K is for Keep Growing, Would Ya?

T'was on February 16 that my fingernails were clipped, cleaned, and manicured, professionally. On that day, I oped for a lovely neutral gel polish, and as much as I loved the way they turned out, I have been regretting that decision since March 16, when the governor's stay at home order made it quite clear that any kind of repair or touch-up was indefinitely out of the question.

Oh, I did my best to DIY, ordering hard-to-come-by kits and watching online videos, but my nails became some weird science experiment: natural at the bottom and soft and peeling at the top. I've continued to work on it with files and clippers, and yes, I confess, my teeth. Finally, three months later, the gel is almost gone: I have just a few pseudo-French tips and those persistent, waning gibbous smears clinging to my thumbs.

Oh! How happy I will be to see my natural nails... the better to manicure, again. Or not.

Life Lesson: All in good time.

J is for Jack Sh*t

The term popped into my mind as I was lying on my new exercise mat, not exercising, but staring at the ceiling and feeling completely uninspired by anything beginning with J.

Where did that phrase even come from? I wondered. And does it mean anything or nothing?

Like, you don't know jack, means you don't know anything, but it's worth jack, means it's worth nothing.

What the heck? My curiosity roused me from the floor and over to the computer.

It turns out that the origin of this phrase is a mystery, although there is some unconvincing speculation about "Jack" historically being a common diminutive and thus Jack shit is worth even less than regular shit. That seems very improbable to me, but what do I know?

And it actually does mean both anything and nothing, which is a lot like this alphabiography.

Life Lesson: "Words are all we have." ~Samuel Beckett

I is for Intrinsic

In an effort to keep those kids engaged with school and rescue myself from 30 cringy minutes of small talk, I have planned fun activities for my virtual office hours. Today, any student with the gumption to log in and join the conference was presented with a scavenger hunt and the promise of a reward if successfully completed.

The ten items were common enough to ensure success within 10 minutes, and also designed to start conversations. The first was a book, What is it about? later it was a photograph, Who is it of? Where was it taken? and something old, This is my baby blanket; these are my cleats from when I was 7; this has been in the house since it was built... 5 years ago.

Our half-hours flew by, and I spent the afternoon writing 8 short notes of thanks and encouragement (and the challenge to invite at least one other student next week), which I dropped into an envelope along with a slim Air Head candy wrapped in shiny foil.

I have hope that they will know which is the true prize.

Life Lesson: "Every moment happens twice: once outside and once inside." ~Zadie Smith

H is for How Much Longer?

My heart sank when I heard last Thursday that our days of distance teaching and learning would continue through June 12. I've been doing my best to stay positive and see the silver linings of this far from perfect situation, but extending it another 5 weeks seems impossible.

As one of my students wrote recently, We are coming to the time we’re we have been out of school for 9 weeks next week it will be ten. I am so bored, it’s a whole new level of bored.

And I know most kids feel that way. It is a struggle to engage them at all, let alone teach them. But of course, we're not giving up. My team and I are working hard to plan and design writing activities that kids will enjoy, and just today I was in a meeting full of ideas for bingo, pictionary, dance parties, and scavenger hunts. We can and we will get those kids involved in school.

And? The end of the year is coming, just not as quickly as we hoped.

Life Lesson: Mind over matter.

G is for Get Thee to the Garden

With all of our pandemic productivity, there is one area of our life that has not flourished as I thought it might. Our community garden is still a bare plot of earth. Every week I think I'll find the time to head over to the hardware store or garden center to pick up what we need, but these cool rainy days have discouraged me from that chore.

My nephew has offered his labor any time we need it, and I assure him each time he offers that I will gladly accept. I'm optimistic that the coming week with its warmer weather will give me the nudge I need to get out there and get to planting. And if it happens? We will still be about 3 weeks earlier than usual.

Life Lesson: To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. ~Ecclesiastes 3. 1

F is for Fantasy

One of my students writes every day about the the TV show Once Upon a Time. Airing from 2011-18 on ABC, the premise of the show is that all the fairy tale characters have been cursed to forget their identities and live real lives in the present day town of Storybrook, Maine. I was definitely aware of the show when it was on, but I can't say that I ever saw a single episode.

Still, this kid was so enthusiastic about it: what a good message it has, what a good role model the main character is, and on and on, that one evening a few weeks ago, when we found ourselves with nothing in particular to watch, I pointed the remote and clicked over to Netflix and found Once Upon a Time and started watching. 

It is a very sweet show, with interesting takes on familiar characters, and a solid good versus evil theme running through (how it could it be otherwise?). Even though it was only made about nine years ago, there is something innocent and even nostalgic about the sensibility that makes me remember the early tweens of this century as a simpler time. 

Whether it was or not, doesn't matter. Once Upon a Time is perfect pandemic viewing for us, and you might think so, too.

Life Lesson: In times of trouble, find what comforts you.

E is for Exploring

We set out to the east this afternoon, over bridges and highways, past expensive homes and secret service details. The day was bright, but very cold, and a brisk wind nipped at our heels the whole way. There were a couple of wrong turns, but the error of our way was quickly corrected, and we found our destination without too much trouble. Down into the valley of a small spring-fed perennial stream we descended, through a tiny mixed hardwood forest. We followed the path through the nature preserve and out into the neighborhood on the other side. Then it was up Canyon Road, around Washington Circle, and over Mount Eagle to the Shirlington foot bridge over I-395.

We were never more than 2 1/2 miles from home, but it was still a pretty amazing adventure.

Life Lesson: "There is treasure everywhere." ~Calvin and Hobbes