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How is the coronavirus pandemic affecting your life right now? Tell us about your experiences, feelings, and thoughts.

Today ... marks 110 days that I have been sheltering in place. Periodically, I continue to respond to / "report to" my 4 adult children with statistics on my behavior. Easy enough to record here: *Two people have entered my home (replace faulty air/heat thermostat and routine quarterly visit from exterminator,) Both were masked, gloved, and very careful. I followed up with SOP for cleaning. I have driven my car fewer than 10 times. I have had 2 passengers. I have taken a friend to 2 appointments and I have gone to 2. I have gone inside to order 3 times, and have picked up "carry out" 6 times. * Three of my children are local. My daughters do my shopping, and my son does some of the yard work and outside repairs as needed. * My fourth son is an MD and a General Officer in the Reserves. He keeps us all on our guard. ... ... #1 I am "distracted" by the lack of leadership (among other things) from the current federal administration, and not just with COVID-19, but also with the attacks on the environment, international relationships and the peace they can bring, "minority" groups, and the sabotage of services for the majority of the people of the USA in order to pander to those at the top of the economic ladder who are greedy and self-serving. #2 I have been distracted even though edified by the Black Lives Matter demonstrations, especially the diversity of those who are protesting. My memories of the 1950s and '60s have informed my teaching as I have seen so many social justice issues that apply to the perceptions (negative and positive) that my international students bring into the classroom. Yet the BLM attention has led me to "attending" webinars to examine my own bias and to gain a deeper understanding of what I can do in my classes, and in my life, and that is sometimes to confirm rather than to add something to my understanding.... I haven't been able to go to Sunday Mass since March, but Mass is live-streamed and on YouTube. Father James Martin, SJ has been on Facebook every day at 3 pm with a 1/2 hour of reflection on a Gospel reading. I am particularly grateful for the communication platforms - newspapers, radio, television, the Internet, and now social media. They can be distracting, and are! but they also take away the gloom of physical distancing and replace it with a stronger sense of community.