Nothing ever happens on Mars

I woke up with the weird earworm "Nothing Every Happens on Mars" from the equally weird (and charming) Waiting for Guffman.



Why? I don't know, but in the cold light of day (literally -- it's cold and rainy here) it seems relevant.  Both for its contrast to the state of things: everything is happening all at once! and for its looming, stark relevance: social distancing is going to be, well, boring.*  I'm kind of a master of boredom that comes from not having a whole lot going on (as are many residents of more rural areas).** But I feel for those of you in (or about to be in) big cities who are (a) way more likely to be dealing with COVID-19 firsthand (a topic that's heavy on my mind but that I have no capacity to write about yet) and (b) further frustrated by the lack of normalcy.  No sports.  No concerts.  No museums.  Yikes.  At least here in Clinton I have a hill I can walk to, alone and without seeing anyone else, and from its top I can see the beautiful sunrise and sunset.



More thoughts more closely related to the challenge of changing to online courses with a widely dispersed audience later.  In the meantime, I'll be thinking about that poor Martian looking for a little excitement.  Right now, we have a little extra to share.



*And at the same time, absolutely necessary to save lives.  The latest UCSF report forecasts 1 to 1.5 million COVID-19 deaths.  Take all of this seriously, okay?  Even if you will be okay, you inevitably know lots of people who might not be.



*That's not totally fair to Clinton, NY, and the Utica area: there is a bunch happening, but it's not the same as living in a big city where there's a lot of stuff happening and you can just step outside and find it.