As I post this, the time is 6:32 a.m. on July 26th. JULY!😍
I admittedly have read an "educational book" for Khan Academy, but that was only because there were two live online discussions scheduled, and I was hoping to follow along - even though I've already missed the first one. Still, reading that one "educational book" doesn't violate the avoid-school-stuff until August policy.
It's true that I did visit my classroom once this summer, but that was a failed attempt to locate a batch of CD's that I was searching for to include on one of my July road trips.
And yes it's true that I just peeked at my lists of students in our AXSIS student management system, and the slightest hint of creating email groups and Khan Academy groups did cross my mind. I did, however, quickly remind myself with authoritative self-talk that those lists will likely change within the first three days of the school year, so I may as well wait. Plus, 26 students in first period? What is up with that? I'll have to drink an extra cup of coffee each morning to make sure my engine is completely warmed up for the day. (I did like the fact that no "basic" section exists, and I did have to grin when I saw that Robert Mason and I will be the only boys in the public speaking section!)
And finally, it's true that I have listened to a few episodes of 10-Minute Teacher and one episode of the Google Tribe, but those have primarily been an alternative to searching for radio stations on the previously mentioned road trips. (I'm excited, though, to be able to play the podcasts in my new HHR when I head out for longer drives.)
I'm getting distracted....anyway...this post is about clinging to the final days of July because this actually is my summer vacation. Amber and I arrived from road trip number two at the beginning of the week, and August 1st isn't until next Wednesday. And yes, while I do have an eye appointment next Monday, this is truly VACATION WEEK - the week that does not include any officiating or umpiring games and no other official things.
All of those emails I'm getting about Khan Academy updates and Google Classroom updates and 18-19 school year start-up...they can all wait - I'm going to get some projects done around the house and chill out!
Thursday, July 26, 2018
Friday, July 13, 2018
Ahh...It's Summertime
This is a "return post" - as in I've returned to jot down some thoughts after a whirlwind late May, June, and early July.
I guess this time period of 2018 can be summarized in the following: 91 softball or basketball contests and $3,000 earned toward a variety of things including bills, summer vacations, and my ex-wife.
Earlier this week my youngest son Cole and I returned from a 5-day adventure to the Black Hills of South Dakota and Wyoming. This was his high school graduation trip, and this trip was my last of three trips with all of my kids after they had graduated. New for me this time were visits to Devil's Tower, Jewel Cave, and a hike up to Black Elk's Peak. Cole and I were blessed with great weather, and we had a lot of fun. Now he's going to be a college kid...ugh...can't believe all of my "babies" are now out of high school. Time marches on!
I have read two books this summer and am working on a third right now. The first two were in conjunction with the trip to South Dakota. One was about the Lakota's struggle with the United States over the Black Hills, and the other was about Crazy Horse by Joseph Marshall III. I really enjoyed Marshall's book. He wrote a narrative but also included reflections...it was like oral history written down with personal philosophy mixed in. I had a question I needed to ask someone, so I took a leap and contacted Marshall through Facebook. He accepted my message and my friend request, so sometime I hope to get his perspective on my question.
So now it's July 13. Normally Friday the 13th likely isn't considered anything by unlucky, but it's pay day, which is a good start. I've got a little umpiring today and tomorrow, but then Amber and I are taking a road trip to southern Mississippi to check out my best friend's winter home and the surroundings. His camper lot is in Pass Christian, Mississippi, so we may check out other areas to the west like Biloxi and to the east like New Orleans.
And we are going in my "different" car I bought. I had been looking for a long time for a solution to a need for a car with a lot of room that would get better gas mileage. And the solution was a 2010 Chevy HHR. It's actually considered a wagon, and I purchased it with 134,000 miles on it. The hope is that it will be my "distance car"...the vehicle I use to travel to softball and basketball games that I'm officiating (and maybe volleyball too). At 25 miles per gallon, it's much more economical to drive that the ole Dodge 1500 that gets about 14 mpg on good days. Cole and I took the HHR to the Black Hills, and it worked out well. Amber and I are going to take it to Mississippi too.
After returning from the Southern trip, the summer days will be numbered. I'll start to turn my attention to the 2018-19 school year. I am reading a book now that was intended as a book talk book for Khan Academy. I'm a little confused by it now, but my hope is that I will gain better insight as I continue on.
Summer '18 has been everything I had hoped for so far, and I'm looking forward to the next couple of weeks to continue to recharge.
I guess this time period of 2018 can be summarized in the following: 91 softball or basketball contests and $3,000 earned toward a variety of things including bills, summer vacations, and my ex-wife.
Earlier this week my youngest son Cole and I returned from a 5-day adventure to the Black Hills of South Dakota and Wyoming. This was his high school graduation trip, and this trip was my last of three trips with all of my kids after they had graduated. New for me this time were visits to Devil's Tower, Jewel Cave, and a hike up to Black Elk's Peak. Cole and I were blessed with great weather, and we had a lot of fun. Now he's going to be a college kid...ugh...can't believe all of my "babies" are now out of high school. Time marches on!
I have read two books this summer and am working on a third right now. The first two were in conjunction with the trip to South Dakota. One was about the Lakota's struggle with the United States over the Black Hills, and the other was about Crazy Horse by Joseph Marshall III. I really enjoyed Marshall's book. He wrote a narrative but also included reflections...it was like oral history written down with personal philosophy mixed in. I had a question I needed to ask someone, so I took a leap and contacted Marshall through Facebook. He accepted my message and my friend request, so sometime I hope to get his perspective on my question.
So now it's July 13. Normally Friday the 13th likely isn't considered anything by unlucky, but it's pay day, which is a good start. I've got a little umpiring today and tomorrow, but then Amber and I are taking a road trip to southern Mississippi to check out my best friend's winter home and the surroundings. His camper lot is in Pass Christian, Mississippi, so we may check out other areas to the west like Biloxi and to the east like New Orleans.
And we are going in my "different" car I bought. I had been looking for a long time for a solution to a need for a car with a lot of room that would get better gas mileage. And the solution was a 2010 Chevy HHR. It's actually considered a wagon, and I purchased it with 134,000 miles on it. The hope is that it will be my "distance car"...the vehicle I use to travel to softball and basketball games that I'm officiating (and maybe volleyball too). At 25 miles per gallon, it's much more economical to drive that the ole Dodge 1500 that gets about 14 mpg on good days. Cole and I took the HHR to the Black Hills, and it worked out well. Amber and I are going to take it to Mississippi too.
After returning from the Southern trip, the summer days will be numbered. I'll start to turn my attention to the 2018-19 school year. I am reading a book now that was intended as a book talk book for Khan Academy. I'm a little confused by it now, but my hope is that I will gain better insight as I continue on.
Summer '18 has been everything I had hoped for so far, and I'm looking forward to the next couple of weeks to continue to recharge.
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