It's Seems I Just Turned 40 (13 Years Ago). How Can Kaitlyn be 40 Already? Surreal How Fast the Time Goes as We Age...

We celebrated Kaitlyn's birthday yesterday at Stappa Vineyard in North Haven and I'm thinking back to celebrating my own when I first came to Connecticut. Then I have to remember I arrived 14 years ago, when Kaitlin was still in her 20s. It just seems weird, especially with all the toddlers running around in every direction. I didn't know there was a winery that close to my house and I liked the grab a table, bring your own food, and order bottles of wine vibe...was something different. 

Went to Home Goods to get her a gift card and walked out with a couple of clearance items I didn't need but seemed to speak to the Mt. Pleasant vibe. Also got a great walk in with Karal, as it was a beautiful day and the air was as fresh as could be.

A couple more recommendations were completed and more external review letters that have been in the hopper have been addressed. I like that this is a 3-day weekend, as Sunday is actually Monday, so there's a second to relax and take a breather. 

I think it's the last Walnut Beach Sunday bands tomorrow and, perhaps, I'll take the afternoon off. 

Meanwhile, Happy Birthday week, Kaitlyn!

I Always Wonder if Nature Knows that the Body Needs to Gear Up for the Impossible, so It Forces You to Rest at No Cost When You Can

I felt the migraine coming on Thursday night. I did what I know how to do...darkened a room, got wet cloths for my neck, and prayed I'd fall asleep before it hit. I accomplished my goal and when my alarms went off yesterday morning, I didn't want to get up. I did, though, walked the dog, and then proceeded to go on a sprint of work, until I wanted to see what Lowe's porch furniture clearance looked like. I need to replace all the chairs as they are spent. They had nothing, so I came home to work some more. By 4:30 p.m. I realized I wanted a blanket and I was out...for two hours. I just slept until Karal's barking woke me up because she wanted dinner. 

Of course, I convinced myself I have mono or Lyme disease, because I rarely get tired and take breaks. I had two doctor's appointments, however, confirming all is well. I think it is psychosomatic, because I know I don't want to get back into the grind, so I'm looking for reason not to work at all. Naps seem to take care of this..

People are reaching out to go out, too, but I hate all the hubbub, crowds, noise, and people. Yuck. I'd rather sit at home reading and writing. Then I feel guilty that I'm not more sociable and feel I should make the rounds. 

I told a friend yesterday that I'm growing into a curmudgeon, which is far from what I want to be. It's simply coming with the material, though, and I can't shake the inner cynic out of my system. I feel great when I'm hiking or in the flow of the work, but when I give myself a second to think about it, I hate it.

And I'm thinking of Cynde and Mike's patio...that is labor that offers a result. It's hard. Time consuming. Frustrating. Etc. But when it's done, you have an accomplishment. 

I'm ready for retirement. That'll be the retirement that is overdue. Yes, I know I have a good decade more, but I've been in it for a while and I'm tired.

Proud to Celebrate a Local Graduate as He Embarks to Stamford University in the Fall to Begin His Next Journey

I met Dereje at a Maker's Fair at the Westport Library where he was fan-boying Jerry Craft's earliest work, a good year before New Kid came out. Dereje Tarrant was ahead of his time...loved diverse representation, understood the comic book genre, and new good writing when he saw it.

Unfortunately, Covid upset his Project Citizen years, and we had him online, but he was a quick-witted, political writer who had his eyes on what needs to be said and how to say it. He finished his senior year this year and I knew I wanted to send him off with a package for his first year, including good soap for the dormitories and an Ubuntu T-shirt to represent the game out West. 

Last night, we had the honor of pre-recording Derrick Barnes with Dr. Chandra Maxwell, and I loved that he shouted out Dr. Alfred Tatum, who is a man who made me become the person/writer/thinker I am today. I loved that they also had a connection and I couldn't help but think about the ways people lead to people.

We also welcomed another generation of scholars to campus and had our FWC summer picnic, where I got to see all those who have been away for the summer.  

I shared with Dereje jewelry and a keychain from Zambia. Here to all entering their freshmen year. May they find a pathway through these turbulent times. 

I'll Take It. After Several Years We Finally Have My Blood Pressure Where It Should Be. Always Love Back To School Appointments

Forecast: I will live. After doing my cycles through local circuits, I'm cleared with a good bill of health, besides the need for a 2nd colonoscopy to be scheduled this year. Blood drawn, shots given, and cough cough. All good.

I spent most my day reading, caring for the house, walking the dog, eating my delicious Wegman's Sub, planning for classes, and answering emails. I tried to go back-to-school shopping, but the whole idea of buying clothes midlife is simply boring. I just want to kick around in weekend lounge wear. Not professional at all. 

This morning is more bloodwork, the hair will be cut, I have a lunch, and then there's the FWC picnic, a ritual I rarely miss. It's the official start to a new year when the new faculty arrive to the FWC picnic...it is camaraderie with camaraderie...one of the few occasions where faculty are united as a front.

I also want to finish a book before I have to return. I'm almost there, but it hasn't grabbed me to the point of obsession yet. Those are the ones I love most. I'm hoping it will in the next couple of page flips. We're getting there. 

It doesn't matter if a beginning teacher, a mid-career educator, or a late-mover and shaker like me now...the back to the grind-rendezvous is never fun. It's a severing of the persona for 180 days and a total commitment to a classroom of others. It's good...but it's a lot. 31 years in...still a lot. But here we are. 

This Could Be Very Problematic. I Get Alerts When Traffic to Wegman's is Unusually Low. So I Go. But I Should Also Consider the Return

I worked on my porch until 1 p.m. and then got the alert that I-95 was clean. It only took me 22 minutes to get to Wegman's. I wanted a sub, more chips and salsa, and have been thinking about the Asian buffet wince visiting last time. I picked up a meal for dinner and head out of there (also saving $10 for spending over $100). The way back showed a frenzy return, however, so it took me to the Merritt, which was a parking lot, too. The twenty minutes there turned into almost 120 minutes home. Ugh.

I will say that the Wegman's Asian bar was worth it. We air fried what was purchased and everything tasted crips and fresh. 

Again, it's probably best that it isn't quite convenient. I'm not regretting not buying the fresh mussels that were on sale. 

Today there are more syllabi to create, more dossiers to review, and a couple of doctor's appointments while I can get them in. Tomorrow is back-to-school picnics, haircuts, and the reminder that there are very few in my school who'll actually partake. Likely to just be me and often John Kiweewa and Delaney. 

All I can do is focus on what needs to be done to support the programs that matter to me. The rest of it is out of m control. 

Loving the cooler temperatures. Still hoping a Wegman's store will move even closer.

They're Back! Well, the New Student Leaders, That Is - Sophomores, Juniors, & Seniors Assisting Incoming Students & They Needed to Be Trained

Ah, I'm not sure what year this is. Every time I'm asked to do the training I think, "Maybe I should suggest someone else," and even if I ignore the requests, they keep coming. Eventually I give in  and say, "What a few hours of your life, especially when it's to promote classroom strategies to make a 50-Minute block of time go faster:

• Kick-Off/Write Your Way In
• Pair/Share
• Group Talk,
• Music
• Visuals
• Jokes (Humor)
• Organization / Have a Plan
• Dialogue and Word Exercises
• Theatrics
• Art

I'm laughing that all these kids are the age of my nephew Sean now, who is also in college. This morning, I need to tackle syllabi, a podcast, and get the summer busses paid. Not sure why it is a struggle every year. 

So, we had a 30-second dance party, but I couldn't push Adelle to the side. It's too much fun hearing a room full of anyone singing her music. Max texted me later to say his friends were in the session and instead of whining about my age often, they had fun. Phew. I am feeling it for sure. 

Okay, Tuesday. Onward.

It's Been a Couple of Years, But Wandered Down to Walnut Beach Sunday Concerts to Hear Kathy Thompson Band. Always Love When I'm Caught Up.

Needed to exercise. Check. Needed groceries. Check. Needed to write. Check. Needed to Plan Check. Then decided I needed to cook, so put together a dinner for a Leo, Bev, Pam, & Nick picnic to hear the Kathy Thompson cover band. Gorgeous night. Cool breezes from the ocean onto the warm shoreline. Good food and good company, too.

Then I got a call from my cousin. Now all of us are worrying and praying as his mother, my Aunt Bobbie, left her housing facility with the dog and has been missing for over 24 hours. She has dementia like my father, but her onset is more aggressive and she gets very confused - much more in the last couple of weeks, my cousin said. He gave me Hannah's number because he's not able to talk...it's hitting him hard. Hannah filled me in with what she knows, as she's in Montana and they're still in Sonoma, California. A Silver Alert has been issued in the town of 1,000 people. I can't imagine the frantic nature of it all.

All energies to the skies in hope that she's found safe as soon as possible. Crazy how one moment you can be listening to a band doing a carefree Sunday and suddenly you get a call and the mood changes entirely. 

Feeling rather helpless on the East Coast, so all we can do is hope.