I Didn't Make It to the City Last Night, and Sadly Won't See Ger (or the A-List of Celebrities). Instead, I Stayed Home an Edited (Plus Planned for the Winter Session)

There are no words, although I try from time to time scribble thoughts here to find words to describe the insanity. I will say yesterday was productive for meeting deadlines, picking up a few more holiday items, gathering for a quick lunch, and doing more preparation for the craziness of a winter session course with 25 students enrolled. They will hate me because they will hate the timing of the course. The first class is supposed to be December 23, but I will make it asynchronous. Not only are they dead, but I'm dead.

And being dead, I have to get to campus for back to back meetings until 2 p.m.. After that, I'm officially drawing a line and prepping for a road trip to Syracuse: audio books, presents, and the knowledge that my mother will say to me daily, "Don't you ever get a break?" 

I don't. Just Christmas Day. Last year was the first year that I successfully managed to NOT have any University responsibilities, and that ended up in a fiasco of bad weather, airports, and not being able to take the week vacation with Chitunga that we planned. I did get a weekend in New Orleans, though, which was nice. The tea leaves like to remind me that it's in the stars to be as it is. 

I pulled out more items I bought on Clearance last year including a village to eventually (I think) transition to Xmas decorations to be more like my Grannie Annie. I still wish I kept her little skater figurines, her pond made of a mirror, and the other tiny items she used to create a holiday scene. 

I also pulled out Tiffany Jackson's Santa in the City, as I love her writing and know this book is not like her others (no one ends up tragically dead...ha ha). 

Alright, I need to put this into the world and drive to campus. I'm tried of dry nostrils, sinus pressure, and morning snot. Story of my life. 

Here's to another Wednesday. 

I Didn't Have My Phone On Me, But am Thankful for the Internet for Coming Close to How Adorable a Stuck Sneeze is (Karal was Hilarious)

Karal has this routine where she likes to curl up at night to fall asleep. I'm usually watching basketball, or reading, or consuming volleyball matches, and it doesn't matter what I'm doing...when she's ready to go down, she wants onto my lap. 

But as she was trying to climb into my lap the other night, she got not one, but two sneezes caught before they came out and she made the most hilarious faces. Her lip caught onto her teeth, her nose was crooked, and she simply looked as if, "Why isn't this ha-choo coming out like it usually does?"

The look was precious, but I didn't capture it. I did, however, look up stuck dog sneezes and found one photo that was somewhat close. I am going with that. 

It really is a precious look, and with the two of us stuffed up, I can totally resonate. I jumped back into grant world yesterday after doing two interviews for faculty searches. I'm glad I crock-potted meat for the week so dinner wasn't a problem. Also helped Paul, the neighbor, to bring packages into his mother's house....she passed, he's in NYC, and he's having deliveries sent for later this weekend. I forgot he gave me a key.

I believe the arctic temperatures are going to depart today and that is very much welcomed, and I wonder if all the snow will melt before I make ti to Syracuse (sneezing dog and all).

I have to wrap up several items today and start to think about the week in Syracuse, hoping I can stay atop of the cold before it knocks me down again. 

But that dog face...pre-sneeze and stuck. that is absolutely precious. 

Going Into Monday with the Little, One-Night Celebrations to Cherish Colleagues and Students Who Mean the Most to Me.

Books for Max. A little "Wabbit" for Michelle. A great dinner at Grey Goose (love me some scallops) and a week worth of steak tips soaking in Trini spices for whatever dishes I concoct over the next four days. 

Max and I have been writing fiends since Thanksgiving, and with news of an acceptance makes that writing even more urgent. We got this and, well, there was that Texas A&M matchup with Nebraska and, I have to admit it, I didn't think it was possible. The Aggies were touch and, with four matches, they achieve the upset of the century. I didn't see it coming and had no idea they could that (but feel a little better that they did that against Louisville) NCAA volleyball tournament time is my new December, pre-holiday ritual. 

This morning, I need to prepare for a day of faculty interviews both today and Wednesday, as nothing really sits still in high education and every second is filled with the next layer of what it takes to sustain the work as it is I just hate having a colleague I cherish retire.

But I do have my holiday lights. They make me happy. I have a crockpot, too, and that makes me happy. In Romeo & Juliet the line that has stuck with me has always been "They falleth that runneth fast." I'm not sure there's anyway but to run fast as a means to catch up. 

Of course, there was also the Wisconsin/Texas match-up. I need such distractions. 

I have a posse of little "Wabbit" creatures to keep me going. It is an honor to give such wonder to others. Here we go, insane week. 

Grades Entered, Salmon Grilled, and a Special Trip to Companion Animal Hospital for Karal to Visit Santa (& the Elves)

My brain had me up at 5 a.m. on a Saturday morning thinking about final revisions for another publication, so I got up to go at it, but then remembered I had a student who was sick the last week of classes and I needed to attend to her work. By the time Pam came over with playtime for Rico, I said, "I need to eat and I was an omelette. Duchess diner it was. 

There is nothing better than a dinner breakfast and Pam made a good call on ordered onion rings, too. 

Afterwards, we loaded the dogs to visit Santa Clause at Companion Animal Hospital with no other than Patrick Kelly as the bearded one. I look forward to getting the pictures back. 

I stopped at PJs to stock up on another week of food before heading off to Syracuse and spent much of the afternoon grilling a salmon dinner for Leo, Bev, Pam, and I. Of course, the NCAA Volleyball tournament continues (cheering on Kentucky now, although I don't see how anyone can defeat Nebraska). Sad that Louisville lost in to Texas A & M, even thought they had a two-match lead. All credit goes to the Aggies who simply outmuscled the cards at the net. 

Today is preparation for a series of interviews of potential colleagues as one of my favorites is about to retire (I'm not ready). 

All cheers to Maddie and Ethan, who were incredible Santa helpers. All love to Ken, too, who remains one of my favorite veterinarians on the plan. He's such a great man. 

Laundry is caught up. Katniss is now equipped with Karal seating, so she doesn't destroy another car. We're suppose to have our first snowfall, but we'll see if the predictions come true. 

Happy Sunday. The days simply blur together. 

Well, I Tried. Well, I Also Survived. I Definitely Have Outgrown the Insanity of Holiday Season Ridiculousness (Oh, Our Species)

My day began writing, moved to a haircut, and then I thought, "Maybe I should stop and grab a few things at Burlington, before next week's shenanigans begin." 

Um, they have begun. I feel terrible for anyone having to work retail at this time of year. Of course, this was my life 18-22 in Central New York, but the mall culture of yesteryear seems more tame and a lot less material. Phew. It's excessively material now. The aisles were a mess and moving around was difficult. I did well, though, and got the few things I set out to get.

But then there were the lines that wrapped around the store. I can only imagine what such places endure on the weekends. God bless us, every one. 

I did find a miniature inflatable tube guy to give to Ethan, as he's obsessed like most 3 year-olds when around them. I did not know Fran had bought him the real deal...the kind that goes outside. 

I enjoyed the history book that came with the desk wagger, though, including its roots to an artist in Trinidad in the 70s. Pretty amazing that this car lot, bank, retail store, festival waving weenie was the invention of an islander and I instantly wrote to Kris to see if she knew this trivia. She did and said there's a documentary she will send me that I have to see. The inventor should be living a life of luxury, but something about global history has me believing the opposite is likely true. 

My undergrad, now grad, student and I received great, unexpected news about an article we've been working on for two years. It looks like it will be going to press and this makes me so proud - so proud, I had to reach out to Kelly to thank her for all the mentoring provided to me when I was at Syracuse. I told her she now has a grandchild in the publishing traditions.

Okay, Saturday. Bring upon me what you will. 

It's My Nature to Stick with Joy. Had Lunch with My Favor Principal Retiree and Picked Up a Peacock Stuffed Animal for a New Pup in the Neighborhood.

Finished my grading around noon, just in time for Kathy Silver to drive over, before I took her to Lil' Pub in Stratford for lunch (love my falafel sandwich) before going to Mellow Monkey in search of my older sister's birthday, got what I wanted, and nabbed a couple other gifts, including a plush Peacock for my colleague's new beagle pup, Rosemary Grace (Rosie), who is living on the other side of the Green in Stratford. She is joining Carlos, her brother, who received a Frog when he came to the area. These puppies are the luckiest dogs in the universe. 

I know I start my winter session the week of Christmas, so I'm trying to chisel some down time this weekend to catch my breath, because I'm really tired, concerned for my mental well-being, and quite frankly, deserving of a break. I wish I could say there was any sanity in where I work, but over and over again I am first-hand witness of the opposite of that. The sad part is that, because I've accomplished what I've accomplished, and achieve what I achieve, I'm the enemy of the people. 

We've entered the era of fake news being the way that news is delivered. I'm a schlep. What am I to do?

I focus on what matters most, and this week it was the arrival of Rosie and I wanted to celebrate her homecoming with a holiday gift from Santa (well, Karal)(well, me). 

Apparently it is a huge hit.

I'm off to get a haircut this morning (self-care) and then to turn the corner on holiday shopping. I canceled one major event already for the weekend and am avoiding another in NYC next week, simply because I don't have the Vitamin C in me to give any more than I'm currently giving. 

Cheers to the NCAA volleyball tournament that always keeps me spirited in this time of year. I need space. I need mental chill-time. I need support (but that has never been the way in these lands). So, I need to readjust. I also need to get better at such adjustment. 

Here's to a weekend ahead.

Thinking About Teaching Even Newer Writing 16 Years Later, After Leaving the K-12 Classroom and Entering Higher Education

There is a revolution upon us. New tools. New platforms. Alternative ways to help young people to share with others what they know and for graying folk like me, it's hard to keep up.

But I try.

In 2009, I published "Senior Boards: Multimedia presentations from year-long research and community-based projects. In A. Herrington, K. Hogsdon, & C. Moran (Eds.), Teaching the New Writing: Technology, Change, and Assessment (pp. 107–123). Teachers College Press. At the time, I addressed the ways that Powerpoint, I-Movie, Audio, and yearlong projects changed the ways I needed to approach how I taught English.

This was at the beginning of blogging, YouTube, social media outlets, Canva, and other tools available to our writers. In assessing work this semester, I'm realizing the tools have become craftier and I'm amazed by the ways young people can share their ideas with others. This includes Padlet, which has been such a great tool for multimedia presentations.

What is also new is AI support, and the reality that kids can create content by piecing together questions to essays so they don't have to do much thinking, but piece together responses they find by using such tools. I can't blame them. It's fast and mildly efficient, but the voice is robotic, it's sort of unethical (if not all the way unethical), and without personality. 

I only had a couple of students who turned in work that was highly AI-oriented and I see that as a fault in my teaching and not their contribution. They resorted to it because they didn't have the writing instruction I should have provided earlier (because I have avoided the need to address it). 

I most definitely will be addressing it in the future, as I imagine more and more kids will use tools to compose for themselves, rather than to write from an authentically intellectual standpoint. 

This all has me spinning around how fast so much of this has changed (we're running to chase a moving train) and how it will definitely impact our future instruction. I'm late to game, but need to get on it, as AI really is a nuisance. 

Why can't we simply be us? Ah, but finding a way to cheat our systems is absolutely us.

And of course I write this, with exhaustive gunk in my eye, because I've been staring at my computer screen for 14-hours grading. Such is life.