tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40556132024-03-06T21:50:49.504-06:00Kelly in KansasTangential thinking about teaching, technology, and tangentsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1315125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-6418961320122805642011-07-02T17:27:00.000-05:002011-07-02T17:27:37.381-05:00Happy July 4th!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-12853333841058349832011-06-29T20:47:00.000-05:002011-06-29T20:47:44.480-05:00Before June is OverBefore June is over, I had better post. Some things over the last few months have been much harder than losing Mom. On the other hand, I have learned how everyone deals with grief differently. It is a whole other planet.
Work is good and I'm finishing up an extremely fun project.
I spent some time at the lake before the summer heat really hit us - and that is an accomplishment thisUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-53170166167607418742011-05-08T21:16:00.000-05:002011-05-08T21:16:40.417-05:00Mother's DayI'm missing Mom today. It's a different type of feeling than last year but it may be because the adrenaline is gone. I'm reading The Long Goodbye and it is a different take on a grief book since it is letting me follow a 30-something who lost her Mom when her mother was in her 50s. It was a different loss but so many of the parts of the roller coaster ride are all too familiar.
Everyone Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-58815517822746692822011-04-23T11:46:00.000-05:002011-04-23T11:46:58.694-05:00AprilApril is almost over as is the spring semester and academic year.
I will certainly be glad when Mother's Day is behind us.
Dad is excited - his new car is on this side of the ocean and should be here in a couple of weeks.
We are celebrating Easter as a family this weekend - including eating with friends.
Learning to not worry about events beyond my control is still a huge challenge for me butUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-46137733734351151292011-03-27T08:48:00.001-05:002011-03-27T08:48:23.002-05:00One more post before March endsI saw a quote but can't find it again about how much we lose if we don't even try. The story of my life has been to probably try to do too many things and not spend enough time back in my comfort zone. But I also think that both sides of my family wired me for that since we don't fit any traditional mold. ;-)
We're having one more day of wintry weather - snow/rain mix later today. It would be Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-82096976166932853792011-03-12T19:37:00.000-06:002011-03-12T19:37:32.499-06:00Not Ready for SpringWe made it through the first anniversaries. I think that was why I wanted it to still be winter. We just had one cold weekend after we lost her and spring's arrival this year would signal that a year had passed. I can't believe it and yet I can. Allergies are bothering quite a few people and I think of how they are not bothering her this year.
I know I carry parts of her inside of me and Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-2056497179036007222011-02-27T11:48:00.000-06:002011-02-27T11:48:11.182-06:00AnniversariesWe are almost through the one-year anniversaries. A year ago today (although tomorrow is actually the calendar anniversary but today is the day of the week anniversary - Sunday) I was in a daze after having stayed up all night with Mom as she slowly drifted away from us. I stayed with her until after the last time she opened her eyes. I then went home knowing I would return to the Carthage house Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-3687799824718338172011-01-25T07:34:00.000-06:002011-01-25T07:34:48.824-06:00Tenured Radical: Department of Snark: Or; Who Put A Tack On Gordon Wood's Chair?Tenured Radical: Department of Snark: Or; Who Put A Tack On Gordon Wood's Chair?I was hoping for a more focused discussion on the actual Gordon Wood review of Jill Lepore's book rather than the rhetoric-filled default to the Tea Party. But, I guess those are the limitations of Facebook.First, it is important that Professor Lepore put the Tea Party in its historical context. In other words, it's Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-29181525529171103232011-01-18T07:30:00.000-06:002011-01-18T07:30:56.559-06:00StudentsStudents arrive back on campus officially today. We will be more populated tomorrow, however, given that we have more MWF than TTh students given our commuter campus. The weather is a bit iffy this morning but not as bad as it can be. Given that we had no weather-related closings in December, I'm afraid of what January and February holds. Hopefully, students will try to stay safe. With all of ourUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-3103693673116643222011-01-11T13:32:00.000-06:002011-01-11T13:32:55.374-06:00YesterdayYesterday would have been my mother's 73rd birthday. We knew that she would not make 75 because of her declining health but we certainly didn't expect to lose her right after she turned 72. She, however, had been ready to go for quiet some time. I imagine that once she could no longer keep an active schedule outside the house along with her increasingly feeling worse each day had more than a Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-56595782359113904762011-01-02T19:14:00.000-06:002011-01-02T19:14:10.484-06:00Pretty WomanI'm watching one of Mom's favorite movies, Pretty Woman. I haven't gotten done what I wanted to get done today but some unexpected tech challenges as I installed new equipment are the cuprits I am blaming.
Mom loved good movies and I had just helped her buy a laptop with a great display. What I didn't realize was that it was too heavy for her to watch. So, we ordered her a netbook that I Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-86668917903982808832011-01-01T22:16:00.000-06:002011-01-01T22:16:02.927-06:00January 1It is the start of a brand new year. A year I totally never expected to be what it already is. The first year on this earth without Mom. But I know mentally she is in a better place but emotionally I miss her like hell. We (Dad and I) are coping as best we respectively can. I am still learning to let myself not feel like all of the responsibility it still on me. But I will get there.
I am Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-8889321580670426572010-12-24T14:00:00.000-06:002010-12-24T14:00:41.130-06:00The Holiday SeasonI was really missing Mom yesterday. Today is a bit better even though I am not sure why. I keep reminding myself she went out the way she wanted - she was never going to be on oxygen no matter how uncomfortable her smoking made her. :-(Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-82391640211486796592010-12-19T20:32:00.000-06:002010-12-19T20:32:49.154-06:00Jib Jab Year in ReviewHere's JibJab's Year in Review: http://sendables.jibjab.com/originals/so_long_to_ya_2010Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-55752651413621253752010-12-06T22:22:00.002-06:002010-12-06T22:22:36.851-06:00WritingTomorrow there will be serious writing.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-41431823668581032822010-11-30T08:15:00.000-06:002010-11-30T08:15:16.230-06:00Rounding the BendWith a late Thanksgiving, the end of the semester is even closer. I was able to catch up on grading before the holiday. That was a wonderful feeling. Yesterday, I was able to not only download one class of assignments that had been turned in when they returned (they had time to do it BEFORE the holiday! ;-) )and even get it graded. Today, I just have to post the grades and return the papers with Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-23424993286118074392010-11-24T09:24:00.000-06:002010-11-24T09:24:21.997-06:00ThanksgivingTomorrow is Thanksgiving. I have a lot to be thankful for. But there will be a huge hole tomorrow without Mom there. I remember thinking last year that I had this eerie feeling that it would be our last Thanksgiving with her. Since losing her February 28, 2010, I have learned to listen to my gut much more closely. I am so grateful that Dad encouraged her to stay the entire holiday instead of Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-39109425627848252032010-11-07T08:40:00.000-06:002010-11-07T08:40:46.271-06:00It's NovemberThe election is over and we can now do more looking forward than looking back. There is still a great deal to "settle out" but I have confidence that Washington will do what it always does. Brownback will return to Kansas as governor and it will be interesting to see how he translates his DC experience back to Topeka politics, especially education and the economy.
A friend is re-entering Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-86055902969073930652010-10-23T07:34:00.000-05:002010-10-23T07:34:34.755-05:00Juan WilliamsHere's some reading that clarifies from the New York Times.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-5099824893173325672010-10-01T07:55:00.000-05:002010-10-01T07:55:14.680-05:00What October MeansOctober is one of my favorite months of the year. It means the brilliant color of fall leaves. It means my classes are "settled in" - students know what to expect and I've had a chance to start reading some of their work. Projects are underway and the leftovers of summer deadlines are usually fulfilled. The crisp morning air with brilliant sunshine during the day. (Seattle is a great place to Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-11425202795468897422010-09-29T08:58:00.000-05:002010-09-29T08:58:16.819-05:00Before September EndsThe month of September has been productive and busy in many good ways. Progress has been made on several fronts although there are still existing frontiers out there to explore. That's part of the pleasure of being an academic.
On the personal front, the situation at Dad's house is much more stable. We no longer have to worry about personal possessions and toilet paper going out the door. Dad isUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-64008498544398622392010-09-07T11:15:00.000-05:002010-09-07T11:15:41.896-05:00Labor Day WeekendFor most of my life, I have spent the Labor Day weekend working. I was either getting a head start on the fall semester as a student or as a teacher or as a professor. This year, I decided to try something new. I finished a book review that was due a week earlier on Saturday morning and then spent some time at the local festival, including the chili contest and quilt show. In the afternoon, I didUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-20610398083418228602010-08-23T07:38:00.000-05:002010-08-23T07:38:53.243-05:00Last Week's PlungeWhat I learned last week:
1. People to whom you extend a great deal of generosity will not only take advantage of that but will expect, no demand, even more.
2. These same people will steal from you. Not only will they steal material things, they will steal something with an emotional connection to you but that will not only mean nothing to them but will also not get them any more than a small Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-67978220225206699172010-07-26T18:58:00.000-05:002010-07-26T18:58:57.430-05:00Wireless Networks and DroidsSince I upgraded my wireless, I have had trouble with my Mac and now my iPad connecting - the connection is slow - and often frustratingly so. I found some online help that indicated the DNS addresses might be the issue so instead of automatically assigning one, I checked the primary and secondary ones that were provided for me. So far, so good, with only some brief slowdowns that appear to be Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-44671729422266703972010-06-21T06:37:00.000-05:002010-06-21T06:37:50.849-05:00Seat Time vs. ProductivityCommunity College Dean provides some insight into the political climate surrounding "seat time" - which literally means, time in seat. I've always expected students to do much more than regurgitate what I've told them (read AND analyze books and articles and websites!) and have fought the "seat time" issue since I started teaching online classes almost 15 years ago.Student learning, including Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0