• OK so a colleague sent us an article about how to bring “play” back into the college classroom and especially on Zoom. I opened it because one of my classes is proving difficult. They’re smart but they do not interact so I am looking for ways to talk to them. Now this author, instead of simply talking about how students at that age have gotten past the “fun” part of school, began by saying that students have stress now – due to the news – and then blamed it on Trump. Good lord, where do we start here? Ok so there are multiple layers. Firstly, the assumption that news is draining BECAUSE of Trump is a fallacy. News media’s reactions and bias against the president is why the news drains people. Think about this: are mainstream outlets treating Biden the same? No, they ask what socks he has on, what ice cream he ate today. So there’s one. The other layer here, both from my colleague and the author, is the assumption that ANYONE that this article speaks to – any college instructor – stands upon the shared idea that ORANGE MAN BAD so let’s use him as a catalyst to discuss how we can’t handle our feelings. Look, I am analyzing this from a neutral standpoint because I literally teach that in my classes. But my colleague assumed we all identify with this and so did the author. Which, to me, begins the way they think about the topic in a very biased way. It shouldn’t bother me but it does.
• OK with the politics out of the way, we can start discussing the randomness of the day, which are these questions that I stole from Songbird, who stole them from elsewhere.
• Coronavirus  questions:
   
   
   
   
   
  In the past year have you–

   

  1. Gone without a bra 

   
  I mean, at home I’m free to do as I please. In public? Heck no.

   

  2. Skipped making your bed.

   
  I only make it when I am feeling overly OCD anyway

   

  3. Ordered groceries to be delivered

   
  Nope. I braved the store.

   

  4. Cooked a real meal

   
  Yes, I cook quite often

   

  5. Spent the day in pajamas?

   
  I would always start the day in comfy clothes but I showered and dressed every day

   

  6. Skipped shaving your legs

   
  Yes.

   

  7. Spent hours on Instagram or Pinterest

   
  Maybe, but not a lot of them, to be honest

   

  8. Eaten in a restaurant

   
  Yes, as soon as they reopened we started going.

   

  9. Skipped washing your hair.

   
  Yes, but that’s normal. I don’t wash it every day

   

  10. Not folded the laundry

   
  I don’t; my kids do!

   

  11. Worked a puzzle

   
  Yes, we did a couple

   

  12. Had Zoom calls

   
  Zoom, yes. For my job. But also with family

   

  13. Written letters.

  Nope. 

  14. Binge watched a TV show
   
  Of course.  But again, not like a lot of people do. I feel like bingeing implies always watching. And we focus on balance.

   

  15. Gone barefoot

    I live in Florida so I mean, always? LOL

I am working my way through catching up on this one school I teach for, which includes one college course for their main campus and two high school courses. I feel like I am pretty ahead but I also can see where I might begin to slip; I feel a little exasperated by it all. I will say, the one thing keeping me afloat (besides food; that sounds lame but when you do this schedule: one day, one meal, next day, two meals, etc it helps) is the sun coming out and slightly warmer temps. I even laid on the deck in full sun the other day and as my skin warmed and I could feel the healing effects, my entire life seemed better.