Day #3, Quarantine News:

A Couple of News Items:

• I believe the count of those who have tested positive for coronavirus on Guam is 8. 
• I talked with Pastor Marcellus, PEC, this morning. The virus has not been identified on Palau. The churches there are still meeting.

Important Notice for Students:

• Celia will be on campus tomorrow. Some of you have Dorm Fee due. Mama Cel. will be in the office from 10:00-12:00 tomorrow.
  If you are living off-campus, get in touch with Celia catoigue@piu.edu to make arrangements to pay. Don't just come to campus. 

Fast Cars and the Current Crisis, Some Thoughts You Need to Read:

Just take a minute and listen to the sound on this video. It is the sound of power being transferred through tires to the road, producing progress.

As most of you know, the old car & truck I have both are stick shifts, Though the shifter works the same as the one on the car in this video. My vehicles lack the muscle. Yesterday, though, I felt that pulse-pounding power that comes when a powerful engine lets loose its power and I get to shift from 1st to second, to third . . . no feeling like it.

I wasn't driving my car or truck. I didn't go anywhere all day. I was in my office. The power didn't come from under a car hood, it came from the minds and hearts of those I'm privileged to work with, but the acceleration was like when Uncle Boots let me drive his old Jaguar Coupe. Or, like the time my friend injected a cup of coffee down my throat when shifted to second and put the accelerator to the floor on his souped-up Ford Fairlane.

I'll stop using the fast car metaphor and simply say yesterday was a day when ideas about how to get PIU going again began to flow. They are still flowing. I'm not going to try to tell you very much since we are still working things out. Mostly, I'm telling you to get ready. 

• For the rest of this semester, computers are going to be very important--even more important than usual. If you don't have a computer, is there one you can borrow? Not just borrow now and again, but one somebody will let you use from now until the semester ends. If you live off-campus and don't have and can't borrow a computer let us know. We'll do our best to work with you.
• The same is true about the internet. You have to have a way to get online. Again, talk to us.
• You got to, got to, GOT TO check your PIU email. Begin a good habit by letting me know that you received and read this email. While your at it, if you didn't reply to the 3-question survey I sent, do that right after you read this.
• You may want to check your seatbelt, because we'll be picking up speed next week. Your teachers are working on assignments, exercises, activities, plans for simulcasts, and more. Our goal is to complete this semester's work in creative ways.
• Did I tell you that I got Uncle Boot's Jag up to 120 mph. It was still gaining speed when I scarred myself--not to mention Kathy--and slowed down, a little.
• You still have a few days to catch up on work you are behind on or to get ahead on reading. I already sent PHIL 200 students a list.

Uncle Boot's car wasn't this pretty, but I'll bet this one doesn't run any better.

It's time to shift gears and get moving again.

Check your email. Let the sender know you got it. Tell your schoolmate to check theirs, too. Seriously, please call, text, or throw a pillow at your fellow-PIU student. "Check your mail! Reply to your email!"
Thanks for your help.

Watch for more.

The Prez.