Per my email:

July 1: The University no longer requires face masks or caps to in-person class-sizes.

July 29: The University requires face masks in all campus facilities.

Classes start August 23. Wonder what will happen in the meantime.

I attended virtual PCA last week which cheered me up in so many ways I didn't realize I needed to be cheered up: chatting with friends and colleagues, getting positive feedback on my research projects, getting to listen to interesting talks. A side-benefit of virtual is working from home and being able to keep on top of email etc. Also the full ( Read more... )

We got an announcement today that our mandatory twice weekly covid testing will be dropping to a single weekly test over the summer, concurrent with uploading our vaxx cards to the Uni's system with an eye towards phasing out required testing for people who got their shots. This is exciting because I will be reclaiming like 45 minutes of my week ( Read more... )

 BLACK, LATINX, AND MILLENNIAL READERS ARE THE BACKBONE OF THE BOOK WORLD by Kelly Jensen

Snip:

The research, undertaken amid the COVID-19 pandemic, involved surveying over 4,300 qualified individuals across an array of age groups, races, and locales in the United States. To qualify, individuals have to have indicated engaging with one book over the ( Read more... )

One nice thing about lockdown, I suppose, is this is the first year where no one is guilt-tripping us for Christmas visits.

On the flipside, no holiday parties either, and holiday parties and making holiday food are my favorite seasonal things.

I got all my holiday shopping done online on Black Friday, which I'm always ambivalent about--on the one ( Read more... )

We saw people taking kids trick-or-treating, and we turned off all the lights in the house and watched movies in the basement like assholes.

But like. Covid cases are up in our county and we're going into mitigation on Monday, so WTF were parents thinking???? Honestly?!?!

I have so much to do. I do this to myself, really, but. I am so tired. So, so tired.

Everything will get done, somehow.

But I would like to sleep, lots.

NaNoWriMo Email: IT'S TIME TO START THINKING ABOUT NANOWRIMO!!!! :D :D :D

Me: *exhausted, blinkered shell of a human*

NaNoWriMo Email: :D :D :D

Me: I do miss writing fiction...

~

Got an email from my boss this morning saying Library Admin are asking each units for plans to ramp up services OR ramp down services depending on what happens in the next two ( Read more... )

 This is fine.

As the University of Illinois tries to control the spread of COVID-19, two students and one fraternity have been suspended for coronavirus-related violations.


Another 119 students and 11 groups are under investigation, Dean of Student Support and Advocacy Stephen Bryan said Monday at the Senate’s executive committee meeting.


And some ( Read more... )

 A productive, abbreviated morning at the office. Halfway through I popped out to get my covid test because it was right in the middle of a class period and I figured my odds of minimal wait were good, and I was right. But as I walked to and from campus I noted short or no lines at the testing sites I passed, which again could be related to class ( Read more... )