Last spring, it was COVID time. We were all trying to figure out what the heck happened. We had heard about pandemics. We had read about Ebola, Zika, H1N1 (swine flu), and SARS, but in the United States, they were more words than realities. Now all of a sudden we were trying to figure out what to do. Should we wear masks to the grocery store and/or anytime we ventured outside? How many times can someone wash their hands, and why are people buying so much toilet paper?

One year in, there is no mistaking the fact that working mothers have been hit the hardest during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dubbed the "shecession," millions of women have left the workforce. Those of us lucky enough to still be employed full-time have been juggling unimaginable stresses, including in many cases, caring for our children while simultaneously working.

We asked judges from our region to share their experiences of keeping the judicial system functioning during the pandemic, and asked them to explain how they are proceeding now that the country works to return to some semblance of normalcy.

Over the course of the last 15 months, two incredible attorneys have dedicated countless hours to help our community with the most fundamental need: food.

{Public} When I think of continuous learning, I think of learning that goes beyond the classroom or traditional formal education. The brain is our body's most powerful "muscle," and using it in ways that go beyond how we would normally use it allows the brain to go through a form of cross-training.

{Members Only} June marks Pride month: a time when we commemorate the 1969 Stonewall uprisings led by Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and other activists who created an inflection point in favor of LGBTQ+ equality.

{Members Only} I loved being a juvenile court judge. There were times I could truly make a difference in the life of a child. At other times, I felt frustrated by the bureaucracy and weary of hearing all the barriers children and families had to deal with to be reunited.

{Public} As this column is being written, we have been dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic for more than 14 months. Its impact on the legal profession has been profound.

First, most lawyers — with extraordinary help from IT professionals — have learned to work remotely (meaning primarily from home). Shockingly, because of technology, many lawyers have found working remotely to be just as productive as working in a law office. Still, stories abound about lawyers “working from home” in vacation properties. One administrative assistant confided in me that her “cube” was now a table outside near her family swimming pool.

{Public} The Institute for Well-Being in Law defines intellectual well-being as the charge to "engage in continuous learning. Pursue creative or intellectually challenging activities that foster ongoing development. Monitor cognitive wellness."

{Members Only} Robert (Bob) Tomaso is all about fun and laughter. He has said that if it can elicit a laugh or two, thereby making people remember something as a result, he is more than willing to do something quirky.