Orange I'm Glad It's Humpday. Ready or Not, Denver, Here I Come & I'm Sporting New Sneakers for the Journey

I've been telling everyone that my midlife crisis isn't an extra-marital affair, or a sports car, or outrageous spending on something I can't afford, but simply giving in to my Saucony-sneaker-fetish to maintain comfort, color, funk, and utility. I love these sneakers and this pair, bought to replace my five-mile hiking treks, are in Syracuse orange and blue. I'm 100% cool with that. I also got a cranberry color, which I'll use more as dress shoes than for long journeys, because they aren't designed as well for the bounce in my step, but they do look good with a suit. 

I've had the sneakers in my house for a few weeks, but only took them out of their boxes this week because I'm taking off for Denver, Colorado for the National Council of Teachers of English conference and a return to the National Writing Project family. I'm sliding into this travel after a week of total insanity, tremendous obstacles, and another crown. One day, I know someone can cut out my jaw and show others that my entire income went to my never-ending problematic teeth. My mouth is worth more than I am.

The weirdest thing about this year's event is I have nothing scheduled for the first day of the conference which I don't believe has ever happened. Yes, there are gatherings, but there's not the back-to-back, running around marathon I'm used to. I think Dave and I are going to see a Rangers hockey game. 

And then in takes off in typical style. I'm actually excited to look for presentations to be a catalyst for my own thinking.

I ended class late last night...the students are in end-of-the-semester mode with their projects, and I know that the conference for English teachers gets in the way of the routine for normal coursework. This is why I plan backwards and set them up for success, even while I'm away. Of course, this requires them to be on top of their game and productive all semester. 

I really don't want to fly, but what can I do. I will start flapping my wings soon, and I'm reflecting on all the years I did NCTE, then the turkey, then LRA. How the heck I do that with NCTEAR around the corner after the New Year. I love the gatherings, but with the cost of travel, the lack of financial support to do such professional travel, and the reprioritizing of goals, I've made the executive decision to do only what I can and not to stress over the grind like I usually do. 

Here's hoping for a successful conference. We're operating in a different environment these days, nationally, so I'm interested to learn what the pulse is from colleagues across the nation. I know that I'm in the barely surviving mode. Phew. Here's to the network we love. 

The Best Part of Out-of-Town Guests (or any Company) Are the Left-Overs that Carry Over for the Rest of the Week

Of course I'd be summoned for taker of the minutes on a Monday Academic Council meeting, because it is the book of Job. It's the same reason I'd be summon for jury duty over winter break, even after reluctantly agreeing to teach two session of a winter course when  no one else would step up. The students would lose out and I couldn't live with this. So, I postponed jury duty.

I did not, however, postpone my AC minutes, as I like to type notes like I was trained to do as a qualitative researcher. I like to capture time and conversation to the best of my ability. Censoring myself from speaking, however, is a little trickier, but I did my part. 

All of this is to say that it's all good, because I had leftover bagels with cream cheese for breakfast yesterday and I will have it again tomorrow, which is why I love entertaining and having people stop by. I end up winning with more food in my house. It's nice not to only eat cereal.

Today is a marathon for teaching and tomorrow is the travel day to NCTE in Denver (which I'm also excited about, as emails and text messages have begun to arrive). Last night, I was thinking about how impossible the level of work really is, but I see that National conferences are a spot to stop, reflect, reconvene, and rethink. If I wasn't heading out of town, it'd be more of the impossible same: empty that ocean with a fork, Crandall.

Nope. I didn't eat all these bagels, but I had three left over which I will pace this week before I depart...the fruit, too. All, with a cup of coffee, make for a much more enjoyable morning.

I like to choose joy, but there are times in the profession where you can't find a second without work to actually appreciate what the world has to offer. I'm hoping the Denver trip will restore some of the joy that has been lost this past year. If not, at least I got the bagels to appreciate. 

Papa Wooley and I Will be Presenting in Denver this Upcoming Weekend, But So Great Having Some of the Crew with Me this Weekend, Too

And the food festivities were a preview of the time to come (I really do hate the excess of teaching that comes with the holiday season. I just carry a bag of carrots and say, "Sorry. Let me be a rabbit." I did practice this weekend with popcorn evening snacks, bagel breakfast feasts (with cinnamon rolls), and pesto chicken with fries. I wish I had more will power. I do not. 

The Connecticut winds were whacky, so much that it pushed a tree over onto I-95 in Milford. I walked Karal after everyone departed and we got hit with a mini-hail storm which pegged at my face. Didn't know they were calling for any of it.

The out-of-town guests, did cause me to do bedroom laundry and linens in preparation of Chitunga and Lys's arrival when I return from NCTE.

Dockside was decked out with holiday decorations: I said it looked like Christmas threw up inside the restaurant. It was excessive, overbearing, and a tad bit obnoxious. I get it, though...it is a people's bar and the inhabitants of the area reserve many spaces for their holiday parties. I also laughed that the wait staff all look like they are 12. It's probably because I'm so far from the new generation of young people who frequent such a place. 

I cherished my evening of multiple sports channels, as it makes the colder months that much more enjoyable. My soul is warmed by watching others sweat.

Long day of meetings today and more preparation. Looks like the temperatures are remaining miserable. And that, of course, is what November is supposed to bring. 

My Bourbon Sipping Friends Are in Town from State College and For a Night Anyways, Everything Feels Back to Normal

Kris, Dave, and Ish had a party to attend, but also were in need of a space to crash. Mt. Pleasant is the perfect location, and we have our routine, which includes dealing with the overly excited Karallyne Karma Cupcake, who can never get enough of her ol' neighbors when they return to Stratford. 

I worked on NCTE presentations awaiting their arrival, and also made a pretty decent stir fry with mushrooms, peppers, chicken, and broccoli. They were being fed at the party, but I wanted to be prepared nonetheless. 

I also got all my ESPN channels back up and running, so I was able to see the Fairfield/Iona game, and see the Women's Volleyball clench the MAAC regular season. I also caught the Women's basketball game against UNC and although Fairfield lost, they looked very good playing against a powerhouse team. Wonderful to see Nellie Brown back on the court.

Today, we'll do breakfast and Val is coming to meet us for lunch, but then they need to drive all the way back to Penn State, making their rendezvous a short-lived one. Always love having company and the house loves having the crazy crowd, as well. No one is more excited than Karal, however, when overnight guests are stopping by.

Here's to this Sunday. I'm simply excited to have sport channels again in my house. This streaming generation is something to get used to, and getting the right fit takes a little bit of time.

Working with Dr. Alice Hays Again, Year Four, As We Piece Together Our Thinking on Visual Literacy and WGI

I think we're closer this year, year four, with what it is we've been trying to say, and I'm glad we have moved our study to a multi-year project. In year one, Dr. Alice Hays, UC Bakersfield and a WGI judge, and I sat down simply to discuss shows and, well, for her to teach me the vocabulary of judges. This, of course, turned into a yearly roundtable to discuss a show with participants during a Sports, Literacy, and Culture session each year at NCTE. At first, we simply discussed the 'assessment' of shows, which happens to be very similar to the ways English teachers discuss poetry. Year two, we looked to the ways that shows tell stories through equipment work, flooring, design, costuming, and performance. Last year, we highlighted two groups that had shows that were inclusive: one featuring deafness and another highlighting blindness. This year, the theme is to Dream Boldly, and when choosing shows we found one that is visually a dream (oxygen and air) and the other which is a celebration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (which, we have named, offers us hope in a time when the oxygen is being kicked out of us on the regular as politics have drastically undone normalcy in our schools and professions. 

Music changes to more orchestration, and flags representing pastels from yellow to pink to blue, create a tapestry by the performers and above the performers…before moving to a staged congregation and a reading of the rights in several languages, providing an international understanding of what it means to be a human being. Everyone has a right to life, liberty, and the security of the person. Show finishes with Malala.

It's fascinating hearing judges discuss their interpretation of a show's intent, especially as the use of flags, sabres, and rifles help to tell the story to their audiences. Alice and I will be presenting on this a week from yesterday and even if we are behind, not as attentive to this project as we should be, it's always wonderful to collect our thoughts each year as we move our thinking towards writing something for an academic journal (we just don't know what yet...but I think we're getting there) 

Exemplar One: El Dorado High School, Placentia, California (2025), Scholastic World 4th Place

Exemplar Two: Ayala High School, Chino Hills, California (2024) - Scholastic Open, 1st Place

Thursdays Are My Fridays, and Thursday Night, I Simply Collapsed. Time for Low-Key, Chill, Cerebral Accomplishments Without Needing to Be Present

Yesterday was a tremendous, culminating success. For the past semester, my undergraduate course was working in service-liaison with Franklin Elementary and, for a finale, it was decided the 3rd graders would come to campus for a day of writing. Principal Arlette Johnson was my students several moons ago, and I've watched her win awards, climb into leadership roles, and passionately embrace the excellence of her students. Now, it's the excellence of her students and faculty. She was only going to stop by and check out the on-campus scene but, to her thrill and delight, her meetings were cancelled, so she could stay the entire time.

It was a blast and I have the Women's Volleyball Team, my students the Center of Social Impact, and colleagues form Educational Studies and Teacher Preparation to thank. I always offer the advice...get great people, stay organized, and when the right time comes, throw a party.

Dr. Crandall, This is the BEST FIELD TRIP EVER.

Although for me the writing was inspirational because I love seeing every pencil in a room moving with passionate ideas, the young people loved the ice cream bar, mall-like cafeteria, and the surprise visit from Lucas the Stag. What a hit he was! My lord...mascots take a beating from young people excited to see them. Brilliant job, though.

It is ideal to have 1 undergraduate student for every 3 young people. The smiles on Ms. Quincy and Ms. Acevedo's face said it all. This is so wonderful to see. 

I think my remake of Let It Snow was a hit, too, and my constant repetition of everything five (Name five Things Game - an improvisational trick I learned during Covid). 

Ah, but the planning, the waiting, the pacing, the collaborating, the instruction, and the hope takes a lot from the mind and body and that is why this Friday I need to lay low. I am trying very, very hard not to get sick, and I know all the pushing without rest gets me too close for comfort. 

So, I need to lie still as I work for the next several days. I need sleep, honey, hot tea, and minimal stimulation. I just want to work on writing projects. 

Let today begin a few days of calm. 

Added Bonus to a Wednesday, with Thanks to Dr. Richard Novack (Fairfield Warde) Who Brought Dr. Lauren Leigh Kelly to Campus

It's been a Rutgers minutes since seeing collage Lauren Kelly, as I've taken Amtrak back to our home destinations over the years (she was a colleague of Dr. Nicole Mirra). Lauren works with hip hop literacy and is also a stellar champion for youth initiatives. We connected, too, through Marcelle Haddix.

Dr. Novack had Dr. Kelly as a keynote for his Fairfield Warde Voices of Equity keynote, a collaborative program between students, teachers, and administration at their school. Because of his CWP connection, as well as his adjunct work in the English Department, he brought his students to DSB yesterday for a daylong workshop on hip hop and art. I LOVED hearing Dr. Kelly speak about the work she does with youth communities all across the northeast. It is amazing. I'm inspired. I wish we were able to do collaborations together.

This morning, I'm heading to traffic-hell so I can greet 20 undergraduates and 60 3rd graders for a campus workshop on informative writing. I'm thankful, too, because the Women's Volleyball Team is assisting the instruction and it is my intent to get everyone drafting essays to inform others on what they know about. We shall see. This may be the youngest crew of learners I've brought to campus, but when exploring careers in education (and having a National Writing Project director as an instructor), this is what we do.

I do know, however, that I'm wrapping that up, doing a faculty interview with the School of Nursing, and then heading home to unwind my mind for a few days. By that, I mean I'm focusing on several writing projects that need immediate attention...including the pre-NCTE preparation I've not had time for. 

A haircut on Friday. That's the only distraction in the way of getting things done. 

Here's the Dr Novack and Kelly for their accomplishments yesterday.