Pam Mastered the Greek Chicken, Feta, Tomato Pita-Bread Sandwich and I Was There to Be Witness (Delicious)

She told me she bought a Greek skewer to stack chicken, onion, and potatoes in her oven. It was a pyramid of poultry, but we knew the flavors within the pita-bread sandwich was a secret sauce. I cut up pickles, tomatoes, and cucumber, and she also added tater tots and a tahini dressing. It was better than any restaurant's version and I will be talking about it for years.

This was the last Friday before Labor Day weekend, and the kick-off of a new school year. The meal was one for a lifetime and I'm very happy I have the friends and family that I have. The temperatures cooled, no humidity, and the beach sky was superb.

I even got a nap in, having started my morning with a walk where I was drenched from sweat, simply because we went so far. 

I still need to clean the hulk. She's a mess of receipts, loose food, and dog hair. I hope to vacuum her out today and also to mow the lawn. I should also trim the trees and bushes, now that the neighbors behind me have excavating their backyard and I can see it now. It's no longer a jungle.

Kudos, too, for no olives. I know some like that sort of vomit in their Greek food, but not me. What a meal and great way to kick off a three-day weekend. It was a healthy meal, too...one to replicate in the future. Delicious. Teeth-licking joy.

Meat tower...whod've thunk it? And potatoes on the bottom for Beverly.

This was a winning meal, indeed. A+++++++.

I may never go back to cheese and crackers again. I want to do a total replay of the meal during tonight's dinner-fest. Delicious.

And with that...Goodbye August and Summer '24 - last day today. Phew. That was fast.

13 Years Ago I Came for Faculty Orientation as a Professor of the Practice Still Needing To Finish His Dissertation (and I Met These Two)

I was living on campus when I arrived to Fairfield (they said it was faculty housing, but it was a two floor townhouse with hard-as-a-rock mattresses. I survived (as I taught the teacher institute and by Fall I found a three-bedroom house to rent in northern Stratford (rent was three times as high as my mortgage in Syracuse). Welcome to Connecticut, they said.

During orientation, where mission and identity were highly encouraged, I heard a woman speak from across the room. She was a new hire in the MFA program and I realized quickly, "She's Brown School, super cool, and I'm going to be her friend." She made it to full professor several years before I did, but she also came in from another institution. I had to finished my doctorate, first. I did that (actually won a doctoral prize for outstanding research) and started my career as this POP thing. Two years in, the then Provost talked to me about taking a tenure track position, which I did (by reapplying and pretending I didn't know anyone) and then started the journey towards publication, teaching, and service. 

Throughout it all, I always had Sonya Huber and her husband Cliff as guiding lights...sunshine for the dark days and artists along a parochial landscape. We're all creative, definitely outside the box, fight for justice, and have radars that see through nonsense rather quickly (which makes us outliers where we work, so we have to be very careful...and it's probably one of the reasons we only see one another on occasions. If we're in the same vicinity we tend to explode as if an episode of Pee Wee's Playhouse. So we keep a loving distance, but not so much that we lose the oxygen we each provide.

Sonya is our new Faculty Welfare Committee President and I'm super happy for her leadership in protecting the rights of academic freedom, labor, and ethical deliberations. She is very deserving and I loved seeing her and Cliff at the afternoon picnic yesterday...so much so that I took their picture and realized how beautiful they both are.

I'm still not ready to admit that on Tuesday we're back in action, but we are and students begin arriving today. I'll stay home, thank you, as I've started a couple of writing projects and rally need deodorant and coffee. So, I'll likely go to the grocery store.

And in my next life I will have Cliff's hair...talk about hair model. Phew. it doesn't even look real. Here's to us and another year of persevering the impossible. 

Harvesting Cosmos Seeds and Hoping It Works. Bonus to Be Gifted Another Summer's Joys From the One's Blooming This Year

I never made it to the beach. It was way too hot...miserable hot. Karal and I walked in the morning and I was drenched. Her tongue dragged to the ground. I guess Connecticut needed a one-two punch of heat before the cool down (although it is coming without any storms). It was the oppressive heat kind of day - so much that you didn't know what to do but stand in a cold shower and drink ice water. Should I have a pool, I would have been in it the entire day, but as Bev said, "It's too hot even to stand in a pool" (that was her, not me).

So I accomplished much of my to-do list, moving further along the road than I expected. I will say that the heat reactivated my psoriasis to a whole new level and my legs are on fire. The poor ankles look like I've been attacked by fire ants.

With temperatures dropping today, I might take a roadtrip to Hartford to see my friend Jason who has been battling cancer. I've had a gift for him for a while, but he keeps having to go back into the hospital. I feel terrible I haven't made it to see him, and am hoping he is taking visitors in his home this week...one of the smartest English professors I know....NYTimes/Jeopardy/Wordle smart...and focused, passionate, driven, positive, and hard work.

The cancer diagnosis came quick and as he's a National Writing Project brother, it's been bothering me that I haven't made it that way. Today I am hoping to be the day, as well as harvesting more Cosmos seeds. Honestly, if I could give everyone Cosmos seeds each and every year, it would make me a much better human being. 

Here's to blooms.

Soaking In the Last Days of Summer Joy While We Can...The Dog Days are Dwindling and I Know One Canine Who Has Mastered the Intentions

I can't help but capture Karal's many positions as she takes respite from a busy weekend (and an even busier summer). She knows we only have a few days in-between summer work and the Fall semester, so she poses to remind me that the shorter days remain ahead. 

I hear her, and with temperatures heading to the high 80s today, I might just join her in taking some time to enjoy it. Maybe the beach, kayaking, paddle boarding, and feet in the sand (sorry, Karal...no paws allowed at Walnut Beach).

We are lucky to live where we live with the allure of kinder days.

I was talking to several teachers and administrators yesterday, setting our goals and promising one another to lock arms and dedicate ourselves to self-care and joy when I looked over to the dog and thought, "We all could learn a lot from Karal."

Find the light. Bask in it. 

We shall see what today will bring, as I've set syllabi goals, a communication task, and conference organization to be accomplished before any playtime. I was also working on the 11th edition of POW! Power of Words, and I'm hoping to get it to the publisher in record time (thanks to Corrigan Scholar Max Limric...what an awesome human being).

Here's to the blue skies and sunshine. We got this.

Yesterday Was International, Co-Dependent Fur-Monster Day for Those Who Celebrate and Since It's Tuesday, I'll Be a Day Late on this Platform

...as irrelevant as this platform has become (I'm an old dog and it takes me a while to learn new tricks). I was late to the Twitter world and will leave late, too, because I'm cautious about any and all changes I make in my life (not that nay of this stupid stuff matters anyway in the big picture). 

Kanyea, Courtney, and Malia-Celine left around 11:30 and I took Karal for a long walk to readjust her to a quieter home. I imagine she'll sleep for a few days because she was on high-energy mode the entire time they were on Mt. Pleasant. The baby made her jealous and she was on constant patrol of getting anyone's attention, including the 1 year-old's. such a spastic dog.

Tomorrow the temperatures spike high again, so I'm hoping to use today as a day to get the yard work completed, wash the car, work on syllabi, do laundry, clean the garage, and figure out life's meaning.

That won't happen, but I can make lists like Chitunga from time to time.

In the past few days I've been contacted by the majority of faculty who have left my school and department, wishing me a good year and saying, "Just hold your head down and continue to do the good work." That's been my mantra since 2011. Very few of the people who do just that remain, so holding that philosophy gets trickier and trickier each year. I'll try. I've told them I have no game plan for the year accept survival and more joy. I typically prioritize joy and integrity, which perplexes most who operate without joy or integrity. Fascinating actually. 

Okay, Tuesday. You had the ultimate four-day distraction, and now it it time to get back to the to-do list. Ugh. I've always said it takes a baby/toddler to calm me down. It remains, true.

Sundays are For Galavanting with Friends and Loved Ones. So Wonderful to Have Kanyea and Courtney in Town all Weekend. What a Fantastic Way to Spend a Day

It began at 7 a.m. when Malia wanted to go for a walk. We did, and we played on swing sets before coming home for breakfast, which cause reason for a nap, which Kanyea didn't fight. By 11, we hit the road to Norwalk where we did the Stepping Stones Museum for Children and the Maritime Aquarium, both dazzling through the eyes of a child. The pure joy and happiness of every second was wonderful to see...so much play and magic. So much innocence. And all the happiness, too. 

We went from there to Lil' Pub for dinner, well lunch, which Kanyea called it, and enjoyed time walking along the water. At night, we finished with another round of Ted Lasso, Karal being a pain in the butt all the way. This morning, they have to head back to Syracuse for another work week to be completed. It's crazy how fast time and life is moving at this point. Eerie actually. 

One more good breakfast to go and then a week to get my head around a new semester.

Here's to the week, love, purity, story, and human togetherness. It's another Monday, y'all.

Two for Two (Well, Three For Two). Good Times at the Beach with Little Ones and Great to Be with Edem's Twins & Malia. So Much Changed Quickly

I'm definitely accustomed to my world. I move as I move and don't have to factor in diapers, feeding schedules, sleeping time, moods, and play things. Getting to the beach took about four hours longer than I figured it would take...but Courtney did by rainbow swirled bagels that tasted like normal bagels, and that made for a spur-of-the-moment sandwich while Kanyea and Malia fell asleep in a chair for two hours, delaying sun even longer. All was well, though, because by the time we got to the beach, it was stunningly beautiful.

And Edem came with Zuni and Zeva, who have doubled in size since his last visit. He and Felicia live 35 miles away and I never see them...just phone updates. Great to have them together with Kanyea and Courtney, as well as Kaitlyn and Oliwia.

So many smiles. So much jumping around. So much curiosity and joy wrapped up in all the lil' ones already living their best lives. 

Also, on a note of great joy, Chitunga's student loans are officially paid off. We tag-teamed to get that out of the way, so he can enter his 30s without that burden hanging over his head. Focus, determination, vision, and purpose. Wonderful to take care of that last night. All done. 

Today may be another day for the beach, but maybe a road trip to see another part of Connecticut. We've been eating well, laughing, enjoying every moment, reminiscing, and keeping our minds on the preciousness of time.

If only every day was spent with such clarity. 

The Joy of Discovering Everything: Exploration, Wonder, Language, Joy, and a New Setting. Welcome Malia Celine. First Visit to Connecticut

Crazy how the world works. Kanyea graduated from University of Illinois in 2017, where he played division I soccer. Finishing that degree, he wondered what would come next, and he contacted Abu and Losssine, who recommended, "You need to go live with Crandall. He'll help you figure it out." He came for a year, and last night we watched the video made from the summer when he worked for CWP. He was meant to administrated - wasn't so great with kids. Too competitive and serious. 

Fast forward. We relocated him back to Syracuse where he did a Masters at SUNY Oswego in hospital administration, where he's worked ever since. He was also Chitunga's wingman when Chitunga was at Lemoyne. Chitunga used to say, "I let Kanyea stand in the bar and the ladies flock to him. If I'm lucky, a few of them will take to me."

Kanyea met Courtney and they had Malia Celine last year. She's already walking, talking, and showing she has Kanyea's stubbornness, Courtney's zest, and her own joy. Kanyea wanted a spicy, Crandall dinner which I provide and I'm impressed that Malia ate off his plate. I had one taste and I was like, "I can cook that, but I can't eat that." My stomach couldn't take the heat. 

Karal got used a the toddler in the house and Courtney retired early with her (so she would fall out of the bed). We ate like royalty and today we're off to the beach...it's a perfect weekend, and we'll introduce her to Oliwia and Ethan. Toddler central.

Wonderful to have them on Mt. Pleasant again. It's been 7 years since Kanyea moved into my home and introduced me to his story. I can't believe how much has changed since then. Chitunga always said, "he's my brother," and it feels good to know Kanyea bought a house, is working for Loretto, and already looking for his next steps with Courtney. 

In the meantime...this girl of theirs...there are no words. Too precious. I'm ready for her play for the U.S. Olympic team. She's built like her dad. 

Visited a Junior-Colleague Today to Plan for the Semester Ahead. Scratching My Head. I'm Doing This Life Thing All Wrong. I Need to Invest in Joy

I love when individuals share visions with me and why they have such visions: a pool, a bar, a viewing area, and a resort spot right in their backyard. Well, dang. I could live with that and I told Abu all summer how much our lives would be better if we had a pool to jump into each afternoon. Maybe I should visit my colleague's home. Granted, she married a partner who is in finance and the pool matches the rest of the home, but still. 

Did I go in? No? Did I admire? Yes. Granted, they also live a block from the ocean; life is good and I'm never, ever jealous.

Not at all.

Syllabus one is complete and today I train the FYE crew of undergraduates who run a 1-credit undergraduate course. I love this training and I'm ready to get it rock and rolling. It's fun to have the opportunity to play (but I noticed they caught the number being trained by 1/2...I wonder if they too are being cut during a time with an excessive profit being made by the university. Wouldn't be surprised. Seems to be the way it is these days (and I read the case of several of the nation's most prestigious schools and how bloat in the administrative class is the new norm...at some schools, there are more administrators than faculty and students). As went the hospital industry, so goes higher education. It is what it is.

I also await the arrival of Kanyea, Courtney, and Malia-Celine who will be on Mt. Pleasant all weekend keeping me busy (chasing Karal who will be thrilled to have company again). They arrive around dinner time and I will be making....well, dinner). Can't wait to host them and have quality time together.

Here's to the weekend!

The Serenity Begins with the Calm of the Canine Clan. They Center What Is Right and Just in the World (the Pains in the Ass They Are)

I'm a dog person. And if it wasn't for my dogs, I would lose myself completely in work and expectations of the job I have. I am thankful that Karal needs her walks, her food, and her play time and I'll always stop everything in my path so she can have what she wants.

Biscuits. Toys. Long treks. Belly Rubs.

Yesterday, I started to tackle the fill-in courses required of me this semester and I'm thankful to do so, even with the additional students accepted so they don't have to be wait-listed. I do it for them, and not the systems that limit the number of faculty they deserve to work with them. I will give my all, do my best, and teach to the billionth degree so they can represent the next generation of educators. 

I also prepped professional development for another round of student ambassadors selected to teach the first year courses. I will do so with humor, pizazz, spunk, and best practices.

Karal is sanity amidst the craziness that our the systems that we work for. She keeps me grounded, oriented, and focused on what is more important in the world...not the narratives of the story they wish others to believe, but the truth that faculty deserve support, investment, and trust for their expertise. It's sad when one needs to admit that there's a life outside of work that also deserves attention, and I have no issue admitting that. I no longer have to worry about the boys and their schooling, their adulthood, and their next phases (okay, I still worry), but there deserves to be a line between the work we do with passion, and the demands made as a result of too few faculty to carry out the work.

So, today. I'll take a walk with my dog and I'll focus on what is more important at home. Colleagues deserve such a stance.

Yesterday Was Just a Perfect Day. Sure I Worked from Home, But with All the Windows Open & Wonderful Fresh Air. Perfect Summer Day.

I went to bed Monday night with humidity and rain. I woke up on Tuesday with Nirvana. I immediately opened all the windows and did what I had to indoors, before heading outside to mow, do the trim, clip back bushes, and ready the house for Fall. I love how happy the Lazy Susans are, too. This plant is one of four around my yard as I keep dividing them and spreading them to different parts. Also took Karal on an extra long walk and met Will and Jessica at Dockside to sign papers and trade marriage certificates. I love those, too. Still riding high on a beautiful wedding. 

If you play Connections on NYT's App, boo. That was a lousy puzzle and I have no idea how anyone would solve it. I got the first two categories quickly, but then I was stumped. The themes were just ridiculous. But onward. A new puzzle tomorrow.

The cicadas are singing and the crickets are counting down time with the full Blue moon and harvests still to come. One of the best attractions of a northeast life are the dramatics of four seasons. 

Days like yesterday are just to precious to trade for anything in the world. 70 degrees, no humidity, and everything still so green from all the rainstorms.

Actually, I'm looking out at the street and realizing I swept all the mowed grass to the curb in large piles, but failed to pick them up for the bags I placed at the top of the driveway. Looks like that should be the first task of the day after drinking my coffee, reading my papers, and playing my games. 

Oh, I also reviewed several articles for journals that were approaching the due date. It's funny to do this now knowing that I really don't have to do any of it ever again, but choose to because it's interesting, part of the profession, and enjoyable. 

Here's to Wednesday. May it be as enjoyable as Tuesday.

Oh, We Nailed It. Best Sandwich Every. Chicken Cutlet, Pesto, Cured Ham, Mozzarella, and Panini Bread. We Thought Hard and We Conquered.

I bought the chicken at Big Y. I also go rolls and prosciutto ham. I went to the farmer's market and got rolls, fresh mozzarella, and garden-fresh pesto. Pam had a fresh tomato and knew how to make cutlets with egg, flour, breadcrumbs and spices (now I know, too, so there's no stopping me). We were afraid of our first bites, but we did what we sent out to do -matched the best sandwich in the world from Sorrento's. We also decided we should have a Youtube show, where we constantly try to match good food we have while we're out. We usually do, and make it even better. 

I love to cook. She loves to cook. She has more skills than I do, but I like experimenting. She goes Italian, and I go Ukrainian/African. We make good meals and I will definitely make these sandwiches while home in Syracuse for Nikki's wedding...so, so good. 

We also realized it was national soft serve ice cream day so we took the dogs to Carvel. They had 90cent cones, which were pretty large if you ask me. My borderline lactose intolerance could only do so much.

Yes, I know there's two weeks before the new semester and I should be trying to take a break, but I had to finish late work grading yesterday, then had to advise, and then I began working on syllabi. There are no breaks. I also learned I'm losing two more incredible colleagues that I've enjoyed partnering and dreaming with over the years. I wish I had the magic sauce they had to find a more fulfilling university to carry forth their brilliance. I'm picky. I want to keep doing what I've always wanted to do - National Writing Project work. There are 170 sites across the U.S. and I'm proud to have built the one I have made in my current location. Now I'm dreaming of a location that supports its staff and faculty, too. It's a good thing I hear from colleagues every day across the nation, because I can compare greener grassers on other sides.

Ah, but I'm in it for this year, and I'll have to keep working towards what I believe in...the CWP teacher leaders and young people I love across public schools in southern Connecticut. They work miracles each and every year, and I am a better man because of them. 

Pulled a Cynde. Spent 8 Hours Rearranging the House & Getting Rid of Things, Only To Realize I've Inherited the Ripley Hoarding Thing

I like knickknacks, memorabilia, and books. I'm sentimental and almost everything that comes into my house has a story attached to it.. With that noted, I'm bursting at the seams with shit, and with a day of floods, rain, and storms, I decided, let's do some rearranging for the Fall. It was a bit of a spring cleaning in late Fall, only to frustrate me that I need to do more.

Part of the issue is nothing sits still. I have the television stand and CD towers that my mother bought for me in Kentucky when I had no furniture. These are when TVs were thick, we had VCRs/CDs/DVDs and there were separate machines to play them all. Truth is, someone bought me a DVD player and I never used it. Yet, here I sit with 15 years of CDs and a decade of cassettes. They'll never be used again and I finally made the decision, "It's time." 

Then I tackled the books, which ended up being an enormous mess because I moved three book cases to another room and my cases are floor to ceiling. It is done, I still have to purge more, and now I realize I'm in need to better furniture. Even though the Pier One furniture is artful and nice, it's impractical. For now, I have knickknacks in them (read frog gifts) and I turned the ol' tv stand into a place to store office supplies (since CWP's office took over my house last year).

But now I'm thinking minimalism...detachment...riddance. I moved my middle, junior high, and high school yearbooks. Why? I will never look at them. There's no reason to...and of course I have all the yearbooks from teaching in Kentucky. Same. Meaningful for a moment, yes...but we're all connected digitally so it seems silly.

And then there are my sneakers. I have issues. The Atlas I used to keep in my car to find my way across country, highlighting all the roads I've traveled. Why? Our cars and phones do that now. But then I think, "Well, the writer in you..." Nope. It's junk. Even the Willie Wonka film remade with Johny Depp. I knew the animal trainer and got the poster while teaching in Denmark. Yes, an item that stood in my classroom and now three homes, but there's no reason for it. The movie was stupid, anyway.

I'm recalling all the purging done at Grannie Annie's and at Mom and Dad's and I'm still thinking, "Why do I keep anything. None of it matters."

Of course, years of photographs and picture frames, too. Gifts. Younger, pudgier versions of nieces and nephews, dogs, and outings for ice cream. Yes, they take a snapshot of time, but life moves forward. It is unlikely anyone would want the items.

So, I'll be hauling and rethinking decor...I have a lot of space for just me, especially as I only occupy my bed, my writing chair, and the toilet. When I host, everything goes abundant, but that is more rare than not.

Keepsakes are weird and I hate to depart with anything. Even as I look at the dufflebags of music, I'm thinking, I should capture the sounds poetically, trashing the way I used to be. Then I think, there must be hoarders and collectors who'd love this shit...my trash, their gold. But I am finalizing with a peace of mind. Move on. Separate. Go simpler. Easier. Less.

Ah, but I appreciate stupidity and always find room for it in my house. I need to do better. 

Proud to Celebrate (and Officiate) the Beautiful Wedding of William King and Jessica Baldizon. They Were Always Destined to Be Family.

    

William. Jessica. Parents of the two. Siblings. Abualita. It is an absolute honor to be with the families today in celebration of two individuals we adore, hold close to our hearts, and wish only the best for. Today, I join fellow pastors ordained by Universal Life Church such Stephen Colbert, Conan O’Brien, and Lady Gaga to officiate a beautiful ceremony in Monroe, Connecticut. I apologize for not being as cool as those other pastors, but I promise to try my best. I hope to do them proud, in the same way I hope to make you, Jessica Baldizon and your groom, William King, proud. I love you both.

    I know most of you gathered in this space today, but for those that don’t know who I am, my name is Dr. Bryan Ripley Crandall and I work at Fairfield University where William and Jessica met. Colleagues, knowing I was ordained for such weddings, have nicknamed me Reverend Cran-diggity, and I’m perfectly okay with that. There’s a frog-like rhythm to such a title.

In my version of the William and Jessica story, I became the cupid that had the arrows that pierced through them both in 2015 when I asked them to be co-facilitators of Ubuntu Academy, our literacy program for immigrant and refugee-background youth. William had already taken my graduate course for teaching writing, and Jessica did a year later. I knew them separately, as individuals, but something in the back of my mind triggered the song, “Thinks that make you go, hmmmmm.”

         Yes, I always had an ulterior motive for introducing them to one another one day, but the opportunity didn’t arise until one day in room 106 of Canisius Hall.. I was proud of my slick, mischievous plan…but little did I know that they had already discovered one another during a grammar class and were casually and secretively dating over direct objects, declaratives, conjunctions, and adverbs. They hoped the the professors would not find out, which they achieved because as I introduced them to one another one hot summer day, they actually shook hands as if it was the very first time they met. Tricksters. We should add thespians and performers to their resumes and awards. Ah….but by the end of our first summer of working together, most of the kids and definitely Abu, Lossine and me, sensed something was up. I think it was the way they danced the bachata from the drumbeats of the kids. The spark was easy to detect.

         It is crazy to think it was almost a decade ago, and many of us in this space might ask, “What took them so long?” Now, I have my own speculations. William’s head wound that required a gigantic band aid across his forehead, and all the coquettish teasing from Jessica, which made William work REALLY REALLY hard to earn Jessica’s trust. She doesn’t like sea food, after all.  Wink Wink. Yes, both Jessica and William are headstrong. They’re intellectual, actually, and travel the world cautiously…. It took them a minute or two to completely commit to the idea of being a super couple. It took several minutes, actually…years. If I were a math professor I might be able to share just how many minutes, but I’m more a man of words. There was that Covid thing, too, that squashed their wedding vacation planned for 2020. 

         For these reasons, I think it is important to take a moment to reflect on the strength it took all of us to move forward to this date…and to think of those who, unfortunately, are unable to be here to celebrate the joining of both Jessica and William, today. May they rest in peace.

         This is also why I’m saying to Jessica and William right now……if either of you get cold feet today, every one of us at this gathering are going to thaw them in a barbecue pit. There are way too many of us sharing this space right now that have been waiting for this day for a very long time. And for those who wonder, “What took them so long,” all three of us have bonded over the fact that we tend to put the needs of others, including our students, before our own needs. The young people William and Jessica teach have habitually been prioritized, slowing down the pace of their commitment to one another. I can only imagine the size of this wedding if they invited each and every young person they’ve inspired, including Julian. With this noted, I’m thrilled to see that, at least for today, both of you are putting yourselves first…together, with one another…as a couple united dedicated to vision, faith, and human togetherness. 

         I am, because we are. Ubuntu – shared humanity that makes all of this possible, the philosophy at the core of the work they do, their livelihoods, their careers, and their personal ways of living. Around my neck is a scarf I purchased online, partly because I wanted to show my fashion sense to both Jessica and William (who outdo me on every occasion, even today), but mostly because I found this liturgical stole of adjoined circles and hearts, and realized it is a symbolic pattern of all the individuals that are meant to be adored, admired, loved, and appreciated through interconnectivity. Jessica and William, you enjoin all of our circles with tiny hearts….the love you demonstrate before us.

         Today, and with this ceremony, we embrace the numerous ways in which languages, cultures, and relationships demonstrate the world’s complex simplicity, and simple complexity. William, at brunch the other day you named how much you love Jessica for the ways she keeps her ears to the ground, always listening to the intricacies of words, and how she is always careful before she speaks and acts.  Jessica, as William gorged himself on French toast, you were quick to name that you were attracted to William’s still qualities, the way he thinks deeply about the power of words and their effects, and that his interest in humanity, a larger faith, spoke to your heart and personal interests. 

         Words matter. They bring us our humanity.

Today, I have the joyous honor of bringing the Baldizons together with the Kings. I’m sure Guillermo (Geer-mo), Tamara, and Candace might add, “Well there are several Queens, too.” All of us present have been waiting for this moment for a very long time. Their Human Togetherness… Jessica and William…the Ubuntu, the belief of community and the power of familial strength. 

It is a ceremony that is part of a long tradition, not only to officiate the fusion of both Jessica and William’s worlds, but to bring forward the legality of joining lives as one. Another circle, like the letter “O,” and if you add such an O to God, you have good, and that is what today is all about. The good that comes from seeing William and Jessica eye to eye, family to family, and ready to embrace all life has in store for them together.

         There’s tremendous good in this ceremony on August 17, 2024, and with family and friends still to come….the beautiful ways Juany (Whay-knee) and Jairo (High Ro) have landscaped their yard for all of us to enjoy, broken ribs and all and, perhaps, the way a couple of chickens will lay eggs as we run this ritual at their home. It might be appropriate to sing, “Look around, look around…how lucky we are to be alive right now.” It was, after all, where the proposal occurred during a Hamilton performance in NYC. Jessica agreed with William, that everything felt right… “We’re so lucky to be alive right now.” Neither of them willing (or Jessica-ing) to throw their shots away.

         Migueles (ma-gal-iss), Guillermo (Geermo), Tamara, Candace, Benjamin, Zoila Abualita, and Jamie, the two of them did say yes together and, as a result, the families grow bigger and stronger together before our eyes. They encircle one another, become a stronger network, and unite as groom and a bride before the ones they love most. 

         William and Jessica, you remarked there wasn’t anything, in particular, you wanted recited, so I did the Crandall think and worked through my library to find words I felt worthy of this consecration.

 

Plato wrote, Love is born into every human being: it calls back the halves of our original nature together; it tries to make one out of two and heal the wound of human nature.

 

In Corinthians, it is written Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 

 

From the Zohar, the words read, A husband and wife are one soul, separated only through their descent of this world. When they are married, they have reunited again.

 

The Q’uran also notes, And we’ve created you in pairs.

 

Ah, but our friend Kwame Alexander says, All that is good and accomplished in this world takes work and a little chaos.

 

And our girl Luma Mufleh notes, too, Our stories have the power to change hearts and minds.

 

Today is your story…one for the two of you that you are sharing with others to change our hearts and minds. As we stand here right now, you are weaving a tale, this one time, this moment in space where the love between you both come together. It is a gift given to both families, your friends, and me.

 

William and Jessica have chosen to share their vows with one another at another time and in private, but asked if their unity could come through sand they’ve collected in Nicaragua and the beaches of Bridgeport. At my request, I asked if we could also use sand I’ve used to remind myself of relocation, migration, refugees, and the importance of education. They agreed, and today they bring the sands from many hour glasses together in a vase as one.

 

William and Jessica, I’m giving each some of the sand that has been collected over the years, and at your request, I’m asking you to bring your humanity and individualism together before both of your families. In the sands are the stories, the ways of knowing, the memories shared, and the ones still to come. They are the values you hold dear to your hearts, and bring time, place, stories, and hope together in unity. As one. A team. A man and a woman becoming one with the world.

 

William & Jessica, before I go on, it is important for me to ask a question for you as individuals. 

 

Do you, Jessica, promise to meander from time to time with William’s crazy, helium-balloon ideas that are sometimes destined to float away from the earth’s foundation with whimsical, philosophical, and sometimes-scratch-your-heard-what-is-he-talking about sort-of ways? 

 

I do. 

 

Okay, good then. And do you, William, promise to help Jessica move forward when the plans she sets forth aren’t brilliantly organized, labeled, color-coded, and categorized, reminding her to breathe, find self-care, and continue to powerfully change the world? 

 

I do.

 

Glad to hear that.

 

William and Jessica, a little more serious. now….please join your hands together. This is the moment we’ve all been waiting for

 

Do you, Jessica, take William to be your lawfully wedded husband? 

I do.

 

Do you, William take Jessica to be your lawfully wedded wife?

I do.

 

At this time, I am asking you both to present the rings that will be your symbolic reminder that you’ve chosen one another as life partners. 

 

The ring represents the circle of life, all of its cycles, and the wholeness of your communities…very much like Ubuntu…. They are the gathering of both families today and the others who will join us later. By exchanging the rings, the couple brings forward a promise to join their communities, uniting not only themselves, but their friends and their families, too, in a symbol of faith and unending commitment to the beliefs they hold dear to their time. 

 

It is now time to exchange the rings.

 

Exchange rings

 

Upon your fingers are the promises of love and the dedication, hope, and strength of all the days yet to come. These rings are the interlocking of a greater story and all the narratives still to be written. Such is the power of love. Such is the strength of stories as they are written underneath The Great Whatever above.

 

By the power invested in me at the request of the couple to officiate today’s ceremony and through the eyes of the State of Connecticut (and Fairfield University’s Stag Country), I pronounce you, William and Jessica, man and wife. Woman and husband. You are now an official, married couple. 

 

So the time has come, you two….You may kiss one another in celebration of the day. We are all fortunate you have chosen one another to unite as one, two families forever intertwine...

 

I present the Kings!

Grilled Halibut, Mushroom Risotto, and Spinach...not Bad for a Friday Night Dinner to Unwind

I wanted and needed to take it easy last night, so I could have enough rest for today's wedding with William and Jessica. That's probably when Leo texted, "Dinner?" I answered, "Where?" and he said, "Dunno." His wive, Beverly, chose Founders House and I was gluttonous by order one of the specials. Grilled halibut, mushroom risotto, and spinach. The flavors were superb and even if I thought the fish was a tad bit overcooked, it was worth every cent spent. Delicious. 

And I always like eating somewhere new. Definitely on the radar for when out-of-town guests come by. Fancy, swanky, and delicious. 

Ah, but I need to rise with he sun and roll with the smoke coming down from Canada once again. Storms, rising tides, smoke, tornadoes....we just don't know what rising Earth temperatures will bring our way. Bev said, "Maybe we're living in the apocalypse," in which I responded, "likely. Get the humans off the planet sooner than later.

It'll be good for ol' Maude.

I printed out my remarks and have organized the sand, so I'm very much ready for heading north for the afternoon to officiate a long, overdue ceremony. Rev. Cran-diggity at it again. World's least-likely preacher is ordained and some are foolish enough to request him.

Time for the wedding bells.

As The Sand In the Hourglass, So Is the Day Ahead Before Seeing to the Bride and Groom at their Togetherness Gathering

The bride and groom said they didn't want to vows, but wanted to blend sands from various beaches they've been to around the world. I found a vase and then a heart cap to blend the sands, but they'll have to figure out if they want the blended sand in the vase or elsewhere (I don't run a moratorium). But I can help out with sand blending, because I grew up in a Days of Our Lives household.

Wedding shopping, more grant writing, more advising, new enrollments, a long walk, and a Walnut Beach gathering of pre-denture and ol' folks home people. I'm starting to see what the 60s and 70s are going to look like and it's not pretty. I felt kicked out of the life club in my 40s. 

Just give me a library card and a chair. I'll retire just fine...with many more naps.

Right now I'm simply feeling exhausted. I know I should, as it's just been a few days without running ragged with CWP work. I've been catching up on emails, grants, Fall obligations, conferences, and all the other jazz that comes with my other full time job on campus. It never ends.

One ZOOM meeting today, ceremony officiating to edit, and perhaps a grocer store run (also to return recyclables) are in order today. I also want fish...there's a place in Stratford that people swear by but I've yet to go there. Maybe tonight's the night.

Meanwhile, Psoriasis Gods, why why why why why must you flame my legs so? We've done shots, we have creams, and we know sun/saltwater is good for the skin....but your legs are impossible and it burns. Just go away, please. It's so frustrating.

Every Now and Then I Will Stray from my Go-To Meal and This or That Place to Challenge my Palette Some. Glad I Did. Triggered Memories from Louisville.

I've been addicted to Pho for a couple of years, so I've forgotten how much I love Vietnamese vermicelli, especially with the right sauces and vegetables. Last night, I had it with curry shrimp and I will be licking my teeth for days with memory of the flavors. Beyond delicious, and with great company as Kathy Silver is enduring PD from hell and needed a night out with a critical friend. How many times has she been there for me? Of course I'm there to be an ear for her? It's easy to stay strong for superstars as they wrestle with the insanity of the universe.

I worked on my officiating for Saturday, met with colleagues at other institutions about a potential grant, did a little shopping and mailed Abu a lil' gift (HE GOT THE JOB IN SYRACUSE!), and advised students. 

Did I state how good the vermicelli was? I mean, write to your parents, good...like I want to bring it to Syracuse and give them a special dinner kind of good.

The Weather Channel is reporting the heat comes back for today, and I guess I'm ready for it. It's been so wonderfully 80 with no humidity so I was thriving as if I lived in San Diego.

I have another day of national meetings on projects, and if I'm not wrong, I have nothing scheduled for the evening (which is rare). Dang, now I really wish I had a pool I could float in.

Oh, my God. The flavors of that dish. Okay, I should sip my bitter coffee and eat my granola bar and get on with morning already. That shrimp!

A Little Preparation for the Officiant with the Loving Couple in Milford a Few Days Before the Big Event in Monroe

I take my ministry very seriously, although I'm likely to hang up my ceremonial powers after this next one. I've heard from congregations in the past (there's only been one) that others want to book me, but I get confused because I'm the least likely good person to oversee any marriage. Ah, but at brunch yesterday, recalling and reliving the story, I couldn't help but think, "Maybe I am the right selection." Let's just say my ordainment came at exactly the right time...a text message was sent and the rest is history. 

The brunch gave me enough material to write the ceremony. I'm looking forward to overseeing their vows and signing the papers. I just needed more of the narrative to finish my responsibilities and I got all of that in a couple of hours over omelets and French toast. Let's just say the emotions were already running high. I felt the storying emotion from the second we began to talk.

Yesterday, I can say, was my first official day off, although I had meetings all morning online, the ministry to run (ha ha), and meetings all afternoon (via phone and online). It's all good, though, because I did them all from my front porch and I didn't have to report anywhere. The same is true for today. I'm doing Fade Factory for a haircut...then an afternoons with critical friends to help readjust and rethink our lives and what comes next.

I'm happy, too, that the weather has not been as rainy or cloudy as originally planned. I like the cooler temperatures with no humidity. The sun is still warm, but the wind is refreshing. 

That's the perfect way to live life. Warm sun and cool breezes. I hope to embrace more of it today.

Had a Little Birthday Celebration for Lois Last Night (RIP). Only Thing Missing Was Playing a Jackson Five Medley

Eleven years since she passed. That is something. I called Pam hoping she'd invite me over for leftovers from the weekend and instead she planted the seed that we should do roast beef sandwiches in honor of Lois with a Gorgonzola salad from Paradise Pizza, which was her favorite. It didn't take much to twist my arm as yesterday, 1 p.m., I finished my last summer responsibility with CWP-Fairfield when I attended a Press Conference with Senator Bob Duff. 

I came home and crashed. Then, when I awoke I graded (so it is untrue I finished my summer work...I still had to compete the Fairfield University part of the insanity). Karal and I took a walk, and we enjoyed the cooler temperatures, until a small cloud dumped its rain on us. Thankfully, it was short lived.

Finished watching Umbrella Academy season 4, too. Total bust. A bit of eye candy, but definitely jumped the shark into complete stupidity. Recommend, but don't recommend. 

Good news is that Karal is feeling better and was back to her usual pain-in-the-ass self. Neighbor who moved in behind me has five dogs. Definitely a change for Karal in the backyard.

Hoping to find the bride and groom today so we can do some of the paperwork needed before the wedding. Not only that, but I have the mandatory interviews! Ai Ai Ai Ai. We got this.

Karal Had a Tummy Issue Yesterday (Gurgling) and She Wouldn't Eat. My Hypothesis Is She Hates When Abu Leaves Each Summer, Too.

Karal loves when any of the boys are here. Between more in the house (and our energy), we're better equipped to match her energy. As a result, her every need is taken care of sunrise to sundown. She senses when a departure is on the way, whether it is my own or theirs. When Abu was up and making coffee this morning before I got up, Karal knew something was up. She's been sulking ever since....broken hearted, sad, worried, and wondering when a return will come again. 

I feel for her because I, too, have to adjust. 30 minutes into a departure I'm walking around the house wondering why is this half empty water bottle here, and another one over here. How did he manage to find two iPads to charge and leave lying around the house. I wonder if the candy wrappers were being held for a special occasion he had planned in the future. What did he do with the badminton set? How did he do that thing with the Apple TV where he was able to close out all the unused web pages? 

Poof. It just disappears. I did send him off with an enormous bag of chocolate, happy to get that out of my house. I'll share it with Delaney and Lossine...I promise. Famous last words.

But Karal did have tummy issued all day and I knew she wasn't feeling well when she went outside, laid in the grass, and fell asleep. If someone is up and awake, she rarely wants to be outdoors alone. I also fed her a biscuit, which she wouldn't eat and she didn't touch her food or water. Her stomach sounded rather intestinal, so I figured she just needed time to work through whatever it is. She was at Pam's all day Sunday, and who knows what she consumed or from whom. That is the picnic culture. 

I know, however, that her loving self hasn't dissipated and she's been snuggly and in need of close comfort. I think this is all because of Abu's departure after five weeks. She loves having the energy in the house and, perhaps, that is projection of my own Monday blues. I love having him around, too. 

Ah, but I have a press release at 10 a.m. and graduate students to grade. When does the semester being again? Wait....when has there been a break in the last 14 years? 

Touche. There hasn't been one. It's university exploitation at its best.  

Doesn't Matter How Old I Am, I Will Always Hate Departures. It's Been Another Wonderful Summer Adventure with Abu Back In Town, But Now...

It always flies by when Mt. Pleasant is full of noise and crazy. In truth, Abu stepped up with Max, Jalen, and Mateo this summer in tremendous ways, filling in teacher and youth leadership roles that can't be measured. They get the rhythm, they get the time investment, they invest in the creativity, and they put the energy forward tirelessly. 

But now it's Sunday in August, the last of our programs have a bow tied on them, and it's time for a departure back to Syracuse for a 2nd interview and to maintain the livelihood he has up there (with a shift from the school where he's been working for several years).

We had a final beach day, and even with the sun out, the winds were too heavy making paddle-boarding a bit tricky. We got to hang with Patrick, Stephanie, Kaitlyn, Dominik, and the kids, but are vision of serene water time was stolen by Tropical Storm Debbie still passing through. 

My word to Abu is that he's approaching the age I was when I returned to Syracuse to earn a doctorate, thankful to meet him and his brother the second semester. Phew. Life changes so quickly....usually for the better (but I'm prepared it can go the other way).

Great food, awesome company, much laughter, tremendous singing, and so many flashbacks to memories and memories and memories. 

And we had summer '24 to share the Olympics (with commentary)(hilarious). 

It will be a still Mt. Pleasant again once he departs and I'll have to adjust to the t.v. never being on and the house always being eerily quiet, but it's something that comes naturally to me. It's my t.v. who always misses him most, especially repeat shows of Family Feud or Big Bang Theory.

So many years...so many memories...with me since the beginning to CWP-Fairfield and witness to every step along the way. Here's to new corners being turned and the possibilities from taking risks. We are both ready and deserving of something much, much better. 

This Is What It is All About: Generations, Teachers, Investments, Repurposing, Imagining, & Human Connectivity

One of the areas where I hope to achieve in my career and with education, is to help humans see the potential of other humans. Bring on 30 years of teaching, a doctorate, experience, and staying ahead of the curve on new research. Bring on Shamari Reid and self-care, and triple that with the self-love and historical brilliance of Yolanda Sealey-Ruiz, Gholdy Muhammad, and Betting Love.

Sprinkle this into youth and teacher communities and hold a conference, K-18, and allow students to attend, share, and take part, too. One of the high school kids told me at the end of yesterday, I wish we had more opportunities to learn alongside out teachers and equals, and not always as grade-grubbers. Shared professional development/workshopping brings us closer to our shared humanity and the fact that we're all learning. I'm not sure the 'dump it in another's brain" works anymore when we have all of us growing, sharing, and communicating so much on social media. Perhaps I've always had that philosophy: I know some things, you know some things, let's share what we know together.

The hierarchies are somewhat absurd: Yes, I love numerous individuals who have shaped who I am (see my poem "Nonagon"), but there are many who I forgot...usually showmen, know-it-alls and braggarts. I guess I've always wondered about authority and truth-telling. I prefer learning from listening to many.

Yesterday's They Call Us Writers: Humans That Teach was a success. We brought elementary students, high school students, college students, and teachers together to talk about art, voice, and shared humanity. Teachers left with resources. I left with wisdom of sharing with those who came.

One of the writing prompts from the day was putting forth the ideal classroom for tomorrow. I couldn't help but write that the last five weeks and this one's conference are the ideal classroom. I've recreated a semi-Brown School/LWP community at a University that is almost the antithesis of those values. Each summer, I have super diversity,  a community of scholars/teachers/students/youth working towards their own writing identities, and I get to study it. It's pretty amazing actually (and so is this blog, because I have daily evidence for the past decade...and then some...into how this all came to be).

Ah. but I'm hearing Abu, Shamari, and Beth. Self-care. Retreating. Resistance that comes from reclaiming my time. That is what I need to adjust in the weeks ahead, all while finding a more sane way of life that can have a larger impact without playing all the games that are out there.

Full Professorship = Done with Games. Period.

Perhaps this means I'll now figure out what it is I've always been trying to say. 

Wonderful to Dine with Dr. Kelly Wissman and Vanessia Wilkins, SUNY Albany, in Preparation for Tomorrow's @WritingProject Conference

I was excited to learn that Kelly arrived to Stratford early and Venessia was soon behind. Even more thrilled to promote their book, Teaching with Arts-Infused Writing Pedagogies: Freedom Dreaming for Educational Justice. It's a book I've wanted for some time now, but it hasn't been written. Kelly and her team wrote it, and they will be featured at today's They Call Us Writers: Humans That Teach that will also feature Shamari Reid, Sonya Huber, Beth Boquet, and Jennifer Wells. It's an all-star cast of scholars and presenters.

Abu loaded up the event hall yesterday with all the books and materials, and now we await one sleep before the crazy beings -- this time for teachers. I'm so proud of my team of K-12 educators and friends in the grant office/English department for helping me to pull this off.

Also biting nails, because you know how these things can get and there's so many details, and I hope I didn't miss any of them. It's one thing to have disgruntled kids...it's a whole other thing to have disgruntled teachers, which I don't think will be the case.

Kelly, Vanessia, Abu, and I ate at Lil' Pub in Lordship and watched the gray skies meet the gray waters. What miserable whether it is out there. Feels like Syracuse. And it's cold.

We have seen, however, there will be sunshine and 85 degrees on Saturday which wasn't on the horizon until this morning. 

Need to wrap this up and hit the road! We're off! Boom!

Long Overdue Conversation with an Ol' Friend...from the Bridgeport Public School Collaborations to a Colleague on Campus. Great to Catch Up

Abu and I met Yolehema out at Cibus. Great meal and wonderful company after a day of running errands for the conference on Friday and finalizing the program and presentations. We also watched a few soccer games, volleyball matches, and even handball. Well, I listened from the other room as I wrote on my laptop. Managed a walk, too, in between all the rain (and colder temperatures).

Today we do book runs, stuff bags, set up, and then wait for what will come Friday. We'll see, given the weather. It's been a bit wonky and my experience with large teacher events in Connecticut is that they rarely show. Ah, but it's paid for and we'll make it what we'll make it. It will be worthwhile for all who show.

Also glad to welcome Dave back tonight, who will be presenting on Friday before he heads off to a Mets game. Looking forward to having a CWP bonanza.

My new goal, too, is to get a recording of Karal and Abu in conversation, especially when she tires to block him from watching t.v. - she gives him lip like Juliette used to do...always having to have the last word.

Okay, better get offline sooner than later so I can accomplish all that needs to be done on the road today (set up is part of the heavier lift, but if it is done right, it makes for a lighter load at the actual event). 

Cheers. Still celebrating last night's meal with Yolehema. So So good. 

There are Times Where I Simply Cherish Mindless, Physical Work That Needs to Be Done - the Labor that Isn't Always Cerebral

Yes, I fixated on putting 100 stickers on notebooks yesterday and I loved ever second of it. It was a zenith, just like getting a genius rating on the NYT Spelling be, solving Worldly in 3, and getting the Connections puzzle in 4. It was a good morning. I went to campus, picked up more of the goods, and then went back to the Homefront for Olympics, sticking, and focusing on the program for Friday. 

I'm looking forward to hosting all the teachers from southern Connecticut interested in our back-to-school kick-off. Free lunch and several books are bonuses. As teachers have been telling me, "I wish we could count this as our back-to-school PD instead of whatever such and such district cooks up. 

Don't we all. Don't we all.

The hotel room are secured, the speakers are set, the food is ordered, and hopefully this morning all books are in and the baggies will be set to stash. This is the last round of wonderful grant support that arrived in February, but needed to be spent by the summer. You ask this guy to dream, and dream he will. 

Today, I need to get the program plan in Keynote fashion and the program printed for pick up for the occasion. Ah, and the weather finally snapped. Karal and I got a long humid walk in (I was drenched) and we beat storm number one. Now there are like 24 more storms to go over the next week - feels like living in Syracuse. 

But the temperatures have dropped and that is a good thing. So is rest...I got some this weekend (and Monday as a bonus). I'm looking forward to more. 

Shhh. I Loved Playing Hookey from the Universe So Much This Weekend, That I Threw in the Towel at 11 a.m. and Went to the Beach

And we paddle boarded and swam until around 4. My lobster skin is evidence of that, as is the emails awaiting my reply (they can wait). Leo asked me when was the last time I had a vacation and I could only answer the Key West trip with Chitunga several years ago, but we both worked while there. Truth is, the job I have doesn't allow for much time off because it serves teachers and students in the summer and I serve undergraduate and graduate students, as well as conduct professional development around the state during the year.

We had a great day of sun, Triscuits, cheese, and eventually water when we decided to pack it up and head back home. It was absolute perfection, which we ended by grilling more outside and service the meal over rice (that Abu cooked). 

Then we walked Karal. 

Truth is, we watched the weather and yesterday was the last sunny day in the high 80s for several weeks. The prediction is for temperatures in the 70s with rain every day, so we got it in while we could. I know I would have regretted taking advantage of a beach day as these other days rolled in. 

High five to Crandall for doing a little self-care.

But my thighs are on fire. Balancing on the boards for significant amounts of time is not easy, especially as waves and tides come in. But we did it - him a heck of a lot longer than I did, as I kept heading back to the shore to stare into space. 

Happy Tuesday. Bring on the 70s.

Just Loving My Cosmos Seeds All Over Mt. Pleasant as Different Varieties Bloom and Make Floral Fireworks for August & the Burnt Grass

At Christmas, I bought several variety packs of seeds to give to my sisters and me (although I doubt my younger sister did anything with the ones I gave her). I created different areas around the property, including hold stumps, where I put in the soil and seeds to see what would happen. The result is my yard is popping with the color...the lazy Susans, the Cosmos, and the Morning Glories are in hog heaven right now. The Glories would climb to the heavens if we allowed them.

I spent the morning doing yard work, the afternoon running errands, and the evening cooking steaks and taters. Abu took care of corn. I also prepared beans. Damn, it was a great meal. We also enjoyed a day of track and field and are looking at the weather seeing tomorrow might be the only sun to be seen for two weeks. I'm debating taking the day off to enjoy a little time by the water with my feet in the sand. 

Yesterday was Jakes' 10th birthday so Karal, Abu, and I took him a few birthday treats (Pam gave them doggie ice cream, too). 

Also bathed Karal, which was a disaster, because Abu thought he'd trap her on the porch to dry, which resulted in her crawling under the bench on the porch to the dirty part of the yard where she rolled around and made mud. When I came downstairs I was like WTF happened to the dog I just washed? She looked like Pig Pen, so back upstairs we went for bath two. After the second, I said we would take her for a walk to drive off so she couldn't make mud-pies in the backyard. 

Productive, good-eating day. Put laundry away, too, and did grocery shopping for the week. Also purchased a new harness and leash for Karal (while witnessing an awful car accident while we were at the register). We just wanted to get out of the way. 

Happy Monday. Here we go again. 

It's Been Well Over a Year...Maybe Even 13 Years Since I Had a Do-Nothing, No-Nothing, Roll-with-It Day. I Needed It.

I got up in the morning at 7 a.m. and started the typical grind, but then realized I just wanted to watch the Olympics and veg all day. Outside was too hot, low tide was rolling in at 2 (I hate when that happens), and there's not much shopping that goes on for entertainment in this household. When Abu woke up with a migraine and we watched U.S. soccer against Japan, I realized he was going to bed and I could really veg all day. I simply played games on my phone, caught up on a couple of shows, and stared into space. 

Okay, that is not true. I also organized all the materials brought home from the literacy labs, then did a bookshelf purge to make room for the books always arriving. I also made lunch, talked to family, and went to Pam's to pick up Karal's leash. But I did little else. Posted the last week of Ubuntu onto Facebook and then went back to playing games.

I'm late, but I got addicted to Wordle while Dave was here. I'm not playing previous months a like the challenge. I love Connections even more, but they only give you a game a day.

I grilled steak and onions for dinner, and we proceeded to watch more English Language Learner sitcom from Britain in 1978. How Abu found Mind Your Language, is unknown, but the characters and humor are still funny today, as learning English with multicultural classrooms is always brilliant with language play (English is NOT easy).

I ma hoping for another lazy day, but if Abu is up and about, I'm sure he'll want to do something to forget about his Saturday. The good news is we now have migraine medicine in the house for him.

And With That It is a Wrap: 25 Teacher, 193 Youth, Five Weeks, Buses, Recording, All of Us Together Writing for Publication, with Only a Couple Minor Incidences.

Phew. I have a teacher conference to lead next week, but I can officially say the summer programs are ending (they ended). With the incredible crew I had with me to finish it out, we had the space cleaned out by 30 minutes and all the materials are in my dining room. Yes, the CWP office was taken from me. Granted, it was replaced, but because of mold, temperatures, smells, and no facility shelves or desks, those offices are abandoned. The spaces given to many of us are simply ignored. We work from hom. 

I am super proud of Max Limric, Jalen Johnson, Mateo Planas, and Abu Bility for being my right hand men these past few weeks. They stepped up physically, mentally, and academically. They helped to maintain the summer programs.

Always a pleasure to finish the year out with Jess and Will, also recognizing their bigger events for summer are in a couple of weeks. 

I came home from work, picked up Karal, ate leftovers, watched Olympic highlights, then went to bed. The heat is rough and it doesn't cease until next week, and then it simply turns to Fall, which is stupid. I want summer.

At least I have four days next week to catch up before the Friday conference. I remain without words, however, about the wonderful work I'm fortunate to do and the lack of support from the space where I do it.

As we departed in the parking lot today with hugs and handshakes, we all noted that the happiness of all the kids over the last few weeks, and the admiration of teachers who joined us to see what we were doing is a reason for why it's done. Still, we're also honest with one another and question how sustainable the dedication and devotion of a few can be when up against the systems and bureaucracies that can care less.

I suppose this is the teaching life and when put in systems of higher education and their privileges...there's just no winning.