I am writing today primarily to vent. I'm teaching a six week summer session undergraduate class right now and the contrast between this same class in the spring, when it was outstanding, to this summer, when it is appalling...astounds me. Are they stressed out? Too busy? Just don't care? They do not read assignment guidelines -- and even when I provide an OER book -- they do not read assigned material. They just do not read.

The delta variant, the increase in numbers, the relaxing of restrictions...recently I have encountered two cases of people who are un-vaccinated, out in public, not distancing, not wearing a mask. I am very afraid that the loosening of mandates means that such people are out there in large numbers, spreading the virus. Like my students and reading, they do not care. History is repeating itself.

 

In the Capital District of NYS, the opening of the Saratoga Race Track every summer makes people go into spasms of joy. Unless it's a horse - or an animal advocate. Horse racing is cruel and barbaric, and people who support it are scum or ignorant or both. By their disgusting coverage, the media normalizes abuse and pretends it is classy. One good thing about the pandemic - being spared last year of the nonstop gushing stories.

 I have received so many scam telephone calls today! I mean, seriously several more than the usual car warranty expiring (and yes, I did get one of those). What is going on? The last one was claiming to be Spectrum selling something extra for my account and the guy couldn't even tell me my zip code.

Messaging is that things are returning to normal -- whatever that is now -- and indeed our numbers are good, but I am apprehensive. Only semi-related, I have not been consuming news as I have explained in past entries, but Bob often wants to watch at least the weather. Last night I agreed, and the program opened with 1) how local police chiefs retiring makes it hard for the community to trust them 2) that his approval rating is high but still the governor sucks and 3) a woman tried to decapitate her dog. I yelled turn it off! Why did I say yes to watching? So he did. OMG.

 

 A couple of weeks ago, my Samsonville desktop computer would not turn on. After frantically trying the usual, I managed to get to Amazon on my phone and happily learned that I only bought it 11 months ago. So I called Dell technical support and it was a great experience. I was not on hold very long, they were extremely helpful, and I learned through some miracle that it is under warranty until 2023! 

So I brought it back to Castleton, and it took two visits by two different technicians...but I am happy to report that it is fixed! I am stunned.

 This was my Facebook post just now: Today there was a post in my Facebook feed that reminded me: June 6 is Animal Advocacy Day in NYS. (In 2021 there will be no in-person event, due to COVID-19.) The post was a reminder only because it made clear to me, once again, that a convicted abuser is celebrated by misguided people, and so cruelty is condoned and normalized.

It's cryptic, but here I don't have to be. The post was from my local library, about a local organization I support financially. They are partnering on a walk that starts at a building owned by a man who serv ed jail time for starving and freezing to death a dog -- he chained it to a tree. This scum landed in my community and is more than tolerated. Makes me want to puke.

See here.

I am really happy our numbers in New York are better. I'm sure the vaccine has something to do with it, but I think the season is more influential. We're outside more. When the Fall hits and we return inside, with no masks and less distancing, what will happen? I doubt lots more people will get vaccinated. In fact, if I was a young person, I probably wouldn't take the risk of a vaccine only approved under emergency authorization. 

We went out for our anniversary on Monday. We sat outside. I wasn't expecting it to be busy, but it was insane. There was only one waitress on, and service was terrible. The food was okay, but I felt a little under the weather afterwards from drinking two glasses of wine combined with a greasy appetizer. Pre-pandemic, that much drinking was nothing, but now I rarely have alcohol. We used to love eating out; a little sad to see it be a casualty of COVID, but I think it might be. (That doesn't translate to cooking, though. Take-Out rules.)

 Finished grades!!! YAY. A "friend" on FB put up a picture of his cut up mask with a comment about freedom. That ain't freedom, dude. And it got him an un-follow from me. LOL. I haven't had a cold in over a year -- largely due, I'm sure, to staying away from other people, excessive hand washing, and mask wearing. I hope shaking hands never comes back; I hope people stay home when they are sick.

I was scheduled to get my first vaccine on March 31, but that was the day after Rosie died and I was at the pet crematory. (I cry as I write that.) I rescheduled for April 21 and was relieved because classes would be over the day before the second shot, in the event of a reaction. On May 12, I got the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine, and on May 13, I was one of the unlucky who had severe side effects. I think I didn't understand until it happened to me. It wasn't like the flu at all, "it flattened me," which is how someone described it in a Google search I did. My arm was sore Wednesday night, much more than it was after the first shot, so I should have suspected. If I had known, I would have skipped the second dose. I was pretty vaccine hesitant, but got it due the social pressure. Not that anyone said anything to me, but in my community, getting the shot is the norm. At minimum I should not have scheduled it until after grades are done, because the deadline is tomorrow, and I am stretched to the limit. The mask mandate is being loosened -- but like in this New York Times story, I think I'll keep mine handy.

I have learned that another grant I wrote was funded! $21,250 for a tree inventory. I am a skilled grant writer, and I need to find a way to transition from how I make my bread now (as Mark Twain would say) to grant writing. To that end, on Friday I am going to a web conference for a Regenerate New York forestry grant.

 I thought this year would be a banner year for posting here -- maybe not compared to those years when I wrote 200 or 300 times, but way more than in recent years. Now I'm not sure. I just don't feel like writing journal entries since Rosie died. Plus my schedule hardly allows the time. :-(

Semester nearly over (May 11) and then it will be grading hell.

I'm pissed that Dr. Fauci (according to commentary that slipped into my awareness despite my embargo on all news) is acting like there is a good chance J&J will be fired up again, no problem, move along, nothing to see here. Why do public health people have no clue how to overcome vaccine hesitancy?

I had two extremely bonded dogs, Howie (1980-1995) & Penny (1983-1999). After Howie died, Penny was never quite the same. She had happy times certainly, but mostly she did not get over it. We adopted Rudy (1995-2005) as a puppy, and although he was a salve to me and they got along fine, especially after he grew up (he tortured Edna the cat worse when he was a wild puppy), it didn't snap her out of mourning. When she died, I found comfort in thinking that she and Howie were reunited.

Harry isn't having an easy time handling the loss of Rosie. I knew they were close, and that he followed her lead, but I didn't expect this much impact. I knew she was alpha, but I didn't realize how much that mattered to Harry and made him feel safe. I want to get another little Beagle (I miss Rosie so much...), which is hard right now to accomplish. I haven't adopted another cat, and Teddy died in February 2020; very odd for me. I know I have to be careful in choosing an appropriate companion for Harry, after the Penny experience.