Inspiring Writers One Cup at a Time

I didn't exactly have a plan when the 10 students in my new intervention period walked in at 8 AM this morning. Sure, I knew I wanted them to write-- they are the kids that my evaluation goal is based on this year-- and I thought that encouraging them at this stage in the writing challenge might jump start them to do all 100 days, but beyond that? Let's say I was planning to rely on my motivational teacher personality.

But when they were in front of me, still a little sleepy from the early hour (even though it is our regular time), I sensed that I was going to need a little more than time and encouragement to light a fire under these guys. "Welcome to..." I started, and paused. "Welcome to... the writing cafe!" I said, and turned the lights a little lower.  "My goal for you is that each one of you will write 100 days before the year over."

I saw a few skeptical looks so I continued quickly. "Here you will have space and time to write." I clicked on my Bluetooth speaker and pushed play on a light jazz list and scanned the group. "And refreshments! What's a cafe without food and drinks? How about some hot chocolate?"

Heads nodded; iPads were unlocked, and fingers tapped the screens.

"I love it here all ready," one girl whispered as the writing began.

It's On!

I introduced the 9th Annual 100 Day Writing Challenge to my students today. As I have for the last 4012 days, I'll be writing daily with them. This year I have also decided to challenge myself to do a couple other tasks, that are not quite so routine, for the 100 days from March 1 through June 8.

For me? My daily diligence will be writing, posting a selfie, and doing 100 sit-ups and 10 minutes of meditation. As I told my students today-- I am going to turn these flabs into abs and this stressing into luminescing.

The pep talk must have been somewhat effective-- I've got at least 40 kids in for the writing challenge, and another two girls who are going to do 100 days of push-ups.

Let's go!

Haute Meal

After Heidi's surgery the recommended diet was low fat and high fiber. Plus, she was concerned about keeping her weight down in the weeks of inactivity, and so we settled on oatmeal for breakfast. The cereal we had in the pantry was a can of steel-cut oats from Scotland, and after a couple hearty, filling, and delicious morning meals under 200 calories, I was hooked.

The next oats we bought were organic from Whole Foods and then, in a pinch, we purchased a discount brand. It was oatmeal for goodness sakes! What could it possibly matter? Perhaps it was the snob in me (or as I prefer to think, my refined palate), but those breakfast bowls seemed somewhat lacking. Less nutty? A little more gummy? Starchy rather than toothsome?

Wondering if it was my imagination was driving me nuts, so yesterday I resolved to figure it out. On our weekend grocery run we bought Irish steel-cut and one of America's top brands, too. This morning I prepared all three identically and presented them to Heidi in numbered ramekins so that we could do a taste test.

Of course, I knew which was which, and so I must acknowledge my bias, but Heidi did not. Her preference? Irish one, Bob's two, and Target? Number three. But were the differences enough to cover the price points-- twice and three times as much for the preferred brand? For both of us, it was a NO. And so in good conscience, we can put oatmeal on the regular grocery list.

What a relief!

(Apologies to my brother for two posts in a row with puns!)

Doo Pennants

We hadn't been on the trail very long this afternoon when Lucy pooped. Since it was an in-and-out hike, rather than walk three miles with a bag of poop, we deposited it near a tree and vowed to collect it upon our return. The same thing happened twice again with other dogs we were with, and as much as I enjoyed our time in the woods, remembering to pick up the poop and pack it out weighed on me. In fact, I counted the bridges to the crossway on the path that I knew we would come back to so that we would be sure to find it again, and even then, as I walked I wished that there was a way to more clearly flag the bags as well as our intention to return to them. Little neon pennants came to mind, the type that utility companies use. Those and a sharpie would do the trick. Would other people buy them? I wondered. If I sold them, what could they be called?

First Couple

One of the best commercials my students made this year was also a breakthrough of sorts.

The product was called the Lint-A-Way and was described as "a chargeable, fast, voice-activated and extremely powerful lint remover that cleans away any level of lint in seconds." The ad starts with an aggravated guy trying unsuccessfully to remove the lint from a pillow with a regular brush.

Next it cut to another guy who says, "Honey I have to go to work in three minutes! There's lint all over my tie!"

Then it cuts back to the first guy, still working on the pillow, who replies, "Honey, I can't! I'm trying to clean off the lint with this lint roller and it's not working!"

Yes! In a first, the commercial featured a same sex couple, played by a couple of typical sixth grade boys! And even more incredible, to me, was that not a single kid who saw the commercial even mentioned the choice. In fact? They didn't even react.

Mind.
Blown.

Oh, and I'll take one of those lint-a-ways. My wife would love it.

Leaders of Tomorrow Today

In observance of Presidents Day, I gave my students a writing prompt that asked them to consider what issues they would focus on if they were president.

I couldn't have been more impressed by the thoughtful and carefully reasoned replies they posted to our class discussion board. The two top issues were immigration reform and climate change, followed closely by gun violence, homelessness, education, and health care.

They may seem like self-involved, TikTok-obsessed Tweens, but they have a lot of heart and the brains to express their opinions in a civilized way. It gives me plenty of hope that the prevailing poison of our present political atmosphere will pass.

The View from Up There

I was hoping to catch one last glimpse of my mom's building as we took off from the MSP airport early this afternoon. The wind was from the north, and the plane took off in the right direction to allow such a view, but before we were in the sightline we banked sharply to the east. I sighed, but rather than feeling disappointed I heard a little inner voice, that sounded a lot like my mom, saying Don't look back.

And so I turned my thoughts toward home.