Today marked our two month Shelter In Place or lockdown here in San Francisco.  I never thought I'd last more than two days cooped up at home but here I am, now on my way to the two and a half month mark.  

I must say, the time went rather quickly.  Though I don't commute to work now due to the pandemic, I still teach and constantly communicate with my students and their parents.  Hardly a day passes when I don't check my school email and check my students' work online.  I attend meetings via ZOOM every Wednesday and I only get to rest on Saturdays and Sundays.  Honestly, I don't like it.  I prefer to go to school and teach in person. 

Last week, there was talk that school would be opening mid August, but today, I found out that such thinking is quite premature.  Classes in universities in all of California have been cancelled until the end of the year.  Amazon and Facebook employees as well were told they could work from home until Christmas. 

My partner and I have rescheduled our trip to London and Israel yet again for the end of the year but I am skeptical we would actually be able to fly or go on vacation then.  Moreover, I plan to cancel my gym membership when the gyms actually open.  There's just too much risk working out in such confined spaces full of sweaty people.  I don't think I would feel comfortable lifting weights nor sitting on the mats after they've been heavily used from morning til night.  To think, I usually work out at the end of the day as soon as I return to the city.  

It is easy to say that things will be okay, everything will soon return to normal, and this too shall pass.  However, the reality is, a lot of people are suffering due to the disruption of their employment.  Many have depleted their savings and are now dependent on the generosity of charitable individuals, organizations, and churches for food.  So many businesses are closing like huge airlines and department stores.  To make things worse, food prices are going up at this time when many are struggling to survive.

I pray the end is near and a vaccine will soon be discovered.  Life is simply tough right now.