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2020-09-01
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2020-09-01
Incense, Prayer, and Wool
One of the most profound sensory experiences I had over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic was the new yet comforting experiences that engaged all the senses of visiting St. Anthony the Great Monestary in Florence, Arizona. My first visit, I stayed for a long weekend. Visitors remaining at the monestary for more than a day are put to work on the grounds, aiding the monks in their daily work. I was put in the kitchen due to my previous experience in a commercial kitchen setting. The diet at the monastery is remarkably simple; a bean and rice soup, bread, and tangerines grown at the monastery. None of the smells of these foods were new or remarkable to me, but instead this provided an interesting aural experience. The monks pray constantly in everything they do, and kitchen work was no different. Low, repetitive Greek prayers were the only auditory input in the kitchen, aside from the hum of the dishwasher and the clinking of utensils against pots. Services were held in the early morning, around 3:00am. While making my way from the guests' lodging to the church, I heard a rhythmic wood-on-wood striking, reverberating across the monastery. I saw the source. A monk was striking a wooden board, suspended in the air by two chains, with two wooden mallets. This was essentially the call for the service to start. I later learned from another pilgrim that this practice was adopted by Greeks living in Ottoman-controlled Greece when restrictions on church bells were implemented. The service itself, too, was a sensory experience unlike any other. Sonorous Byzantine chants, clouds of aromatic incense, all lit by candlelight and a handful of small oil lamps. The sense of touch was also engaged; I felt the wool prayer rope in my hand, each knot a tactile counter for the number of prayers completed. Nearly every sense was full engaged in this temporary and much needed respite from the chaos of the outside world during uncertain times. -
2020-09-01
Sissyzoom
A comic strip about Covid-19 -
2020-09-01
Relationships during a pandemic
The pandemic for me started my senior year of highschool. I was in a relationship and had many friends in my graduating class. When it first started my household took it very seriously and I wasn’t able to see the people in my class and my ex girlfriend because of it. I wasn’t able to get closure with the friends I’d never see again because of different life goals. To this day it ache’s that I didn’t have a senior blow out like prom with my graduating class. I just wanted one more time with everyone before we went on with our separate lives. Ultimately, covid ended a lot of my relationships with people including my now ex girlfriend. I just couldn’t handle long distance and covid. Being in different colleges sucked, but having covid in the mix of it made it harder to see each other. One of us would always be exposed and could never see each other. Eventually it became too much for my mental health and decided to pull the plug on that relationship. Covid took so many things away from me. The relationships I had before covid, almost everyone of them has been severed. -
2020-09-01
Seattle's 2020 summer, school, and kids
At the end of 2020, I was completing my student teaching online for my BA in Secondary Education. I was placed in a school in Seattle. Student teaching during this time is something that was incredibly difficult. Looking at faces through blurry webcams, and seeing the black tiles in zoom from students who wouldn't or couldn't turn on cameras. I will never know what a lot of the students looked like, or what their voices sounded like, but getting to read their work, and see their messages in emails and chats is something that I will always remember and will always hold a place in my heart. The 12-14-year-olds I was teaching had just been the last 3 1/2 months watching the BLM protests and marches in their city take place. A few students told us that they lived just streets away from the main events. Some students had been active in the BLM marches and protests that had taken place during the summer before, some stayed at home and watched on social media live streams and the news, some had parents who were heavily involved. They watched their friends, their family, their community, and strangers get tear-gassed, hit with "blast balls", and be subject to other physical violence. The levels at which they understood the what and why varied. Some had such an amazing level of nuance that some adults I knew couldn't comprehend. Others had an extremely base understanding of why people were protesting and marching. But all understood that it was a monumental event and would be something remembered in history. These children were scared, concerned, confused for a variety of reasons. Yet, overwhelmingly there was a sense of urgency for justice from these kids. My lead teacher and I knew that we had to pivot lessons in order to keep them engaged and meet their needs. Focusing on how the concepts they needed to learn could be applied to material that would interest them, and using homeroom activities to try to calm nerves, create a sense of community and answer questions about everything from Covid, to the protests, to the current election. They wanted to write and read about what was important to them, what they saw around them, and they wanted to read about different perspectives and lives from their own. We honored that. For the final writing assignment of the semester, we gave them some guidelines and standards that needed to be met within their writing, but gave them some freedom on how they wanted to meet those standards. I won't get into the specifics of the assignment, but I will say it worked well and was adapted to best serve students at all levels, and those with IEP/504 plans. We were met with everything from songs and poetry, letters to the mayor and the governor, essays about our anchor text, to reports about youth activists that they researched. I don't think the impact of the events of summer 2020 in Seattle on children is thought about. The events that a child experiences and is around affects them for the rest of their lives. Most don't have the skills yet to emotionally process fully what they see. Their thinking didn't stop when the marches and protests did, they wanted to learn and talk about it in order to process. The compounding factors of the summer and prior to that Seattle was essentially ground zero for Covid in the U.S. left most kids spinning. School became a safe place for a lot of these kids, and I hope that it has continued to be one. -
2020-09-01
St. Mary's Wind Ensemble & In-Person Rehearsals
These are a series of emails sent out by the band director at St. Mary’s University regarding whether or not members of the band wanted to try to begin in-person rehearsals again. COVID-19 was slowing down at the time and virtual band practice left much to be desired so there were hopes that if enough people were in favor of in-person rehearsal that something could be worked out. -
2020-09-01
Every story matters - Student's perspective
Classes in Fall 2020 were either fully virtual or hybrid. In hybrid classes, the professors would have to put the projector with some students being on zoom. This was a good idea because it helped students be safe and at the same time learn. It was also challenging because sometimes professors would pay more attention to the students that were in the classroom and not the ones on zoom. I took this picture a year ago to show my parents how classes were working. This was something my parents appreciated because they saw that St. Mary’s University was using all their resources to help students continue their studies. They liked seeing me continue my college experience in a different way but not fully virtual. I saved this picture for over a year to see the changes the world was going to have during the pandemic. I am glad we are finding new solutions and making changes with still being careful with COVID-19 guidelines. -
2020-09-01
Sahrawi refugees in COVID-19 lockdown hit by livestock epidemic
Refugees from Western Sahara in camps in Algeria’s Tindouf province lose animals to livestock epidemic, while coronavirus restrictions wipe out other means of income. -
2020-09-01
COVID - In The "Eyes" of March
Well, say hello to my first official entry into my Coronavirus Notebook! Today I’m doing pretty good. I have been very excited to be back in school, and I can’t wait to log some of my daily activities in this notebook throughout the school year. It seems so foreign returning to a classroom environment since, because of lockdowns and other COVID-19 effected incidents, we have done online school for the last quarter of the semester. As of now, I’m almost halfway through my school day, which is good. In class today, I have worked on making my class playlist. I think it was a great idea to introduce music to the classroom, and it's something no other teachers have done before, at least in my experience. After school today, I am going to a football workout with a bunch of my other classmates at Avenger Field in Audubon Park. I’m glad that we’re starting up a new activity, since our school said we were not allowed to play contact football this year, which I understand, but I’ll definitely miss it. It has been a crazy summer and starting school is awesome and I’m grateful to be back in-person learning. Things like wearing masks are totally new and seeing friends in school and not just at the park is odd. I also, of course, have a lot less free time to myself, since I actually have to wake up for school and not just sit around all day. I am very excited for this month and what we will do in history. It is also the start of a brand new month, which I hope brings better fortune than the last. I’m excited for this year while also nervous, and I can’t wait to see how and if we survive our first ever COVID year! -
2020-09-01
First Day of Covid School 2020
This was the first day of school of 8th grade and the whole mask thing and all of the precautions were new to me as we just got out of quarantine. I didn’t know what to expect as the outcome of the year and was just taking it all in. Tyler 9/1/20 New Orleans, LA Coronavirus Journal Today I ate a turkey and swiss cheese sandwich for lunch. I ate with my advisory. I had drama today and we played “Greetings Your Majesty”, which is basically where you come behind somebody and say “greetings your majesty” with a weird voice. If they guess who said that to them they get to stay as majesty, but If they don't then the person who spoke gets to be majesty. There is a jester who chooses who gets to go. After school today I am going to Coach Luke for pitching lessons instead of travel baseball practice because we already said we would go to pitching. Of course before that I will do my homework and if I don't finish before I leave for practice I will finish it after school. Today wasn't very special in any sort, but last Saturday was my Bar Mitzvah which was on zoom and my Bar Mitzvah party which only had like 6 kids. Last Thursday I turned 13 years old. In Docs class today we watched him do an experiment from 2 years ago and answered questions about it. On a sadder note - the actor who played Balck Panther - Chadwick Boseman died last Friday at the age of 43. I had recess in the Valmont Courtyard today and I played taps, wallball, and four square. Because of the pandemic we played foursquare using only our feet and heads. I didn't play taps and wall ball for long because a lot of people joined. Today was a pretty normal day, but a crazy week. -
2020-09-01
National Protests Against Police Violence
Minneapolis joined national protests against police violence and the lack of justice for those murdered or harmed by the police such as Daniel Prude, Breonna Taylor, and Miguel Vega. The national day of action was organized by the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, a group opposing the unjust treatment of individuals for their racial or political beliefs. They emerged from the Committee to Free Angela Davis, a group that successfully defended Angela Davis and helped her receive a not-guilty verdict from an all-white jury for kidnapping and first degree murder charges in 1972. -
2020-09-01
Essential Workers
When I think about this past year, what first comes to mind is my food service job. Then, I think of my coworker Alex. For almost a year we worked together and she ended up being a great friend. At the end of the summer, she quit to find a better-paying job. In this picture, we were goofing off at the end of our shift, cleaning the bathroom and listening to music. It was our last day together and we wanted to end on a good note. Food service has definitely been a challenge during this pandemic, but I’m grateful I got to work with a friend through most of it. I definitely miss her :) -
2020-09-01
Covid-19 Archive Assignment for History of Global Pandemics
This was an assignment students completed in History 1215: The Origins of Today: History of Global Pandemics. -
2020-09-01
What I think about the rules and procedures I have to follow
The masks are the worst, but the other rules are o.k. I HATE wearing the masks all the time. The weirdest rule is the one that says we can't play wind instruments inside, as the only 2 instruments that would be a hazard would be the clarinets, because they are straight with no curves in the tubing. All the other instruments have areas where all the spit collects that are below the bell (opening) of the instrument. The likelihood of "dangerous" spit coming out is almost 0, especially for bassoon, and most brass instruments. There was one time where I asked the kid next to me to feel the inside of the boot one the long joint side (I play bassoon), and he was hesitant at first, but then he felt it, and THERE WAS NO SPIT! IT WAS NOT WET! The other side, however, is different story, but that is to be expected as all the spit travels through there, and gets stuck at the very bottom of the boot. Another one I think is absurd is the whole plexiglass-between-the-cashier-and-the-customer-rule, as it is supposed to prevent the transfer of Covid, but the cashier touches everything that the customer is buying. So it is practically useless. -
2020-09-01
Second Wave (Debt)
This cartoon points out fears of national debt. -
2020-09-01
From Brazil to the U.S
I am a Brazilian doing college in the US. When the Convid-19 got to brazil and the US, around mid-march I decided to go back to Brazil, my college made the decision to finish the semester online and I and my family thought was better for me to quarantine there than in the US. During this time the US decided to close the borders for non-USA citizens coming from Brazil, so when the time came for me to come back I had to stay 15 days in Portugal in order to be MAYBE be able to enter in the US with my student visa. -
2020-09-01
St. Mary's Mask Squad
A feature story in the lifestyle section of The Rattler student newspaper is about the St. Mary’s Mask Squad, a group of student leaders from different RSOs on campus promoting safety and Marianist values. The job of the mask squad is to not only promote proper mask wearing but find ways the campus can improve on safety for its students and staff. This promotes our Marinist values by caring about other’s safety and health and making sure our actions are aimed towards protecting those around us. -
2020-09-01
Resources and Tips for St. Mary's Students
This is the center spread graphic of the first issue of the 2020 fall semester—the first semester where many students on the St. Mary’s campus have gone to primarily remote learning. This center spread is meant to bring awareness to the resources students have available to help them through unfamiliar times: the resources listed include the business office, the office of financial assistance, the student health center, and the student counseling center. Also included are tips from fellow classmates on how to stay engaged and succeed and helpful apps that may help them stay organized throughout online learning. -
2020-09-01
Meet The Rattler Staff
These photos are introductions of The Rattler (St. Mary's University school newspaper) staff to the campus. Typically students interested in working on staff can meet the current editors at one of the many in person meetings, but since all meetings are held over Zoom and students can pick up more stories through a simple email putting names the faces of the section editors can be a bit hard. These introduction photos can help writers connect with the staff they will work with so closely, and understand who may be best to contact if they have any questions. -
2020-09-01
Digital Barkive
HIST30060 I created an Instagram account during Victoria’s first lock-down to chronicle my experiences with my dog during the pandemic. It’s from Gracie’s perspective and purely for fun, but I think it also represents a rudimentary ‘barkive’ with insight into how ‘stay-at-home’ mandates provided refreshed impetus to interact with our furry friends and rely upon them for comfort and companionship. -
2020-09-01
Overlooked and Undercounted: The Growing Impact of COVID-19 on Assisted Living Facilities
While most states report the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths in nursing homes, the number of cases and deaths in assisted living facilities are usually either lumped together with nursing homes or ignored. This not only causes gaps in case data but also leads to the needs of assisted living facilities being ignored. -
2020-09-01
‘We all need to brace ourselves’: Experts fear pandemic could spur dramatic spike in homelessness
By Jessica Myers | Luce Foundation: Southwest Stories Fellowship -
2020-09-01
Costume Designers during COVID-19
I found this post on Ali Ewoldt's public Instagram account. This post puts the spotlight on costume designers and how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected their business. Much of the publicity with the shutdown of Broadway has been on the actors so far, but as this post mentions, Broadway employed many people to work backstage and those people may end up going out of business is the federal government doesn't provide reimbursement for the shutdown. This post also points out how little the performing arts sector is asking compared to the economic benefits they offer to the United States. -
2020-09-01
American Values
This essay was produced as a part of the American Studies program at California High School in San Ramon, California. The essay is in response to the prompt "Is America currently living up to its core values?" This essay argues equal rights in America. It also includes references to the following modern events BLM. -
2020-09-01
Greetings From...San Francisco
A wonderful group of students from my first year of teaching (2011-12) has stayed in touch since they graduated in 2015. They have an annual tradition of coming back to the Bay Area at least once per year and spending the day in San Francisco. They take a photograph in front of the Golden Gate Bridge - even if it is completely covered in fog - to mark their time together. The COVID-19 pandemic made their tradition impossible this year. They still decided to mark the year by creating this "Greeting from...San Francisco" postcard style photoshopped image. It is such a sign of the times! I am grateful that the group is finding a way to stay connected during the COVID-19 pandemic. -
2020-09-01
Why some theaters in Jacksonville lit up in red
This news article from Jacksonville, Florida, talks about Red Alert Restart. Over the course of the pandemic, performing arts and venues for performing arts have suffered economically. RESTART (Reviving the Economy Sustainably Towards A Recovery in Twenty-twenty) is currently a bill in Congress waiting approval. To raise awareness of their financial problems, theaters across the country on September 1, 2020, lit their exteriors in red to represent their financial losses due to the pandemic. Many of the participating theaters in Jacksonville are places I have seen concerts at or are places I have driven by many times. -
2020-09-01
Auburn University: 567 Confirmed COVID-19 Cases (August 24-28)
Screenshot shared on a friend's Facebook page. She writes that there were over 700 confirmed cases in the first two weeks of school, and yet the college campus remains open. Arizona State University also remains open, we'll see if rising infection rates change the way administrators cope with a public health crisis. -
2020-09-01
The learning never stops
Ever since I got my own laptop, I stopped reading books. It had been almost 5 years since I started reading again. The reason for picking up a book was the boredom that came along with the lockdown and being alone for a little more than a month. Once I started with the first it was really hard to stop. It is a skill I am glad to have regained as it excites a part of mind that movies or videos never do. The vast amounts of information that is carried in a single book just makes the day better for me. It has been months since the lockdown started and the thirst for knowledge has not stopped.