July 2020

Reflections on Our COVID Times

You may have noticed that I have not had a Notes from the Road newsletter in quite a while.

There are reasons…

Each time I started to flesh out a thought, regardless whether it was meant to be frivolous fun or serious-minded business advice, my sense was that it was hardly germane to our current collective predicament or appropriate to what our priorities needed to be.

I am no more an expert than the hordes who flood the print and electronic media telling us how to behave right now, explaining the science behind each days’ events, or opining on what is the best course of action going forward. I felt that if I didn’t have something of unique substance to offer, it was best to stay on the sidelines.

Somehow, though, that approach has come to feel increasingly empty. To be “in the game” as a valued consultant only works if you’re ready to “play the game” – to offer help when help is most needed.

I’ve been very lucky.

First, I am healthy. I must admit I was somewhat unnerved by a sinus congestion and a sore throat back in April. Fortunately, it passed in just a few days. Just a mild cold, I suppose.

Also, I have had work to attend to. After a two month hiatus, the construction project I have been the Owner’s Rep for resumed. Also, many clients have had to keep their facilities maintenance operations running, and have called for help. Large sectors of our population, we all know, have been seriously impacted - a fate that I have been spared. I feel for all those less fortunate.

What about my clients?

For many, particularly those in higher education, at first there were questions about how to define and negotiate scaled-back services during times of “lock-down”. Now, the task is delineating activities in support of refined standards of cleanliness, in accordance with the recommendations of authoritative organizations.

For the more challenged, reduced incomes have accelerated in-depth analyses of the facilities operations. Some small private colleges and universities are clearly on the brink, with the current situation threatening their very existence. I’m certain some of the steps taken have been as a consequence of this financial urgency. In any event, out of all of this, there’s work to do to help in any way that I can. Again, luckily, this is work, that with some concessions to perfection, I can do from my office without potentially risky exposure.

What can I offer in the way of perspective and advice? For this, I have a personal story.

As a young boy, I was stricken by polio (more correctly, poliomyelitis) caused by the poliovirus. This was before the Salk vaccine existed. My parents, thankfully, responded by treating me with physiotherapy, as recommended by then controversial nurse Sister Elizabeth Kenny; and I eventually recovered. While I’ll never really know for sure what the lasting effects may be, at least I can use this to explain away my short stature and other personal oddities.

In a roundabout way, though, my younger siblings were beneficiaries of my difficulties, since they were able to get inoculated with the Salk vaccine when it became available. Out of adversity, and an international determination to fight back, recovery was made possible.

The story of smallpox is less personal, but still relevant.

Unfortunately, this disease, also caused by a virus, traveled the world for centuries before efficacious preventive methods were developed. I sincerely hope the response to coronavirus is more imminent than the many years it took to fend off smallpox. Nevertheless, I’m sure it will happen.

What’s my “takeaway”? Is there any advice?

As it was with polio and smallpox, a preventive will eventually be available – the sooner, the better, I would add. But, it’s only a matter of time.

In the meantime, my personal approach has been to live with intentional restraint. My site visits, for now, will be circumspect. No plane flights, no overnights, and no large gatherings. In spite of the fact that I find it uncomfortable and seriously dystopian, I will wear a mask when in the presence of others. Pleasure travel is, again for now, out of the question. Remember, I know about poliovirus. I fear coronavirus every bit as much. It’s life threatening. The operable phrase: an abundance of caution.

In many ways, for you and me, this is “life on hold”. At some point, we’ll all find a “new normal”. Patience is a virtue. I wish it weren’t so damned hard.

Missed earlier newsletters? Find them here:

February 2020  “Quirky Clients – The Smart Version”
September 2019  “OPM Cheerleader”
June 2019  “Can You Perform?”
February 2019  “Today's Word”
October 2018  “The Case for DIversity-Architect's Version”
June 2018  “A Capital Idea”
March 2018  “Me Too?”
January 2018  “R U Trending?”
October 2017  “Do You Measure Up?”
August 2017  “I'm an Architect and I'm Here to Help”
January 2017  “The Future of Higher Education”
November 2016  “The Owner as CM?”
August 2016  “Don't you just hate...”
June 2016  “Duck Testing”
April 2016  “Once Upon a Time...”
January 2016  “I want to take you higher”
November 2015  “Moderating in all Things?”
July 2015  “Alphabet City”
May 2015  “Acey Trey Trey Trey?”
January 2015  “Nature or Nurture?”
August 2014  “Acey Trey Trey?”
June 2014  “The Seven Deadly Sins”
March 2014  “Thar She Blows!”
November 2013  “Giving Thanks”
September 2013  “Back to School?”
June 2013  “What Time is It?”
March 2013  “Acey Deucey?”
January 2013  “A Swamp Full of Alligators”
October 2012  “Plan to Live Forever, Part Deux”
July 2012  “A Midsummer Dream”
May 2012  “Are you Virtually Working?”
March 2012  “Your Huddled Masses”
January 2012  “Observing Observations”
October 2011  “I Want What I Want”
August 2011  “A Beach Read”
May 2011  “NeoLuddite or Technophile?”
March 2011  “Do Your Silos Leak?”
January 2011  “Plan to Live Forever!”
November 2010  “May I Have A Plan, Master?”
September 2010  “How do we choose?”
July 2010  “Good People Behaving Badly”
May 2010  “LEED: LEADing or Dead Weight?”
March 2010  “Why does it cost so much?”
January 2010 “Design/Builders show us your softer side.”
November 2009 “What the Facilities?”
September 2009 “Why Do Architects Make Good Owner’s Reps?”