#SOLSC24: Planned and Prepped
I woke up at two and thought of an idea for today’s slice and immediately fell back to sleep.
I was awake again at four and had an even more brilliant plan for today’s slice and immediately fell back to sleep.
So now I’m debating – slice or sew because I definitely planned and prepared for success.
I finished my quilt top goal yesterday, the quilt of valor, just before the game began.
I had low expectations as I knew the first NCAA tournament game would not be easy. And it wasn’t. But a “W” is a “W” and every game will be a tough one. That’s our bracket for sure. I had kinda hoped to have more done from the “To Do” list but my expectations for living were manageable.
So I planned ahead for a super Sunday with an hour’s work after supper/dinner.
Plan A: I cut all the outside strips needed to finish the 19 already constructed blocks as well as the new 5 ones. (And I cut a few extra as in the calculations, every other cut involved doubling so I have twice as many as needed.) Silly math.
19 blocks next to the sewing machine that can be completed with four more seams. HOWEVER, I have to make two kinds of blocks in order to make them work. So how will I remember to switch? Alternate as I go? Or split the pile into two sets and make 10 of one pattern and 9 of the other?
Plan B: And then I proceeded to cut the pieces for the final 5 blocks. The original 20 was not divisible by 4 to make the array I now have planned so it’s five more. Ugh. A page of calculations and the blue are cut, but I’m still not sure if the white should be 4.5, 5.5 and 6.5 inches as I listed on the paper or 3.5, 4.5 and 5.5 to match the blues? (Measuring didn’t help as this is sew, press, trim so the evidence of the original strips is gone. I only know the length that remains.)
But the good news is that 14 sizes and strips are READY to go as soon as I make the big decision about the final three. (And yep – 17 different pieces in EACH of the blocks.) There is a reason that a gap between October sewing and March sewing causes unnecessary mathing and increased anxiety!
Planned, Prepped and Ready for Sunday Sewing Fun
(And I will listen to a couple of today’s games as I sew away!)
What’s on your Sunday agenda? What’s your plan?
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#SOLSC24: It’s Cold Out Here
The meteorologist said, “It’s 20 degrees outside today.”
It’s cold out here.
Will I survive?
It’s cold out here.
Will I continue to bloom?
It’s cold out here.
Am I doomed to fade away with just four blooms?
It’s cold out here.
Will I lose my friends?
It’s cold out here.
Why is it so cold when spring starts tomorrow?
How does changing my point of view give me more ideas for writing? Does this extend to empathy for others in my life/world?
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#SOL23: #G2Great
With just two weeks left in 2023, there’s much to do. My shopping’s done. I’ve devised a way to cut my “wrapping” to less than half and the clock is still ticking on a few last projects.
One: begin to summarize #OLW and choose next year’s word.
Two: the final #g2great chat for 2023. These have been on the first Thursday of each month this year with a few extra sprinkled in. The year ends this week with a special, special chat.
One of my first edu-heroes that I met in person is Regie Routman. Her books have always contained so many answers to my most frequently answered questions and this new one is the best. Join us for the chat at 8:30 ET Thursday night!
What can you expect? Check out these two quotes.
How can you restore “Hope, Joy, and Possibility in Uncertain Times”?
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#SOL23: #OLW – Act
As September wanes, the year is more than three-quarters over. How are you doing on your “One Little Word” (#OLW) for 2023?
My word is ACT and this weekend was truly a reminder to act, to do, to be, to live, to love, to . . .! Our days on this Earth are limited. Some have more. Some have less. There is always an expiration date.
How do we live?
Here are some possibilities:
- “To thine own self be true.”
- Be kind.
- Be generous.
- Do something.
- Live
- Love
- Laugh
- Listen more.
- Talk less.
- Recycle back through the list.
I’m at that age when I know too many of the folks listed on the obituary page. I’m at that age where I question my own immortality. And yet, I celebrate life. The joy of doing new things. The creation of new quilts. The accomplishments of many. The frustrations of many.
I choose how to respond. I choose how to spend my time.
Creation is a joy. Developing something new (even if from a pattern) is rewarding. It’s thumbing my nose at that first-grade teacher who tore up my art page because the sun is not red, the sky is not lavender/purple, and more. The materials may limit me; but the possibilities are freeing!
Just a few of my second half of 2023 creations:
Three years ago, I would not have attempted any of these. Brave? No, just curious. Following directions? Sometimes. New skills attempted? YES! The feeling of accomplishment when a task is complete and feels well done. And the ultimate joy when gifting a hand-made treasure. Priceless!
What are your actions? Will you measure their impact? What can you do? What will you plan and do?
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#SOLSC23: Choices
Drive time Sunday gave me time to think, organize, and ready my brain for blogging this week on the downhill side of the Slice of Life Challenge.
What can I write about?
- Lady Hawkeyes win and advancement to the Sweet Sixteen
- Driviing Conundrums
- My uncle’s story about the river flooding so quickly that he had to watch his brother dive underwater to unhitch the horse from the wagon so it wouldn’t die stuck in the river bed. Literally watching his brother risk his life for the horse.
- Current quilting projects
- Formatting issues with my blog posts
- “Response-ability”
Each of these bulleted items could be a slice or two or three. What to do? Start writing and see what surfaces? Take a walk and narrow down the topics to just two or three?
So I started typing. And here is my draft.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Saturday I spent five hours in Zoom PD. Willingly. By choice. In years past I’ve wished for Saturday Reunions to have remote access to save time, $ and resources required to travel. Saturday I was grateful for the learning! There was a theme across the sessions whether it was Lucy, Amanda, Brooke, Rachael, Janet, Phillip, Gene or any of the other sessions I attended.
Response – ability
That was the theme! Not to be confused with “responsibility”. In education, responsibility typically deals with accountability and fidelity. Responsibility makes me think of more of a teaming, “We are in this together approach as we work on common goals in similar ways.”
Response – ability
This word conjures up possibilities. Possibilities in the way I respond to students. In the way I respond to parents, teachers, community, and administrators. It also conjures up choices. I’m thinking that this is “freeing” as I can be “responsive” both to and for students.
Responsive to students is a common discussion thread in our #CuriosityCrew group from #G2Great. Our roles deal with students, teachers, and administrators from PK – college. We collectively believe (like many others) that our fidelity is to the students sitting in front of us, first and foremost. Our goal is learning. Students learning.
So what does it take for students to be learning?
Instruction needs to meet student needs. It’s not “everyone on page 40”. Instruction is explicit. Instruction is differentiated. Instruction is designed to move at a pace that ensures students learn and also close gaps where necessary. This is instruction that is “response-ability” for teachers. Teachers are expected to as well as able to “respond” to students. If 75% of the class doesn’t understand concept x, we can reteach and check for understanding again. We make sure that learning and not “coverage of content” is the focus.
Response – ability
New concept
Old belief
Values students.
Values learning.
Embedded in a sense of urgency
But not limited to a pacing guide.
Responsive
To students.
Response – ability.
Additional Resources:
“Recall that response-ability, in its most succinct iteration, is “an ability to respond, to respond to the world beyond oneself, as well as a willingness to recognize its existence” (Kuokkanen, 2007, p. 39).”
link – https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-61299-3_7#:~:text=Recall%20that%20response%2Dability%2C%20in,39)
Poetry: “Response-ability” https://powerpoetry.org/poems/response-ability
What does response-ability mean to you? How does it fit into your life?
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#SOL22: Poetry
Sun blazing
Red lights flashing everywhere
A sign of tapping brakes
And the masses slow.
Forward motion
Below the speed limit.
Vehicles hugging the left lane
Cause some to pass on the right.
Others wait
And wait
And wait.
Surely
They will move over
As soon as they recognize their “slowness”.
Ah . . .
Will they choose to use their turn signals?
The top driving infraction . . . no turn signals!
Driving: Torture? Fun? Relaxing? Annoying?
It all depends on your point of view
And the drivers on the road!
- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
What constitutes a poem?
Rhyme?
Rhythm?
Word choice?
Literary devices?
Oxford languages defines poetry as:
When do you intentionally choose to write poetry? When does poetry write itself?
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#SOL22: Weekend Recap
Being patient in order for a topic to separate and rise to the top from the busy weekend is difficult.
What should I “slice” about today?
6 seniors on a panel for a Q and A session with the whole group 6 hours of excitement at LFA.
5 years of participating in the Ladies Football Academy at Iowa. 5 family members playing Hand and Foot.
4 family members together most of the weekend. Saturday dinner = 4.
3 football player “lifts” at LFA. LFA and 3 Marek women
2 gooseberry pies made and devoured this week. 2 elder Ruth sisters. 2 Baby Ruths. 2 sisters. 2 from FL 2 winners at Hand and Foot.
1 French toast breakfast created by a chef. 1 glorious day of fun. Best place to relax and unwind.
Which story to tell? Which one wins the story “lottery” for this week?
Revising my list of six. You’ve already seen some of the revisions above.
Revisiting.
Wondering.
Which story?
Maybe it’s not really one of those.
Maybe it’s about being on the front page of the sports section for both the Iowa City Press Citizen and the Des Moines Register on Saturday, June 11, 2022.
Moi? On the front page? Of the sports section?
Yes, the Front page of the Sports Section
Do tell!
Here’s what the article looked like in the Des Moines Register.
(picture from the field on the north side of the indoor practice field … 2019)
Here’s a link to the Iowa City Press Citizen. Scroll down to the second picture.
You may have noticed that the picture looked like a pose in the video from last week’s post. Yes, that 2019 photo of us lifting up AJ Epenesa at the LFA with the help of teammate Chauncey Golston made the front page of the sports section in two major Iowa newspapers. (And it was AJ’s idea)
So the new pics from 2022. Riley Moss. Notice that no assist was needed.
Back 2021
Eric Epenesa – (brother of 2019 liftee AJ)
Fun
Camaraderie
Community
Learning
Tours
Drills
Autographs
Petras / Moss Duet of “Piano Man”
Favorite foods, stadiums, coaches . . .
Thank you, #IOWALadiesFootballAcademy #ForTheKids #UIHC
How do you choose just one small moment from a day fillled with joy and occasional raindrops?
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#SOL22: Foreshadowing
Totally, that kind of a day. Cold. AGAIN. The average daily temp for January is 35 degrees. Staying 15 to 20 degrees below that average is just cold. Tiring. Causing weary bones.
It was not a good day to sew. 15 minutes of stitching around the edges of an 18 inch square was followed by over an hour of “ribbit” – ripping every single, stinking stitch out. So not right! The outside shape was a parallelogram. Not a square. UGH, Geometry! Not the picture in my brain or the one that matched the lines in the plaid.
Following directions was not helpful today. My #OLW “Be patient” was tested. At least three times or more.The air fryer cookbook said six hard-boiled eggs emerge after 15 minutes at 250 degrees. WRONG! The egg white was gooey, icky and totally gag worthy. Trash can ready. Not even soft boiled. GROSS! Beyond disgusting.
The good news was that the other five eggs went back into the air fryer and the egg whites are now solid. Same time as on the stove. No water necessary. The verdict on this methodology has not yet been released.
What will be my choice next?
These are my tools. Which should I use first?
Eggs? Breakfast pizza? Cinnamon rolls? Doughnuts? Banana bread? What should I bake in the air fryer next? Will the recipe be accurate in terms of time and temperature and yield a tasty outcome? What do you predict?
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#SOL21: Final Four
Not an elimination.
Not a bracket.
Not a sport.
The final four days of 2021. What am I willing to prioritize as 2021 wanes? What am I willing to let go? What am I willing to put on my “To Do” list? What won’t even get a mention on my “To Do” list?
Decisions, Decisions, Decisions!
This image seems to fit some of my end of the year traveling. And yet, it seems too simple. Are all the choices really straight lines? What if I venture off the track?
My final four days of 2021:
Finalizing my 2021 #OLW (One Little Word)
Updating syllabi and moodle courses
Reading
Writing
Playing
I don’t yet know the format for playing. Perhaps in fabric choices, Perhaps in writing or reading choices.
How will you end 2021? How will you begin 2022?
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#SOL21: Good Enough?
I’ve heard this phrase for years, decades even.
But I’ve been wondering lately what a person is to do if the quality of the lemonade is dubious, not up to expectations, or perhaps not even fit for consumption.
Do we politely sip it anyway?
Do we question the source to attempt to determine why the quality seems to have slipped?
Do we just say, “Oh, it’s for a good cause. Suck it up! It’s good enough!”
Colleen Cruz offers us much wisdom in her book, Risk. Fail. Rise.
What are mistakes? Are they “missed takes”?
During our #G2Great chat in February of 2021, Colleen defined mistakes for us.
Surprise! We thought it was going to go one way. But it went another!
And I was ready to talk about tons of mistakes.
Two real-life examples
Gravy too thin? A secret ingredient for quick thickening might be two tablespoons of instant mashed potatoes.
In quilting: A narrow seam might “fix” a seam that is pulled too tightly.
But the subtitle of Colleen’s book is:
“A Teacher’s Guide to Learning from Mistakes”
Recounting mistakes is not the end goal. My list could probably be a mile or two long.
Learning from Mistakes.
Where does the learning come from?
I liked the element that Jill added:
The learning begins with reflection and knowing a bit more about the types of mistakes that occur.
Getting beyond mistakes are “good” or “bad” takes some work or study. Not all mistakes are equal. Four kinds of mistakes include: stretch mistakes, aha moment mistakes, sloppy mistakes, and high-stakes mistakes.
McVeigh, https://literacylenses.com/2021/02/risk-fail-rise-a-teachers-guide-to-learning-from-mistakes/
The life mistakes with gravy and quilting were/are not earth shattering. Annoying? Yes. Easily rectified? Yes.
But they do require an awareness of the end product. A road map of our destination. An expectation or approximation of that end goal/ success criteria!
Who decides what is good enough? What if we set the bar too low> What if “any lemonade” becomes our goal and the quality drops off? Will we continue to make lemonade? Are we willing to adjust/adapt to maintain a certain criteria of excellence? Who determines the criteria?
Do give yourself grace.
It’s going to be another wild year.
But continue to have high expectations. Your life will be richer for all that you maintain high expectations. It will be up to you to determine where and how many mistakes you want to share. (Many folks won’t notice them. Others will notice and name many.)
The key is being willing (#OLW) to reflect on the “fails” in order to learn and grow your own list of accomplishments.
You get to set the criteria! Go for the Olympic Gold! Set some worthy characteristics!
Be flexible. Grow and learn. Don’t settle for making lemonade. Make the best lemonade possible!
When is “Good Enough” really Good Enough?
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