There Isn’t an Easy Way to Say ‘No’ to a Zoom Meeting

As each email arrived canceling yet another event during this crisis, I had the exact same feeling: relief. Why did I ever agree to these speeches, panels, lunches, and meetings?

I realized the only reason I had ever done anything was because other people were doing things, and I’m competitive. Suddenly, there was nothing to do. And while some people complained about being bored, I was most certainly not. I was finally getting to do all the things I’d wanted to do, such as learning Spanish, baking, working out, and becoming an American history teacher. The only person who was bored was the 10-year-old boy in my house who was learning about civil service reform.