Miscellaneous Missives

 ... sooooo Covid took away most of my big group rides and therefore my motivation to ride my bike.  In 2019 I rode 1333 miles.  This year I only rode 601 miles.  Yikes!!   Luckily, a friend gave me a color workout chart to map my workout of 2020.  My goal was to workout (walk, strength, stretch, bike, etc.) each day of the year.  I had to do some activity for 20 minutes each day to be successful.  Some days were tougher than others, but I was able to do it.  I'll admit some days it was merely stretching or yoga, but my body had to move.   I guess it's not as good as the year's in the past, but this year wasn't that great in general.  

I'm sorry 2020 has kept me away from my blog because a) I feel like I'd only whine. b) I'm really not doing anything. c) I feel like I'm trying to pull my crap together every day. I think I that I was easier on my rating of books this year than I've been in the past.  I'm not really sure, but I did have many four and five stars. On January 1st, I should be able to post my official Goodreads Challenge.  I'll be honest, I've read five more books this year which might be six or seven by the end of 2020, but I'm putting these on next year.  It may be cheating, but I feel there's no way I'll make my goal next year ("hedging my bets").  This year I read 125 books of my 100 book goal. School/Educator Type Books I only had two five start books. Despite the Best Intentions:  How Racial Inequality Thrives in Good Schools by Amanda E. Lewis and John B. Diamond.   This book actually looked into statistics.  It went past the typical ideas of po...

  Distance Learning is taking its toll, but I'm super proud of our students.  One student went from an F to an A in my class in three days.  It's that easy my friends.  Do your work.  I hope now she will stay on track, so she doesn't get behind again.  I have instructed her to work on math and her math edpuzzles next.   Today was a day of online PD.  The morning was super painful, but the honest talk of the present after lunch was refreshing.  Unfortunately, it was squashed by the two hour pd that followed.   Luckily, it was nice out, so I took advantage of the sunshine and went for a walk to get myself back into a good place.  I'm not sure why I chose tonight to add more screen time and blog.

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....

Today is the last day of July. It's crazy.  I promised myself that I would start working on school stuff in August.  Tomorrow's August, so I decided to use today to finish scanning pictures.  A few weeks ago when it rained, I went through old photo albums and marked photos to be saved.  It was a crazy "trip down memory lane."  Today I finished scanning them and returned the old albums to the basement.  If felt good to get the tub out of my dining area.   I love this picture of my brother and I.  Obviously, he was not interested in what I was doing. There were also these lovelies of my in/on the inner tube.  I guess floating devices have changed a lot over the years.   Goodbye July :(