I guess it truly doesn’t matter what day it is anymore. That’s always been the perception and conception I’ve hoped to enact and embody, and now it’s here, and unavoidable. Oh well…
Who knows if the semester will reconnect with itself or continue at all. Doesn’t mean we can’t write. Doesn’t mean we can’t LEARN from each other’s stories and experiences during this stay-the-fuck-inside-your-house period.
How are you doing? What are you doing? …….. Who are you in the grip of all this?
Post below, and write FREELY.
Hope all are well, safe, healthy, and still moved to page.
-#professormikey
#professormikey 
Hi Professor Mikey,
Theresa here from your Monday English 1B class. So my job is considered “essential business” so I’m here at work. Grateful to be working to distract me, but scared too. Driving to work takes no time at all. Small favors I guess. I’ve never been one to get wrapped up in hysteria, but since the shelter in place order went into effect, I’ve been a little weird. Trying to keep it all together is a full time hobby for sure. Hope you and yours are well.
LikeLike
Hey you… Thanks for the note, and the response. More than distraction, try to create new dimensions for yourself. Not an order, just a thought. I miss seeing you and all the colleagues. And, you’re doing more than just keeping it together, you’re doing great in all this, I know. When all this passes, we’ll have a great discussion, assuredly. Always here if you need an ear, or eye…… The colleagues are, too. -Mike
LikeLike
Good afternoon, Professor M. I’m doing okay during this period of shelter-at-home and social distancing. I’m honestly not doing much. I’ve been relaxing a little since my job was closed. I do have to do all my hw and chores, which is keeping me busy and is still a lot to do that I have to do, unless I want to fall behind even more. In the grip of all this, I’m just kind of being a calm and somewhat collected person. It has been somewhat hard to find some things in store because a lot of people keep panic shopping. Regardless, we have food and supplies luckily. I wonder, how are you and your family? I hope you are all well and have enough of everything to keep moving forward. Thank you for checking up on everyone in class.
LikeLike
Hey Mikey, I’m doing well so far! I have been surprisingly productive this week, lots of writing and drawing and cooking. I just know once the boredom hits me, it’s going to be very difficult to get out of. So I am really making an effort to keep myself occupied! My birthday is also this week (irrelevant but) hoping to do at least one thing that will fulfill some normalcy. Hope all is well for anyone reading this<3
– Avery
LikeLike
Stay well…
LikeLike
It’s Chi-Town. It was nice seeing you the other day, let me know if your son wants to try any new fun drinks. I know a bunch of delicious drinks that my little brothers love. Hope you’re doing well, I’ve just been drinking my starbucks coffee while writing in my journal to keep myself from going insane
LikeLike
We’ll talk soon, Chi…
Keep writing, old friend. ✊🏽🖋💥
LikeLike
Hey Mikey and colleagues, Chris Filice here. This is a very strange time. It would be out of my character to not have silently freaked out in my mind for the first day of sheltering. Of course I thought I was going to get sick but after a couple of days, I realized that I felt just as physically bad as I always do, nothing worsening. This was a sigh of relief. I then had a long thought processing session about how time is somewhat obsolete for the next few weeks or months. I had these strange impulses that I need to rush off to do something but really I had nowhere to be. I wasn’t running late for anything, not falling behind. My only concern is to eat, sleep, and not get coughed on. No one is expecting anything from me. It’s an odd feeling when the comfortable weight of the world lifts itself from my shoulders. Considering what others must be going through with worrying about their children, or if they have loved ones who are sick or at-risk, I am very lucky. All I really have to do is take care of myself. I once again need to reiterate that I’m lucky. I’m trapped by the confines of what is safe to do during these times, but I feel somewhat free. I get to go on morning trail runs and shoot hoops at the park. The mornings are good for this. It’s calm and there are minimal humans wandering about. I get to cook some interesting dishes out of foods that were left in the store. I get to do puzzles, crosswords, play cards, draw and go on the occasional video game or Netflix binge. I’ve also decided to start keeping a journal and practice writing along with my reading. Segues are weird so I’ll just dive into this. My girlfriend also moved in two days before the shelter in place. This could’ve been stressful but it’s been really nice reorganizing, cleaning things, and helping her get settled in. I’ve found through all of this that I am a pretty competent individual when push comes to shove. I’ve been able to remain a calming force in my significant others life and am trying to make the best out of a bad situation. I see a lot of love in the air and people caring for one another and I hope we don’t let that fade away when this is all said and done. Hope all is well with everyone and their families and look forward to continuing the conversation, whether in person or online.
LikeLike
Awesome entry…
cheers.
LikeLike
Hey Mikey how’s it going?
I miss your class dearly and our lively conversations more than ever. Although everything is becoming so real, I still feel like everything happening is a dream. I, myself feel like I’m going crazy stuck at home with my cat while my mom’s at work. However it’s given me lots of time to paint and hike which is quite lovely if I’m being honest! In the grip of all of this I guess I don’t know exactly who I am, mostly because I can’t distinguish what exactly I’ve been feeling. Just sort of a whirlpool of numbness and confusion if I’m being frank.
I hope you and your family are doing well Mikey:)
LikeLike
Stay in your sight… keep writing and embrace your mode of madness. ✊🏽
LikeLike
Ni Hao,
Welp. This crap chaos started for me on Thursday, March 12, all staff was informed that on Friday the 13th we would be changing out bell schedule to a minimum day schedule. CRAP? I thought is this really happening?
Anyways, this week was supposed to be “Spring Break” and I can’t recall when was the last time I cut the grass in the backyard, cleaned out the entire garage and deep cleaned our windows. I’m amazed at how much work and sleep I’ve gotten in just seven days. I’m already oversleeping in, taking naps during the day, my back hurts. I want to go and take a walk around our block or even go for a hike but I fear to take my kids out, they’re so curious to touch EVERYTHING.
I know I know; They can wash their hands and all BUT I still fear for them.
My boss has been sending emails regarding a potential back to school date. The DO has also been sending emails regarding safety for all of our students and staff. I appreciated all emails but they drive me insane, not knowing what is to come next for all of us.
This writing thing, I’m enjoying so much more, I’ve been writing more often, listening to music really loud while my kids enjoy some arts and crafts time.
I hope everyone is doing well.
Lizabeth Moreno
ENGL 1B Wednesdays 6:00 pm class
LikeLike
Stay well!!!
LikeLike
Hey Mikey! Your check-ins always make me smile–thank you for the positive vibes 🙂 Life feels a little rocky right now! It’s hard to complain when I know so many others have it so much worse off, but I also believe that pain is relative and everyone deserves to be heard. Personally, it’s hard being an only child stuck at home with my parents, but I’m sure many feel the same. I’ve definitely spent more time with them in the last 4 days than I have in the past 6 months! I also will admit an overly-emotional person and am already getting tired of feeling all these heavy thoughts weighing on me. I go to bed and dread waking up and living the same day over and over again. But I find ways to cope. I’m finally finishing put-off projects and painting like I’ve always wanted to. I’ve been writing on my own time to track my thoughts and release what circles around my mind onto paper. I’ve made a point to watch the sunset every night and it brings me joy. I try to smile at every stranger I pass when I’m out to spread even a glimpse of positivity. I keep searching for happiness in the little pieces of life, even if my life is mostly made up of four walls and my bed right now. I hope you find glimmers of hope as well, and remember, just as my father always tells me, “This, too, shall pass.” Hope you and your family have a nice evening and good rest of the weekend 🙂
LikeLike
Thank you for this. Can’t wait to see you and the colleagues. Talk soon, and keep writing. ❤️
LikeLike
Hey prof. Mikey,
Hope you’re doing well! I’ve been using this new-found time to spend more time with my family. After being inundated with homework in school, I’ve realized how little time I spend in quality family time. Now, we’ve been going on more hikes, playing cards, and finishing a Sonoma County puzzle. I also reached out to my grandparents and sent them videos of myself playing the violin to help them through the shelter at-home order. Just want to make sure I spread the positivity and love before coronavirus worsens.
-Kyle Hirth
LikeLike
Stay well!!!!
LikeLike
During this time i’ve found it hard to focus and my job isn’t essential, so the financial stress is there. So far my employer has been awesome around this situation. If it continues is the worry. Trying to stay positive through out this whole thing is hard but a goal to meet. I am grateful to be healthy as of the moment As having two underlying health conditions I know it’s good i am at home. Making list trying to stay focused is how I now am running. Finding ways of positivity and contacting friend/family by phone to reduce the social isolation aspect.
Stephanie Neeley
English 1B Mondays 6pm
LikeLike
This is weird. It’s not a bad weird or a good weird, it’s just weird. Something’s I am absolutely loving are being with my kids, getting my house clean and most of all, READING for pleasure. My kids are growing so incredibly fast, so I see this time as an opportunity to spend quality time with them. We have started the home school process and even though they’re only preschool, it has been great to work with their own learning levels. Instead of being pissed that I have to do things everyday, I am kind of excited. I am a structured person so this routine is exactly what I crave.
Lets talk about my house… HOLY SHIT it has never been cleaner. We just bought this house in November, so there have been little unpacking things here and there I just haven’t had time for. Now I am able to just enjoy it all with my husband and kids. I have been reading for fun. Usually I don’t have time to really sit and focus on a book. These days, my kids want to read their books, so I make that my time to read too.
My daughter and I are both immune compromised. So, even though the quality time is great, yes I am a little nervous. My husband has still been working since you can’t just stop Law Enforcement (could you imagine?), but even then he just got the orders that all detectives have to work from home. To me that means things are pretty darn serious.
I am also worried for the Musical Theatre camp I own and direct in the summer. With so many people being affected financially, I am not sure they’ll be affording extras this summer. I am currently working to see how I can offer it free of charge.
I wonder if anyone else in our class is being financially affected? This makes me sad. I hope everyone can bounce back with both their income and education path once these orders are lifted. I miss our class discussions SO much!
Sending love to all.
LikeLike
Hi. I am considered an essential worker. It gets quite exhausting sometimes and for some reason and all of my dreams end up with me at work, some strange feverish and twisted version of my job, where my mind goes foggy and I get so frustrated that I declare to all of my dream-friends that I want to quit. Though it has been a stressful and uncertain time for most all of us, I am wishing for clarity and positivity. Right now I feel as if my main goal within my mind is to wait patiently for the passage of time to heal, and every other matter seems frivolous.
LikeLike
Hey Mikey! Well the last couple weeks have been a bit of a shit storm. Sorry for the delay in posting, I forgot you had a website and somehow the one email you told us about it went to my spam folder
I’m here now though. I’ve been doing alright. I had to cancel my trip to visit my mom in Colorado (where she was going to meet my partner for the first time) because I didn’t want to risk spreading the virus to her and my dad who is 73. I’ve been a little disheartened because I was really looking forward to this trip, but I’m keeping positive. Due to a number of reasons, my partner Maja is staying with me during the quarantine. She is lucky to be able to work from home but I’ve had to stop working for fear of spreading the virus to my dad, stepmom, her, and just in general. I drive for uber so I am in a confined space with tons of people throughout the day. It’s frustrating to not be working as I was really close to finishing paying off my student loans. I’m really not letting any of this weigh me down too much though. I’ve been trying to look at the bright side and enjoy all the free time I have on my hands. I’ve been getting really into watching master chef and experimenting with my cooking. It’s been about a week and half of quarantining for me so far and it’s interesting going through this experience confined to a bedroom with my partner. All in all it has been really good, but we have seen all new sides of each other and have really learned to sit through any problems that pop up. We’ve been chatting with our friends about their relationships during quarantine and they don’t seem to be going as smoothly which is unfortunate and I really hope they can work through their issues. I care very deeply for all my friends and to an extent, I vicariously get sad when they are sad. I’m rambling about stuff that is probably too personal to be stating publicly so I should probs wrap up here. Everything is going pretty well for me and my family amidst this shit storm. I hope you and your family are alright as well. Sending good vibes your way.
LikeLike
Love this entry and contribution, friend!!! Thank you!!! And the colleagues should thank you!!! ❤️❤️
LikeLike
Hi everyone
I’m currently stuck at home with my family, trying to list out productive uses of my time. Making lists gives me some structure to my day as I lose motivation just staying at home. Since the gyms have closed, I have been taking long walks and runs to change up my routine. I just learned that the parks and beaches in our county are now closed and that information is causing some upset in my household. The parks and the beach have been our escape.
I’m the only one in my family left working but my hours have been cut. My job is considered essential but I get the feeling that I’m not the only one uncomfortable working in these times. Patience is running low and there is a feeling of tension in every inch our workplace. I am still in training but this learning process is becoming an increasing challenge due to emergency changes in protocols and a lack of focus on my part. There is just so much to think about right now.
I feel responsible for protecting the older members of my household and I know I’m putting them at greater risk by working with others. They have expressed concern over this and I’m left to choose between eliminating the risk and potentially losing my job.
These times have been trying. I have found myself destressing by discovering new music on spotify.
I’m just doing my best to eat well, rest and take breaks to clear my head.
~ Yara Goldreyer
LikeLike
The fear and panic is just under the surface. I’m trying to stay calm in the turbulent sea of chaos. My mind, body and soul are all tired. As the matriarch, I cannot show them I am weak and weary. I must push forward like life is normal. As essential duty, management could care less about our safety. No new safety precautions are put in place except for a bottle of bleach mixture on my desk. Thanks for that. Have you showed anyone else how to use it? Or stay away from my desk? I don’t want to bring anything extra home to my family.
Have you been to the stores? That’s where I feel the panic bubble. Why are shelves so bare? It feels like Armageddon, but I know better that it is not the end. The members of my community are acting selfish and I fear for stupid actions to follow. Fingers crossed it’s only a few more weeks. My kids and I might not like each other much longer. My teenager can only roll his eyes so much at me before I lose it.
Fear makes people do crazy things. I only wish I could be hunkered down at home with no place to go while this all blows over.
LikeLike
Your writing is exceptional here, and always. Thank you for the time in composing these sentences. Enjoy your day, and please keep writing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Mikey! It’s Anna ZB from your English 1B class on Mondays @6PM. Put into perspective, I’m doing pretty good. Besides finding myself in a trance of boredom from time to time, I am making the most of an unfortunate situation in this unsettling time, consisting of trying to keep myself busy with chores, spending time with my family (while in this shelter in place), doing things I’ve put off because I “didn’t have time”, and exercising as much as possible through at home workouts, going on hikes, and running around my neighborhood. Not only that but I’m making sure I’m keeping up with all of my homework in all my courses and staying in contact with friends and teammates to keep myself sane and to try to have a sense of normalcy in this period of chaos. As crazy as all of this is and our daily routines changed in the blink of an eye, I’m trying to look at the positives and see that good things are coming out of this too… People are going outside more, going on hikes, getting off their phones and just LIVING and being PRODUCTIVE! It’s an interesting time for sure but soon this will all blow over and we can get back to our old routines where we can go to work, go to school, grab a coffee and hang out with friends. Hope you and your family are safe and well. Until we meet again… Mahalo 🤙🏽
LikeLike
Hi Mikey,
This time that we are experiencing is very abnormal. I used to feel that I didn’t have enough time during the day but now I have more than enough time that I don’t know what to do with sometimes. Everyday I’ve been working out because I am a part of the track and field team at my high school and our season isn’t officially cancelled yet. Most of our meets have been cancelled but there is still hope! If we don’t get to compete within these next couple months of school, then we will get an opportunity to race during the summer and have colleges come and watch us run. That news has been my motivation and hope for training and working out. Even though it was disappointing to hear that my senior season of track has basically been cancelled, I’ve been trying to keep a positive mindset and trying to work as hard as I can to be ready to compete when we finally get the opportunity again. But, at this point I have watched too much tv and movies and have been switching back and forth between the apps on my phone too many times so eventually I put it to the side and take a break. I’ll normally go and draw because I like to draw portraits of people who have inspired or influenced me such as athletes and music artists. I’ve also been listening to music all hours of the day and have been able to find new artists and songs to add to my playlist. This time has really made me appreciate the busy life that I normally live such as being able to practice with my teammates and even going to school where I get to see my friends and enjoy my last couple months of high school. I realized that I took that all for granted and it had to be taken away from me for me to realize that. But, this time has made me really focus on myself and my goals and it’s not all that terrible when you find and try out new things to see what you like. Hope you’re well, stay safe.
LikeLike
Hey Mickey,
A bit late on the response but it has been a tough couple of weeks, to say the least. At first things were going fine for me as i was lucky enough to continue doing my job and keep a regular schedule with all of my daily habits. Over the years i’ve realized i cannot function properly without my daily habits, of which the most important has proven to be spending two hours at the gym everyday. Once the gyms all closed, that is when things started to get to me. I tried to alter my schedule a bit and work with what i have, but that worked until i finished all of my homework. Now, and for the past few days, it has been absolute hell. Without my daily routines i feel kind of lost, out of place. I guess i need to find a new hobby and new habits to get myself back into rhythm. One day at a time, that is what i am working with now. Hope everyone is doing well and staying save.
LikeLike
Hey Mikey,
Sorry a bit late on the response, just figuring out this online school thing! I am home with my family and my boyfriend is staying with me as well. I am very luck to have all of these people with me and just taking everything one day at a time. I am just now getting over strep throat for the SECOND time this month. But I am doing well other than that. Adjusting to not having any responsibilities other than chores around the house is weird! I am getting used to it though. Making a daily routine for myself was helpful. Hope everyone is doing okay ❤ Stay inside and wash your hands!!!
LikeLike
Cheers!! Oh my goodness… stay well!!! Thanks again for checking in!!
LikeLike
Hi Mikey,
The past two weeks have been very boring, to say the least. For the first week (spring break) I just really needed to relax my mind and take a break so that’s what I did. The past week I’ve just been trying to find things to do around the house. And in this time I realized one thing, moving on from this point I’m going to need some serious self-discipline. I absolutely despise doing any work at home. There’s either someone always trying to talk to me, someone playing music or someone annoying me. Needless to say, there are so many distractions and with the quarantine, in place, this is a crucial moment to self-discipline myself to be a more focused and concentrated person and learn more about myself for the remainder of this period. I don’t expect to just flip a switch and completely change myself. One day at a time is how I’ll make the best of our situation. Thanks and I hope you are doing well.
LikeLike
Hey Leon.. Thanks for the communication. Talk soon. Please check in when your class is to start. I believe you’re in the Monday crew… so text in tomorrow at 6 or a bit before. Cheers…. Mike
LikeLike