adaptation in the time of corona virus

The only thing constant is change, we are told. And in the time of corona virus, that is certainly true.
We are sheltering in place, working from home, or if we go out it is with gloves and  masks on. We learn new ditties to hum while we are washing out hands.  Like "not touching something with a 10 foot pole," we say hello to anyone from 6 feet away. We know the terms "social distancing", "self isolating" , "flatten the curve", and "ventilators".  We avoid gatherings of 10 or more, and connect in the virtual world of Zoom.

Some people are afraid of change, resistant to it, and feel their world is falling apart. They mistake personal physical isolation for relational isolation. But the relationships can continue and must keep up, just adjusted for a change of method. We can and should still continue to maintain those friendships across the miles and the digital divide by email, phone call, text, other forms of social media. Just because we can't physically be together doesn't mean we have to wall ourselves apart.

And in the midst of dealing with communication in new and different ways we can discover new things in the world. Since the Toastmaster world has turned to digital to maintain relationships we have learned about not just how we can maintain our clubs, but also new connections and new possibilities for enhancing our communications. We can share visually and audibly with people hundreds and thousands of miles away. In recent meetings and contests I have been a part of we have connected with folks across the country and around the world , South Korea and India to name a couple examples.

I am doing a contest in a couple weeks where I have recruited people who might have previously had to consider travel to come to the contest site, but now only have to turn on their computer from home to be a part. Recruiting help is easier. And we can involve other districts in the judging and add to the diversity of evaluations. We had as a club a member who came down with the virus and would have not been able to join us for a meeting if not for our new Zoom set up.

People have experimented with virtual backgrounds, presentations without having to lug a laptop and projector to meetings, and even write "notes" (in chat) of evaluation without worrying about legibility (mine especialy).
I guess what I am driving at is rather than focusing on what we don't have, on the complications.
We should focus on treasuring what we have, and what opportunities for growth that are there.
There are so many things we still can do, and places we can go. Today for me it was a "two-bunny walk"...more about that later.

Are you going stir crazy? Or feeling some cabin fever coming on? You might just be an extrovert.
During this time of "sheltering in place at home" a lot of people may be feeling a serious lack of energy, not because of the virus, but because they are cut off from their usual source of energy - people, especially crowds which help them thrive. For us introverts silence and calm can help us recharge and think and we feed off of it, but to an extrovert silence is a drain.  So it is essential to flip the usual "social distancing" and emphasize "distant socialization", be sure to reach out to others and make the connections even when those connections are from a distance - phone, text, email, online video. Those are safe ways to communicate and make sure we are not isolated , even when we are.

Even for introvert, who love the silence and calmness, too much of a good thing can be bad.
We need people. I make a point of getting out of the house for daily walks.. My usual companions are the local ducks, geese, crows, robins, the occasional squirrel and wild bunnies. Aside from my constant companion, my best friend, my wife, I don't really see much besides runners and dog walkers. But I have another source of communication - my Toastmasters club.  We hold our club meetings online through Zoom.

And we are not alone. Toastmasters International has strongly encouraged clubs around the country and around the world to not hold in person meetings, but meet online. We are having speech contests online, and we will hold our Spring Conference online, quite an undertaking. We have embraced the technology and have developed new skills. These present numerous opportunities for safe social interactions. We have fun, much laughter, and community building as we come together.
It is vital for both introverts and extroverts to keep socializing till we are again able to add physical interactions.

Mix of values - moral and practical

Values aren't limited to moral choices, they also involve practicality, strategy, how best to do what we do everyday.  It's like a river and it's banks. The river flows and we make sure that it is not impeded or blocked and it can create power - hydroelectric power is clean and abundant But we also use dams not just for energy creation but also for flood control. If a river overruns its banks you have flooding which helps no one. We have to have the free flowing with the guiding of the banks for the best result.
In the same way we need the practical values, efficiency and such, along with the control of the moral values that keep us from "flooding" so to speak. A recent presidential candidate exemplified this by listing a set of values that he chose for his campaign - called the "rules of the road". Values that he lived by and wanted his supporters and volunteers to follow. They were a mix of the practical and moral.
The practical ones I see as: Teamwork, Boldness, Substance, Discipline, Excellence.
The more moral values I see as : Respect, Belonging, Truth, Responsibility, Joy.
These are intertwined and support each other, and both are necessary for life.
Think about how you view life and what values are important to you.

You are not alone

Respect, Integrity, Service, Excellence...what are these? They are the core values of Toastmasters, a decades old organization that I am proud to be a part of. These values help our mission of helping people grow in their speaking and leadership skills, by ensuring each meeting is a safe place where people can speak up, share their dreams and their struggles and continue to grow. In the midst of this current crisis clubs have adapted to the technology of distance socializing and continue strong with clubs and contests and in May the Spring conference, all held online. Our bond is greater than our technological struggles and these core values are key - RISE!

Stories and laughter, support and hope, are our shared experience.
I would invite you to check out TM , go to the International site to find a club near you.
https://www.toastmasters.org/
But whatever you do, remember to hold fast to your values and don't despair, you are not alone

music to make it through these days

Music makes everything better, it seems. When I ran it gave me energy and helped me keep running.
When I work it keeps me company. When I am sad it gives me hope. And when I am happy it helps me celebrate. Out of the blue songs will come into my mind with memories. Sometimes the most annoying songs get stuck in my brain (like the Disneyland theme :( )

But in these days of the virus it can help us cope. There have been several tunes/ditties that have been suggested to time handwashing.  The people of Italy are singing to each other across the alleys when they couldn't go out in public. And the other day when I went shopping at a local fruit market I was greeted with Alice Cooper's "School's Out for Summer" and left to the strains of "The Sounds of Silence" (Seattle silence).

Music touches the soul, and is often a reflection of it. It also serves to speak for us, and to us, when we can't seem to speak the words. It can calm us, energize us, give us hope. We will get through this awful time and music can lead the way. Don't forget to sing, let it envelope you.

Corona Days

These are the days of the corona virus, aka Covid-19, and we are all sheltering in place, practicing the 6 ft rule, working from home. And for those of us in the Toastmaster world, we are adapting to having our meetings, and our contests online. It is a whole lot of adaptation, but like the rest of our lives we are learning to go with the flow, and I hope coming to appreciate the little things in life more.

I am encouraged to see people reaching out to each other to help in our various struggles, seeing more caring, and the focusing of energy to help and not to hurt. My hope is that it brings us together more as a nation and as a world. The virus knows no boundaries, and neither should our love and compassion for those who are suffering.  A lot of things are in cosmic shift, very messy, but it the days and weeks to come I hope to share tips and reflections - doing my part to help us get through this , to help give hope for the future, and to help us learn.
Stay strong, keep safe, and continue to dream and work for a better world
Thanks
Bob (aka Chytha)

Remember all today

Remember - today is a day of remembrance, Memorial Day.
Today I remember my grandfather, Captain Benjamin C. King, who served in the Army during both WWI and WWII. He served with the American Expeditionary Force in Europe during WWI. In fact he was serving overseas at the time my father was born , back in Oregon. He also served in WWII, both in the Coast Artillery on the Oregon Coast, and (I think) with the occupation forces in Korea after the war.

I remember my uncle, Ensign Philip C. Wright who served in the Navy during WWII, but prior to our formal entry into the war. He was a flight instructor who trained pilots to fly. He didn't get a chance to serve in combat because he was killed while on a training flight in Pasco ,Washington two months before Pearl Harbor.

I have visited both their graves - grandpa's at Willamette National Cemetery, south of Portland, and Uncle Phil's at Arlington National Cemetery, just outside of Washington DC.  I am thankful for their service and for all others who served their country in uniform.

But I also remember others who couldn't serve, but love their country just as much. I remember my dad Royal C King, who was classified as 4-F due to very poor eyesight. He would have wanted to serve, especially with a father and brother in law serving while he was stuck at home. He loved his country, but was left to serve by working hard in the war-time economy , and raise a son and four daughters to love their country just as much. I know there were plenty others like him,

And speaking of daughters, we need to remember all the women who were left at home during wartime.  They were largely prevented from service (at least in combat)  while their fathers, brothers, husbands, and sons served. Who knows how many of them would have served if possible. They went through a hell of their own waiting to hear good news, longing to see their loved ones again,  praying to not get a letter of condolence delivered by military messenger. It hasn't been until recently that women  got the chance to serve - and have done it with honor.

And also remember those in the LGBTQ community who were denied an equal opportunity to serve, or served in secret , with equal fears of death and discovery. Don't forget their service and don't deny them the right to serve.

Remember all these today - give thanks - and then give a helping hand when you can to help to any in need.