Skip to main content

Captain's Blog: Bard Date 3232020

I think I'm adjusting. Last night I remembered to bring my hair tie into the Captain's Quarters, and so it did not fall into the hands of Ensign Cow Bell. Today is an off shift for her, but she still found time to greet me with chirpy meows and leg rubs. I began the day running battle simulations with Lieutenant Juju. He takes his job as the Chief Security Officer of the Home Outpost very seriously. After being at Bard for so long, he wasn't convinced my skills were sharp enough anymore. I came out of his training with a minor scratch, but if his purring was anything to go by, the Lieutenant was pleased with my skills regardless.

Once the drills were done, I poured myself a cup of coffee (the strong stuff Admiral Dad makes; I'm not used to it anymore and still have the jitters a bit) and settled in to work on my Senior Project. It was hard at first. I understand intellectually that all my school-related things still matter, that I have to do them to finish my degree and finishing my degree matters regardless of how it happens, but it's hard to find the same sense of purpose knowing that I'm not going back to campus as a student. The first few sentences were a struggle to get out, but after that it was almost a relief from everything else that's been going on. My Senior Project has been a passion project from the beginning. That's really what I have to hold on to right now.

After that, I popped back into the Animal Crossing Holodeck simulation. My biggest focus has been the Science Outpost on the Pirate Isle Colony. This morning, construction on it was completed, and scientific pursuits can continue in earnest. I also finished gathering materials for the Merchant Outpost today, so that should be finished by tomorrow morning. My brother's simulation had progressed to the point where he could join the multiplayer. People often point out how different we are, but our similarities showed themselves the most today, and we compared thriving Science Outposts.

The Admirals are out getting provisions right now. I wish I could've gone with them, but that wasn't a possibility for obvious reasons. They should be returning soon enough, which is a relief. In addition to the pandemic, it's snowing on the homeworld today. I know the Admirals both have plenty of experience piloting in the snow, but I'll still feel better when they've returned to the Home Outpost.

I've been in some contact with the crew today as well. Everyone is doing as well as they can be, under the circumstances. Pilot requested addresses and recommended writing postcards and letters. I don't think I'll be putting anything in the mailbox until my quarantine period is up; I don't want to infect the postal workers any more than anyone else. Still, I think it's a wonderful idea and I can't wait to start writing to people at the end of my two weeks.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

First Officer's Blog: Bard Date 3192020

This week has been a whirlwind- stay, go, don't leave, get the fuck out now.  As the Captain mentioned, the admiralty has recalled me home from the ship.  For now.   As this wild adventure begins to fizzle out, I am brought back to the words of my personal favorite Existentialist philosopher (this is a Bard student writing, did you think I wouldn't mention some grand philosophical concept?)  Søren Kierkegaard on regret that I found myself musing over just last week, when we were all still so certain that we would be finishing the semester on campus.   "Marry, and you will regret it; don’t marry, you will also regret it; marry or don’t marry, you will regret it either way. Laugh at the world’s foolishness, you will regret it; weep over it, you will regret that too; laugh at the world’s foolishness or weep over it, you will regret both.… Hang yourself, you will regret it; do not hang yourself, and you will regret that too; hang yourself or don’t hang yourself, you’ll

Captain's Blog: Bard Date 3262020

Last night, the cabin fever won. I don't want to be too dramatic about that. What I did last night had always been the plan, was the reason I was growing my hair out, but being stuck inside has sped up the process somewhat. Last night I coerced Admiral Dad into taking clippers to the back of my head and giving me an undercut. It didn't exactly take much coercing. Immediately after taking the first chunk of hair, however, Admiral Dad swore, and I was suddenly very sure my hair was going to get a much more dramatic change than I'd planned. That wasn't the case, luckily. Admiral Dad simply forgot to put the guard on the clippers, so it's a closer shave than either of us really intended, which is not a big deal at all given that we're going to be stuck on the Home Outpost for at least another month. I'm confident it will look how it was supposed to in about a week or two. Then it's just a question of when I can get my hands on some hair dye... If I were

Captain's Blog: Bard Date 3192020

It gets worse before it gets better, kids, but it's okay because nihilism has set it. Nothing matters was the mantra of the morning. I don't really want to stick with that, but we've definitely been feeling discouraged. In yesterday's update, I told you my First Officer and Chief Engineer had been called back. Later that night, we found out there was a metaphorical warp core breach that means most of us are being forced to use the escape pods. My Comms Officer, who I finally managed to catch up with last night, is staying behind because of how integrated he is in some away missions. The rest of us absolutely have to evacuate. There's a level of comfort in it. The uncertainty has worn on all of us. My Opps Ensign has been gone a while, sent home early by an unrelated illness. Tomorrow, my First Officer and Chief Engineer are both leaving. The next day, my Chief of Security and I will be gone. Only a couple days after that, our Pilot will go home. I wish I could sta