Ad Hoc Pandemic Post 7

Posted on March 25, 2020 by

Number of times I passed people on the highway on the way home from work yesterday because I was surprised at how slow they were driving: 10

Things I suddenly fear won’t be available in grocery stores: Dr. Pepper

I’ve been putting in super long hours at my job last week and this week so far, but yesterday, I celebrated being able to leave before 5:00pm! Everything is prepped and ready for tomorrow, when families will pick up their students’ supplies in order to begin distance learning next week.

I accidentally told my colleagues that I have a blog, so now I’ll have to start saying nice things about them, I guess. Heh. I work with some really great people, so I think it will be an easy task. I wish I had a photo of our gym right now to help show the magnitude of what both our teachers and our amazing paras have done to get us ready for these distribution days. I know it won’t be unique to what so many others in other schools and districts have been doing, so consider it a HUZZAH for them all.

In the meantime, I do have these fun photos from a couple of students who came to cheer us up a couple of days ago:

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Tag me, will you, when you see more of this kind of thing… life-sized game of Hungry Hungry Hippos!

Currently Reading (print): Minor Dramas and Other Catastrophes (A) – Kathleen West

Currently Reading (audio): Yes, No, Maybe So (YA) – Becky Albertalli and Aisha Saeed

BTW, one benefit of the long hours of technology prep? Extra audio book listening time!

BTW #2: Both of these books are great! I only wish I had more time to devour them this week, although savoring a book is good, too.

Keep on truckin’.

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Ad Hoc Pandemic Post 6

Posted on March 24, 2020 by

Number of times I almost got run off the road yesterday by someone driving 25mph over the speed limit: 3 (not bad!)

Interesting item to be out at the grocery store: vanilla extract

The Husband is home this week and he and Youngest Child are on a mission to bake the best donuts from scratch. Their first attempt a couple of days ago didn’t work out so well, but mmmm, this second attempt was pretty successful, for sure!

I sent along that “I will survive” parody to my staff last night, and a colleague responded with a Danish parody of her own… so serious! (Except, not, of course):

Some writer fun (h/t Chris Adler):

A couple of sources shared out a series of tweets from Tim, the head of security for the National Cowboy Museum, who is now in charge of their Twitter feed. I suspect the tweets are purposely designed to show Tim as inexperienced with social media, but they are entertaining anyway and nice to think of a good man just trying to keep things running. Here is a link to a series of his tweets and you judge for yourself – real or just for fun?

Currently Reading (print): Minor Dramas and Other Catastrophes (A) – Kathleen West

Currently Reading (audio): Yes, No, Maybe So (YA) – Becky Albertalli and Aisha Saeed

Got some fun stuff to lighten the load during quarantine? Send it!

Cheers, we’re all in this together, in our separate living rooms.

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Ad Hoc Pandemic Post 5

Posted on March 23, 2020 by

Here’s an interesting thing to be out of at the grocery store: skim milk. My husband called home to tell me this yesterday and I conceded that 1% would be just fine. No soy milk for him, though, so that might be a tough sacrifice. OTOH, he likes whole milk. Humans are wonderful contradictions. What odd thing have you discovered a shortage of (other than toilet paper, obvs)? Sound off in the comments.

I do not know what is actually going on here, but it’s a great surprise for the cat at the end:

AITA Reddit is all the rage these days, but it is awfully nice when someone posts a different kind of Reddit post altogether. To quote my friend Jen on this one: “It’s got all my favorite fanfic tropes and I love it.”

So do I. Click on out and then you can also find some follow-up, too. I’m all 😍.

Currently Reading (print): Minor Dramas and Other Catastrophes (A) – Kathleen West

Currently Reading (audio): Yes, No, Maybe So (YA) – Becky Albertalli and Aisha Saeed

(Is it weird that I keep listing the same reads multiple days in a row? I figure not everyone will be seeing these posts daily so why not keep plugging the authors.)

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Ad Hoc Pandemic Post 4

Posted on March 22, 2020 by

Yesterday my mother-in-law learned how to use FaceTime and the whole family was able to check in with her which was a lot of fun. WTG, Kathy! I also got to chat online for a few precious minutes with a FB writing group before our Internet conked out on us (but not for too long) and considering how solitary writing can be, it was great fun for us to connect and laugh together.

Speaking of writing, we were polling each other on who has been able to write anything before COVID-19 truly invaded our lives. A few had. I have not and I’m a little bummed about how I’ve not written anything for a couple of weeks now, but my One Word Resolution, I’ve remembered (unlike last year, when I had gotten my words mixed up half-way through the year, HA!) it is FLOW. Right now, I’m focused on work and the transition to working from home and figuring out the new normal for awhile. That’s the flow. It’s all good.

I mentioned yesterday how I’ve been preparing All The Devices to send home with our students and getting ready to support my teachers as they figure out how to do distance learning and shout-out to my Hillcrest family (my previous school) for finding this video on surviving that shift:

And let’s face it, why is anyone fighting this opportunity? ↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓

Finally, y’all, This guy who is commentating on everyday stuff because he hasn’t any rugby to follow? THIS is why we have the Internet. It’s brilliant. Below is a sample, but you can check out other videos here, or, of course, you can be like me and immediately follow him on Twitter for more.

Currently Reading (print): Minor Dramas and Other Catastrophes (A) – Kathleen West

Currently Reading (audio): Yes, No, Maybe So (YA) – Becky Albertalli and Aisha Saeed

Cheers to you all and feel free to share more of the fun in the comments or contact me otherwise to include fun stuff in future posts! We’re all in this together – at least we CAN be, right?

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Ad Hoc Pandemic Post 3

Posted on March 21, 2020 by

Number of times drivers thought I was driving too slow, even in the slow lane, even though I was already speeding: 0 (That’s because I wasn’t on the road yesterday… had a day off…non-certified school staff spring break = 1 day. WHOO HOO! )

I’ve been neck deep in prepping devices for our students to take home next week as we get ready to start distance learning and today was a welcome break as Monday starts a very busy week continuing with that prep and helping teachers figure out their own technology.

Wondering what to do this weekend? Here are some ideas:

I’ve never watched Project Runway, but something about this offer seemed kind of cool, and the acceptance of it (h/t to Elena Mikalsen for the screen shot):

Finally, Stella the Dog loves jumping into leaves. This compilation is long, but I could not stop watching. She is having SO MUCH FUN. Super cute:

Currently Reading (print): Minor Dramas and Other Catastrophes (A) – Kathleen West

Currently Reading (audio): Yes, No, Maybe So (YA) – Becky Albertalli and Aisha Saeed

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Ad Hoc Pandemic Post 2

Posted on March 20, 2020 by

Number of glares I received on the highway yesterday for not driving like someone would on I-90 through Montana: 5

Yesterday’s Facebook feed was full of screenshots of videoconferencing – FUN. I am so glad my colleagues, family, and friends are embracing this. Plus, two of my friends and former colleagues surprised me with a video call today and boy was that needed!

My partner, in an effort to get Youngest Child to do something other than watch TV all day, has offered rewards if he reads 100 pages/day. Today, Youngest Child decided to prove he did it by creating a time-lapse video of him reading:

I mean, we can’t see the book most of the time, so do we REALLY believe him?

While at work today, the weather was kind of dreary, but then again, I captured this shot just outside a classroom window. I loved all the pretty water droplets decorating the branches like twinkle lights:

There were a few funnies from the Interwebz I could share, but I’ll go with this “aww” moment, instead:

Currently Reading (print): Infinity Son (YA) – Adam Silvera

Currently Reading (audio): Yes, No, Maybe So (YA) – Becky Albertalli and Aisha Saeed

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Ad Hoc Pandemic Post 1

Posted on March 19, 2020 by

There have been fewer cars on the road these past few days and has anyone noticed that more of them are crazy drivers? Those who weave at mad speeds on the highway or follow you right on your as bumper? I can’t decide if these drivers are:

A) the same ones who have always been there, but now they are more visible because there are fewer cars in their way

B) new people taking advantage of the emptier roads

C) a metaphor for who believes in quarantine measures and who doesn’t.

Hm.

My favorite posts from around the interwebs from the past couple of days:

  1. This post from author TA Munroe, upon realizing that the characters in her book don’t suddenly have to live in our same exact world right now! They can touch their faces and everything!

2. This, among so many great jokes about distance learning/home schooling our kids:

Cheers and hang in there!

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