As of March 10th, I do not have COVID-19. But there’s better news: I finally received the first of 2 Pfizer vaccine shots for COVID-19! Yesterday (March 9th), a lot of local Kroger and Walgreens pharmacies opened up appointment slots; I took one for this morning, since I had already asked for the day off.
It is an amazing weight off of my shoulders! Riding the bus to/from work, checkups, the laundromat, and picking up medicine was nerve-racking; now I don’t have to worry about catching COVID-19 while on the buses! I’m still wearing one of 11 masks, whenever I go out (it’s mandatory on the bus), and I will wait until I get the 2nd shot (April 7th) before running out to other places, but I can now start to breathe easier.
I read/listened to 4 books in the month of January, probably the best pace I’ve had in years. Since then, I’ve struggled to complete one. In fairness, one book (Audiobook) has a narrator that is very deep-voiced, monotone, and reads very slow. That book is now in my ‘On Hold’ group. For a 2nd book, I’m starting to get into it a little more. I may be able to finish it by next week. I still plan on reading/listening to 25+ books this year.
I passed my Systems Analysis I class. That’s it. It’s a victory.
I got an email from WKU, saying that I am missing 3 credits. This is not counting the Capstone class that I’m currently taking. I have no idea how that happened; looks like I have an email/phone call to write/make to my Advisor.
“March Madness” – the big basketball post-season tournament for college teams – has taken on a weird air for me. UofL’s Women’s team solidly made their tournament and play their first game on Monday (3/22). However, UofL’s Men’s team was the 1st team to miss the 68-team field. Not only that, but they (for whatever reason) also declined an invite to the NIT (National Invitational Tournament), the next biggest tournament. My current school, Western Kentucky University, missed the NCAA Tournament (but they did accept an NIT invite). Purdue lost in the 1st round of the NCAA Tournament; this leaves me with no strong rooting interests in the Men’s NCAA (Kansas, meh), one in the NIT, and one in the Women’s NCAA Tournament. I can promise you: if UofL’s Women make the Final Four or further, I will find a spot in Downtown Louisville to watch it. And hopefully celebrate.
Over the last few weeks, I have found myself getting strangely, intensely nostalgic. I’ve been watching a lot of NHRA Drag Racing from 1986-1995. I found myself watching the end of the 1980 Basketball season, where UofL won the Men’s National Championship (and getting teary-eyed?). I’ve linked some old pictures, on to my Facebook profile, from some of my days in UofL’s Pep Band in the mid-2000’s. I’ve even looked up some old horror movies and old cartoons that I remember watching as a kid.
I don’t know exactly what brought this nostalgia wave on. If I had to guess, I think it’s from being cooped up indoors for over a year, with the only interactions with family and friends being the rare visit (family) and the occasional Zoom call (friends). I can’t really do anything about that, though; when we get vaccinated FULLY, then some people-time can happen. It’s just weird that the nostalgia has hit this hard.
I still plan on taking at least a week off after the semester ends. I don’t know if I will go out of town, though.
The Nexus 