3-3-11

The first crocus is a good sign of spring. We have bulb greens all over the yard and I can't wait to see what they will be.

Today I observed two of my students teaching and it was really fun to be in elementary classrooms. I feel more proficient at this each semester. This evening I interviewed candidates for our masters degree program, and feel like I have a good sense of that job too. I've learned so much in my almost two years here.

Tomorrow is a writing day. Tomorrow I'm going to stay home and work on my NARST paper. I'm going to be disciplined.

3-2-11

Aza and I spent the morning shopping for Jes to get her things on her wish list and cheer her up. We had fun doing it, and took the box to the Post Office. Hopefully she gets the care package by Friday. She's going to love some of the surprises we tucked in there!

This afternoon I had my annual review. It was awkward because my new department chair is my friend, but the review went well and I came away with some good suggestions and some good compliments too.

Dan bought a big shop vac for all the ginko seeds. We ended up with something like 8 lawn bags full of them. When I got home they were on the curb in front of our house waiting to be picked up. Oh well, no ginko farm for us this year.

3-1-11

March is finally here. Perhaps things will be turning a corner now that the long winter is almost gone. Today I had an appointment with my endocrinologist, used my new Livescribe pen at a meeting, had a nice long chat with my new mentor from another department (Let's call him Dr. Phred) and taught my evening class with a guest speaker from U of Wisconsin. It was a good day. I had a good day.

This picture is of some branches I cut off a tree that fell into our back yard from our neighbor's yard. We lost half the tree, but I got some nice willow branches off it.

2-28-11

There is a knock on my bedroom door. It is 5:30pm.
Me: yes? Come in..
Squirt: Mom, what are you doing?
Me: lying in bed
Squirt: I can see that. Are you going to cook dinner?
Me: no
Squirt: When are you going to run?
Me: run? Run? I can barely get up, how am I supposed to run?
Squirt: if you don't get up I'm going to have to drag you.
(He takes my iPhone off my lap and says...)
Squirt: you can't have this back until you run.
(He walks out of my room)
I get up, put on my sweats and walk downstairs. He is at the kitchen table putting on his running shoes.
Me: What are you doing?
Squirt: Taking you running.
We ran together around the block twice.

I love my son.

2-27-11

 

Dan hung some pictures today because we had to rearrange pictures in our house. Here are the two that are now in my office. It's nice to not stare at a blank wall. Nice view! I've had a really rough weekend and hope things get better soon.

2-24-11

Tonight I ran/organized a Family Science Night for over 100 kids and their families at a local elementary school. I had 15 student helpers and a couple graduate students and even my colleague Miss March helped out. It was a complete success. I wish I could post pictures of it here, but I really can't. But I did take this picture of a structural challenge kids had.

2-22-11

Today we officially became the new Dept. of STEM Education!

2-21-11

 

Met a former student at work today who is going to teach my curriculum to her elementary students. I lent her everything I had. It was good to be passing on this curriculum, and I plan to watch her teach it this week or next. Little kids saving penguins should be really fun to watch! Worked on the Science Family Night some more, chatted with colleagues, came home and found Dan in the back yard raking up THESE. Millions and billions of ginko seeds. I helped him for about an hour and then we went grocery shopping and out to eat. We filled three huge lawn/leaf bags with these seeds and have only harvested them from about 10th of the area where they are. Anybody want to grow some ginkos? We have seeds. You can start a forest with them. Seriously.

2-20-11

 

Transcribed more video, worked on masters redesign, worked on my syllabus, and got happy that Dan was coming home. He came home with a gift. Isn't it beautiful? Painted by a friend of ours in Charlottesville. It's called Mountain View Farm. It was very good to have him home. Oh, and he also brought Bodo's Bagels. Aza came by to enjoy one after work. Also a treat, as usual.

Called my mom this evening to wish her a happy birthday. She turned 77 today.

2-19-11

 

Got up, made brownies, tea, and lemonade, cleaned the house, and got ready for students to come over for a poster making event. We made about 12 posters and then I finished up the remaining 6 after they left. These are for an event we are doing at a local school on Thursday. Transcribed video, and then watched Waiting for Superman again. What a very compelling movie.

2-18-11

 

 

Where is home? From the comfort of my ergonomic desk chair I can watch a live webcam of my "hometown" Auburn, Alabama, a place to which I moved at age 13 and then proceeded to grow up, marry, graduate, and leave. I watch from afar and grieve for the trees, but also for my loss of place. I am not there. I have not lived there in 25 years. But I can close my eyes, and get in my old yellow '75 VW Rabbit and drive around town with the windows down and smell the warm red-clay-magnolia air, hear the shrill of the cicadas, and navigate as if there is a compass in my head. I can feel myself go up and over the railroad tracks on College Street. I can wind down Chewakla Drive. I can pass Glenn Dean and decide whether to take Dean over to the OA Highway, or shortcut across from Kroger. I can be there. I can be "home" in my head when I close my eyes.

Then, from the comfort of my ergonomic desk chair, I can get on Googlemaps and using street view, drive down my street where I live. I can see people, cars, trees that have been cut down, and the house where I live before I lived in it. I've lived here almost 2 years. The GoogleMap truck must have came before that, because the ginko tree out front was never that small when we moved in.

Which is home? What am I doing here? Why does my heart physically ache when I type those words? I am lost.

On an entirely different, but perhaps related thought, I watched Waiting for Superman tonight and afterwards I got to thinking about how I'm getting my students when they're seniors in college. They have not had the best educational backgrounds. They come to me with such deficiencies in math and science. I think, what can I do? These students are graduating. And then the small voice tells me, no. They are just beginning. I'm reaching down to the very very beginning to make a difference. I get to change the teachers, if they let me, before they even have the opportunity to teach the small children. I can catalizye. I have a lot to learn, and a big job to do, if I'm to do it well.

And then, we still have that problem of not feeling "home" and "grounded" and somehow that crazy poison man has poisoned me too.

Dan, I know you told me to go to bed, that I was too tired to be up any more, but I just had to get this in writing. I'm going to sleep now. Come home soon, I miss you. I am only home when you are with me. You are "home" to me.

2-17-11

 

My heart is breaking for the Toomer's Corner live oak trees. They were poisoned by a crazed criminal. I'm watching the university try to save them via live video feed.

2-16-11

 

So, the other day I made treats for my students and forgot to take a picture of them. We had worm babies in our worm habitats so we had a worm baby shower and I made dirt pudding cups with gummy worms for everyone in class. This is a used one ready for the dishwasher... but isn't my sticker cute?!?!

2-15-11

So my snowdrops are finally being flowery and I think crocuses are planning to erupt soon.

My online class went so well tonight. I had a guest speaker from NC State and all my students showed up and we had a fantastic class discussing and asking questions and laughing. Here is a photo of the screen at one point. Major success!!!

2-14-11

 

 

 

It was a regular day at work- teaching, meetings, etc. until I came home.
Dan: I got us a reservation for dinner.
Me: Really? Where?
Dan: Do you want it to be a surprise?
Me: Sure!
And as we drove around downtown I kept guessing and then ruling out places based on where we were headed. Then I guessed it! Stella's Deli must have a Valentine's Special!
Dan: Yes!
They normally only serve lunch, but tonight was different. We had a 5 course meal including (filet mignon)and it was just divine. An evening to remember. Plus, when we got home, not that I had room for one more wafer, but Dan gave me a box of Kentucky Chocolates. Happy Valentine's Day!

2-13-11

Dan and I started the day celebrating the end of an era. We successfully raised three children into and out of teenage-hood. Today we start a new phase in our lives- no teenagers! Squirt is 20!

 

Happy Birthday Squirt! Aza came over and we all went out to dinner at our favorite, Bella Notte. They fed us wonderfully, even gave Squirt a birthday cake to take home. A very small one. We drove there in Aza's new car- very roomy and comfy.

 

 

2-12-11

 

Saturday. Made out my too-do list then started trying to cross things off. Got some grading done and some reviewing for a conference, and attempted a pizza for dinner. The thing just wouldn't slide off the peel onto the stone very well. Oh, it tasted good, so I can't complain.

2-11-11

Fever and headache, lying in bed. Photo of bedside table.

2-10-11

 

I ordered this book and it came today. It's SO good, I wish I could use it as a textbook in a special class. So today I had a really good class. My students seem to really like it, and they "get it" this semester. We had some exciting stuff to witness in class. Students are doing a project with earthworms, and two of the worm habitats produced baby worms. That was cool. They are also observing mealworms life cycles, and today we got to actually witness one shedding its skin and turning from creepy crawly mealworm to pupae. I love my job on days like this.

2-9-11

 

It snowed AGAIN. This time it was light and fluffy, and I took the bus home in it. Here is a photo of my building from the bus stop. It was actually nice walking home in the stuff. Maybe I'll miss the snow. I stayed at work really late so it was dark by the time I got home. Decided today not to get my paper written for NARST by the deadline for the proceedings CD. I'll just get it done in time for the conference in April. March will be a good month for writing. It's a relief, but also an excuse to let up and be more lackadaisical.

2-8-11

 

I love when Aza comes over to hang out. Here she and Squirt are on the couch watching TV. They love it when I take photos of them like this.

Today was a really long day. Coffee meeting with Miss March and Miss January at my favorite coffee haunt, 3rd Street Stuff (but the service is sooo slow). Taught a class. Ah, the ultra-fun college faculty meeting. Then my night class. I got home pretty exhausted by 7:30 or so.

2-7-11

 

Monday. It snowed big flakes that were wet and fell like feathers. I had planned to go to work, but when this stuff started piling up, decided to work from home. I really don't have an optimal place to get anything done anymore. When I'm at school I'm interrupted and can only focus on certain tasks. At home, I'm easily distracted and just hate sitting here im my little office staring at a computer screen. It was a pretty snow, but really. When will it end?

2-6-11

 

I am consumed with a new project even though I'm trying not to be consumed by it, and even though I'm not sure it's even a good idea for me to be involved with it. But somehow I'm drawn to the idea of it. I'm sure Dr. Heim would be able to give me some insight into why. Ready? I'm (choking just to say it) spearheading my (cough cough) high school 30-year reunion. Oh lord, why????? I didn't even LIKE high school. However, I've become fond of some of my childhood friends lately through Facebook and now there are 71 former Class of '81 alum in a Facebook group I organized, waiting for me to set a date. Yikes.

2-5-11

 

 

Saturday. It snowed a crazy snow today- blowing sideways little balls of ice- and then it stopped. I tried to photograph it before it all melted away. I worked today, all day really, to get myself caught up. Graded, organized, planned, transcribed. Made a chicken etouffee for dinner that was fabulous, the highlight of my day. Frisbee has taken to Aza's bed and even though it's pretty high up, he can jump into it. With toys in tow.

2-4-11

I worked at home all morning, had a meeting at school around noon, ran errands after that and then met with an elementary school science teacher at 3:00 pm. I loved seeing her classroom and hearing about all the stuff she does with the kids. But guess how often a student at that school has science? For one hour every SIX days. That's it. She is the only science teacher for grades K-5. She showed me how she scrounges for supplies. She gets these pencil sharpeners from Oriental Trading to use for teaching the seasons. Great idea!

2-3-11

 

Jupiter in the night sky. 10 second exposure with 4.5 f-stop.

Aza came over for dinner tonight and we did some astrophototography together. We took a series of photos at different shutter speeds- fun stuff. I had a good day. Taught two classes and felt really productive and helpful. I love days like this.

2-2-11

Groundhog Day, 2011. This is on my walk home. While the rest of the country is buried in snow we just have flurries. I felt tired today and really only woke up late afternoon on my way home from work. Dark winter is dragging on.

1-30-11

Sunday. I transcribed video then decided to paint. I painted our house from memory, which is interesting because it's fascinating what seems prominent and what fades into the background. It felt fantastic to be downstairs in my basement studio painting. It was delicious and I need to do it far far far more often. Perhaps I should challenge myself- photos are far too easy and something of an artistic cop out, a short cut (sorry professional photographers, I'm only speaking personally here). Perhaps I should post a Sunday painting each week. ChrissysphotoadayandSundaypainting.blogspot.com perhaps???

1-29-11

 

 

Saturday.
Dan and I went to an antique store early in the afternoon to see if they had any good chairs for our living room. See, we have these two wooden chairs in there and they are really pretty- but uncomfortable to sit in for any length of time. So we are looking for some good ideas if you have them.

Then I spent the rest of the day- 8 hours really- transcribing video for a paper I'm writing. I felt so antsy, kept falling asleep, and needing tea to keep me going. I just really wonder whether research is for me. I love doing creative things like planning lessons and teaching, but I hate the mundane aspects of research. Yuck. Yuck. Yuck. I got an app for my iPhone that makes pictures look old, so that's what the second photo was taken with.

1-28-11

 

 

The thaw.
It got above freezing today and the snow started to melt and I noticed... snowdrops have popped up in the front wooded area near the driveway! Right on schedule.
Today was a writing day. I transcribed video, did a literature search, and started working on a paper for NARST that's due in three weeks.

1-27-11

 

I'm so proud of my husband. He finally ordered himself a trainer for his bike. He set it up in the basement and even rigged up a way to watch videos on his iPad- with my painting stand! Oh well, it's not being used for painting these days. Very clever. And he's riding his bike again in this cold snowy weather- safe in the basement.

Today I taught two classes and they went very well. I'm trying to relax and just be myself in the classroom. Chill. Take it easy. Have fun. A student was texting on her phone all during class and instead of reprimanding her in front of everyone (which I wanted to do), I sent her an email which developed into a personal conversation about a family issue she's dealing with. So, I think I'm becoming a kinder, gentler professor. Crossing my fingers for stellar evaluations this semester. I even taught in jeans today, trying to relax and be comfortable.

Aza came over for dinner and we had the best time. It's so much fun sharing stories about our day now that she's "in my world" at school and we know the same people. I'm so proud of her. She's working for the department, tutoring a girl in Algebra II and is going to start tutoring students in an Algebra I clinic. My math whiz.