For Some Reason I Feel It is Important to Chronicle Hair Growth During the Covid-19 Epidemic

Every morning, I wake up, get my coffee, read my papers, then come back upstairs for the office grind...which is really the bedroom that I've made into my office. I sit down, open the laptop, and start my day, but first I need to chronicle my hair. In person, I'm also entirely gray on the sides and beard. But it's growing out, and (don't laugh) I can almost get a man-bun on top. It makes me wonder, "Might I have one more opportunity in life to become a postmodern hippie-boy? To resurrect my 20s?"

And then I get to work. Yesterday, I sat from 8 a.m. until 9:37 p.m. with only one break at 5 for a run in the rain as it exited and while the sun finally came out. To be fair, the 8 to 9:37 project was collegial from friends across the U.S. via Zoom.

I have to laugh because my colleague, Dr. Smith, wrote yesterday to ask, "Do you know what is the first thing I remember about you?" It was during my interview when then, Pat Calderwood, Chair of the Department, told her I said to her, "Yeah. I run everyday, but I'm a fat runner."

She thought was funny.

Well, now I'm a fatter runner. At one point, Chitunga came into my room to share this new exercise wheel he got to build his core. He was rolling around my room as if he was a human vacuum cleaner and when I tried, I was able to get down, but not back up.  I told him, "It feels like Henry the Hernia is coming back with a vengeance. Help me up." I wish I was one of those people that can turn an epidemic into an exercise blitz and weight loss program (you know the kind - they post exercising every day and model incredible accountability).

Nope. I have maple-glazed donuts in the house.

Last night, Chitunga also broke the chain on his ceiling fan. Looks like we will be repairing that this weekend. We're two for one now. And he took my floor fan out of my room so he could sleep. I NEED THAT HUM. "I need that hum, too, dad. And you're ceiling fan works!" Oh, but it makes so many noises. I didn't sleep much last night, needless to say.

In the meantime, I got ahead on an overdue writing project (that is, if I can claim getting ahead on something overdue) and also did a couple other writing projects needing my attention. I also had one-on-one ZOOM sessions with graduate students who either have or have lost people to COVID-19. It is cruel. I don't have a lot of students, so the percentages are really high. The worst part is losing family members with no ability to congregate and mourn. It's taking its toll. They simply are numb right now and I totally understand.

And I'm channeling good ol' flexibility and empathy to do whatever it takes for them to meet objectives on a timeline that is fair to them.

Today is supposed to be sunny and I know it will invite me outside, but I have to hunker back at the computer. I must yell to the Great Whatever, however, how thankful I am to the lady next door who I have been shopping for. Tonight, she delivered the most delicious lasagna with sausage I've ever had. Chitunga and I couldn't believe how good it was (and lucky for us, Edem doesn't do cheese or pork, so we got extra helpings).

Okay, world...here's to another day.