Random Tid Bits

1. Getting used to this online teaching that happened oh so quickly has been interesting! I've had to change so many things that I do. I sent 2 big emails out to my students. After the 2nd email a student emailed, "Check in number 2". I spent 5 minutes looking at my 2nd email, trying to check what was wrong with it. She was just checking in saying, "I'm here!" Then I spent 5 more minute laughing about it. I needed that laugh.


2. We were at my parent's house last weekend. We were having a conversation about Mica's eyebrows. He's always had a unibrow. I pluck those suckers out of there. Mica was complaining to my Mom about how it hurts. My Mom asked, "Mica why don't you just do it yourself?" Mica said, "Well Grandma I can't see the hairs up on my forehead to pluck them." My Mom said, "Haven't you ever heard of a mirror?" He said, "Oh I didn't think about that." We laughed and laughed. 


3. If you remember Isaak had to switch Math teachers midyear. His first teacher (according to his carpool) didn't know how to teach. She was pushing the students really hard. Mainly because she was a 7th grade teacher, and Isaak is in 6th grade. She got put on Administrative Leave, then later fired.
   
   Isaak loved his new Math teacher. He was all the sudden excited about class. She even sent him this postcard, and his already big eyes lit up!
   
   
   
   
   
   Now that they don't have school Isaak's not only sad about not seeing his friends, but also pretty bummed that he doesn't have Math with Ms. Walton. He said, "Mom I was actually enjoying Math." :(
   
   Did you ever get excited about a certain class in school?


4. I totally dropped the ball with signing the kids up for any camps. Travis signed up for an art residency, where the whole family would be involved. He had to call about it, to see if he got it. Turns out they didn't read anyone's applications, letters, look at their work. She just picked the top two applicants, and gave it to them. :(
   
   I'm thinking it's a blessing I didn't sign the kids up for any camps with all that's going on. They may not of been able to participate anyhow. They I may not of gotten my money back. Maybe everything does happen for a reason. 


5. I was pretty ticked off yesterday. My boss has us still coming in to work, even though we totally could do it at home. They have signs on the doors, "If you're sick, don't come in!" One of my co-workers has been coughing, and snotting. It's not allergies. Then an Adjunct (which I really wish they weren't here!) just got done flying somewhere, and came in. That's totally how this COVID-19 spreads.
   
   The bossman offers suggestions to make this online stuff smoother. The coworker with a cold thinks the bossman is giving him more to do, making his job harder. I'm stuck in the middle of the two fighting.  

Random Tid Bits

1. Mica lately starts off breakfast saying asking like, "Mom what do you think it's like after someone dies?" or "Mom do you believe in ghosts? What do you think they look like?"
   
   I'm totally ok with his questions, but it's too early and time crunching for me to get into deep discussions. 


2. Mica's questions reminded me of a artist that lives in NY. His name is Marshall Arisman. He has a CD of stories, which I play for my Illustration class every year.
   
   

   

   Source

   His name may not be familiar to you, but he's well know in the illustration field. He's done work for Time, Playboy, album covers, and more. He also teaches in the master's program at School of Visual Arts in NY.
   
   One story is about how he always has a kid in class that demands to know how to get a perfect line his drawings like another artist has in the past.
   
   Marshall got sick of his questions, and knew his student wouldn't stop until the he answered something.
   
   He made up a story about how the artist they were looking at got his hand blown up during WWII. They put a wooden hand on in replace of his damaged hand. In the wooden hand they drilled different sized holes to put paint brushes, and pencils. He just inserted the utensil, and swung his hand to get that perfect line.
   
   The student bought it! Their sole bought it! It cracks me up every time. 





Source



3. Mica and Isaak went to a camp this summer that had brothers in it named Micah and Zeeke. We even call Isaak "Zeek" for short. 


4. I thought it was hilarious when I saw that my nephew Edison had dug up dirt, while my sister was going to the bathroom. What was even more hilarious was that Emerson was laughing about it.
   
   
   
   
   
   When I stopped by Edison (age 2) had his trike all torn apart. 


5. Mica and Isaak pretty much liked all their camps. Mica did complain about having so many. On weekends when we had very little plans (which is rare) he's asked every hour, "So what can I do? Do we have any plans?" I reminded him that, that is exactly why he is in camps during the summer. Instead of saying, "Well, why don't you play with this?" or "Let's go do _____." I'd give him chores to do. 

I was totally pleased with the camps; minus 2 things: Mica's toe nail fungus (that's no one's fault really), but it's annoying for sure! and the last session of their evening camp they didn't feed the kids dinner. I so would have fed them, had I known. They told us up front that the kids get dinner there. All they got that night was 1 slice of cake. The camp went from 6:30 to 10:30, so they were starving when they got home. It just so happened that Isaak got picked on that last session as well. The kids were playing keep away from Isaak with the ball. For a Leadership Camp I wasn't impressed with hearing that news.

Random Tid Bits

1. Next week I have the whole week off. I mainly took it off to take the boys to and from camp. It's about a 25 to 30 minute drive to their next camp. The camp that they will be going to is at Lake Zorinsky. They will be canoeing, fishing, going on hikes, swimming, doing archery, and more. I think it will be fun! Some firsts for the boys with fishing and canoeing. Travis hates fishing, so it's not anything we've done.


2. The camp the boys wrapped up is Fine Lines. It's an We're not taking a vacation this year. We're just doing fun things on the weekends. It was a writing camp for all ages. I have to be honest that I was a little nervous because there was construction all over the area where it was at - including inside the building. I had the boys meet me outside. I was also a little anxiety driven over the fact that it was for all ages. I knew little Isaak would be one of the youngest campers. They did pretty good. We got on Mica about writing better, and he wrote a pretty good story. 


 Our Meeting Spot








3. Our hot water heater has an issue. We won't have hot water until Monday. :( 


4. A person passed away here this week due to an asthma attack. I've been having issues with nocturnal asthma for about 4 weeks now. 5 or 6 o'clock rolls around, and I'm wheezy and coughing up a storm. I hate spraying in my inhaler. I get every side effect listed. I'm thankful that it's there to save my life if needed. 


5. I'm so down about all the shootings lately. Words can't express the sorrow that victim's families must feel right now! I thought by having a president that is part black that racism would get better.
   
   There seems to be 2 sides: People that love guns and people that want them banned.
   
   Then there's the other 2 sides: People that hate blacks, and people that hate cops.
   
   There's bad and good in blacks, whites, cops...
   
   I like the idea of freedom to bear arms because one of those gun owners could save lives in a mass shooting situation. People should be able to protect themselves. The flip side is that guns do get into mentally unstable people's hands. A mentally unstable person could do damage in other ways besides using a gun.
   
   I don't know what the answers are. It would be nice if I could wave a magic wand and say, Ok we all have to play nice now.
   
   I'd love it if families would go back to 1 person staying at home. I think it's sad that kids raise themselves to an extent. We're too busy to fix meals, grow our own food, keep a clean house, and play with our kids. It wouldn't have to be the mom that stays home. Playing video games, watching tv and eating crap can't be good for our kids. We're limiting recess, and many creative outlets from our education programs. When I say "Our Kids" I'm talking about the world's children. I limit a lot of screen time for Mica and Isaak, but I'm not perfect. 

By one of my favorite artists -  James Victore. I don't like his work because it's "pretty". I like it because his work speaks the truth. His podcasts on YouTube are just as truthful.

Something Pretty - Artist Unknown

This one is just ingenious. It's a poster by Milton Glaser. He's famous for the I Heart NY logo, the Bob Dylan poster, and he designed all of Brooklyn Brewery's stuff.

Random Tid Bits

1. I've been having trouble functioning this week. I say that, but I've gotten a lot done. I'm all ready for the fall for 2 classes. I mean all ready. I have everything printed!
   
   A) I'm just tired this week.
   
   • Students wore me out last week. Many that were not passing all the sudden cared, and wanted to do the work. It's crazy, I never thought it would happen, but they all passed. I've had more Cs and Ds than I think I've ever had though. That's not good.
   
   • I'm still trying to get used to getting up earlier. A new schedule is hard to get used to. We have to take our kids to my parent's house. In the summer it's not like we sleep in. The boys have gone to Travis' work a few days this week. One of those days they all had a dentist appointment at 7 AM. Camps will kick in, in a few weeks.
   
   • Male readers shut your ears - I'm PMSing. Uggg! It happens. I'm the type that is the I don't want to do anything PMSer. I'm not the type that gets emotional, or throws things. Sometimes I drop things, but that's my normal.
   
   • Isaak has his family party at our house. I hate hosting events! I decided - yep I just hate it. My house isn't huge. I'm not the best housekeeper. I work full time. It's hard to do it all. More people got magically invited. I don't want to deal with it.
   
   B) Asthma has been really a pain in the butt at about 8 PM each night this week. It's like clockwork. It's been really rainy here. Ever since I was little I feel allergies and asthma kick in when the weather is like that. It doesn't help that there were grass fires and a natural fire that all blew this way. I feel like I have fluid in my lungs, I all the sudden have a deep cough, and I could blow my nose every 5 minutes. I really could do without it! 


2. A coworker left the company a few days ago. I wasn't sad really. He's moving on to be a goat farmer: Selling goats milk, soap and other products. It's been in the works for awhile, so I had time to prepare myself. It's just quiet though. One worker will miss him more than I will. They both talked about the Bible a lot, and conservative politics. They'd try and convert me. I'm glad their religious circle is broken up. I'm there to work. I'm not there to bash on people because they don't think the same way I do.


3. Mica and Isaak don't have camps set in for a few weeks. We hate hearing, "I'm bored!" so I worked on a curriculum for them. On Monday Mica left the curriculum at Travis' work. Travis went to get it, and left his work keys at our house. I was laughing because - that's where Mica gets his forgetfulness. 


4. I signed up the boys for the summer reading program at the library. There's prizes involved. Then I grabbed sheets at Barnes and Noble for the boys to complete that reading program. 


5. Just so I don't leave you pictureless I got new shoes. I can't just wear just any shoes. I have a weak left ankle. There's that. I found a brand I LOVE. Amazon had a special deal where these shoes were on sale and 1/2 off that. The Ahnu brand is not cheep, so I was happy to see the sale! They are waterproof, have excellent arches, and I love the companies values! What brand of shoes do you like? Reds is my favorite color, so without further ado:

 Mona Lisa Socks