He turns to comedy in times of need

“Prior to the coronavirus interrupting all our lives, I would do my work with the recruitment and enrollment department at Lee College pretty much five days out of the week. And on Monday nights, I would race from work over to Deer Park to conduct the Deer Park Community Concert Band. That was life for me: work, band rehearsals and concerts. Besides that, I enjoyed spending time with family and friends, or just being a homebody.

“I’ve been a lifelong bachelor. I think it’s just the cards I’ve been dealt. I live in the lofts right across the street from the college. It’s a very cozy place. But during this period of having to work from home and not being able to go out and enjoy the things we’re used to doing, it can get depressing. At times, it’s been very difficult to be motivated. It’s definitely been an adjustment for me. It can make you feel like you’re in some kind of funk. Like you’re not moving forward.

“One of the things I turn to in a time like this is comedy. I love comedy because I love any opportunity to laugh. So I’ll watch comedy classics on TV or DVDs. I can’t get enough of it. And it’s really helped. I’m sad that I’m not able to get out and visit my family. I’m sad that we had to cancel the rest of our concert band season. But I’m looking forward to returning to a somewhat more normal life pretty soon. I’m ready. It may be challenging for many of us right now. But as they say, this, too, shall pass.”

— Tommy Juarez