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Zoom Tips for Teaching

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I’ve been thinking about this for several months. Part of this post comes from my teaching experience and the other part from my students. That said, Zoom can do wonders in our pandemic pivot. 1. Avoid streaming a video in a Zoom session. Send the link prior and place the link in the chat, but […]

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Testing Out Different Apps

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For more than a year, I have tested a several meditation or relaxation apps and websites. I have found that I am smitten with a few that are working for me. My favorite are: Headspace, Meditation Oasis, and white noise. The white noise I get from either Relax Melodies or my Nursal White Noise Machine that I bought via Amazon.ca.

I have had problems sleeping for more than a year and part of the issue was my anemia. Repeatedly I was advised to do yoga, meditate, and change my sleep routine so that I could ease into sleep. Some of the advice worked. I have tried numerous apps and websites, but Headspace and Meditation Oasis are my favorites.

I find that waking up, meditating and doing yoga works well for me. Then, I end the day doing some relaxation poses and more meditation. I prefer the Nursal machine’s ocean mode. With Relax Melodies, I have tried a few of the settings, but find that the underwater or ocean sounds are the most soothing for me. I do not have the paid version of Relax Melodies, but do have the premium Headspace account.

Which apps, sites or YouTube channels do you like for your meditation or relaxation routine? Please share!

Taking Care of Yourself

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I have had issues with anemia during the last decade for an array of reasons and each time it’s come up and surprised me. I was never anemic during my pregnancies, but somehow anemia is my kryptonite. And, the two times I’ve been anemic I had no idea until I was exhausted and had a spate of illnesses.

I was referring to my illnesses as an Election Flu, since I had been ill almost every other month for more than a year. Somehow I was caught up in life and work and didn’t think that there was a pattern of illness and exhaustion. But, my family and friends kept reminding me that I was getting sick lots. I finally asked for some blood work and realized that my illness and exhaustion was from anemia. I am eating so many green leafy veggies that I think I am seeing green. Oh, and I’m eating more meat.

But, that is not the point. The point is that it’s important to take care of your health. Self-care is not a luxury. And, in the midst of the blood work and doctors’ appointments I had a few surprises. So, here I am taking better care of myself and finally sleeping better and feeling somewhat better. What I have been thinking about is that I am not going to take my health for granted. I am enjoying this tea from Silk Road and reading with my cuppa.

Planning: Not Painful

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Planning requires that you’re organized. Planning is not painful, yet we often see lots of mocking around planning. Well, maybe I do. Let’s get to it. I am referring to strategic planning, which is important to any unit, department, faculty, campus or business for that matter. However, it is also helpful for personal goal setting. I believe in lists and planning. I have different journals or online tools for work and projects.

I have a special, leather journal for a book that I’m writing. I only handwrite in this journal, given the book’s topic. I keep the handwriting for important projects where good notes are needed. How do you plan? Which tools do you use to help you, as you plan and organized? I like coffee or tea, while I think. And, I’m a big fan of Silk Road Tea. I include a photo from their store.

Extra Serving of Angry Flakes

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I am not a celiac. I have not been tested, but I know that I have a gluten or wheat sensitivity. I have periodically restricted my intake of wheat and saw a considerable difference in my sight, complexion, blood sugar, and my moods. I am more agitated or less patient when I have too much wheat. I also will suffer from headaches, and the usual array of stomach or digestion problems thanks to this sensitivity. I feel less resilient when I’ve had too much wheat and I know that this might sound silly. I joked with a friend that it’s like I had an extra serving of angry flakes for breakfast. 

I’ve has this sensitivity all of my life, and only realized it about twelve years ago. This does not mean that I am always careful. Recently, I was traveling and had a full day’s worth of wheat and suffered. The next day all the usual things were there–what I call the wheat star on my cheek and the blood sugar consequences. I don’t think I could take ingesting wheat for two weeks in order to be tested. I’m quite sympathetic to people with Celiac disease, IBS or other issues. I’ve added a photo that I took of Cowichan Bay. 

On the Fly

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Innovation requires that you are willing to fail. I am not willing to always do what is easiest in the classroom. Occasionally my assignments include working with a non-profit or another entity and then reflecting on this work or having students do podcasts or vidcasts. I find that there are some students who are most comfortable with papers and exams.

The students need to trust me with the assignment. How do you support non-paper and exam assignments?

Self-Care

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Self-care might feel like a luxury, but it’s not. It’s hard to remember this during the hectic parts of a day or week. I make no excuses for having to schedule time to self-care. I know that if I didn’t, I’d regret it. My self-care routine varies from acupuncture, massage, yoga, and regular workouts.

Another part of my self-care routine is to read the paper more methodically, since I have found that the headlines have become something out of a book set in a terrible future. Everyone starts off the new year with resolutions and good intentions, as we move half way through February remember to take care of yourself!

 

Welcome to the New Term!

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looking at a book

Today was one of those days. I saw two families driving on the wrong side of the road. I also saw lots of parents with their kids walking around the bookstore and other parts of campus. The families looked happy. And, if anything, the incoming student looked excited. I want to welcome all of us to a new term.

The new term means a fresh start for all of us. I am looking forward to meeting my new students and colleagues. I was lucky enough to meet lots of new faculty at a few events in August. The new term is the perfect time to move forward with good intentions. The new term is the start of something precious. Yes, it’s precious. The clean slate is a good time to start new habits and try to keep to them. I am thinking about what I want this term. What do you want for the new term?

Whine Weds

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I’ve seen the #wineWeds and #whineWed tags on Twitter and both have made me smile. Although I do prefer the sarcastic #whineWeds tag. Lately, I have followed the #wellnessWeds tag on Twitter and other social networking sites. I am trying to spend any extra time thinking about the positive and surrounding myself with people who really bring me joy. Yes, I have read Marie Kondo’s books and I have decluttered lots in my house, and other parts of my life. There is something truly liberating for me to be able to protect my time.

Recently I was at a regional conference in my home discipline and I took special care to protect to my schedule, and outside of conference commitments I was very careful with any extra time that I had. I brought along some work and I needed to take care of it. I read reports, and graded in the sun, and kept up with my email. I also attended fewer obligatory receptions, and I am fine with that. I was in charge of my time. I did get some networking in, but it’s not the feverish networking of someone who is looking for work and trying to make all the connections. I’ve been there.

I am hearing from vendors or other partners about the need for a conference call and the one to three day warning for the meetings is not enough. The emails that note ASAP are not a priority for me and my time. The people who I work with regularly and have access to me and my time do not need to flag the message as important. It is often the vendor or someone who has not planned their time well, who uses that flag or note.

I need to balance my work and it is getting easier for me to offer a polite no and suggest the call or meeting for next week or the week after. So, on this #wellnessWeds I lift up my coffee and say, “Protecting your time, protects you.” It is perfectly acceptable to say, No. No, I am not available. No, I will not engage with you. No, I will not respond to your passive aggressive email with a passive aggressive response. No. But, always say yes to Tacos.

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Do Not Glorify Busy: Friends

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This post is revised, but provides a timely reminder. Our lives are not about competing with one another about how busy we are. No one wins the busy olympics. Do not glorify busy. Do not proudly say, “I am triple booked.” One-upping does not make you more important. We are all busy.

My mantra for 2013 was: I will not glorify busy. This mantra deserves its own post, but I will speak to something more specific here. I continue to not glorify busy, since I know that everyone is busy and it’s relative to our lives. I will not make myself more busy than I need to and pass on social situations that I have to “phone in.”  This does not include work meetings or commitments, as that is different since I have to attend these meetings. I had a loved one in my family go through a major health crisis a few years ago and it was a wake-up call for better life balance and here I am thinking about things. I am better at taking time off. I have not perfected it, but I am getting better. One of the things that I am more cognizant of that is extremely important that I take care of myself. I am not talking about the basics: food and shelter. No, I’m referring to a more nuanced way of taking care of myself. If I have better balance in my life, my family benefits. If my family benefits, so do my friends, and then my co-workers and students. When my family was in crisis, I saw which friends were available and offered help and more importantly I also saw who I wanted to spend time with during my down time or me time.

I want to surround myself with people who are good friends. I want to spend time with people who are not vampires–you know the ones. You might refer to them as emotional vampires. Now, that I am trying to take better care of myself, I am more careful with my free time. Friendships are important and I am surrounded by some wonderful people in my life. But, I took stock during the last nine months and have forged some stronger friendships with some friends and have walked away from some other more shallow friendships. Surround yourself with people who have your back! This post is germane given that I am off to BlogHer and will surround myself with like-minded people. My hope it to make some new friends and finally meet some “old” ones in real life.

This post is reposted with a few things added. Overall, the sentiment is germane. Do not glorify busy. You will not get a gold medal or cookie for being busy. Take care of yourself!

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