with me, too.
My "day job" also has ongoing stuff to do: it's time to start putting our next publication together, which I edit and help produce, and that will run (and pay, thankfully) all summer as well.
My foot is better, so while it's not fully weight-bearing yet, it's getting there...by June I should be walking, maybe hiking a tiny bit, and I'm deciding now what form my usual tours may take, and how to do the PR for them online.
My major travel happens in the winter, and I still have a couple thousand photos from Dec.to go through and file.
So....it'll be fun!
M.
I don't know what "well in hand by mid May" would even look like. The only way that this is containable without surefire treatments or a vaccine is if it is reduced to rare enough occurrences that any outbreak can be immediately quelled by isolating the infected person, doing extensive contact tracing, and isolating all those who have come into contact with them. This is the practice in South Korea, as I understand it. But no other country has made a gesture towards it since the very early days. It's either admonishing people about social distancing, to moderate effect, or lockdown, to imperfect effect, or various degrees of chaos. I see no sign that the U.S. is addressing this in any kind of coordinated or orderly way. The price we pay for that is having to wait until someone develops surefire treatments or a vaccine. As soon as things are loosened up in any way, the virus will spread even more freely. So even if Disneyland opens and cruises start up again, I think anyone who's not immune would be foolhardy — potentially risking their lives, not to say the lives of people they will pass the virus on to — not to stay home.
Applying for full professor, and possibly traveling to my wife's homeland to see her elderly mother, if she hasn't caught Covid-19 by then.
We were planning a trip to Europe in July. Pretty much given up on planning for that now, though. So, probably just putter around in the garden and travel a bit to see family if that's a viable option.
We had a trip scheduled in May for my milestone birthday. It was to be in a faraway country to which I've never travelled. The airline made the decision for us by cancelling our flights.
We're supposed to travel to a wedding (a friend from college) in June, but I wonder whether the wedding itself will be postponed.
Other big plans involve moving for my new job! We don't know when to start house hunting or when to put our current house on the market.
When (if) I get home from my current travels I will be staying there!
I have had enough adventures a long way from home in the last two and a half weeks while trying to sort out getting home to kill all desire to stray far, at least for a few months, and I certainly don't want to get on a plane. Fortunately my booking on a flight home this weekend seems to be stable, after two earlier cancellations.
Well, if this lasted until fall, some of us wouldn't have jobs, for sure, so it's a good thing that isn't extremely likely. Also, there are some diseases without vaccines that we have been able to continue on with. I guess I just don't see things as foreboding for as long as many do, but being stuck inside for weeks or months at a time does cause people to look at the dark side, I suppose. But my understanding from the beginning was that the major goal of social distancing was to keep the medical system from being overwhelmed. As a whole, this virus is not a killer to the majority of people, so as long as it can be spaced out, then it can be treated. I have been following one of the major modeling sites: https://covid19.healthdata.org/projections (https://covid19.healthdata.org/projections) That being said, of course I've had to delay my annual May/graduation trip I take each year to some foreign destination. This year's Middle Eastern destination doesn't even have open borders if I wanted to go, but I am rescheduling that trip to a period right before when school starts, so late July/early August. My major domestic trip, to Hawaii, a place I would now be quarantined, was to be late July, and I will attempt to reschedule for early July, if possible. So it looks like I'll be cramming my elongated summer travel into the few weeks before school starts, but after months of sitting at home, I think I won't mind. I sure hope the models are correct--or better--and that people are able to believe and hope. It seems like everything I see and hear now is all about numbers of deaths (without context) and everything bad, almost as if to scare us into locking ourselves away. I am not going anywhere for a while, but I intend to get out eventually!
We've cancelled the mid-May week on Fripp Island with my brother's family. It's time to book airfare, but family events have been postponed to September.
I was also planning a leisurely road trip to South Dakota and Nevada. I brought home the illustrated guide to U.S.A. landmarks when we cleaned out my mother's house last year. As a child poring over that book, I wanted to see the Dakota Badlands and Mount Rushmore and Hoover Dam. The plan was to fly from SC to SD, then rent a car for a two week drive home to Texas via NV. My road trip is on hold.
Quote from: DrSomebody on March 30, 2020, 11:28:24 PM
Well, if this lasted until fall, some of us wouldn't have jobs, for sure, so it's a good thing that isn't extremely likely. Also, there are some diseases without vaccines that we have been able to continue on with. I guess I just don't see things as foreboding for as long as many do, but being stuck inside for weeks or months at a time does cause people to look at the dark side, I suppose. But my understanding from the beginning was that the major goal of social distancing was to keep the medical system from being overwhelmed. As a whole, this virus is not a killer to the majority of people, so as long as it can be spaced out, then it can be treated. I have been following one of the major modeling sites: https://covid19.healthdata.org/projections (https://covid19.healthdata.org/projections) That being said, of course I've had to delay my annual May/graduation trip I take each year to some foreign destination. This year's Middle Eastern destination doesn't even have open borders if I wanted to go, but I am rescheduling that trip to a period right before when school starts, so late July/early August. My major domestic trip, to Hawaii, a place I would now be quarantined, was to be late July, and I will attempt to reschedule for early July, if possible. So it looks like I'll be cramming my elongated summer travel into the few weeks before school starts, but after months of sitting at home, I think I won't mind. I sure hope the models are correct--or better--and that people are able to believe and hope. It seems like everything I see and hear now is all about numbers of deaths (without context) and everything bad, almost as if to scare us into locking ourselves away. I am not going anywhere for a while, but I intend to get out eventually!
Beware. Having worked with some, they'll be the first to tell you:
Statisticians are people who know how to model what their employer wants to hear...
M.
We've gone to distance learning for summer classes, so I need to move more material online in between now and June. I was hoping to visit family later this summer, but I don't know if that will happen. I'd love to take a least a short road trip out of the city.
I'm scheduled for my normal two online sections. We'll see if they make.
I hope to have all my fall classes built well before summer, so ideally I won't have to be doing that in the summer months.
Have your plans firmed up any? Have they changed a lot from your first pass plan?
I don't plan more than a few days ahead right now. That said, it's good to dream and plan for happier days in the future. There will be some work as I need to devote time to fall course prep and a research project or two.
I'm considering teaching a summer class for the first time in a few years. If we're all online anyways and we can't travel... Might be nice to have something to do. Especially if spouse is still working from home.
I'm teaching (online) in May-June. Other than that, I plan to write, write, write and publish, publish, publish.
I have far too many article projects in the works, and need to clear a few. I'd also like to get to work on my long-languishing novel, and on a small project introducing people to the family card game.
Realistically, I'll probably only end up getting a couple of articles done. But I can try! There won't be much else going on this summer, apart from local hikes/beach days (I'm on a mid-sized island, and those things will remain open and available to locals).
Everything for us is contingent on childcare. At this point there's really no way to tell if our daycare is going to reopen anytime soon. If not, we've thought about seeing if there any teenagers or college students around who could do regular babysitting. We'd probably only feel comfortable with that, however, if cases had gone down to the point that some restrictions could be lifted. (Thankfully, our governor is behaving sensibly, and has made it clear that restrictions being lifted are tied to specific benchmarks.) Hard to feel like there's much chance of getting much work done as long as we have a toddler in the house all the time.
My South Dakota road trip seems unlikely, but it's still a possibility for late summer. I'm contemplating a crafty week at home in late May, to get myself away from TV and computer. Maybe start a succulent garden on patio? Or pull out the mosaic tools and materials to replace damaged table top? Maybe find that clock building kit?
I need to do something that doesn't involve screen time.
I found out that I have a surprise online Astronomy class for the summer. I didn't ask for it, it just kind of showed up in my schedule. So, looks like I have three online classes this summer. It's good to have a positive flux of cash into the household, so not complaining about that, I'm just annoyed that the person in charge of it didn't think to ask me.
At least I now have a home office set up- with an actual desk! I've found myself to be a lot more productive here. I suppose it has something to do with this room being defined as a 'work space' unlike the other rooms which have just way too many functions and distractions.
So, I'll be teaching this summer and piddling around the house. Hopefully, I'll be able to go back to campus and work in the community garden, but I'm not holding my breath.
Quote from: Parasaurolophus on April 26, 2020, 11:22:46 AM
I'm teaching (online) in May-June. Other than that, I plan to write, write, write and publish, publish, publish.
Amen, sister or brother.
I have an online class at full capacity which I accepted before the damn virus hit, otherwise I plan on hitting the keyboard hard this summer. Two to three chapters and a proposal for the book contract. Finish at least one article, sundry journalism, and some of the pulp stuff I write.
Also going to try and learn two first movements of two separate concertos that I've long wanted to play...
But I probably won't make my summer pilgrimage to my home state to visit my mother who suffers from dementia. She's got 24-hour care with a wonderful professional service, a "living will" paying her bills, security cameras on the house that I can access, and I call her every evening, so I'm not worried about her material well-being...but I feel sad about not visiting. It just seems too dangerous to travel through airports and potentially infect a fragile 80-something woman. I also miss my home state something terrible, and every summer and Christmas visit is a renewal for me, kind of like a hobbit returning to the Shire. And then there is the family cabin I haven't been to in three years...thinking of missing that drive out with the missus and the dogs makes me want to cry. Oh well.
Keep writing just in case...well, just in case the sky does fall and we have to look elsewhere for employment. Better to be as well armed as possible for the apocalypse...
Teach, and pray a hurricane doesn't hit?
Hopefully I can get some writing done.
Quote from: Cheerful on April 26, 2020, 10:44:02 AM
I don't plan more than a few days ahead right now. That said, it's good to dream and plan for happier days in the future. There will be some work as I need to devote time to fall course prep and a research project or two.
I saw an article in The Times about people who had lived in war zones and through other long term disasters, and many of them said that it was important to not plan stuff far in advance, but also just be open to doing things like taking a vacation or traveling on short notice. It did help me to think that I don't have to see everything as impossible, just uncertain. I'm not making plans for June, but if we get there and conditions make it seem pretty low risk to ourselves and others to rent a place in the mountains for a week, we could just book it and go. The good news is that advanced reservations shouldn't be needed...
For as long as I can remember, I've said that I would spend the summer reading the physical books I've accumulated.
This might just be the year.
Was planning on doing fieldwork in China and attending several conferences... but now that is off the table. Instead I'll just hang out at home and write as much as possible.
So, anything I could plan depends on whether substitute teachers in public schools can
draw unemployment benefits. Does anyone know of, other than the public stimulus
disbursement, any federal relief monies that public school subs might be eligible to receive?
That is an interesting question. How are substitute teachers paid? Is it similar to contract workers or independent contractors? I understand that the rules were relaxed to let independent contractors/'gig workers' to apply and be paid.
If this was someone's full time employment, then I would suggest that the person go ahead and apply! What are they going to do, other than say 'no'?
We and other public libraries are trying to figure out how to plan for summer reading. We're being strongly discouraged from holding face-to-face events--to have a virtual program instead. Fine for urban libraries with plenty of bandwidth and well-heeled IT departments, perhaps. But what are we smaller rural libraries who don't have much bandwidth--and have patrons whose only internet access is through using our facilities--supposed to do?
Quote from: Economizer on April 30, 2020, 06:41:07 AM
So, anything I could plan depends on whether substitute teachers in public schools can
draw unemployment benefits. Does anyone know of, other than the public stimulus
disbursement, any federal relief monies that public school subs might be eligible to receive?
Substitute teacher rules likely vary depending on how the local schools handle sub employment. When I worked in K12 nearly 30 years ago, my district had a few full-time substitutes and a sub pool. The full-time subs were eligible for benefits, including unemployment. One summer the district forgot to issue them letters of intent for the fall, so they were able to draw unemployment over the summer. Subs in the pool were not eligible for benefits, including unemployment, because they were hired by the day. But the gig worker rules may change that, if subs apply.
I'll be teaching one online class (possibly more, hopefully not!). Hoping that I can take at least one trip to see friends, but that seems unlikely. My state is under stricter lockdown than most with good reasons. I really want to go to a beach and put my toes in the sand or escape into the wilderness for a few nights.
I'll most likely stay home, teach my class, water my gardens, and try to get some publications out.
Tks Apl and Vkw.. At one time I had a teacher's license for several fields at HS & MG so I do get paid a little more than others. I guess that I am still DAY LABOR, BUT for any of us, you're only as good as each class will allow and the mood/day plans of the regular staff. I will apply but know that if awarded anything by the state it will be challenged by the school system and I will have to pay back the State and that payback will go to Lord
only knows where. And, the schools will be proud that they have once defended successfully one of the rocks of their personnel policies. Hell, a hundred bucks a week would help !