Virus Journal 3-30-2020 (Epicenter)

It's been five days since my last journal entry. I have held off because my mind has been in a state of constant anger and confusion. The president has at multiple occasions admitted he is not giving governors what they request, has downplayed the urgency to provide medical equipment, and has basically admitted that he expects fealty and public groveling from governors if they want to get supplies.

In these last few days the New York City area has become the epicenter of the virus. There are over forty cases in my town, and today someone died. The hospitals are filling up and they've had to turn refrigerated semi truck trailers into impromptu morgues. The Javits Center is now a field hospital.

Due to social distancing I feel strangely cut off from all of this. It only becomes real when I hear from real people. One of my neighbors has lost two people she knows. One of my friends in town has also lost two people in his life. One of the dead is 36.

I have noticed a shocking level of ignorance of this in other parts of the country. Many I talk to back home seem to not understand just how bad things are here. Unfortunately, they will find out soon enough. Some folks are in blossoming hot spots. A friend in Louisiana lost someone she knew. Others live in central Georgia and and eastern Pennsylvania, hot spots that have been missed in the national media. Lynchburg, where some other friends have, has entered the spotlight due to Liberty University's infamous behavior.

At home last week was my last week of break. Just as I finally seemed to be keeping my daughters' home schooling on task, I had to go back to work this week. Working online left me feeling frantic today. I feel like my students appreciate what I am doing, at least. However, I am not sure how long I can sustain the status quo. My wife is a technology coach for her district, and her frantic pace of work just does not seem to be slowing down.

Working hard today at least kept me busy. I spent a lot less time reading the news, which usually leaves me wanting to cry or break something. Today, with Orban becoming a dictator in Hungary and more deaths, the distraction was helpful.Those who just want to end the school year are offering a false promise of more serenity. Without something to do the quarantine can be literally maddening.