Canceled. Darn!

Rick Steves notified us today that our trip to Ireland is canceled because of the Covid-19 pandemic. At least, Rick Steves will be sending a 100% reimbursement. Other tour operators are only giving credit for future travel. My sister had a tour to Italy scheduled with Grand Circle. Grand Circle changed its refund policy before canceling the trip from a refund to future credit.

Now we need to cancel the air and hotel portions of the trip that we added on our own. It sounds like a task for tomorrow. The pandemic is destroying the tour and travel industry, which includes airlines, restaurants, hotels, car rentals, and shuttles in addition to tour operators and travel agents.

I notified the airlines and hotels that our tour company canceled our trip to Ireland. One hotel is issuing a full refund. One hotel has not responded yet. The airline sent a case number. Hopefully, we will get a full refund. I will cancel the trip insurance if I get refunds from everyone. Otherwise, I will let the trip insurance make us whole. What a disappointment it is to have to stay home this summer. At least we are healthy. I just want to get out. It is so bad that I offered to relocate the opossum that Candi caught in here Havahart trap. I gave that possum the ride of its life going to the country and got to exercise the 370Z.

How do we know what is going on in the world?

Have you ever stopped to think about how we know about the outside world since we are all staying at home and practicing social distancing? Is it through contacting friends and colleagues through Zoom or Skype? But wait, aren’t the people we contact also staying at home and social distancing? How do they know what is going on in the world?

We depend on news reporters to know what is going on in the world. But can we believe them? The president keeps calling them fake news. But the president repeatedly lies, almost pathologically, so does that mean that the ones he calls fake news are reliable? If that is true, then the ones that he calls real news are really fake news. This is so confusing. 

Now the president is suggesting that we take sanitizer internally. Even I know that is a good way to injure or kill yourself. Drinking Chlorox or Lysol is not smart. Why doesn’t the president know this? I have to wonder how many people will attempt to take sanitizer internally because the president suggested it. The only good thing about that is that only a true Trumper would believe anything so idiotic. If they did follow his suggestion, then there will be fewer votes for his re-election.

How do you know what is going on outside your home?

Higher Education Has Changed.

Universities that are led by visionaries will know that higher education has fundamentally changed with Covid-19 and substantially all education at all levels delivered over the Internet. The only question is, how many universities are led by visionaries? I suggest that the answer is very few. I suspect that most are led by reactionaries who will refuse to change unless change is forced upon them. People are beginning to realize that the cost of a college education is artificially high because tuition and fees support many things that are not related to obtaining an education. Online classes do not require all of the things that support a college experience. Are parents, who foot the bill, concerned about the college experience or the education and the subsequent job/career that will result from the college degree?

Those universities that adapt and change will survive and flourish. Students will be encouraged to go to them by parents that are concerned about their child’s education and about getting in debt to get the degree. The other universities will either change or disappear.

What changes may we see? I expect to see the end of general education requirements, also known as gen-ed. These requirements started in the early part of the 19^th century to give the student a well-rounded education. With the tremendous changes to the secondary education system in the USA in the second half of the 20^th century, gen-ed requirements repeat the classes are taught in every high school. Eliminating the gen-ed requirements will reduce the time to get a bachelor's degree by a year.

We can expect to see universities flattening their current hierarchical organizations. Industry went through this flattening of the organization decades ago. It is past time for higher education to follow suit. At the same time, we should expect to see a reduction in duplicated service across the university. For example, every college has its own human resources department, facilities management department, and accounting department. When all of the colleges are on a single campus, the duplication results in unnecessary costs. At the same time, there are a number of departments whose existence is not justified. At many universities, mine included, we have an honors college. Why? I work closely with many employers, and none of them place any value on an honors degree. Every college has a graduate school with personnel that are responsible for its administration. Then the university has a graduate school. Again, duplication and waste. At my university, we have a university college. It has its own staff, including advisors. I have no idea why it exists?

It is time for the university to reduce costs and waste. It is time to stop building monuments, grand buildings, and taking debt. It is time to get back to the true mission of educating students.

The stress of grocery shopping.

We went to the grocery store yesterday morning. We had our masks ready and hand sanitizer. When we got there a little after 7 am, the parking lot was surprisingly empty, as was the store. We were zipping along getting the necessities; yes, extra-bittersweet chocolate is a necessity. More and more people came into the store. Most, but not all, were wearing masks. Social distancing gradually became more and more difficult. Many people did not seem to understand the concept of social distancing, especially old people who are the most risk from Covid-19. Many aisles were blocked. It would really help if the aisles were one way. The employees pulling groceries for pickup did not help the situation. We did get the necessities that have been in short supply, such as TP, flour, paper towels, Community Coffe, and mascarpone. We checked out without a wait. Some checkout stations had three people in line, and the next one had no one. You can guess which line we did not stand in to wait for checking out. We were so happy to get out of the store and home. We used disinfecting wipes to wipe everything down before putting the groceries away. We were completely wiped out after the experience. Who knew that a trip to the grocery store could be so stressful?

Keeping busy in the new reality of social distancing

My current efforts are on two fronts. The first is to complete the semester with all 600 of my students taking the class online. The second is starting a new business website for my academic editing efforts.

My students are doing very well with the change to online. The number of emails I receive daily is down to under ten per day. Some of the students have completed all of the semester’s assignments. The second exam opened yesterday, and they have until next Thursday to take the exam. If all of my students take the exam and do well, it will be a successful semester despite the challenge of moving online.

I have been creating content for my website. The website will promote my academic editing practice. I created a free article for people to download from the website; the free report gives the basics of academic writing, the common errors people make, and the solution to those errors. I have determined the basic structure of the website. I am now creating content to go into that structure. I created a form for people to fill out when requesting a quote for editing. I also have several former clients writing testimonials. The goal is to have the website live in early May. This is my fall back position if I leave teaching. More on that in May or June.

A third effort for later in the month is to create a website to highlight and sell Candi Glancy Artist’s paintings.

How are you keeping busy and safe?

Living together and working from home.

Most of us are finding a new normal, working from home. We are spending more time with our loved ones than we have maybe ever. We spent time together on weekends, but that is only two days out of seven days every week. Now we are together all seven days and into the start of our fourth week. Sometimes, the little things that the others in our home begin to bug us. The other day, my wife said, ”you have been here for almost three weeks, and you haven’t unpacked. Are you staying ready for a quick escape?” I did not know that my living out of a suitcase was bothering her. I quickly unpacked. It is not a one-way street. I went outside and came back to find myself locked out. I had forgotten her habit of locking all doors when she was inside. I used to carry my keys with me any time I went out of the house. I now remember to always keep a house key with me. When we are getting ready to go somewhere or do a task that requires both of us, she almost always says, “I will be ready in a minute.” It can be hours later when she finally shows up. She saw something that diverted her to a different project, that led to another project. Eventually, she forgot what the original project was. I now remember this and plan for it to happen. I don’t begin to get ready until she comes and says, “what’s keeping you?”

I won’t even go into the little things, like squeezing the toothpaste tube in the middle, or the no contact from 8 am until 5 pm rule, which she violates several times an hour if the office door is open. Love is taking a deep breath and leaving so much unsaid that I know would not be received well. Love, Peace, stay well, and safe.

How can we connect with students online?

Moving all students to online education has created a great learning opportunity. Not just for the students, but also for the teachers. The opportunity is to answer the question, how do we maintain personal contact with the students online and asynchronously? One way I do this is to weekly post a video where I review with the students the week’s assignment. I also check email at least twice every day. A quick response to any questions helps the students feel connected with me and the course. Today I sent an email to all of my former Face-to-Face students that asked them to take the attached pop quiz. When they opened the “quiz”, it said, “Happy April Fool’s Day.” Within minutes I started getting emails. The prank was appreciated.