Category Archives: reflections

November 19 Day 256: Rainbow Magic

I looked up from my desk, and there it was. A bright rainbow against the dull grey sky. And it made me smile. I stood up to take the picture and marveled at the beauty of physics in action. Thank you Mother Nature, for bringing color into my life. Rainbows bring magic and hope. WeContinue reading “November 19 Day 256: Rainbow Magic”

November 17 Day 254: A World of Worries

There is plenty to worry on each day. Health and safety of family, friends, students, and me. Managing workload. Missed adventures. Long term impacts of the pandemic on careers, productivity, and life experiences in general. As I started to write about these concerns, I realized the stories are not mine to tell. And many areContinue reading “November 17 Day 254: A World of Worries”

November 11 Day 248: Full of Thanks

Thank you to those that have served. Thankful for this holiday. Thankful for my family and friends. My plan was initially to try and catch up on work. I found I couldn’t focus. After a few essential errands and emails, I did nothing (or practically nothing) for the rest of the day. I snuggled underContinue reading “November 11 Day 248: Full of Thanks”

November 6 Day 243: Breast or Leg?

Perhaps it is too early to think about Thanksgiving, turkey, time with family, and a respite from our pandemic lives. I am longing for a break from the work overload that seems a daily occurrence and pondering particular dichotomies of life choices. Breast or leg? White or dark? Scholarship or teaching? Publish or perish? MyContinue reading “November 6 Day 243: Breast or Leg?”

November 1 Day 238: Daylight Savings

There is something wonderful about the “free” hour on the morning we changed from Daylight Savings Time. I woke up refreshed and focused at 7 am PST. I snuggled under the covers with my iPad and caught up on all my grading! Just for today, I have a time-turner that allows me to revisit oneContinue reading “November 1 Day 238: Daylight Savings”

October 30 Day 236. “Everything is Terrible But I Guess That’s Okay”

Friday evening. Hallelujah. It’s been… a week. Again. Let’s talk about oral assessments. I finished interviews for the second group oral assessment of the quarter. There were 21 small group interviews over the week with the final interview concluding this evening at 6:30 pm. Today was a marathon; I completed thirteen 25-minutes interviews—for a totalContinue reading “October 30 Day 236. “Everything is Terrible But I Guess That’s Okay””

October 25 Day 231: Patterns of my Life

As a mathematician, I look for patterns. My weekly patterns are becoming clear–at least for this quarter. Sunday: I grade like a madwomen. The assignments that I could not face or find the time for during the week cannot be left any longer. I never seem to reach the bottom of the pile. I thinkContinue reading “October 25 Day 231: Patterns of my Life”

October 21 Day 227: Collaboration Continuum

The late night revisions were implemented. Every person that attended class successfully self-selected a group with similar collaboration tendencies and booked an interview time for next week. They traded contact information and spent over sixty minutes working together. The sound level in low numbered rooms was less than that in the higher numbered rooms, asContinue reading “October 21 Day 227: Collaboration Continuum”

October 17 Day 223: Grow Together

What are the obstacles in your life? What is your approach to get past them? Outlast? Breakthrough? Tear down? Go around? Ignore? On this morning’s walk along the Chamber’s Bay shoreline, I realized there is another option. Grow together. Then proceed on your journey in partnership. As you are buffeted by the trials and tribulationsContinue reading “October 17 Day 223: Grow Together”