Miscellaneous Missives

I look forward to Saturday morning because it's my farmers market morning.  Today was no different.  Even though it was misty and a little cold, I was excited to make the trip.  Thinking the edamame was snap peas at the first stall, I ask for snap peas even though I really knew it was too late in the season for snap peas.  After a short conversation about how to cook edamame, I bought some.  I've been snacking on it most of the afternoon. My favorite stall was gone today. absent. what?!  My favorite stop is W inter Goddess Foods .  It's my breakfast stop for Saturday and Sunday.  Plus, it is my sweet snack spot for the week. I always buy two pieces of coffee cake, a carrot muffin, and two lemon ricotta cookies.  They were gone today.  It was a disaster. A new stall, however, piqued my interest.  Crown the Writer was selling picture books.  I asked about one and ended up making the purchase.  Quite frankly, I probably spent...

  Anyone who is teaching in distance learning has to realize there's some good and bad.  The bad is really bad.  I miss walking around the class and being able to talk to kids while they're working, see their screens, see their faces, observe engagement (or lack of engagement).  Distance Learning is also more work.  The good things are good.  I can literally walk to the refrigerator to fill my glass with water while I'm teaching.  I can sit and eat my lunch while I wait for students to attend my office hour meets.  Plus, I can wear whatever I want.  Today students will not see that I'm wearing shorts and alpaca socks.   It's not as bad as I had imagined, but I really miss being in the classroom.  The students are actually attending classes and doing the work.  It's OK, but I hope it's over soon.

  I posted a month ago wondering how it was already August.  I sit here this morning staring at my computer screen wondering how it's already September.  Typically, we'd be in school at this time.  Instead we continue this barrage of online meetings and shared documents.  Although I think I'm ready for the first day, I won't know until it is finished.  This is true in face to face learning, but it is even more true as I start the adventure of digital learning.   Yesterday, it was raining, so I had to attend meetings inside.  As I sat for the meetings, I realized how important my standup desk was at the end of the year.  I also set up my first Google Voice account and used it to call the 30 parents of kids in my advisory.  As they shared their concerns about this year, I assured them that they were not alone.  I kept reassuring them that we would all do our best.  At least I was able to give them a number as a point person....