Dear colleagues. Some of you are very emotional about the war in Ukraine. I get it. When your loved ones are in danger, international security no longer feels like a job. It’s your life. Your heart. But now, more than ever, you need emotional discipline. Thread. If this is the first time a war feels closer, more personal, you are going to have a tsunami of emotions. While your feelings are valid, those emotions will also bias your analysis. You will have a harder time sticking to the facts. You will be ineffective. /1

This is a very serious allegation. Vaccines in Ontario are a desperately needed *scarce resource* that are unevenly distributed. That’s already a conflict risk. Even the slightest *perception* of political partisanship makes things very volatile. /A Security Prof Thread

https://twitter.com/CBCQueensPark/status/1381571913512804361

The scholarship shows that resource scarcity can provoke & inflame conflict. Perceptions of unfairness also activate protest. While provincial govts don’t think about civil strife often, they should tread carefully here. /1

Last week, my university advertised a "pandemic productivity" seminar. Today, I got the "due to unforeseen circumstances" cancellation message.

Unforeseen? Really? This little example shows why we need to change the narrative about productivity amid crisis. 🙏🏽 /Thread For the record, I've been a very "productive" in my academic work during the pandemic. I am not against productivity. But, this has absolutely nothing to do with my merit. It has to do with my luck. /1

Today is my beloved husband Simon’s birthday. 💝 My heart is very squeezed for this person. So, here are a few wonderful things about my bestie that just have to be said. /A Birthday Thread 🎉🎁🎀🎂🍰 First, my Simon is an emergency worker & this has been a very hard year… but never once has he complained or passed the buck. No matter how tough the challenge, he has shown up with excellence & good character. /1

Hey lovely people! 😊🙏🏽 So here we are, ending 2020 with soaring COVID cases, crushing lockdowns, & corrupt politicians. Folks, this is rock bottom. So... how can start 2021 with hope & joy? Take heart. We're going to get through this winter valley together. 💪🏽❤️ /THREAD. Nine months in, we are now around halfway through the crisis phase of COVID. That might seem scary, but have faith. Once we make it through this “rock bottom” period, the rest of part 2 will be brighter & easier. /1

"Tolerated again"?? I'm sorry, but the correct response was "You're fired". I could not be more disgusted at this shameful and corrupt conduct. It makes a mockery of the sacrifices emergency workers and their families have made over the past 9 months.

https://twitter.com/CP24/status/1344078360167800832

And I just want to add, a government that lacks legitimacy - indeed moral authority - is incapable of governing and leading people in a crisis. No one will sacrifice for them. No one will trust the process. And that political disaster hurts everyone.

Hey lovely folks! With vaccines on the way, we can finally see a light at the end of this pandemic tunnel. But we probably won’t get there before Christmas. So, for those of us alone & in lockdown over the holidays, how can we make it through this time in good cheer? 😊❤️/Thread This is obviously going to be a different holiday season for us. Some are separated from family & friends they cannot visit. Others have loved ones who are emergency workers who have to stay on the front lines. Many of us are afraid of loneliness. But there is hope. /1

Hello lovely folks! Most of us are now deep in lockdown 2.0. Since writing about the six-month wall, many people asked me about how to take a “mental shore leave”. Here’s my plan, which might help you think creatively about yours. Good luck! 😊🙏🏽❤️ THREAD Most of us cannot take an actual leave from our pandemic-stressed work and family lives. But to get through this six-month wall & emerge happy, it is imperative to take a break. So, how am I going create a psychic retreat for the next 4 weeks to recharge my batteries? /1

To the brides & grooms who have to adapt their weddings for lockdown 2.0: Take heart! We did it in June on a lawn. Be courageous in your love. 💖💪🏽 Mini-thread. First, I admit that I ugly cried trying to learn how to do my own hair & makeup, especially given that I’m more of a bookworm than a pretty girl. I’m so grateful to @ProfAgard & @RTVLaw for listening to me cry on the phone & reassuring me it would be ok. It was.

The 6 month mark in any sustained crisis is always difficult. We have all adjusted to this "new normal", but might now feel like we're running out of steam. Yet, at best, we are only 1/3 the way through this marathon. How can we keep going? THREAD /x First, in my experience, this is a very normal time to struggle or slump. I *always* hit a wall 6 months into a tough assignment in a disaster zone. The desire to "get away" or "make it stop" is intense. I've done this many times, and at 6 months, it's like clockwork. /2

My dept has advertised this job. Please apply. But, as a Brown Muslim woman in this dept, I also have to some truth to share. Real talk. ❤️🙏🏽 THREAD.

https://twitter.com/ProfAishaAhmad/status/1299325177453477890

First, for the record, I am a tenured Assoc Prof in this dept and have served on half a dozen EDI initiatives at the university. I am also a multiple award-winning researcher & lecturer. I have 2 teaching prizes AND 3 distinguished research prizes. /1

This is an important issue, especially as we increase restrictions on parks. Access to green space is crucial for mental health. But we need to share. THREAD. /1

https://twitter.com/CBCAdrianH/status/1249686154913464321

Importantly, we are all still allowed to go for a walk, either alone or with members of our households. Keep your distance, but walk around your neighbourhood. The restrictions are on park amenities, not getting fresh air outdoors. /2

Hey Toronto! 😊❤️ Are you distressed at the prospect of 12 weeks of lock down? Take heart! First, I promise that your feelings will shift & that you can be happy & well during this period. We are going to do this together, & it's going to be awesome. /1 To start, know that your feelings today are not going to last all summer. It's just a transition period. Right now, it feels like your whole world has been taken away, but that's just because you haven't hit your creative adaptation phase yet. Trust the process. /2

Friends: our country is at critical juncture. We must act now, as a team, or it will be like a war. Most of you have never been in a war zone. It is soul-destroying. Your discomfort today will feel like a picnic. But we can stop it. Here is what you must do right now. /1 1. Quit the denial. This global pandemic is a world-changing event, of equal magnitude to a war. It is in motion now. Yes, that is scary. Yes, it is normal to want to deny this is happening. But if you deny or dismiss it, you will likely act in ways that will make it worse. /2

Academic peeps: I've lived through many disasters. Here is my advice on "productivity". First, play the long game. Your peers who are trying to work as normal right now are going to burn out fast. They're doomed. Make a plan with a longer vision. /1 Second, your top priority is to stabilize and control your immediate home environment. Ensure your pantry has sensible supplies. Clean your house. Make a coordinated family plan. Feeling secure about your own emergency preparedness will free up mental space. /2