11-19-16

Fast walking this morning in the leaf litter. It felt good to get out and walk with LACA.

Something about this just spoke to me and made me stop as I was crossing the street. I'm not sure what it means just yet, but it seemed poignant. 

I think the last time it rained was the beginning of September and before that, it was July. Seriously. We are in a severe drought. They aren't forecasting any rain all winter, and this is the rainy season for Alabama. Growing up here, all it did was rain all winter. Nope. Not now. See, even the lake in front of the museum is drying up and we have an island forming.

11-17-16

So I'm doing pretty well. I think being on a lower dose of Synthroid for six weeks now has helped with a lot of things. I feel more chill--- sleeping better, just more relaxed in general. It's good. The semester is almost over and that feels good too. I think my teaching evals will be good this semester. I thought this semester was going to be horrible with the way it started, but it's all fine. Here is what's on my needles. A baby blanket for a former student's baby boy due in the spring.

11-16-16

The shampoo area of the shower looks good!

In class tonight I took a hold of the Van de Graaff machine. The students called me Dr. Dandelion.

Lampshades arrived today---- to top off the lamps I made.

11-15-16

The tile guys have started!

This is where the sink and cabinet will be.

11-14-16

This is what I look like 20 pounds lighter than one year ago. Even my boots fit better! 

11-13-16

Super Moon tonight.

I went to a meeting this evening but was only thinking about Squirt because his tracker stopped working and it looked like he fell in a crevasse. But he was OK. He called once he got off the mountain and was back at his car. 

11-12-16

No, I am not here. Squirt is.

This is Mt. Shasta. He sent me this photo before setting off to climb the thing today.

That's the moon rising while he is hiking on frozen icy snow. He gave me access to his phone location so we could keep an eye on him.  You can see below where he camped for the night. We were so very relieved to hear that he had made it to the camp site.

11-11-16

My Nana died on this day when I was 24 in 1987.

I wore a baby blue sweater today to remind me of her--- somehow that color just makes me think of her. That, and yellow. And pink. And the smell of Ponds cold cream. And soft skin. And lemon drops. 

Pink, yellow, and baby blue.

Knitting socks for the penguin kits... I think I'm done doing this. Ready to make some sweaters or such.

Mood has been good lately. I'm still down 20 pounds from a year ago, and quite happy with the results. Shocks in my face still show up, but not every day. Overall face pain is still there, but I can ignore it pretty well. Migraines still show up, but I manage to cope. Work is a combination of fun and boring and stressful, but the joy still outweighs the pain.

I may never get another grant, I may never become a full professor, I may never publish another rigorous research study. If so, I need to put my heart into what brings me the most joy, which is teaching well, designing curriculum, and helping college students reach their potentials.

11-8-16

not that it mattered....

Watching this was a shock beyond shocks.

I don't care whether a R or a D is president.

But I did NOT want DJT to be elected.

11-5-16

I spent the weekend alone-- Dan was hiking in North Georgia with his twin. I stayed busy and did a lot of 3D printing.

But before I figure out the trick to keeping the print job on the platform, this one jumped off in the middle of the night and a huge glob of singed plastic shrouded the print head. 

The trick was in blue painters tape. Cover the platform in it, and then spray it with hair spray.

It worked!

The weekend went quickly by, and Dan was back before I knew it. 

11-4-16

Aza was on PBS NewsHour tonight. You can watch the story here: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/videos/#197568
I texted her and she was able to watch it and even found herself a bit.... just a bit.

More importantly, I'm proud of her for several reasons.
First: She did what I told her to do and became a teacher. Like a good daughter.
Secondly: She did what she wanted to do and quit teaching. I'm actually proud of her for that.
Thirdly: She followed a new career path and went back to school, working as a nanny the first year to put herself through, attending full time last year and this year, taking out student loans. She will graduate in May.
Fourthly: She seems to be so happy in this new profession, like she has found her calling. And she volunteers to help poor people (even people in prison) with their health care.

11-1-16

I taught a really good class tonight. I actually got applause when it was over. I worked on the lesson for 5 days and it exhausted me. I was so worried it would go over poorly, and I even had a visitor watch me. Afterwards the visitor said, "You're good at this. Don't quit. Keep doing it." And the students applauded.

10-29-16

I spent all morning and part of the afternoon outside grading science journals. It made this monthly task oh so much nicer. And I drank some decaf coffee.

10-21-16

It was a cold morning, and one of my students brought her tiger outfit so I put it on to stay warm. It was like being a 2 year old in a onesie!

10-20-16

Today I worked at a local middle school with every single class from 5th - 8th grade on our Solar ArtBots. Each class had 30 minutes to build a working bot.

They did it!

10-16-16

I'm working on a baby blanket for a former student who is pregnant with a boy. I hope I finish in time. I'm only getting about 2 rows a day...

Sakura sent me this picture of herself and Jes when she went to Denver to visit. My sister and my daughter.....

10-15-16

Went for a walk without sunglasses on purpose just to get as much sun in my eyes as possible. Great walk/run with lots of stamina.

The porch is cute, hu? Much better. I'm shopping for an outdoor rug or runner and plan to re-finish the teak chairs/table.

10-13-16

 I did some shopping today at Lowes and an antique store and did some porch decorating. Hung these three baskets I filled I filled with pansies, snap dragons, and cabbages.

Bought some house numbers to do something with, and this funky find.

Then picked up my pottery from the studio. It was so much fun being back there.

Dan and I went to Outback Steakhouse for dinner. Now, that was a treat.

10-9-16

The lesson in tonight's class was DRONES.

A great time was had by all. 

10-8-16

LACA and I were on a walk and noticed that the water in the museum pond is SO low, that a log or something is exposed and the geese are climbing up on it.

The bunnies need a bath.

I was lying on the couch and looked up and just admired this scene- the combination of wood and dark and colors. No reason. Just liked it.

10-4-16

More photos from the park on my walks. Fall is in the air-- it finally felt like fall today. 

10-3-16

My heart, my love, my son.

Photo taken by JES while they were on a hike in Colorado.
I have to pretend he is still here-- to pretend he is in his room on his computer, or pretend he is at his apartment-- just to not realize the intense reality that he is far far away, and will be going farther, to Oregon, for a job.

How did my great great grandparents Joshua Magidson and Naomi Jachad, of Osveya Belarus deal with their only daughter Ester Gittel (Gussie) getting on a boat for America when she was 18, never to be seen again? Then a son left... then another... then two more went to Latvia, and another to Russia... then the wars?

Perspective. Keep it in perspective, Chrissy.

10-2-16

I have lost 20 pounds this year.

Whether that's due to:

1. walking

2. my TSH being basically zero for most of the year

3. the epilepsy drug

or

4. my diet,

I do not know.

10-1-16

I go for a walk every Saturday morning with my friend from high school, LACA. She loves capturing inspiring moments with her camera too.... and it's always good for me to listen to her stories and her wisdom. She is a gentle soul.

9-30-16

Last day of the month. My wish and prayer for this fall-winter season is good health. I will be using my light box to keep the blues away, walking in the mornings for exercise and doses of nature, and mostly staying on my diet to avoid bad foods, especially sugar. Face pain is always there, but manageable. I'm busy with work and thinking of projects to do. One is to redecorate the side porch. Photos below. Suggestions?

9-25-16

One little cotton seed made it this year, producing one little cotton flower and one little cotton boll.

Little survivor of the drought.

9-24-16

The bathroom has drywall.