As we start our third week of being home, let me just say…I’m going Crazy Not just your ordinary Crazy, but edging past stir Crazy and could possibly end up Stone Cold Crazy before this is all said and done. So, how did I end up on the Crazy Train, you ask? Well, It probably started when I was Young and Crazy and knew my calling was in a public school, and not as a student…Back before anybody told me public education was actually Crazy Town. But here is the thing, even after ten years in the classroom, I Must…
Staycation Day 1-3
Usually at this time of the year, educators are like, “We made it to spring break…yeah!” And well, yeah, we made it to spring break…our third week of not being in school. Vacation plans have fallen by the wayside, and we are looking for ways to keep busy in our homes. Reading- I know educators spend a lot of their vacation times reading. I think I am up to 32 books. Mostly true crime. Reading helps me to take my mind off overthinking. So, Yeah…I have been doing a lot of reading. In addition to my kindle books, I’ve been…
Day 9 Working from Home~ What does ‘Essential’ really mean?
If I thought things were real last Sunday at Sam’s Club…Boy was I being naive. And it would appear I’m not the only one….In the last day I have heard so many people saying they didn’t really take this seriously. This video was eye opening (and tear jerking truth be told) and made by someone deemed essential on the front lines of this battle. https://www.instagram.com/p/B-GX-D1DKJ_/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link The father of one of my son’s friends is fighting for his life with a confirmed case of COVID-19. An employee of the school district in another elementary school also has a confirmed case. But…
Day 8 Working from Home- Reflecting vs. Overthinking and the role of Leadership
My Dear Ole’ Gran used to say I was a worry wort. She had a million analogies about my worrying ways: fishing in air, spending a dollar on a ten cent problem, borrowing trouble….she knew that I lost a lot of sleep worrying and overthinking. Still do. She and my mom used to tell me I was a natural born worrier. As a young adult, the worry manifested itself as crippling anxiety. There were times when I wouldn’t leave my house, or even my bedroom, because I was so worried about some small thing. And then one day, I learned…
Day 6 & 7 Working from home…and reflecting.
Where to even begin? I had a rude awakening on Sunday when I went to Sam’s club to get groceries. I arrived first thing in the morning with my mask and gloves…Sam’s club is dangerous enough for me on an ordinary day with all the peanut product samples they serve, but I wasn’t taking any chances with COVID-19. Upon arrival, there was a line….and with social distancing….It was a long line. It was a slow moving line…they only let in a few at a time…and the poor girl manning the door, all those people walking 2 feet by her….social distancing…
Pandemic Day 5
Another day of working at home. Don is home with me today as his company has developed an alternative schedule to accommodate the seasonal slow down as well as the COVID-19 related slow down. It was nice to not have to get up and get his breakfast made and have him out the door by 7, especially since I no longer have the 4 minute commute to the office, or a 5:30 AM spin class to go to…I got to stay in bed until 7:55…and I was still at work on time. Don even helped with breakfast today! He made…
Crazy-O-Meter Preparing for Pandemic Day 5
This might be a good time to explore the levels of craziness that I will undoubtedly experience as we go through social distancing and possibly full on quarantine. See day two post when I was just going crazy, and day three when I was stir crazy. Let me just preface this with I really try not to be a potty mouth… but desperate times call for desperate measures. Let me also just say, I hope I don’t end up in purple zone. My kids probably also hope I don’t end up in purple. According to my spouse however, he is…
No Mascara Day 4….and Educator guilt
The bright side of having my office in my kitchen is the fact that I don’t have to change out of my work out clothes, or put on mascara. I did feel a little odd when I decided to take a lunch break…I don’t usually do that…to go for a run. Ordinarily when I take a lunch break I tell my work wife, or leave a post it note on my door that says ‘taking lunch’. In a work from home situation…does one post that on Facebook… “Out to lunch”…I mean…I had my phone with me so I could respond…
Stir Crazy…Day Three Working From Home
I’m seriously going nuts here…between the neurotic dog and my kids cooking in my office multiple times per day… I am constantly interrupted. This is my office!!! Why are you cooking chocolate pancakes?! Oh right…because it doubles as a kitchen right now. Seriously….Chocolate pancakes….It’s not Christmas!!! Did you rinse your dishes? Is that burning pancake I smell? What are you doing?!?! Stop feeding the dog pancakes. Did you wash your hands? Stop. Wash your hands again. Why is there pancake batter on the outside of the pan? This is just pushing my type A-ness to the limits. I finally have…
Pandemic Day 2
I am officially stir crazy. Social distancing is going to be the DEATH of me…but I am doing it for the life of me, and the life of others. I am social by nature, and I need social interaction. Too much time to overthink things is never a good thing for me. In Jackson county, it was just announced that we have our first COVID-19 case….which means, there will be more. Clearly this person has come into contact with others before she knew she was infected. When I was a teacher, I used to do this activity with the kids…