A Day in the Life... 2021-22 School Year

Early morning run

I like to do these posts every year or when things change so as a way to look back and see how daily life was during certain "seasons" of life. So, really, they're for cataloging purposes, but I also know I love reading these sorts of voyeuristic (with permission) posts, so maybe I'll appease someone else's nosiness.

My schedule is different on some days, but this is a typical Monday!

5:08 AM- my alarm goes off every weekday at this time and I am up leaving the house to run with the dog by 5:18. I have this ten minute stretch planned and autopilot to the second (I have a second alarm that goes off at 5:18 so I know I need to be walking out the door then). There is never any snoozing, ever, ever, ever!

5:45 AM- 6:40- this is my absolute least favorite part of the day! YAY! Once I get back from running I get myself ready, supervise Sawyer's getting ready (no sense of urgency at all, that kid, but I also don't want to make him get up any earlier than he does), breakfast, feed the dog, etc... Oh, and coffee- my first of many caffeinated beverages of the day!

6:40-7:15- drop Sawyer off at his before/after school place and go to work

I immediately change into work-out gear when I get home

7:15-3:40- Work! Today we did an activity with excerpts from The Scarlet Letter, the kids taking turns reading them, annotating them for one device or literary concept, rotating to another student who does the same, and so on and so forth until they've all seen the five passages and read what their group members wrote. They then discuss, choose one, and do a brief explication on it for homework. For the other class I teach, IB Theory or Knowledge, we (I co teach, since it is a weird class that can be potentially large) worked on helping the kids review some sources for a big research project. 

3:45-4:10- It takes me almost a half an hour to go like ten miles, but that's what I get for living in Southern California! Pick Sawyer up.

4:10-4:30 More traffic on the way home. After giving me the low down on his day on the way home, Sawyer does his independent reading out loud to me (it was a book from The Dragon Master's Series) 

4:30-5:30- My husband commutes to LA on Mondays and Wednesday, so I rush to let the dog out and then Sawyer and I tackle his homework, which is generally about thirty to forty minutes if he does his reading in the car. I've complained about how excessive it is for a second grader before, so I'll spare the additional complaining. While he works (he usually just needs help with math), I keep an eye on him while unloading the dishwasher, prepping dinner, answering emails, etc...  

5:30-6:00 Sawyer and I walk Ellie

6:00-6:30 I put dinner in, Sawyer draws, and then I run around to skim the pool, take out the trash, do a load of laundry, and vacuum

6:30-7:15 dinner for the three of us, then I supervise Sawyer's shower. I usually try to lift weights, clean up the shower, work on a blog post, or grade a few papers 9instead of just sit aimlessly on my phone)

7:15-7:45 Sawyer watches Netflix while I grade (sometimes I read, but right now I am trying to push through the papers) and supervise the dog (she is corralled in the kitchen while we are gone all day, which is a pretty large space, and when she can't be watched... she's not quite two and is SO destructive still)

7:45-8:15 My husband calls from the road to say goodnight to Sawyer and then we do the whole bedtime routine, capped off with a chapter or two of whatever I am reading him (right now Katt vs Dogg, which is not my favorite, but I do appreciate the allegorical nature for race in America as a talking point)

This what walking and watching looks like, in case ya didn't know

8:15-8:45 Incline work on the treadmill while watching Cheer, a few half-assed planks at the end

8:45-9:20 shower and read

9:20-9:50 chat for a few minutes with my husband, take out the dog, set the alarm, get ready for bed

9:50-10:10 wait for my melatonin to kick in while stressing about whatever needs to get done the next day. I am not a good sleeper, so I will spare you the details about waking up 2-4 times a night.

My, what an exciting life I live. Ha! Weekends are much better. 

Five Things About... Push: A Climber's Search for the Path by Tommy Caldwell

Yosemite is one of my favorite places (we go once a year), so it gave me the warm fuzzies reading about it for a huge portion of the book.

Speaking of literal forces of nature, Patagonia is definitely on my list of dream destinations, so the fact he details two trips there was also awesome! There were many other destinations too, serving as a good reminder that there are so many beautiful spots to travel to.

I though his handling of his trip to Kyrgyzstan and all that happened there was well-done (his group was kidnapped by rebels and he had to push one off a cliff to save them). Clearly it was an incredibly dark time for him and his ex-wife, but he still discussed this without letting the tragedy overtake the entire text. This is the same in terms of the finger loss he experiences, as well.

I’m always motivated by fitness stories, whether it’s people who go from nothing to something or from something to substantial. Obviously rock climbers have to have a heightened level of fitness, but Caldwell’s journey is next level. If you need some inspiration look here!

Caldwell worked hard to discuss personal situations with care, like his divorce, his current wife’s religious priorities, his relationships with his dad, and the intricacies of his climbing partnership with Kevin. He also injects some subtle humor, my favorite being when he recalls Alex Honnold considering repelling down El Cap with Caldwell’s baby strapped to him. 

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts

I am so incredibly tired of my helping my son with his homework. His teacher gives out SO much- they have to silent read for 15-20 minutes, review vocabulary slides, a spelling activity, and a math activity EVERY SINGLE NIGHT. It takes us nearly an hour most days and I am so over it. I get that there is a need to make up for learning loss from last year, but for parents who work it's just insane. And they're moving SO fast in math- in the course of a week is homework went from identifying coins to making change after adding up several coins. Okay, rant over. Can you tell what I've been doing? Ha. 

One of my old students who graduated six years ago sent me a Milkbar cake and the sweetest card for Teacher Appreciation Week. In my opinion TAW is out of control in the elementary schools, but, on the other hand, secondary teachers basically get nothing (I don't want anything- cards at the most). Anyway, it was so generous and much-needed.

Mother's Day was the best yet- Sawyer, Ellie and I went on an early hike, then got donuts, Sawyer and Scott got/made me a few things, I did some things around the house, and then my friend and I went to UCLA to see David Sedaris (post coming soon!). 

My students are taking their IB test tomorrow, the one we've been working towards for two school years and they are so prepared. I have so much faith in them! 

I'm reading Loved and Wanted: A Memoir of Choice, Children, and Womanhood by Christa Parravani, about how the West Virginian health care system failed her, and it's so depressing. 

Weekly-ish to-do lists are back!

Things I need to do soon:

1. Confirm drywaller

2. Finish book

3. Get grades in 

4. Glue puzzle (don't ask)

5. Contact landscaper about sprinkler issue

6. Buy Hollywood Bowl tickets

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts

April was not super productive in terms of reading, with just three books. It's fine though- I had to grade a TON and there were a lot of things going around the house to handle. I should definitely get more read the next few months, so no worries here. I've also decided that I'm not going to do back-reviews here on my bookstagram account, so at least I don't feel like I have to get to those. Joan is Okay was a delight, Fox and I  I reviewed already, and then everyone knows The Scarlet Letter! 

So many countdowns- 12 days until the IB test, 19 days until senior check out, 26 days until the last day with kids, and 27 days until the last contractual day of the school year! And then after that it's time to start looking forward to summer plans! In the mean time, I've been reading more essays than anything, so I sadly only finished three books this month. Par for the course! I'll coming roaring back next month, not too worry.

We had a leak in our living room ceiling this week, for the second time (a different spot). It's definitely not fun, but our plumber is AMAZING and had it fixed super fast and even called me at 9:30 at night to discuss. The drywall and paint will be fixed in the next few weeks and the area is already almost all the way dry. So, inconvenient, but not a crisis. 

The other day someone I know sorta made some pretty personal observations about me and, while there was definitely some truth to what the person was saying, it was also super unnecessary. So, there are two takeaways here. The first is a reminder for myself. If you engage in social media you have to be ready for the commentary, plain and simple. I've cut ties with people who I didn't want to interact with and I know (lololol) people have done the same to me. If you stay connected you have to be ready for opinions! I feel pretty good about my little virtual social circle, but, nonetheless, there are lots of different personalities (a good thing!). The second is that sometimes if you don't know a person super well you shouldn't vocalize assumptions you've made about them, since you might be off base or offensive. 

Our high school had our first prom since 2019 and my students were so excited! The girls were struggling so hard to type Thursday and Friday with their new long nails, which was more cute than it was annoying. They've sent some pictures and they all look so happy! 

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts

I could do A LOT of complaining right now about things that will soon be resolved, as they normally are, or I could focus on some quick good things. I'll go with that! Here are five great things as of late:

1. We took Sawyer to Universal Studios over the weekend for a birthday surprise and it was lots of fun! We had the pass that allowed the express lane for the rides, so we didn't have to wait for much at all, which was great, since it was incredibly crowded. Sawyer was chosen for the show at Olivander's in Hogsmeade's Village, which was super cool for him.

2. My mom was in town this weekend, so that was of course awesome! I took Friday off for an appointment in the morning and then when she got in we went to lunch just the two of us before I lost her to Sawyer when he got home that afternoon. No hard feelings, I love that they love each other.

3. We are having our IB Celebration in-person Tuesday night for the first time since 2019 and I can't wait. I love it more than graduation and my students are the seniors this year, which makes it even more special. Sawyer is going to join me and I'm excited for him to go to something at my work again. He used to come once in awhile after work so I could grade or to events, but it's been years. 

4. There are no major holidays or birthdays that I am responsible for making special for many many months. I cannot explain how happy this makes me (my son's birthday is actually tomorrow, but the brunt of it is over). 

5. Nineteen more school days with my seniors, twenty-four school days total, and only five Mondays left for the school year. I love my kids, but I have never had a more exhausting year and this last stretch has been particularly grueling (case in point: I have only finished two books so far this month. TWO. Atrocious).