Miscellaneous Missives

Today a friend (J, my training partner) and I biked 23 miles.  When I asked her if she was up for Summit Avenue , she mentioned her headache.  From the looks of the article, her headache would have been more intense after trying to ride Summit.  I also asked  if she was using MapMyRide (MMR) since I wanted to try Strava today.  Both are apps to track your running/cycling miles.  I've been reading more cycling articles on The Facebooks, and it seems to be mentioned a lot.  As one would expect, our splits weren't horrible until the segments when the number of children on the trails quintupled (probably more but I don't have the vocabulary).  I used MMR for the next 22 miles since I'm more familiar with it and for a comparison.  Plus, I went to the Google Machine for another comparison.  It seems people like Strava mainly because they can compare themselves to other riders.  The chart posted at the top shows our comparison with othe...

My goal was to start my day of grading at 10:00 am.  It's 10:43, and I'm posting to my blog.  Don't worry; I have a new goal that will work better.  I will start grading at 1:00 pm.  It's important to be flexible. I did make my goal of getting out for my morning ride at 8:00am.  It was a bit chilly and humid which is a weird combination.  As I left the Midtown Greenway to get on the West River Parkway, I saw a turkey crossing the trail.  Of course, I slowed to get a picture for today's blog.  Another cyclist was coming up behind me, so I yelled, "Turkey."  Although he didn't hit the bird, he didn't slow down, and I think he thought I was calling him turkey instead of giving a warning. After my shower, I started geeking on the internet as I ate my Orzery Morning Round and drank my coffee .  I am a big fan of the new morning round flavor, date and chia.  Although I don't like dates or at least assume I don't like them since I ...

Earlier in the week I stopped by the coop to refill my laundry detergent.  I use Restore Natural Products laundry detergent.  When I need more detergent, I merely take in my containers and refill the liquid.  Not only do I like the product, I like the fact that I'm not unnecessarily using more plastic, and I think it's less expensive than most laundry detergents.  As I placed my refills on the conveyor, the cashier scanned them before I could give the tare and number of the product.  This meant he scanned my bottle as if it was a new purchase and not a refill.  The price was $7.99.  When he rang the products again using the refill cost one was ten-something and the other eleven-something.  I questioned him about the costs, and he asked me if I wanted to get new.  Because I didn't want to be wasteful, I said it was fine and took the more expensive refills.  Today I called the coop with my concerns.  The manager I needed to talk to...

Today is the last Monday of the school year. 1) I spent my prep/lunch screening the movie Screenagers to see if it would be worth it for our school to host it.  The good (amazing) news is that a colleague (friend) brought me homemade ice cream... for real!! 2) Today a student explained the target audience for the Doritos commercial (ultrasound Superbowl ad) was men because only men eat chips.  He's going to do awesome on the final when he needs to look at ads and write about the target audience. 3) I had a meeting after school.  Everything at the meeting could have been completed with an email and Google Doc.  Luckily, I like the two teachers who represented other middle schools in our district, so we were able to hang out. 4) After the meeting, I went to the negotiations meeting being held at the district.  The higher ups in our district are assholes... just saying.  At least there were other members from my building showing support. 5) On the...

Today was the Little Free Library Festival at Minnehaha Park.  Part of the festival included a Tutus-on-Wheels Challenge which raised money for Little Free Libraries.  Eighty-Eight cyclist showed up wearing tutus.  I've decided everyone should have a tutu!  The ride itself was the slowest and shortest event I've ever ridden, but it was for a good cause and was fun.  The good news is I biked to Bloomington to join a group of cyclists, and we all pedaled to Minnehaha Park in our tutus.  I will admit it's more comforting wearing your tutus in a group of others wearing tutus than it is cruising down the Midtown Greenway by oneself wearing a tutu.  Looks were given and received.

A couple of days ago I found a new grading app called JoeZoo.  My plan was to teach my seventh hour to play  Bananagrams  which I did after they did a writing assignment for me.  I asked them to write about how that thought they performed on their  MAP reading test .  Without complaining, they wrote the paragraph.  Yesterday, I looked at a  YouTube  video to try to figure out the app (add-on).  Today, while they watched  Remember the Titans  (I love this movie.), I graded (made comments and used my writing rubric... added to the app) their writing.  When the movie was over, I asked them to open the document to see what they thought.  They liked it better than my merely using comments in the Google Doc.  Surprisingly, they didn't even complain when I told them they did the writing, so I could try out the app.  Actually, I think it's pretty cool.  I'll need to make some changes, but I think I'll use it...

Yesterday RAGBRAI posted this picture. In two months, I'll be part of this amazing ride. Yesterday morning I stopped at Caribou on the way to work for a mocha.  Yes, I had already had coffee at home and had my travel mug full of coffee for testing, but I also wanted a mocha.  One of the barista's is a cycling fanatic.  He a knowledgeable guy who actually gave me ideas a week or so ago about aligning my front breaks.  We were talking about the weather which moved on to cycling.  He asked where I road the previous day.  I explained a I chose a route that would take me far enough away that I couldn't cheat myself out of miles.  As I told him this, I mentioned my knee had been giving me major problems, so I wanted to trick it into riding further.  Because I mentioned knee pain, he talked to me about raising my seat.  I raised it for last night's ride.  Even though I only rode 15 miles, I think it helped.  I love that guy!  May...

Yesterday we started out media literacy unit. We also talked a bit about how the media affects us (news, body image, etc.).  It's frustrating when the students who need the information are too immature or lack thinking skills to listen and/or get the message.  I try super hard not to be preachy.  My intent is to give the information and have the conversation.  Let's be honest, I don't allow enough time for this unit, but enough time would mean a little bit each day all year. Anyway, I showed the trailer from the movie Screenagers.  In some classes, we had good conversations such as my first hour.  I said that I had my own difficulties with screen time and gave two examples.  First, I read on my iPad and check social media and my internet at the end of each chapter.   Realizing this is crazy, I may need to merely put my iPad in "airplane mode" when I read.  Next, I use my iPhone as an alarm, so it is next to my bed.  When I can't...

The Sun by Mary Oliver Have you ever seen anything in your life more wonderful than the way the sun, every evening, relaxed and easy, floats toward the horizon and into the clouds or the hills, or the rumpled sea, and is gone-- and how it slides again out of the blackness, every morning, on the other side of the world like a red flower streaming upward on its heavenly oils, say, on a morning in early summer, at its perfect imperial distance-- and have you ever felt for anything  such wild love-- do you think there is anywhere, in any language, a word billowing enough for the pleasure that fills you, as the sun reaches out, as it warms you as you stand there, empty-handed-- or have you too turned from this world-- or have you too gone crazy for power, for things? Today the sun came out, and although it was cold, it was glorious.  The shining sphere really makes a difference in my attitude towards the day.  I donned my rain...

I feel as though this week slammed me! 1) I am still amazed by those that feel unions are powerful and scary.  Obviously, my teachers' union is not.  This week members of the school cabinet, whom make six figures, were sleeping and playing on their phones as parents and teachers spoke at a school board meeting.  It is almost the end of the school year, and we still don't have a contract which means I also don't have my longevity pay.  To be honest, I would probably use my longevity pay to buy a new computer which I would end up using outside my contract (no contract) time to do schoolwork. 2) Each year I tape colored paper to the desks to make them festive for the poetry slam.  I basically wrap them like a present although the masking tape shows on two edges.  This year a girl walked in and said the desks looked "ghetto."  Sorry sweetheart.  I'm sorry I tried to add some color to my room.  Do you know how long it took to cover the desk...

I joined a friend, her significant other, and his family for today's Race for the Cure (30,000 participatnts?).  It's been years since I participated in the event.  I have mixed feeling about the Susan G. Komen Foundation , but it was a good walk. After the walk, I decided to go for a quick ride.  During my ride a passed a guy wearing a RAGBRAI jersey.   Since I'm from a small town , I tend to talk to everyone, so I asked him if he was training for this year.  He had stopped with his buddy for a break on a bench along the trail.  The guys asked me a couple quick questions, so I stopped to chat.  After a quick conversation, I started to continue on my ride.  The guys said they were leaving too and asked me to ride with them.  Since they were going in my direction I agreed. The one gentleman owns some sort of wellness company, and we started talking about health.  He told me that wellness was really 75% nutrition and 25% exercise. ...

Today was the Fulton Gran Fondo.  Since we didn't feel we'd cycled enough rides in preparation, we decided to do the medio fondo (40 miles).  Thursday night we went to pick up our packets.  Although I knew we were going to ride the shorter route, I still asked for directions to the gran fondo (100 miles).  While I was looking at the directions for the 100, I realized there was a recommended diversion (mile off path?) to Paisley Park .  I suggested instead of following the medio fondo route, we followed the gran fondo route and merely drove out 40 or 50 miles and get picked up. Of course, asking someone to come pick us up was problematic, but my fellow rider suggested a better idea.  Her suggestion was to follow the gran fondo route to Paisley Park, and then merely turn around and ride back home.  Since Paisley Park was around mile 25, this was perfect.  We rode from my house to the brewery, followed the route to Paisly Park, and then retur...

I'll admit that it's difficult to get excited about Teacher Appreciation Week when we still don't have a contract, and the powers that be are being assholes about it.  My job, however, is still phenomenal.  This week we're watching Louder than a Bomb and talking about our upcoming poetry slam.  Today students (well most) came to class with their poem (rough draft, some rougher than others).  Most students are taking the criteria (Speak from your heart and experiences.  Be real.) seriously. I was also observed by a peer coach today.  Since I scheduled it last minute, he watched today's section (which always makes me tear up a bit).  He was impressed that I break the movie up into sections to allow students to write and practice skills a bit each day.  Really?!  It seems like common sense to me.  I'm not using the movie to kill time.  Rather, I'm using the movie to give examples and teach skills.  Anyway, he also was impres...

Spring by Mary Oliver This morning two birds fell down the side of the maple tree like a tuft of fire, a wheel of fire a love knot out of control as they plunged through the air pressed against each other and I thought how I meant to live a quiet life how I meant to live a life of mildness and meditation tapping the careful words against each other and I thought-- as though I were suddenly spinning, like a bar of silver as though I had shaken my arms and lo! they were wings-- of the Buddha when he rose from his green garden when he rose in his powerful ivory body when he turned to the long dusty road without end when he covered his hair with ribbons and the petals of flowers when he opened his hands to the world Although I thought about skipping church this morning to make sure I was able to get in my bike ride and catch the May Day parade, I am glad I went if only for the Prince quote I read as I walked in and the Mary Oliver poem. I did go on my...