A list of things I’m looking forward to (Lockdown progress report for March 30, 2020)

Total words: 2,297
Manuscript total: 8,992

I like writing the words “manuscript total” each day and watching the word count grow. Just a few days ago, my word count was just over 1,000. Now, thanks to the lockdown, I’m rapidly approaching my first 10,000 words for this project! Of course, some of those words will end up in the waste bin, but still. It’s nice to see how consistent work grows a project — perhaps that’s a metaphor we can each take to heart and apply to our own efforts.

On the note of things I’m looking forward to (such as finishing the first draft of Empress of Dorsa), I was thinking yesterday about all the parts of normal life that I typically take for granted and very much look forward to getting back to once all this craziness subsides.

Here’s my list of what I’m looking forward to on the other side of all this, in no particular order.

1. Human touch.

Hugs, kisses, cuddling, fist bumps, high fives, handshakes: I miss them. It never occurred to me that I would live through a time period when we couldn’t so much as high-five each other, potentially for months. To all those who live with your partner and can therefore hug and kiss and hold them, I pray you take advantage of it and never forget what a privilege it is.

2. Going boxing.

Despite the fact that LT kicked my ass (according to the electronic monitors on our bags) the last time we went boxing, I miss it. It’s a good workout and I love all the instructors.

3. Lifting weights at the Y.

Speaking of exercising, I have been enjoying my long walks and garage workouts, I really have. But I miss going to the YMCA and just lifting weights without having to think deeply about how I’m going to build resistance training into my workout without dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, or medicine balls.

4. Buying toilet paper without it feeling like a Mission: Impossible movie.

(Sorry for mixing my movie references here.)

5. Not worrying about keeping six feet of space between me and the next person at the grocery store.

Speaking of shopping.

6. Seeing my high schoolers in person.

Yeah, they can be pains in my butt sometimes, but I miss each of my students and wonder how they’re doing every day. I set up an Instagram account just for them, and it makes me feel like I’m at least reaching out on a regular basis, but still. I worry about them, and not just about their education. It’s easy to forget that for some kids, school is the most consistent safety zone they have in their lives. I want school to get back in session for their sakes.

7. Being back on a normal schedule.

I keep doing it! I slept in by accident AGAIN until 6:30 today! This morning, I think I hit the off button instead of the snooze button when the alarm went off, but I know that if I would have had to go to school, I would have woken up on my own (panicked, but still on time) well before 6:30. I don’t like the way the lack of external structure keeps me from being my best self. Maybe some of you don’t need any external prompts to keep you on schedule, but I do. I look forward to having that structure again.

8. Trump’s buffoonery going back to being non-life-threatening.

I suppose in a way, Trump’s buffoonery has always endangered lives. Think about the time he pulled troops out of Syria on a spontaneous whim after talking with the P.M. of Turkey, for example. However, in general, Trump has been merely obnoxious, damaging to America’s reputation and position abroad, and likely to sink the economy in the long-term, but not immediately threatening the lives of Americans and others. Now, his incompetence is literally putting the world in danger hour by hour. I always worried what would happen if our country had an actual crisis on our hands while he was still in office; now I guess I know. I wish I could just go back to the days when idiocy was simply something to roll my eyes at rather than to fear.

(Sorry, that one was both dark and political in nature. Let me move on to something a bit lighter.)

9. Going to another Girls Who Like Girls Who Like to Hike event in person.

In San Diego, there’s a group called Girls Who Like Girls Who Like to Hike, and it is a nice fixture in the LGBTQ community. I’ve only ever gone to three of their events, but I always think about going to more! Now, I can’t even do that, since GWLGWLtH has gone virtual, like everything else.

10. Graduating (and getting a job).

Well, the good news is, whatever happens with COVID-19, my grad program wraps up in one short month, one way or another. I will finish student teaching, virtual or not, at the same time, and should hopefully have my credential in hand soon thereafter. Sadly, LT and I won’t be going up to LA for the graduation ceremony anymore, since that’s been canceled, but at least I will be done with school!

UPDATE: #11 — A HAIRCUT.

Nearly forgot about one of the most important things on the list!

What are YOU looking forward to?

Inquiring minds want to know!