5-2-13

Today a renowned scholar came to work with our research group. We went out to dinner and gave her a tour of downtown. We showed her where the trees had been poisoned, and really enjoyed our dinner at Amsterdam's.

5-1-13

In case you're wondering what I look like teaching high school, here I am drawing on the SmartBoard before our motor activity. Today was awesome. The kids really got into the curriculum and I knew all their names and they started warming up to me. When I left some were upset I wouldn't be back until next week.

4-30-13

Eggs. Lots of eggs.

These eggs are symbolic- they represent the final step in a long two month process that Dan went through to assemble the kits for my grant. He put off making plaster-filled eggs until the very end because it was the least interesting chore. They are in boxes in our laundry room with a fan blowing over them. The plaster is still moist.

I taught at the high school this morning.

4-29-13

I drove by.
I drove by, holding my iPhone in my hand with my finger on the "shoot" button.
This is my drive by shooting of Toomer's Corner with the trees gone.
A pile of mulch and a gate.

I taught at the high school this morning.

4-28-13

Yard work results today... I worked on the strip next to the driveway and cleared out vines and weeds to let the lantana grow, and Dan worked on vines in trees and weeds in grass.

This is how the strip of ground looks now. I think I should plant some annuals in here so it always has color;

By popular demand, here is a photo of our two new living room chairs! Curtains and artwork have yet to be hung, but they will. Mom gave us the Chinese chest that sits between the two chairs.

Today I wanted to focus on three things: the yard, the house, and my work. I did all three. However, my manicure isn't looking so good anymore...

4-27-13

Wow, today sure was different from yesterday. I started working this morning and got a majority of a course revision done before my grad student and her husband came over to work on curriculum with me. We played with gears and capacitors and motors all afternoon and into the evening. We got a lot done, and then after dinner I finished the course revision document.

I just don't know what makes some days flow and others act like clotted milk.

4-26-13

This is Dan's office on nice days. Today he is gluing wires to solar panels. He has been soldering and super gluing and hot gluing.

Today was a bad bad day. I had two meetings that did not go well and they put me in such a foul mood that I wished I had a job like Dan even though he says it's monotonous. It is without conflict.

We watched Dr. Strangelove tonight. We had never seen it, and it was really very interesting.

4-25-13

Placeholder until the photos are published.
Today I was awarded with the Outstanding Faculty Early Career Award in the College of Education. I took Dan and Mom and two of my graduate students to the ceremony. We got our pictures taken. I'll post them when they are available. I got a cool plaque and some cash.

4-24-13

I have a really bad habit of picking at my nails and cuticles. It has to stop. I've tried crochet, but I can't carry yarn with me everywhere. I used to have a ball of really awesome clay called Floam and I'd play with it to keep my hands busy, but really, I just cannot keep my hands from mutilating each other. They are like angry twins.

So today I took these nails to a salon and had them "silk wrapped" and painted pretty. The bonding of the fabric with glue to the nails makes them stronger so hopefully they will grow out a bit. I need to now stop harming them. Harming me.

4-23-13

The trucks are there. I don't want to see what is next. Ghosts of Auburn past.
I taught my last class of the semester this evening. We had a pizza party. It was good and bittersweet.

4-22-13

This morning I helped a group of teachers and administrators from the city school system write a several million dollar grant with my curriculum modules as the centerpiece. If funded, it will be an amazing thing to see.

I was invited to a special luncheon today with four faculty members and four people from the Office of Sponsored Projects. We talked about grants. I think I should apply for an NSF CAREER grant.

This photo is symbolic of all things Alabama. Stately, tall pines who don't care if the other trees are prettier or more floral or have more precious wood. Tall and proud, but not haughty or boastful. This pine knows that it is part of the circle of life, and that's enough.

The oaks are spending their last day on the corner. I don't think I want to see them gone.

4-21-13

 

I spent the morning working with my graduate students, then cooked up a dish with Dan's help, and we headed over to Mom's for a birthday party. We have gotten into the habit of celebrating everyone's birthday in her group of friends. Next month it will be Dan's turn.

Beautiful day today. Cool, clear, breezy, just perfect.

4-20-13

It was a lovely day on The Plains. After a day of working from home, Dan and I walked uptown to witness the final rolling of the Toomers Oaks. We made our way through the crowds... 83,000 people packed into downtown. It was cool, crisp, blue skied, nice breeze, and it was a happy family atmosphere. You could just sense the "Auburn Family" spirit in the air.

Dan was determined to throw a roll over this tree and after a few tries he made it. The trees will be cut down on Tuesday after two years of trying to save them after the poisoning that took place after Auburn won the National Championship in January 2010.

The moon was in the sky. People were up on the roofs. It was a good time. A band stand was set up in the intersection of College and Magnolia and Kidd Blue played. They played at my sister's wedding. Aubie was there, lots of good cheer.

We ate a steamed sandwich at Momma Goldberg's on the walk home.

We joined my aunts and mom for dinner at 8pm.

It was a good day.

4-19-13

My three aunts came to visit! I started cooking at 10am this morning-- a two chicken stew. I ran to school and back several times, then was home at 4:30 to finish the stew. My mom and aunts came over for dinner and we had a great time! It was so nice to have them visit my house and me and Dan. My Aunt CaCoo gave me advice on curtains and stuff. Mom looks funnny in this picture because she was trying to stifle a cough.

4-18-13

 

Today was my last day teaching the kids at the Junior High. It went very well even though it was a rushed 5 days. It was good for me to teach the curriculum and find out the bugs in it before the summer workshops.

I met with my department chair today and found out what to do if I want to go up for tenure early. I'm still not sure, but leaning in that direction.

4-17-13

I don't have a photo for today, but I woke up at 4am and couldn't go back to sleep. So, I got on my computer and finished writing an article I'd started and got it submitted to a journal by 6am. Then I went and taught the kids and the Junior High then I came home and slept!!! Meetings in the afternoon, and a classroom observation, and I found out the results from my tongue biopsy. No cancer. Autoimmune disease of the tongue. Dan and I decided to celebrate so we went out to dinner at The Hound. It was a full, busy day.

4-16-13

 
I taught at the Junior High again-- it's fun. Then I taught this evening too. The semester is almost over. I lent out my statistics book so had to take a photo of some pages so I could remember how to run Cronbach's Alpha on my Force, Motion, and Energy instrument.

4-15-13

Today I was so excited to teach at the Junior High again in the morning.
I'm thinking about maybe going up for tenure early and spoke to some full professors this afternoon to get their take on my idea. This is the view from one of them's office. Very nice!!!

4-14-13

I met with my graduate students today for 4 hours. We've been meeting each Sunday. One is working on her dissertation, and works full time so she needs the extra attention. The other is just getting started and needs coaching. Afterwards I worked on the gears for my newest curriculum idea. I felt like such a helpful and productive professor.

4-13-13

 
  Today I felt great. I gardened for quite a while-- pulling weeds from this section near the driveway. I'd like for this to be an iron fence, or even a wooden one. Chain link will have to do... and I hope to plant some flowering things here soon. It was a productive Saturday.

4-12-13

Today I woke up at 6:10am to get ready to teach a class at the Junior High School. I was so excited! The class went well, and then I rushed over to campus for meetings all the rest of the day. It was productive and I felt great. However, my desk at home is a bloody mess.

4-11-13

I got my picture taken today for the awards ceremony in two weeks!

Then I went to the doctor at 3:00 pm and got a chunk of my tongue cut out for a biopsy. I've had an ulcer on it for 4.5 months and it was time to find out what it was. That biopsy procedure was NOT fun. I'm so glad I got my photo taken first.

4-10-13

What a way to start the day back home.

4-9-13

We say goodbye to our host and chef for the week. What a fantastic vacation and conference wrapped into one!

4-8-13

Dan relaxes on the back porch of our little hilltop house.

4-7-13

Sunrise Sunday morning.

4-6-13

What a place to have a conference!

4-5-13

Yesterday was natural history day, and today was human history day. We visited Old San Juan and walked the European streets, drank the best latte I've ever had, toured two old forts, and just enjoyed the views and the breeze. Dinner with my friend CB from VT at a sushi restaurant. Yes, a sushi restaurant. It was primo.

4-4-13

Today we explored El Yunque, the only rainforest in the US. It was like a Costa Rican rain forest without monkeys and sloths. It was lush, loud, moist, high, and beautiful. We hiked way up a hill to the top of a waterfall. On the way down I spotted these two snails and studied them for a good long while.

Dinner with Igor and his wife, who arrived for the conference too.

4-3-13

I broke the migraine by taking extra doses of a medication yesterday and last night. This morning I awoke at 6am pain free, and we hit the road early for our flight from Atlanta to Puerto Rico.

I was stunned, amazed, surprised, enchanted by this US territory that is part Europe, part Costa Rica, and part typical USA. We arrived at our villa on a big hill overlooking the water late afternoon. It's like being on the set from LOST.

4-2-13

This is the email I got this afternoon during a most excruciating migraine and I thought that the juxtaposition between winning this award and being "with migraine" for two weeks was poetic.  Of course, I did work very had this year, and I was very honored to be selected for this honor. Sometimes I just wonder how I'm going to make it.

I was unable to teach tonight. The pain was horrid, and the fear worse-- that tomorrow will be bad too.