The Old Stomping Grounds

That's what my office feels like these days: the old stomping grounds, from a very long time ago.

I was back in my office late this afternoon, for exactly one and a half hours, for the first time in a week. Since Governor Cuomo ordered all New Yorkers to stay at home, the college has had to limit the number of employees on campus at any one time. To put it mildly. The dean may permit one faculty member at a time to be on campus. And we need his authorization in advance.

My students know that I have a lot of books in my office (or offices). Occasionally, I even need one of them. Or two. Or three. So I requested, and received, permission to be in the Chamberlain Center late Saturday afternoons, a time I figured few others would want to be there anyway.

It was a bit odd--a very familiar place that felt rather lifeless, as if the spirit had been sucked out of the building. On the other hand, it was good to see my books again. I returned a couple that I was done with, and I came home with a few cloth bags full of others, enough to see me through the next 1-2 weeks of teaching, plus a few things to read just for fun (not though I'm likely to find extra time for that right now).

It will be nice when we finally reach the day when I can once again just wander over to my books without needing to get special permission first.

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