COVID Quarantine : Separating Work and Play

One of the most exhausting things about working at home is making sure to separate work from personal life. As a teacher, especially a department chair, I already know how difficult it is to create borders in a digital world. Checking work email while at home was something I finally put a stop to during this school year.

Then the governor's orders came down, and school closures through April 24 have me checking work email, text messages from administrators and students, and more. After a near mental breakdown during the first week of closure, where I ended up barely getting out of bed for five days straight, I made some personal commitments where I will not check or respond to work emails or texts. I have been adamant about these personal boundaries over the past three weeks, to the point of refusing to accept meeting times that would interfere.

I've also started looking at ways to expand that separation to dividing personal and pseudo-work, as well. Since I was accepted into the Subaru Ambassador program in late 2016, I've been using my Triskelion Racing Facebook page, as well as my personal Twitter and Instagram as part of my brand ambassadorship. Earlier this week, I took the opportunity to separate out that as well.

View this post on Instagram

A #sexysaturday post of the rear of the #WRX. Once upon a time, the @wdcr_scca would have an area at the @washautoshow, and members from a variety of motorsports - from TSD rally, autocross, time trials, roadracing and HPDE - would bring cars to showcase. This particular photo is from the 2011 show. @subaru_usa @subarumotorsportsusa #Subaru #SubaruAmbassador #autocross #funwithcars @sccaofficial @iagperformance

A post shared by Karen (@subarukaren) on Apr 11, 2020 at 7:52am PDT

Help save lives by donating critically needed blood! Sign up now at https://t.co/qAVEd5o9Ch! @AnnapolisSubaru #SubaruAmbassador pic.twitter.com/HDdCswkA7b

— Subaru Ambassador Karen (@KarenSubaru) April 7, 2020

Go ahead and give the accounts a follow on Instagram and Twitter!

Maybe next, I'll start working on some things for my Etsy page, considering I should have a lot more free time (and, sadly, less income) this summer.

I Come In Peace

The sickness continues. Yah. At least I was able to sell my tickets for Thursday night's Caps game, and tonight is an away one.

I have to say that I was disappointed in having to miss that game, though. Watching it on TV just isn't quite the same. I was pretty surprised that the Caps not only broke the streak, they shut out the Blue Jackets by a pretty hefty margin -- 5-0. It was almost like the Boudreau era again. 

Anyway, if you didn't already know, I was recently accepted into the Subaru Ambassador program. I guess having some notoriety and a stickered up WRX is good for something. ;) 

Cool #subaruambassador icon for my #Subaru badge of ownership. :)

A photo posted by Karen (@kiirenza) on Jan 6, 2017 at 11:38am PST

I actually got word of my acceptance in a sort of roundabout way. The original "welcome" email never came through, not even to my spam folder, but I received a message on how to order swag and ambassador gear. I figured maybe I'd be getting a letter via snailmail, and since our USPS mailperson is notoriously awful, maybe I received the email before the letter.

So, I ordered some swag and gear, since I had $150 to burn up before January 1st. A week later (and after my order arrived), I still haven't received anything official from Subaru. So, I sent an inquiry.

Sure enough, there had been a glitch in the emails going out that day, and mine was among them. They resent the email, and I've since also received my "starter kit."

In the meantime, I posted up a "contest" of sorts on my Triskelion Racing Facebook page for what I billed as a winter prize pack.


While the local Maryland Subaru group had people that seemed interested, I guess it was either too complicated for them, or too much effort to post a photo. Their loss! In the end, some of my friends from Ohio were the big winners. I guess that's good for them, since they've had a lot more snow than we have in Maryland so far.

I got a lot of neat little things to give away, including some diecast Subaru vehicles (a Legacy GT, an Outback and a WRX) that will be in an upcoming prize pack, some pet-related stuff, ice scrapers (evidently a big ticket item right now) and some other stuff.

If you see me around, especially in the Subaru, say something. I will have gear to give away on the spot too. And no, I haven't coughed or sneezed on it, so it should be sickness free. :p