The first week of school

 

Today is Thursday, the first Thursday of the Fall 2020 semester. Classes and emails are typical for the first week, especially for the incoming Freshmen who are taking the course online instead of in person. That is my accommodation for the Covid-19. In the first three days, I have been notified that ten of my students are quarantined due to Covid-19 exposure or positive testing. With other universities going 100 percent online, the question is, when will Oklahoma State University? The faculty I communicate with are anticipating that will happen soon. Some hope that we will continue with the current model for six to eight weeks. Personally, I think that the University should not have opened for in-person classes. No one asks me or cares what I think. The administration is more concerned about money than anyone’s health. The current university model cannot survive 100 percent online. There is too much overhead.

 I am quite happy to be online and living in Texas, although I feel for my colleagues that are teaching face-to-face. I spent my fourth morning in the Glass Art Studio making leaves. Leaves are a good practice item for improving my flameworking skills. The problem with the oxygen concentrator disappeared with the relocation of the concentrators and the addition of a fan. They were getting overheated, and so was I. With our 100 degree days, I can only work until about 9:30. That is fine since I start before 6 am. I am looking forward to cooler weather.

Glass Art Studio - Day One

 

My glass art studio is finished. I was able to work for about an hour this morning and then had an issue with the oxygen generator. I emailed the manufacturer. If I haven’t heard from them by 11:30  am, I will call. One of the oxygen concentrators started alarming, so I shut the system down. The instructions say not to shut off the concentrators, but shut the system down. I waited for an hour and then tried to turn the system back on. The generator stayed dark. Nothing would come on. No oxygen, no flame, no working glass. Darn!