Day 46 - Governor Newsom imposes new restrictions
My main resolution is to stay alive…
Thursday. 12/31/20
THE RESULTS FOR 2020 ARE IN!!!
How did I personally fare during 2020, a year consisting of a global pandemic; a dictatorship; civil unrest [BLM protests]; and massive unemployment?? I’ve divided the year into three categories:
I.CAREER
State Service
-I’m retired!!!
I retired from state service, effective 9/1/20, although I turned in all of my equipment and physically left the office on 7/21/20.
Adjunct Instructor
-I’ve been employed as an Adjunct Instructor for 20 years. This is my second gig. I’ve developed and fostered it for this long, knowing that I would eventually rely upon this career for additional income in order to supplement my pension. Quite a bit was accomplished this year:
-A second community college hired me to teach in their Dual Enrollment Program, meaning I would float from high school to high school, teaching my core course to juniors and seniors. For Spring Semester 2020, I was deployed to a public high school in Inglewood; in Fall 2020, I was deployed to a private, Catholic high school in Gardena. I’m surprised at how rewarding I found these assignments. This was a plus.
-In addition to the private Catholic School, the second community college also asked me to teach two regular college classes and I agreed. My course load was doubled – I have never taught 6 classes during one semester. In the end, I think I may have been overextended…
-One of the classes was an accelerated 8 week course, which I had to create and design from scratch. I’ve always taught 16-week semesters so creating and designing an 8-week course from scratch was something new for me and helped me grow as an instructor. Plus.
-All classes were taught virtually. For the first time in my teaching career, I was able to create the “poli-sci podcast”, something I’ve always wanted to do. Secretly, I’ve always wanted my own podcast – about what, I don’t know – but this fulfilled my creative outlet and preparing the scripts, selecting sound clips, and recording the lectures was fun, although stressful at times, and satisfied my creative outlet. This was a learning experience and the lectures evolved and improved as the 16 weeks progressed-there was no way I was going to use Zoom (too boring). I’m not tech-savvy and I can’t believe I was able to accomplish such a feat. Plus.
-I took the additional salary from College No. 2 and reinvested it in my “business”, i.e., I gave my PP slides a makeover by using the Google slides platform to create fresh images. Apparently, all Gen Z’ers use Google slides and, with L.’s help, especially since she’s an artist, she was able to transform my outdated PP slides into, dare I say, something really beautiful. The images are current and the content on the slides move, which helps to capture and generate interest in the material.
So far, L. has reformatted approximately 350 slides, a huge project which I would have never undertaken had it not been for Covid-19 and virtual instruction. L. completed the slides for the 15 chapters in my core class, which is the primary class that I’m employed to teach. She started working on my Specialty Classes in the middle of the semester, so the first 6 chapters for each class still need to be completed. This has cost me $1400 and counting, but it is well worth it. I may be able to write this off on my taxes and I’ll know more about that by next week. Definite plus.
-Virtual Instruction meant no time spent in the car. The Inglewood and Gardena high schools are four hours away, round trip, and class started at 8:30, but I taught from home. In 2019, I spent $1,694.92 on gas; in 2020, I spent $434.00. I also was able to more effectively utilize the time that I would have spent on the road. Lastly, I never would have been able to teach 6 classes at three locations had we not gone virtual. Plus.
-Throughout the Fall 2020 Semester, I continuously lamented the fact that I was not utilizing my time more effectively. I’ve always been extremely productive so why did it feel like I had no time in the day to complete the most basic of tasks? A review of my hours, beginning in August when I was first assigned 6 classes, and ending in December, revealed that I worked 696 hours from the second week of August through December [20 weeks], for an average of 34.80 hours per week. Until I calculated the number of hours worked, it seemed like much more, especially when ONE day revealed a whopping 17 hours spend on teaching, class prep, grading papers, etc. Clearly, I need to devise a better schedule that accommodates a 34-hour work week. I’m a little disillusioned and disappointed in my failure to create a manageable work schedule…I mean I wasn’t even driving anywhere. I’ll give myself a fail on this category (sigh). Fail.
It should be noted that 420 of the 696 hours are straight lecture and I was unable to adjust these time blocks: [Monday – 8:30-10:30 AND 2:30-5:30]; [Tuesday – 8:30-10:30]; [Wednesday – 8:30-10:30]; [Thursday – 8:30-10:30 AND 2:30-5:30 AND 7:00-10:00]; and [Friday – 8:30-10:30].
Resolutions
I think having fewer classes would be much more manageable for me. This will probably sort itself out organically due to the fact that enrollment rates for my classes are low at both Colleges. Nevertheless, online teaching is my preferred venue so:
-Apply for and complete the 12-week Distance Education Certification program through College No. 2 so I will be a certified online instructor.
-Ensure that L. completes the Google slide reformatting project for the remaining classes.
II.PERSONAL
Covid-19 taught me that I’m really good at being alone. I think this is a skill that one can develop over time.
BC – before Covid - I took a thoughtful approach to retirement when I assessed how I would spend my time once my 40-hour-per-week career was eliminated, especially since I was going to be an empty-nester in the near future as L. would be leaving for New York to attend college. I planned to fill some of that space with local theater, chamber music concerts, French classes, consistent exercise, movies, and more reading because I wanted to have a rich personal life. Of course, these activities would be scheduled around my teaching career.
I started preparing for my retirement a year in advance. Before 3/16/20, I began taking public transit [the Metro] to attend theater performances in Los Angeles. I also went to a Cello concert at Chapman College and saw a Balkan female folk singing troop perform at Claremont University. I took French classes. I have a gym membership and signed up for spin-cycle classes, which I really enjoyed. I knew I would incorporate spin-cycling more consistently once I was retired. I had fun! Being alone was fine.
Then Covid-19 happened, four months before I was scheduled to leave state service. Was I going to be able to pivot effectively in my retirement? Based on the above intentions that I set, here are the results:
Books
-In the end, my reading allotment for 2020 turned out much better than I thought!! There were a few months where I was disappointed in myself and my failure to allot more time for reading, BUT I actually doubled the number of books and pages read even though I was still employed full-time with the State until July and teaching 6 classes Fall Semester 2020.
2020 2019
35 books 15 books
8964 pgs. 4723 pgs.
I’m satisfied with these totals. Plus. ***It should be noted that L. hit her personal goal of 100 books for 2020. I’m so proud of her.
Of note is the fact that I read 3 to 5 Money Diaries per week over 2020, but they are featured in a ‘scroll’ without page numbers. In the past, it was too difficult to include these in my page count, but I did an experiment today. I timed how long it took to read a Money Diary [30 minutes], then grabbed the current book I was reading and read for 30 minutes. When I was done, I had read 40 pages. This is an imprecise method of measurement, but for 2021, I’m going to include Money Diaries in my page count and will equate every Money Diary with 35 pages.
Resolutions
-My reading goal for 2021:
70 books
18,000 pages
Exercise
When everything shut down in March and we were all forced to work from home, I resolved to exercise more consistently and I voiced this intention to L. It should be noted that I haven’t consistently exercised for the past decade. Currently, I’m in the best shape of my life. Also, my butt looks much better!!
A review of exercise output, beginning in March and ending the last week of December revealed that I exercised 84 days over a 38-week period, for an average of 3.16 days per week. Forms of exercise included an HIIT 1-hour speed-walking app on the treadmill; an HIIT cardio and Full Body Circuit app with 5-pound weights; a 1-hour Pilates/Yoga combination app; and a 40-minute cardio app. This is a somewhat misleading total, however, as the number of days increased when I retired in July. Additionally, during the first three to four months, days exercised consisted of 30-minute intervals, but over time, as my stamina increased, they became 1-hr intervals to the point where I almost always exercise for 60-minutes, although there’s a 40-minute cardio app that I use on occasion. Plus.
It should be noted that I used no exercise apps on days when I biked and/or hiked.
Biking
During this 38-week period, I rode my bike 17 days. Plus. (I have never biked before).
Hiking
During this 38-week period, I hiked [and I use that term loosely] 11 times at the following locations:
Descanso Gardens
Carpinteria Bluffs
Central Park hiking trail
Hart Park
The Huntington
The Arboretum
Edward Towsley Canyon – the Canyon Loop Trail
EAST Edward Towsley Canyon
Plus. (I have never hiked before).
Resolutions
-I would like to exercise an average of 4 days per week.
-I would like to ride my bike at least 2 days per month.
-I would like to hike at least 2 days per month.
Dog Walking
As soon as Covid-19 emerged [March 2020], I vowed to walk the dog more consistently and when I say ‘more consistently’, please note that I have never walked her. Before compiling the dog walking totals at the end of the year, I was positive I had been walking her consistently since March. HOWEVER, my memory was faulty as it appears that I only started walking her in September. From September through December, I walked the dog 31 times for an average of 3.61 times per week. Fail
Resolutions
-I would like to walk the dog between 5 and 7 days per week.
Excursions
Even though typical venues like restaurants, movie theaters, local theater, and concerts were shuttered, I was still able to travel and enjoy new experiences. Plus.
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B. and I made several trips to the beach this summer.
We camped out in his backyard and grilled turkey burgers [“Tent Time”]
We spent a couple of days, poolside, at B’s daughter’s house.
B. booked a weekend for us at the Hyatt in Huntington Beach
B. and I also took a 3-day trip to Catalina
B. and I went to the Bowers Museum in Orange County.
I purchased tickets for us to the Descanso Botanical Gardens and the Arboretum
B. and I had a picnic at the Silverlake Reservoir.
I purchased tickets for us to attend a tour of The Gamble House in Pasadena
I booked wine tasting at the Agua Dulce Winery
I treated B. to Geoffreys Restaurant in Malibu
I treated B. to the Polo Lounge in Beverly Hills
B. treated me to the Piccola Tritoria restaurant when I retired
B. and I. tried 50/50 Slaters restaurant for the first time
I purchased tickets to the MODs Museum for B. and I
B. and I rode the Swan Boats in Echo Park.
We went to the Carpenteria Bluffs so we could see the seals [B. brought his binos and we saw one seal]
We hiked up the hills in Hart Park to see the buffalos.
We rode our bikes on some of the local paseos.
In December, B. and I drove through various neighborhoods in the community to look at Xmas lights.
We also purchased tickets for the Magic Mountain Holiday Park Drive Thru
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L. and I stayed at the Mii Amo Spa in Sedona, Arizona.
L. and I also booked a weekend at the Cosmopolitan, in Vegas.
L. and I stayed at the Mission Inn in December. We ate at several restaurants and had a great massage.
L. and I had brunch at Malibu Farms, Nobu, The Penisula, and Alchemy
We ordered coffee from LaMill and drank it overlooking the Silverlake Reservoir.
We went to the poppy fields.
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I held a Soiree at my house.
L. and I prepared Xmas dinner for 3 people and she put together an amazing tablescape
I went to Plate 38 in Pasadena and had a nice lunch
I visited the Desert Woodland Preserve
I went to the Huntington twice and ate lunch at their picnic tables
I hiked at Edward Towsley Canyon – East and West
I wandered through the Festival of Tress display during Xmas
I was able to visit 9 of the 34 parks in my community to have coffee, read, and/or grade papers.
Resolutions
-It is extremely difficult to plan anything during a pandemic when there are so many unknowns. I’ll be satisfied if I can match the level/degree of the experiences listed above. Fingers crossed.
French
When Covid-19 struck, I was in the middle of a French Literary Translation course. The class converted to virtual instruction, but I stuck with it, until it ended in June. I earned an A and with this class completed 16 units in French. Plus.
Resolutions
-In order to obtain an AA Degree in French, I need one more 3-unit course. I want to enroll in an online French class – it doesn’t matter which kind – and earn my AA Degree in 2021.
Blog
I actually created a blog and I post every day!!! [Well, there’s a post for every day of the year, but sometimes I’m a little behind]. Plus.
Resolutions
-Keep up the good work!!
III.HEARTH AND HOME
Cooking
Anyone who reads my blog knows I spend a ton of time in the kitchen. I wish I could attribute that to Covid-19, but my meal prep and planning, food storage, batch cooking are all par for the course – I’ve been doing this for years. Plus
I will say that I’d like to reduce our monthly food bill back to 2019 totals. We increased our food expenditure by an extra $38 per month in 2020. This may have to do with the fact that L. purchased and made all the sides for B.’s Thanksgiving dinner; I hosted a Soiree; and L. and I prepared Xmas dinner for me, her, and R.
2020 2019
$176 per month $138 per month
Resolutions
-Return to 2019 monthly food totals.
-Stop buying a 10-piece sushi combo every time I do my monthly prosecco-in-a-can shopping at Whole Foods. (I didn’t realize I was doing this until I finished reconciling my budget last week)
Garden
This year I was able to devote a lot of time and attention to my backyard and it’s been great!! Plus.
I planted jasmine vines and added red rocks in one section of the yard, then threw in multi-colored glass beads for interest. I installed a metal trellis depicting birds forged from iron against one side of the house and planted honeysuckle – it looks amazing. I bought a beautiful gazing ball for the pedestal that I already had. I planted new flowers and bought 3 multi-colored dragonfly/hummingbird solar lights. I also bought a new teal paper lantern for the light bulb in the center of my canopy. I wrapped three of my tree trunks with white lights – it’s so pretty! I purchased several plants and succulents, complete with pots, from my ex-mother-in-law, when she moved to the Carolinas, and set them all over my patio, on the cement bench at one corner of the yard, and near my fountain. Love it. I planted more flowers and bushes, then bought two stained glass sculptures that I installed along one side of the yard. Plus, plus,plus
Resolutions
-I have two DIY projects planned for the backyard, but it’s a surprise! I would like to complete them in Q1 [quarter one] if possible. Stay tuned -more to follow. I’m pretty excited about these projects.
Home
-L. and I painted her bathroom and ceiling and we did a pretty good job. She’s also in the process of converting her room/bathroom into a condo/dorm room.
-I’ve been saving for years and am finally ready to gut my bathroom – this was going to be a project in my retirement. Unfortunately, we’re in the middle of a pandemic and I don’t want any contractors in the house right now.
Resolutions
-Compile a vision board for my bathroom reno so it is ready when I’m finally able to start this project.
Get ready for 2021!!!!