quiet and open

My day is stretching ahead of me, open with possibilities. For the first time since Aug 2018, I don’t have any academic obligations. No classes to attend, papers to write, tests to take, or lectures to deliver,

If this was normal times, I would be boarding a ship tomorrow bound for somewhere, anywhere, to celebrate.  I have almost forgotten what the inside of an airport looks like, or the inside of a cruise terminal. Even the inside of one of the main train stations. Not surprising, I have no interest currently in experiencing train travel through LA, NYC, Chicago, or DC. I might want to travel across Canada, but they don’t want me. Or any other American traveler at this point.

Since  these are not normal times, so I am considering how I am going to plan my time for the next month. Our “shelter-at-home” was just extended here in the Bay Area through the end of May.

I made my morning coffee run to Peet’s. I put gas in the car. As someone mentioned a few days ago, this is now a monthly trip, rather than weekly. The furthest I have to drive is Angel’s work, or Shana’s house. The trips to UCSF are down to once a month.

The new normal for me will be keeping up professionally with a number of Webinars (hey – free CME/CPD? How can I turn that down?, participating a few times a week through ZOOM with knitting groups (Tues&Wed evenings, Sunday afternoon). Watching a few YouTube videos, including watching the falcons grow. Contemplating cleaning and organizing the sewing room. Which first might require that I deal with the garage so that I have someplace to temporarily put the “extra stuff.” I have sewing projects lined up, but with all the SciFi Cons now gone virtual, I am not sure that it is worth getting dressed up for them. I have knitting, and a bijillion cross stitch projects that I would really like to do.

For most of us over 65, life has changed, but in significantly different ways than for others. We are not traveling, or spending time with family that lives out of our local area. Our social groups are not meeting, except for those which have transitioned to on-line. Unlike for some of our younger family members, many of us have stable incomes (pensions, anything non-stock market dependent. I like savings accounts. the interest may not be high, but my money is still there….), we don’t have to supervise active toddlers or teenagers with ZERO interest in course work now that their friends and social lives are completely out of reach.

I am now setting my eyes on next fall. And gathering up the energy to deal with several phone calls regarding delayed/cancelled/postponed travel planes. Guess I won’t have any problem filling up my time. Wonder what would be easiest to work on while I am on infinite hold….