Day 61 of Governor Newsom’s “Blueprint for a Safer Economy”

Still grading the Extra Credit essays…

Tuesday. 10/28/20

7:30-8:30 – I set my alarm for 7:30, but am having a terrible time waking up. I force myself to go downstairs so I can take the dog out.  When I get downstairs, she’s not in the house!  Although I’m worried, I don’t do anything – it is so peaceful not having that mop shooting through the doggie door like a cannon ball.  Before I can finish my thought, she rams through the entrance and jumps all over me.  We go outside and she goes potty. Back inside and cheese for her, coffee for me.

8:30 – 10:05 – Class.  My Tuesday morning class is part of the 8-week accelerated course that started last week. Hands down, this 8-week class is the best class I’ve ever had.  After one week, which is actually 4 days since this is an accelerated class, the students understand just what they’re supposed to do and rarely email me.  I work on my blog for awhile, then step away for a shower.

9:00-9:45 – Shower. Covid-19 uniform. Light make-up.

9:45-10:30 – I wipe down my bathroom counters, clean the toilet, vacuum the floors, etc.  I also start a load of laundry. I start my defuser and add Eucalyptus.

10:05 – Class ends without incident.

10:30-11:00 – I leave for my therapy appointment.

11:00-11:30 - Therapy

11:30-12:30 – Return home and I sweep my patio.  What a mess!  I think Fall is here.

12:30 – 3:30 – B. arrives with Starbucks. We sit on the back patio and talk politics. I have some of the yogurt that I made yesterday and B. eats pumpkin bread.  Recall that B. is also taking my class in that he listens to my lectures during his walks.  He has questions on Module No. 10 and we discuss campaign finance.  B. is an excellent student and takes notes during lecture, then asks me for clarification if it’s needed.  I wish all my students were this engaged.  B. gives me a small dish that says “Best Teacher Ever” that I now have on my coffee table in my study. Very thoughtful.

3:30 – 5:00 – B. leaves and I continue grading the Extra Credit essay assignments that came in a few days ago.

5:00-6:30 – I finish grading most of the assignments and start scanning them into my computer so they will be ready to return to students tomorrow morning, with my edits and comments, via email.

6:30-7:00 – I make a salad for dinner.

7:00-9:30 – I finish scanning the papers I’ve already graded.  While they scan, I work on grading the papers that I haven’t finished.

9:30-11:30 - I scroll through The Atlantic online, frantically looking for a documentary on interest groups. The documentary I was thinking of using is only 4 minutes long so I need a replacement for upcoming Module 11 in my Core Class. I look at the title for every available video, but none work for the Chapter 11 module (interest groups).  Damn!  This class is right around the corner and I still need to select a documentary and prepare a video quiz. Fortunately, I find a great 11-minute clip that I can insert into my “white supremacy” lecture on Thursday, for Specialty Class No. 2.

11:30-1:00 a.m. – I listen to, and transcribe, a podcast from Fresh Air on “White Evangelicals and Racist Sentiment” in preparation for my Thursday afternoon class for Specialty Class No. 2.

1:00-3:30 a.m. – Once finished transcribing the podcast, I pull my lecture notes and work the transcription into the “script.”  Then, I design the accompanying slides. 

3:30-4:30 – Night time routine. Bed.