Preparing for Coronavirus?

[bento]

Moment of levity in an online all-college forum yesterday:

Someone left their mike on and went to the bathroom.  The mike was very good at picking up all ambient noise.  Loud bathroom sounds, then roaring flush.

Since there were 66 of us online, but no one using video camera, we are all now free to suspect each other of having been That Person.

[apl68]

Well, while we're on this particular subject, at the professional conference I attended on Friday, the restrooms at the conference center had all been bleached to a fare-thee-well in anticipation of our arrival.  During a break in the proceedings I was walking past one restroom and could hardly draw a breath due to the not-bleach smell coming from it.  Somebody must have had a rough time in there.  I'm surprised we didn't have to drag unconscious people out of that room.

[Cheerful]

at the professional conference I attended on Friday

An organization had a conference on Friday?

[apl68]

at the professional conference I attended on Friday

An organization had a conference on Friday?

Statewide library children's services workshop.  Probably the last event of any size that took place in our state.  About 60% of registered attendees were actually there. 

Like many libraries, we have closed our doors to the general public, but are still offering reference service, "curbside" checkout (You call in with what items you want, and we bring them to you at the door), and essential computer and fax service by appointment.  We're all working our normally scheduled hours, and there's a good bit of weeding, inventory, etc. to keep us busy.  Maybe we'll actually get caught up!

[apl68]

Had a staff member not scheduled to work today come in to collect her paycheck.  She advised us to go fill up our gas tanks.  Apparently there is likely to be a fuel shortage due to slowdowns in interstate commerce due to the emergency.

More likely a self-fulfilling prophecy, if this rumor prompts everybody locally to try to panic-fill their tanks all at once. 

[Parasaurolophus]

Our campus library closed today. Got my Defoe in the nick of time!

[clean]

Had a staff member not scheduled to work today come in to collect her paycheck.  She advised us to go fill up our gas tanks.  Apparently there is likely to be a fuel shortage due to slowdowns in interstate commerce due to the emergency.

More likely a self-fulfilling prophecy, if this rumor prompts everybody locally to try to panic-fill their tanks all at once.

I live in a hurricane area.  Gas stations are considered 'critical' and are allowed to operate.  At this point, I am not aware that there are closings of any refineries. 

However.... I will also admit that yesterday I topped off my car, even though I still had 1/2 a tank.  As I said, I am in a hurricane zone and I have a large 14 gallon gas tank and a few 2 1/2 gallon tanks.  I have been thinking about filling those as well, and the primary reason that I have not is that I do not have the additive that stabilizes the gas for longer storage.  (and because I htink that the price will continue to fall as the low oil prices work through the system and the decreased demand further suppresses the price because we are not traveling much now). 

So I would not panic, but you may want to top off if it is convenient. 

[secundem_artem]

All I know is that as long as my local Gannett "newspaper" continues to publish, it will not be possible to run out of toilet paper.

[ab_grp]

Moment of levity in an online all-college forum yesterday:

Someone left their mike on and went to the bathroom.  The mike was very good at picking up all ambient noise.  Loud bathroom sounds, then roaring flush.

Since there were 66 of us online, but no one using video camera, we are all now free to suspect each other of having been That Person.

We had a situation like that years ago.  One of my colleagues, who is very well known in our field, was giving a seminar to somewhere around 50 people.  He left the room during the break to use the restroom, also leaving the microphone on, which wasn't obvious to those in the room until it was obvious.  It was a bit awkward but could have been worse given what other events could have occurred in the restroom.

Yesterday, we had our first large group meeting that was supposed to be via full audio/video (about 100 people).  During our high muckety muck's presentation, someone belched rather loudly.  Thankfully for that person, most who were not presenting had turned off video because of bandwidth issues (he was one of them), and individual participants are not listed out when there are that many (so you can't see who is muted or not as in most cases).  Muckety muck paused and noted that it sounded as though there was some noise on the line, and admonishments to mute lines followed. 

I'll add one more just because it cracked me up pretty good at the time.  We had regular conference calls with probably 40-50 people, all different areas working together on one major project.  Meetings were run by a particular individual, and she facilitated the discussion.  At some point during one of the calls, some man started singing, kept at it for 30 or so seconds, and stopped abruptly.  Apparently, it was the facilitator's adult son.  Fortunately, the meetings are informal enough and colleagues know each other well enough that we all just got a laugh out of it after the initial startled silence.  I don't mind those kinds of meetings.

Lots of lessons to be learned, I guess! I get nervous when too much technology is involved.  Are all my microphones muted? I shut off and covered by laptop's web cam and use an external one that I can point wherever I choose or just unplug to be safest.  Everyone extols the virtues of video during these remote work times, but there are also a lot of folks who do not really have home office set ups conducive to that. 

[alto_stratus]

Talented singing professor capturing the story of adjusting to online classes. <3

https://youtu.be/CCe5PaeAeew

[Cheerful]

Talented singing professor capturing the story of adjusting to online classes. <3

https://youtu.be/CCe5PaeAeew

Awesome and fun!

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Talented singing professor capturing the story of adjusting to online classes. <3

https://youtu.be/CCe5PaeAeew

Awesome and fun!

Cute video. We just had a two hour online meeting about all of this. So many webex meetings...

[hmaria1609]

Here's an update on rail and transit services in the metro DC area as of this evening. Info for drivers is included:
https://wtop.com/dc-transit/2020/03/local-and-regional-transit-services-adjust-to-coronavirus-presence/
Hope this is helpful!

Want booze with your order? Now available to DC residents:
https://wtop.com/business-finance/2020/03/you-can-order-booze-with-your-dc-takeout-or-delivery/

[backatit]

Had a staff member not scheduled to work today come in to collect her paycheck.  She advised us to go fill up our gas tanks.  Apparently there is likely to be a fuel shortage due to slowdowns in interstate commerce due to the emergency.

More likely a self-fulfilling prophecy, if this rumor prompts everybody locally to try to panic-fill their tanks all at once.

I live in a hurricane area.  Gas stations are considered 'critical' and are allowed to operate.  At this point, I am not aware that there are closings of any refineries. 

However.... I will also admit that yesterday I topped off my car, even though I still had 1/2 a tank.  As I said, I am in a hurricane zone and I have a large 14 gallon gas tank and a few 2 1/2 gallon tanks.  I have been thinking about filling those as well, and the primary reason that I have not is that I do not have the additive that stabilizes the gas for longer storage.  (and because I htink that the price will continue to fall as the low oil prices work through the system and the decreased demand further suppresses the price because we are not traveling much now). 

So I would not panic, but you may want to top off if it is convenient.

Yup, we keep full tanks at all times starting now. And we have one diesel car because they ALWAYS keep the diesel flowing for the trucks. I love that thing.

[spork]

I'm out of leaf bags and canned pumpkin! No more yard work or pies!!!