Miscellaneous Missives

I'm sick.  I even skipped happy hour and biking which are two of my several things to get home to nap.  After my nap, I decided to watch a bit of news.  It seems as though Crayola is getting rid of Dandelion in their 24 count crayon box which is what I'm using to color in my Lenten coloring book.  Since Jesus and his peeps weren't white, my brown color is getting difficult to use.  I wish I had a bigger box with the sharpener.  Anyway, I colored most of today's picture in Dandelion to mark it's passing. I'm not the only one who is sick.  A poor guy puked in his Chromebook during my last class.  I found a student to take him and his Chromebook to the nurse.  He made it, but the Chromebook's in the trash.  The boy is super sweet, and I feel bad.  Another boy, who is not sweet, was farting loudly in class, so I sent him to the restroom.  It was obvious that he needed to use it. Tomorrow starts #30daysofbiking.  I'm rea...

Today was my first bike flat tire.  Of course it was on my friend's bike and not mine which meant I didn't have a spare tube or the other necessities for changing a flat.  It's just as well.  I've never changed a flat, except for one time in class, so I'm not sure if I'd be successful.  The good news is that I had ridden my planned 20 miles and was only about a mile from home. Today I give thanks for... 1) my friend loaning me her bike (even if it did get a flat) 2) Tikka Masala leftovers 3) sunshine for the first day in several days

#notme  #unsafe drivers Let's be hones.  I've wanted to take a picture of cop car lights since the beginning of my lenten practice.  It's more difficult than one would think.  Yesterday I took this.  Someone asked me if I took it while I was driving.  Yes, it's not like this cop was worrying about me. It seems I'm having a problem blogging lately.  Perhaps it's because my life really is that mundane.  I'm still following through with my Lenten practices and readying my self for #30daysofbiking.  Actually I'm getting ready (kind of) to ride 200 miles in two days.  It's going to happen in 22 days.  I'm sure I've mentioned this.  The ride is going to be in Atlanta, and I'll be renting a bike.  One of my concerns (many concerns) is that I don't have a road bike, so I'm not sure how it will go.  This problem is being alleviated since a friend has loaned me her road bike.  Unfortunately, it's a really expensive b...

I've been taking pictures of lights throughout Lent.  Today is super cloudy, and I'm really tired since I stayed up past my bedtime watching the Cyclones win their first round NCAA Tournament game.  It seemed the best picture of light for today was the lights on the Keurig machine. As I was glancing through my emails tonight, Women's March on Washington sent their email for the 5th action in the 10/100 days actions.  The title is Reflect and Resist.  I have chosen a documentary called She's Beautiful When She's Angry , and I'm watching it as I blog.  Perhaps I'll post about it tomorrow.  It seems as though it will be an interesting look at women's rights. I'm still coloring and shading in the little boxes. Today I am grateful for... 1) Donuts This morning I told my honors class that I was going to grade and eat donuts while they worked on their summative.  Of course, I didn't have donuts and told them this.  After a brief conversati...

Last night I met a friend at Inbound BrewCo for a beer.  It is perhaps the worst beer I've ever had at a local brewery.  We both were not fans of either of our beers.  We decided to venture out to the nearest drinking establishment and ended up at Clubhouse Jager.  Let's say it was interesting.  It's a super old building (copper bar and tin ceiling).  My joy of the evening was walking into the bathroom and seeing the above light.  Perfect! My long weekend is almost over.  We had a four day weekend due to some comp and grading days.  Yesterday, I spent a good portion of the day at doctor's appointments.  It seems one (or at least I) can't get physical therapy without a doctor's prescription, so I scheduled an appointment with the orthopedic surgeon yesterday morning.  Actually, I couldn't see my orthopedic surgeon (the one that did my other hip) and had to see another orthopedic surgeon first.  He looked at the x-rays and d...

I'm still coming up with three gratitudes a day (even when I'm not blogging), taking pictures of light (Instagram) and doing some meditative coloring for Lent.  It seems, however, I'm doing the coloring mediating thing wrong.  Recently, I watched something (or read something... really don't remember) about adult coloring.  It seems adult coloring books have a bunch of little spaces, so adults can spend more time meditating.  Most of the time, I color through the little boxes because it takes too much time to fill in all of those little spaces.  It's easier to shade over the little spaces.  Even if I'm doing it wrong, I still find it to be meditative and relaxing. Today I give thanks for... 1) my PT (more to come in tomorrow's post?) 2) a great couple of days in Okoboji 3) garlic cheese toast from Pizza Luce

First thing this morning, I sent an email to my two colleagues with whom I normally meet on Thursday.  I advised them that I was overwhelmed and thought we should skip today's meeting to grade and finish the grant.  As I was driving to school, I realized it was Wednesday and not Thursday, so I sent another email trying to explain.  Let's say this could actually sum up most of my day.  At least I finally finished and submitted the grant.  I'm going to say it was more difficult (or at least time consuming) than I had thought.  At least I had people to help me along the way.  It is a great feeling to have it submitted. I'm actually finding coloring relaxing and a bit meditative.   Today's gratitudes... 1) finishing the grant 2) this evening's book club 3) the guys at Caribou who talk to me about bikes

Today I learned the fiscal agent I had planned on using for the grant was less than enthusiastic about being said fiscal agent.  After several text and emails, I realized that our school could be the fiscal agent.  I was worried it needed to be the district, and I might have dumped the entire grant before I let the district (who lost our social security numbers in a phishing scheme) take the money. Even though we probably won't get the grant, I didn't want to deal with the district office. Anyway, magic happened today.  I was meeting with some students in a support class.  Messing around, I flicked a boys pen.  It look like it had disappeared.  I found it and made it reappear.  He wanted to know how I did it, and of course, I told him the truth, magic.  Each time I saw him he would tell me that I was magical.  I even had him say it in front of the principal. Today I give thanks for... 1.  being magical 2.  almost finishe...

Lights lightening up the Greenway and Light in the Background Driving home tonight, I kept checking the weather app (I mean I pulled over to the side of the road each time) to figure out what time the rain would come.  Even though it was a bit windy, it was 63º.  One has to ride if it's 63º on March 6th.  I finally decided that I was going to ride to the river and back (approximately 13 miles).  The radar on the weather app seemed to show the rain coming around 5:45pm.  Quickly I put on my bike gear and grabbed my lights.  I was in such a hurry to get on the road, I was four blocks away from my house before I realized I had not only forgotten my gloves but my helmet.  After donning the gloves and helmet, I headed back to the trail.  It seems the weather app was correct.  As soon as I pulled into the garage, it started raining.   Another Coloring Meditation Today I give thanks for... 1) My tax prep lady sent me an email say...

Light is actually somewhat easy to fine when one's looking for it. I'm posting to my blog because I don't really want to work on the grant I'm writing.  I know I need to finish it and will spend hours on it, but for now, I'm posting to my blog.  I've also already done my mediation and colored today's picture.  In fact, I'm thinking of starting a Go Fund Me page to get a bigger and better box of crayons. Maybe I'll work on that before I commence with the grant writing.  Plus, it's a really nice day.  Even though I've already been to spin class, I'm thinking about biking outside.  Maybe I'll take a spin at that before I commence with grant writing.  Besides, I need a shower since I've recently returned from the gym.  It's absolute I'll take a long relaxing shower before I commence with grant writing.  Now that I think about it, I'm a bit sleepy.  Perhaps I should nap before I commence with grant writing. Today...

Books and Light... Loving looking for light during Lent My friend S and I had planned on marching in protest against Trump today, but the March was rescheduled for Wednesday while I'm working.  Instead we joined in a Minnesota Eats for Immigrants: A Day of Community Support.  Although we were disappointed that the march didn't take place, we had a delightful time at the Midtown Global Market.  We ate great food and did a bit of shopping.  As we entered the market, we both entered our cash cards into the money machine, so we could pay with cash instead of our credit card feeling it was the correct thing to do.  It was a relaxing way to spend time and support our local immigrants. I'm also still coloring. I think I need a new and bigger box of crayons. Today I am thankful for... 1) Sara's kindness and heart 2) books and light 3) a day of relaxing

I couldn't take pictures of the other colored lights because they come on during more intense parts of the workout. Each first Friday of every month, my favorite spin instructor does a 90 minute spin class.  He bring in a disco ball and other cool lights.  It's an intense workout, but the lights make it fun.  Tonight I went early and made it a two hour class although the first 30 minutes were fairly chill.  Not only is spin class good for me mentally and physically, it provided today's light picture for Lent. Today I am grateful for... 1) First Friday Spin Class 2) a colleague who brought cookies 3) takeout Indian food Actually, I'm liking the coloring book thing too.  It really is relaxing.

Soooo... After Ash Wednesday service, I decided to post a picture of light for every day of Lent.  It made more sense than anything else because light really does shine through darkness.  Today's picture was taken from the school parking lot as I entered the building. My students are doing research on child labor with a list of topics (soccer balls, clothing, shoes, chocolate, cell phones, child soldiers...).  I asked each class to tell me their topic for attendance.  In my last class, I added, "Say something nice about me, like 'she's amazing."  When I came to a student whose last name was towards the end of the alphabet, he said, "catastrophic."  He is a kind hearted young man who didn't want to say the same as everyone else.  Instead of a synonym, he had found an antonym but didn't know what the word meant.  When I asked him if he had used the Google, he said he had.  He didn't know what the word meant.  I was co-teaching with th...

I've decided not to do the photo challenge .  I feel as though they've basically reposted last year's words which means I'd repost a lot of my old photographs.  Perhaps I'm lazy, but I'm focusing on my coloring and gratitudes.  I colored my picture today, the first day of Lent.  I'm not impressed with the actual pictures and the dark colors I thought I should used in my Ash Wednesday representation, but I do enjoy the calming effect of coloring.  It's a great form of meditation. One of my gratitudes that I will post before is this calendar of Dr. Seuss quotes for every day in March.  Typically, I put a message at the top of my presentation every day (be kind,  be inventive, be amazing...) Starting today I'm going to put a Dr. Seuss quote every day in March.  Yay! I give thanks for... 1) Dr. Seuss quotes 2) thoughtful students (interesting conversation tonight in homework soccer about a stereotypical comment in today's geography class...