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topic_interest is exactly
scared
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2020-03
Old dog/new tricks! a new way to teach.....
I finally became a video star.....that was never my intention when I started teaching fifty years ago! I am an adjunct art professor. When lockdown came and I couldn't teach in person, I had to find a new way to teach my class.....Zoom felt too complicated to me so I communicated with my students via email and videos that my husband and I made in the basement! A 15 minute video took over 3 hours or more between the filming and the editing! In addition, I really had to work hard to find the best way to communicate-the most effective way to present the lesson, as no questions could be asked as I presented the material. It really got me to think and be very clear about the subject and the best way to teach it. Once in front of the camera, I made believe I was talking to my class and just ran with it! I felt comfortable once I started. It was funny though, as we had to carefully think about camera angles and outfits that worked well as I moved! After all, this was permanently on tape...And, I had to be brave! My Brooklyn/StatenIsland accent was forever heard, as well as facial features, expressions and body parts that have always plagued me be forever seen! Overall, though, a great experience!!!! Who would have thought that such an awful, disturbing period could bring about new, positive experiences! Ah, but that is life after all, isn't it? -
May 22nd, 2020
Environmental Psych. First Semester!
This was the first semester that PSY 324 Environmental Psychology, an elective, upper level class in the Department of Psychology of the College of Staten Island was taking place at the St. George campus. It was our hope to have a series of field trips bringing our understanding of the dynamic between peoples and places outside of the classroom. We only managed to do one such trip, but nevertheless, the seed was planted. As a class we understood that there was more to psychology than power points and tests. Collaboratively, we started creating a curriculum that tried to use our shared knowledge of the world together with the conceptual complexity of environmental psychology theory. Quickly our task had to move online where we figured out how to move forward in our quest, without leaving behind those of us who are sick, taking care of sick people, working dangerous jobs, or have lost jobs due to the pandemic. -
2022-09-10
My feelings on the Coronavirus Pandemic
• I am by Profession a Part-time Instructor of Creative Writing. I received my master’s degree in creative Writing from Concordia University. Right now, sine the Coronavirus crisis hit, I have been a full-time Stay-at-Home Mom with our two lovely daughters, Emily 8 and Lisa 10! They have been having the hardest time since the Coronavirus Situation hit our Country. Many times, Emily will say to me ‘Mommy, I’m scared, when will this crisis end? I’m Sorry, because I really don’t know what to say to her, at that age!! When I was a little girl, we didn’t have to face such a crisis! The closest thing we had was in 1961, to hide under our school desks, during siren drills! • Mentally, lately I have, personally been having frequent bouts of Severe Depression, whereby I feel like crying a lot, but my daughters and my husband, Dennis, kisses me, comforts me and tells me not to Worry!! • My Father-in-Law has recently been admitted to the hospital, after he began having severe stomach pains, after helping my Mother-In-Law to lift several boxes of heavy furniture! He was in the hospital for a series of Tests, after which it was discovered that he had damaged his Kidneys and 1-2 months of Intense Physical Therapy, combined with daily Anti-Biotics! A Group of Ladies that I belong to at my Church, have been commenting, “Boy Melissa, you simply don’t seem like your Cheerful, jolly, Loving self, are you sure you are alright?? Is there anything that We can do to help you and Dennis? • I typically work Outside-the-Home, but lately, because of our two daughters, I have chosen to work remotely from Home! But their smiles 😉 make it all worthwhile!! • My Husband and I are both, definitely practicing Social Distancing!! My girlfriends All Admire the ‘Courage-Of-My-Conviction!’ They tell Me Openly that they feel that I AM TRULY ONE OF THE BRAVEST WOMEN THAT THEY KNOW!! Although Dennis and I have to frequently visit his parents only via Skype! This is often-times distressing! • Because of this, We hardly-Ever, if Ever, Go Outside Our Home, so We have had to cancel Running of All Errands, and We absolutely do no Travelling and Outside trips, (Except the get-the-mail), and So we Obviously pursue All of Our Leisure, Social Activities, and all such Celebrations like Thanksgiving, and Christmas, on-line via Zoom! • Personally, I Definitely think that the Government could have done a lot more in the wake of this Covid-19 GLOBAL PANDEMIC. Of course, I am relieved now that we are going to have a Wonderful New Administration in Washington, D.C.! I just hope to-GOD THAT THEY DO NOT “TAKE THEIR EYES OFF THE BALL!!” • As the Mother of two young girls, it pains me very much so just think about ‘what kind of future my daughters are going to have, if we fail once again to ‘Nip this crisis in the bud’? • Definitely, I am hopeful that as a World Community, we will all be coming much closer together!! This makes me smile too! -
2020-03-12
Little Did We Know
This is a Tik Tok video from my sister’s account of her documenting the day we were sent home from school. In the video, she’s telling her viewers that school has been cancelled for three weeks, due to the rise in COVID-19 cases across the globe. This video says a lot about the pandemic, because personally I felt that the closing of schools and businesses for the sake of quarantine was a really defining moment of the pandemic. There haven’t been many moments/ pandemics in history that have provoked the closing of institutions, so the fact that this happened says a lot about the magnitude of the situation. This personal account also says a lot about the pandemic, because similarly to my sister in the video, at the beginning of COVID-19 many people were scared and unaware of how long this pandemic would ensue. I feel this video captures her reaction very well. -
2022-06-01
Covid-19 Through the eyes of a young adult industry worker
I remember the days leading up to lock down, one of my professors was warning us that if need be we would effortlessly be able to transition the remaining weeks of class online. To my peers and I, we thought that was a little extreme to talk to us about going remote, we didn't think something that was happening in another continent would reach us so quickly. Fast forward a week or two, work was so slow we were ordering food and sitting around talking for the entirety of our shift. At the time I was a host and was getting paid hourly so I didn't mind but I didn't think about the way it was affecting our bartenders and servers. Within the next two days we were shutdown and I was filing for unemployment. Interestingly enough, that time was the most money I've ever made in my life. I was collecting 2-3x more money than I would have gotten if I was working. I changed my life style, I started nannying once August of 2022 came around because I couldn't afford to only have my hourly host pay once things started to open back up again. I was eventually given a promotion at work to Bartend once my nanny family no longer needed me since they were comfortable with the kids going back to school and day care. I was making a livable wage but it was nothing compared to what sales were before covid. It was never consistent, when the numbers began to spike people, reasonably so, would stay home and money was tight. I was so unhappy at my current job I was despiertly seeking a new one but in January of 2022, it was still a little scary, numbers were spiking and finding a new industry job seemed next to impossible. I found one but it came with a lot of consequences. I struggled financially for months. If it wasn't for the support of my family, I wasn't sure if I would have been able to make rent, pay my car, or even feed myself. Thankfully as the months have gone on it's gotten better. It's now June of 2022; over two years since the pandemic first started, and while nothing is normal, it's the closest it's ever been. Those who were once in the same position as me, scared of how they were going to survive are back to making livable wages. But I won't lie, I'm still scared, there is no certainty or promise that things will stay as "normal" as they are this 2022 summer. All we can do is hope and pray, and be thankful and grateful we're here to talk about it. -
2021-04-14
I Thought It Was Safe
It's been over a year since my daughter has gone to a birthday party. She got invited to one at an indoor kid's place and I had plans on taking her. She's gone to school online and only had playdates with one child ever since the pandemic began. She is not more likely to catch the virus than any other child, but, if she were to contract it, her symptoms would likely be severe and it would be very difficult for her to recover from it. My family has been very worried and take tons of precautions to protect her. We got an invitation to a private 2 hour party at an indoor amusement facility for kids. I got a text two hours before the party was set to begin saying that the party was cancelled because the family had just been notified by the school that there was an exposure to COVID-19 in the birthday boy's classroom. I am so glad the family was notified before the start of the party, but it just really hit me how dangerous it is to go to a simple kid birthday party. I immediately began to beat myself up... I had a thousand "what-ifs" go through my mind. I don't know when we will be able to go to indoor play facilities and I don't know when we will get to go to another birthday party. It's still just too scary and risky. -
2021-03-26
COVID Metro Hot Spot - March 2021
While I was looking around the internet for updates on COVID, I came across the information from www.covidactnow.com that Jackson, Michigan was the top Daily New COVID Cases per 100k people in the country. This was on March 26, 2021. As of April 10, 2021, (when I submitted this information) Jackson was still in the number 1 metro spot. This where my family lives & where I work. This was very upsetting to me. Many people still don’t wear masks. And if they do, many wear them under their nose. In some ways, I’m not surprised (but disappointed) that the virus really started to circulate here because of the way the community doesn’t respect public health orders. -
2020-04-20
During the War... or A Gift of Time
When the going gets tough, the tough get going... I think I understand the meaning of hunkering down and getting to work now. I have always loved creating and now more than ever am embracing its healing powers. During these last six weeks I feel like we have been dodging bullets. We have become hunter gatherers looking for supplies to combat the germs. We are obsessed with stocking our little fort with enough of everything (art supplies), to survive the war. Through it all, my husband and I have also been obsessed with creating. Me in my home studio, learning how to collage, make books, creating paintings, greeting cards and finding new techniques to immerse (distract) my self. My husband in his shop behind our house making cigar box guitars! I read a quote from J.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring, that sums up, like most things, will be our attitudes that will help us accept this interruption of life..... ”I wish it had not happened in my time”. said Frodo. ”So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what we will do with the time that is given to us.” Since the start of the pandemic I have created over 65 paintings. I need to create in order to find sanity and feel productive and not scared and anxious. The photograph is a painting I created using Rohrshadk blots as inspiration. -
2021-01-20T12:22:00
Too close to home
I was in class on a Wednesday and my phone kept going off like crazy.it was being so distracting so I just decided to check why it was going off and then turn it off for good. I picked up my phone and there were thousands of text messages saying "you need to get tested", "go get a test". At this point I was completely confused, so I asked them what was going on and they said that one of my friends had tested positive for Covid and that I need to get tested because I'm hanged out with them on that Monday. Once I read this I completely froze, I didn't know how to handle this information. I was scared for my life, and for hers, I wasn't sure if she'd be okay. If I was going to be okay. I wasn't paying attention to class at all and everything my teacher was saying was going completely over my head. School got out and all I could think about was how am I going to tell my parents that I came home possibly with Covid. The thought of just having to tell them the news and how they could possibly react to it scared the life out of me. I didn't think that I could tell them because I was afraid they would be too disappointed in me and to scared. I finally got the courage to tell my mom and she surprisingly took the news well. My parents weren't happy but they definitely weren't angry so that's good. They told me that I had to wash everything that I have touched in the past 2 days. I was so glad to tell my parents because holding that secret in was tearing me apart inside. I checked in with me friend everyday to make sure she was ok. It's scary to see it on the news and to hear it on the radio but once it hits too close to home, it can really change your entire life. -
2021-01-21
Cancer and Coronavirus
Once coronavirus restrictions were lifted in my state (May), I made an appointment to get the physical I needed in order to participate in the upcoming band season. After going over my family history and having a routine exam, my doctor suggested I get a mammogram although I'm only 34. I got everything scheduled, went to my exam, and two days later got a call saying my results were abnormal and I needed to come in for another mammogram and MRI. My entire family was worried about me and my husband felt so helpless. Due to coronavirus restrictions, he was unable to go inside the building for any of my appointments and I had to face many things alone. The doctor discovered a suspicious mass and I was told I needed a biopsy immediately. I had to wait 5 days, first, because I needed to be tested for coronavirus before they could do the procedure. After getting my biopsy, the wait for results took a couple days and when they came in, I was relieved to find out I do not have cancer! But, an already scary experience was elongated due to the pandemic and I was left without support for a lot of it. -
2020-03-22
The Run
In the beginning of the pandemic, I, like many others, was somewhat sure everything would inevitably blow over and we would be able to return to our normal lives. However, I came to unfortunately realize that we were in it for the long haul. I realized that I was going to have to start taking charge of my own life as it was essentially flipped on its back. I no longer went to school where I was preparing for APs. I no longer had my Track and Fields practices which were keeping me active and in shape. And I no longer got to see all of my friends everyday. The pandemic taught me that I would have to take the position of my teachers and prepare myself for my APs as well as my coaches to keep myself in shape and healthy. I began to study almost everyday and really developed a theme of resiliency within my life to bounce back from the detrimental effects of the pandemic. However, this story isn't about how I studied and prepared for my APs, its about how I ran and kept running the whole time of quarantine and how it led to some unforgettable experiences. When quarantine began I knew I was going to have to start taking charge when it came to my health and fitness. So, my friend and I began to run everyday at a local park near our houses. We would run through the woods and by the rivers and we just had a really good time. We were staying in shape and felt better than ever. And, we weren't just running on a track in a loop 20 times, we were exploring nature and becoming more accustomed to having to do things for ourselves. However, one day, this excitement that running brought to us would be exchanged with fear for once. My friend and I were running besides this river that we always run along. The river was quite tame a majority of the time but that day it had rained the night before and the rapids of the river were growing increasingly ferocious. We decided to stop at this one edge along the river and take a break as it was extremely humid that day. The river was very close to where we stopped so my friend decided to splash his face with some water from the river. And, without hesitation the river stepped him into its fearful rapids. I was scrambling. I didn't know what to do or what to think as my friend barreled down the river. I started running, screaming, and trying to think of something, anything, to help my friend. He was already at least 50 yards down the river and I was slacking behind trying to come up with some makeshift idea to save him. I knew there was no waterfall to worry about, however, the river was shallow rocks beneath the rivers surface were sharp and deadly. I began to run down the rivers edge to catch up to my friend. I looked around to find anything to throw to him that he could lodge between a rock or something. I began to dig up a bunch of leaves to look for a long enough stick, however, I ended up finding something that would prove to be even more useful. I found an old wooden plank. I was so scared and restless to find something so I took what I could find and threw it to my friend. And, he was able to lodge it between the bank and a rock sticking out of the river. I was able to pull him out of the river and he was saved. We were both in shock and had no idea what to make of the situation. I was scared and confused and didn't even know what to say. My friend finally broke the silence by saying the most anticlimactic phrase for that situation, "thanks." I said "your welcome" and then we both just started laughing and got up and walked back home. Evidently enough, the plank from the picture is the one that perhaps saved my friends life and is something I don't think I will ever forget. This event showed me just how unforgettable this pandemic is going to be. Like I said, I don't think ill ever forget what happened to my friend, and I will always remember the year 2020 as the year of unforgettable instances. My friend falling into that river showed me that things are going to happen in our lives that we aren't prepared for. I, like many others across the world weren't prepared for what this pandemic was going to do to our day to day lives. However, we learned to live with it and how to solve this problem just like how I was able to solve my friends problem and save him from that river. The pandemic has taught us just how unpredictable our lives can be, and just like how I saved my friend from that river, we have to learn how to save ourselves and overcome the unpredictability that this world has to evidently offer. -
2020-11-30
Home for The Holidays
I live in Florida and my friend goes to school in Vermont, but for the holiday's she decided to come home. We knew this would be risky situation with her flying and having stops between, so I was able to get an extra rapid test for her since my family was already getting tested. We haven't seen each other since August, so we had been eager to be back at home together again, even though things are so different. Everyone has gone through a difficult time this year; one of the things I feel hit home is that my final stages of "childhood" and cherishing everything before I move was not at all what I wanted it to be. Now that my best friend and I are safely home together for winter break, I know we will both be doing our best to soak up all of our hometown before everything changes for good. -
2020-03-12
Microphone Touching
The NBA was considering a stoppage of games due to the outbreaks of COVID-19. During one of the press conferences a player named Rudy Gobert decided to touch all the microphones in the press room after speaking with reporters, within days the world learned that he had contracted Covid-19 and the sports world began shutting down all sports, including NCAA tournament and all sports around the world. Gobert was one of the first celebrities to contract COVID-19. -
2020-04-20
Military Stop Movement
Beginning in mid-March I began working a minimum hour schedule in order to ensure that as few people as possible were in the office. We assumed the pandemic would blow over soon and that like with most other things the Department of Defense was just overreacting and rolling out guidance that would expire quickly. On April 20 it became apparent that this was not the case. The PDF seen here shows that this was not something that was done with a lack of care or critical thinking because stopping all DoD movement is not done lightly or easily. This order also began my additional two more months working from home or in my workplace with a severely cut back schedule. This stop movement also impacted my life by forcing me to stay in Germany for months longer than expected, as well as numerous friends and coworkers who were suddenly left with no way to leave the country after shipping all of their household goods or their vehicles. Essentially it through thousands of people into a state of instability that could only be rectified by the passing of time until the stop movement expired. -
2020-03-09
New York City: The Pandemic
New York City, March 2019. Every year, My friends and I would come home from our universities, no matter where our colleges were located, to participate in the NYC St. Patrick's day parade. This was our half way point through the semester for us to reconnect and talk about our summer plans were going to be after the semester finishes. After this, we had the end stretch of our semesters at school and we would be taking our finals and coming home to see each other once again. Except the year of 2020 was different. Everyone was aware of COVID-19 being in China and in foreign countries, but none of us even thought of the chance of it making its way to the United States, nevermind NYC. I live right outside New York City, my father works in New York city, my friends and I would go to New York City every weekend we were home. But not this year. As we were all preparing for the St. Patrick's Day Parade, because it was still being held as of 2 days before the actual parade. But then the news came on 2 days prior. Breaking news. NYC was being shut down completely in preparation of COVID-19. All work was put virtual, restaurants shut down. Videos and pictures of New York City looked like a zombie apocalypse just happened. Seeing New York City dead like that, was terrifying. We thought summer would come along and we would be able to make up for all the lost time we had in our favorite city, but no. Even in September 2020, I still have not stepped foot in NYC. I was locked up in my house form about March to June, when my work finally started opening up at the golf course and my friends and I would have small get togethers outside. All I can hope for now is a vaccine and for New York City to go back to its packed fill streets and life to be normal again. -
2020
Covid-19 in 2020
I am choosing a mask to describe my story because it is the most common item seen in this pandemic and it can easily be remembered through just one look at the mask. My experience throughout Covid has been rough, I personally have not had the virus, however I lost my job for months because retail is not considered essential, I had friends and family that were severely ill due to the virus and that impacted me emotionally. It has been scary, not knowing when this will be over or if we are doing right by still leaving our houses but it is not optional. Wearing my mask is important to me because it helps me feel safer throughout these times from the people who care slightly less. I feel like it does make a difference and it is important I continue to wear one in order to stay safe and feel better throughout these terrible months in hopes that soon it will be over. *This is a picture of a mask found in google mask, florida, scared, protection -
2020-08-10
Children in a pandemic
Children and the pandemic. My four year old daughter does not understand what a pandemic is. She repeats that she cannot go outside or to school or to the park because of "the coronavirus". Her and her siblings, along with children all over the world, have been greatly impacted by this pandemic with no understanding of the ramifications of it's spread. Children have been sent home, isolated, many removed from space places like schools or after care programs. They have lost friendships and socialization. They have lost structure. Some have lost family members. Parents out of work have cost their family food or housing. Adults struggling to cope with their own depression and anxiety has increased children's as well. For me personally all seven of my children have been affected. My son was forced to move home from college and fell into a deep depression. My oldest daughter never walked across a graduation stage or finished her senior year. My fifteen year old with autism lost support services from school. My thirteen year old lost sports and his friendships. My ten year old with epilepsy had medical testing pushed back and then had hospitalizations with only one parent allowed, even had to be taken by paramedics alone to the hospital once. My seven year old with ADHD lost all class structure and intervention programs to help him and his anxiety and panic attacks have grown more severe. And my four year old, pictured above, lost her classroom and her joy from attending preschool daily. The new round of "return to school" virtually is brought with more anxiety and worry that the kids are not alright. The picture above showcases the innocence of a child wanting to explore the world, trapped inside and the slight sadness that this may be for the long haul. -
2020-04-14
Children in a pandemic
Children and the pandemic. My four year old daughter does not understand what a pandemic is. She repeats that she cannot go outside or to school or to the park because of "the coronavirus". Her and her siblings, along with children all over the world, have been greatly impacted by this pandemic with no understanding of the ramifications of it's spread. Children have been sent home, isolated, many removed from space places like schools or after care programs. They have lost friendships and socialization. They have lost structure. Some have lost family members. Parents out of work have cost their family food or housing. Adults struggling to cope with their own depression and anxiety has increased children's as well. For me personally all seven of my children have been affected. My son was forced to move home from college and fell into a deep depression. My oldest daughter never walked across a graduation stage or finished her senior year. My fifteen year old with autism lost support services from school. My thirteen year old lost sports and his friendships. My ten year old with epilepsy had medical testing pushed back and then had hospitalizations with only one parent allowed, even had to be taken by paramedics alone to the hospital once. My seven year old with ADHD lost all class structure and intervention programs to help him and his anxiety and panic attacks have grown more severe. And my four year old, pictured above, lost her classroom and her joy from attending preschool daily. The new round of "return to school" virtually is brought with more anxiety and worry that the kids are not alright. The picture above showcases the innocence of a child wanting to explore the world, trapped inside and the slight sadness that this may be for the long haul. #REL101 -
2020-04-30
Children in a pandemic
Children and the pandemic. My four year old daughter does not understand what a pandemic is. She repeats that she cannot go outside or to school or to the park because of "the coronavirus". Her and her siblings, along with children all over the world, have been greatly impacted by this pandemic with no understanding of the ramifications of it's spread. Children have been sent home, isolated, many removed from space places like schools or after care programs. They have lost friendships and socialization. They have lost structure. Some have lost family members. Parents out of work have cost their family food or housing. Adults struggling to cope with their own depression and anxiety has increased children's as well. For me personally all seven of my children have been affected. My son was forced to move home from college and fell into a deep depression. My oldest daughter never walked across a graduation stage or finished her senior year. My fifteen year old with autism lost support services from school. My thirteen year old lost sports and his friendships. My ten year old with epilepsy had medical testing pushed back and then had hospitalizations with only one parent allowed, even had to be taken by paramedics alone to the hospital once. My seven year old with ADHD lost all class structure and intervention programs to help him and his anxiety and panic attacks have grown more severe. And my four year old, pictured above, lost her classroom and her joy from attending preschool daily. The new round of "return to school" virtually is brought with more anxiety and worry that the kids are not alright. The picture above showcases the innocence of a child wanting to explore the world, trapped inside and the slight sadness that this may be for the long haul. #REL101 -
2020-06-06
Chronically ill and highly vulnerable amid Covid-19
During this Covid-19 pandemic, we’ve learnt that some people might be more vulnerable than others. Who is high risk? I am! A quick google search shows that a person taking high doses of steroids or immunosuppressant medication can be considered as clinically extremely vulnerable. I take both. The fear is real. It has always been here but now I need to be even more careful. The lines are blurred; how ill do I need to feel before deciding that I need to go to the hospital, an incubator for all kinds of infections and an even more potential risk in catching the deadly virus? As much as the hospital is the solution, it might as well be death welcoming me with arms open. The number of infected persons has rocketing at a time, and I could not help falling sick despite not having gone out a single time during the 3-month lockdown. It was finally time to go there, the hospital! I went armed to the teeth with my mask, gloves, and a sanitiser, cautious but still anxious, and I was met with an eerily almost empty building. The place which was usually buzzing with activity at all times of the day only had a handful of doctors and nurses but no patients! It seemed like everyone had respected the lockdown measures to the letter. I was relieved and I was cared for with the staff following all precautionary measures. In a measure of solidarity, the people had decided to respect the lockdown rules to avoid the spread of the virus and had in unthinkingly doing so, potentially saved the health of many vulnerable patients. I felt safe and I still do. Caring for others is after all a social responsibility and an expression of what it means to be human and humane.