What I've Been Up To Lately - August 3, 2024

I've pretty much stopped using social media, but I post the occasional status update here, instead.

Professionally

  • Year number twenty-two as an educator starts August 5th!
    • Two classes of 6th grade math on the schedule this year - it'll be my second year (Re-)Building A Thinking Classroom
    • One class of 7th grade science on the schedule, too.  Only taught that once before, in 21-22.
    • I'm part of an experimental six-teacher team at my school.  Looking forward to making this great idea into a great experience.
    • I'll also wrap up the Teach Like A Champion Fellowship program this year.  What an incredible experience!

Personally

  • I had an absolutely TERRIFIC summer!
    • I redesigned this whole website, which was a great learning experience and I love the outcome.
    • I ran two track meets at Morehouse College - a 3k race in 11:10 and a 5k race in 19:31
  • Also ran the Peachtree Road Race for the 20-something-th time.  Even for the 4th of July in Atlanta, it was hot ​this year. 
  • Saw an absolutely staggering performance of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf at the Theatrical Outfit Atlanta that I haven't stopped thinking about since.
  • ​Spent a bunch of time with my newest, darling "niece" while I was off, too.  She loves talking to the Albert Einstein sticker on my computer.

Travels

  • Spent eight glorious days backpacking, hiking, canoeing, and kayaking in the outdoor wonderland of the Michigan Upper Peninsula - Porcupine Mountain State Park, Isle Royale National Park, and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.  

Media

  • I read The Grapes of Wrath in three sittings.  Very rare for me to read in big, long chunks like that.  Complete masterpiece!
  • Slowly reading a book called Math With Bad Drawings. Really interesting and well done.
  • Also slowly reading Anna Karenina on the recommendation of two friends.  Thought it would be over my head, then it wasn't, now it kind of is.  Commentaries are helping.
  • Got around to two older installments of The Knowledge Project podcast intended for parents of teens, but that nonetheless offered some really valuable perspective to a teacher of (almost-)teens, too
  • Loved the opening monologue of this Cal Newport podcast episode comparing the "processing" level of different types of media to the processing level of different types of foods.
  • Watched No Country for Old Men with some movie-knowledgeable friends.  I don't watch many movies, but it was cool to discuss a really renowned one with people who can teach me what sets those apart.
  • Also watched The Last of Us a year after everybody else, but absolutely loved it.  Highly recommend, even if dystopian/zombie/sci-fi stuff isn't your thing.  It isn't mine either, usually.