Day 71 of Governor Newsom’s “Blueprint for a Safer Economy”

Researching and preparing for lecture…

Friday. 11/6/20.

The election has still not been called.

7:30 - 8:00 - My alarm goes off and I’m up. Downstairs and I wake up the dog, then we go outside and she does her business. The yard is covered in leaves and a disaster. Back inside and I didn’t make my coffee last night so I have to do it now. Meanwhile, the minutes are ticking away because class starts at 8:30 and I still have to post the prompt for the Discussion Board for two classes. This is a recurring theme with me - why can’t I get it together enough to post the prompt the day before? I don’t know why I keep doing this to myself. I give the dog cheese while my Keurig runs and I try to squeeze in a few dishes. Once my coffee is ready, I go to work.

8:00 - 8:30 - I quickly comprise a prompt for both classes then post the Discussion Boards at 8:27 a.m. A student emails me at 8:25 complaining that she can’t find the Discussion Board and are we having class? I email the same response that I emailed to students the first week of the semester: “This is a “synchronous” class which means we meet in real time. As a result, I post the course content in real time. The Discussion Board was posted at 8:27 a.m.” I can’t believe I’m still emailing the same s—t at Week 12.

8:30 - 10:30 - Class begins. Straight lecture today - there are no quizzes - which means the students probably bailed and aren’t listening. I have no way of knowing if the students opened the Audio lecture - if left to their own devices, they probably didn’t. I listen to The Daily and What a Day while class rolls on.

-I email a late extra credit assignment with my comments and edits to a student then notify the students who are getting D’s and F’s in the class and let them know that next Friday is the last day to drop with a “W” [same thing as yesterday, but these are my Wednesday/Friday classes]. A few students email back - “Is there any way I can still get a C in the class?” No.

-I update the attendance. Anyone who did not sign in on the Discussion Board on Wednesday received zeros on TWO quizzes - that’s a 20-point hit - and I emailed the students that they were absent and updated the online gradebook to reflect the zeros. Like the Thursday class, a couple of students did not sign in on the Discussion Board, but still tried to sneak into class and take the quizzes. No. I zeroed them out and, like yesterday, they responded to my email saying that they “forgot” to sign in and can they have the points? If you’ve been reading this blog consistently, I’m sure you must know that I. am. sick. of. this. excuse. No. Score = 0.

-My “dumbest student in the world” emails me that he has finished the Chapter 3 video quiz that I emailed him four times last week, and is waiting for me to grade it. He sends two screen shots containing his answers. Both screen shots are identical and only show his answers for questions 6-10. I am unable to grade the quiz.

-One of my highschoolers requested and received from me an approved absence with permission to make up the quiz. In Canvas, the quiz is locked; however, I emailed him the quiz on Wednesday and told him to email me the answers today, Friday. This morning, the highschooler emails me, complaining that the quiz is locked in Canvas and he can’t take the quiz.

I email the student and ask him to send me our most recent email thread. He does and the thread contains the quiz that I sent him, along with the link to the podcast he needs to listen to and instructions to submit his answers to me via email. I respond, “I am in receipt of our most recent email thread wherein I emailed you the quiz and instructed you to forward your answers to me. However, you have returned a blank quiz with no responses. As stated in my previous email, please submit your answers to me, via email, so I can calculate your score.” He responds, contrite, “Sorry, I didn’t read the email.” No shit.

-I pull attendance for all six classes and ensure that all are up-to-date. I’m current.

-I post an Announcement (reminder) for both classes that we will not be meeting on Wednesday because it’s Veterans Day.

10:30 - 12:00 - Class ends and I take this next block of time to scroll through my personal email, look at L.’s recently edited Google slides, and update my monthly budget for October and November. I listen to Air Talk - host Larry Mantle is providing final outcomes for the CA Propositions and I highlight the final verdicts on my voter guide so I can compare how I voted. Of interest, the District 25 race continues…

-I’m incredibly behind on my personal emails. I find a $50 credit for Wine.com [too bad I placed the order yesterday, but it’s good for the rest of the year] and a $10 credit for Kohls [I might use this for more yoga pants].

-L. send me a political cartoon addressing Thomas Jefferson and his illicit affair (read “rape”) of Sally Hemming as it was unfolding, in the 1800s. I copy and paste it into Module No. 2’s slides - it’s that good.

-L. asks me to watch a clip on implicit bias and police shootings, then requests that I send it to B., which I do. The clip is interesting and might be something I can add to Specialty Class No. 2.

-I pay L.’s DMV registration and then email my ex for his half. He pays instantly.

-L. leaves for work at the Art Studio. R. is dropping her off at work - when her shift ends, he will pick her up and they will drive to the Huntington.

12:00-2:00 - I have to design next week’s lecture for Specialty Class No. 2 from scratch, which means I have to create the script and Google slides, then introduce supplementary material. I have no idea what the supplementary material will be, so I pause for 2 minutes and send this question to my brain, so my mind can mull it over subconsciously and send idea bubbles to the [conscious] surface.

-I recently joined Kanopy through my local library [it’s free and I get access to 5 movies per month] so I scroll through possible immigration documentaries on the website. Ideas for class content are starting to form.

-I check on class content for Specialty Class No. 1 and make sure the link to the video is still there, even though that class won’t run for two Mondays. If there’s an issue with the link, I want plenty of time to introduce a new video.

-I run through the monthly list of featured podcasts and see if there are any of interest. I add a couple to my podcast feed so I can check them out. I continue listening to Air Talk.

2:00-3:00 - I have a frozen burrito, but it tastes terrible so I reheat a different frozen burrito. I read Displaced, a compilation of refugee short stories, approximately 5 to 6 pages a piece. This is a compelling read and was referred to me by one of my students from Specialty Class No. 2 so I checked it out at my library.

3:00-4:00 - My Ipad storage is full again so I go through my entire feed and delete anything I’m not interested in. I find some immigration podcasts that I might be able to incorporate into next week’s lecture and am pretty jazzed about it.

4:00-5:00 - Shower. Covid-19 uniform.

5:00-6:00 - I braid my hair. I read Displaced and listen to Spooked at the same time while I braid my hair.

6:00-7:00 - I do a 1-hour HIIT full body circuit with 5-pound weights.

-L. and R. return from the Huntington. The roses were in full bloom and they had a great time. It was R.’s first time there.

7:30-8:00- I take the dog for a walk. A man in all black appears out of nowhere and scares the hell out of me. He continues walking and doesn’t break stride so I guess I’m safe - I watch him turn the corner, but keep thinking he’s going to suddenly appear in front of me, like the George Zimmerman/Treyvon Martin encounter. Nothing happens and I make it home safely. Not sure if I’ll continue walking the dog at this late hour.

8:00-9:00 - L. gives me the rest of her Thai pizza from CPK - much appreciated. I go upstairs and have dinner while reading Displaced.

9:00-10:30 - I’m exhausted so I tell L. to take the dog out and lock up when she goes to bed. I check the news and a few outlets are calling PA and the presidential race for Biden, although nothing, yet, from the AP. Night time routine. Bed. An early night for me.