ABSTRACT
In this autoethnography, I focus on my reliance on my track record of determined perseverance to sustain me as I have had to simultaneously perform many different tasks in the backdrop of social institutions that have altered operations in the face of a pandemic. First, I note the challenges and emotional distress of “intensive mothering,” caring for my curiously energetic twin sons, and navigating the beginning of their elementary school experiences. Next, I consider how I have managed to navigate “ideal worker” expectations in the context of my professional responsibilities to a feminist organization with a diverse, growing membership with changing needs because of the inability to safely congregate in person. Themes of work and family intersect throughout this reflection. Through grit, a modified interpersonal communication strategy, my support network of family, long-time friends, newly formed friendships, and colleagues, and my profusely positive outlook, I offer insights into how I have managed to juggle and adapt to challenges that have no definitive end date in sight.
