Welcome to my Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Eclectic Ali. It’s a half-caff day! I am introverting because it’s better than trying to communicate with a mask, something I am growing tired of. I’ve been back to work since 8/12 and started teaching students on 8/20; while it’s been great seeing work friends and trying to joke and get to know my students, they don’t get it through the mask mumbling. I can’t wait to communicate and laugh freely, to high-five and hug without fear. But that’s not where we are.
This starts year 21 of teaching for me. It is hard sometimes to teach in a mask, and the air from my speaking makes it hotter inside the mask. Yesterday, I put on the face shield and took the mask off, staying way in the front of the room. In the back of this picture above, you see the desk shields. Students have to look around them to see what I’m writing on the board. They also have a lot to adjust to just as we teachers do.
I finished my physical therapy for the frozen shoulder. I’m not 100% (and the doc had said that would be the case), but still, the difference is amazing! I’d say I am somewhere between 80 and 90% now. Of course, I’m continuing the exercises I learned in physical therapy. This is the second time I’ve been through it, but I forgot some important details from the 1st time to the second even though it was only four months. I also was quite fearful to do too much after I’d hurt my shoulder this time, thus, getting the frozen shoulder.
So, it was good that I was pushed little by little to exercise it, and I stuck with the same PT which made it easier to trust the process and to believe it when he said I could do this. Believe me, I can do things now with my arm and shoulder that I was afraid to do for years! We talked about limits and he thinks I could do anything within reason. I can be the judge. I’ll ask the doctor about this next month, too. Should my next adventure be skateboarding, skydiving, axe-throwing?
Anyhow, for now, my adventure is teaching middle schoolers in- person during the COVID pandemic, keeping them safe from others and themselves while opening up their minds to Literature and our language. At the moment, I feel ready to head up this mountain. Actually, sky-diving sounds good right now, since I’m such a risk-taker. 🙂
I got my exercise in for today on the Gazelle exerciser on my porch and did my arm/shoulder exercises. Other than that, I am indoors, socializing on social media and actually, doing a little bit of writing! I am working on the novel in progress, Ellie the Time Traveler, and she is going to intersect with Malachi in true star-crossed lovers fashion! Love can be bittersweet…..
That’s all I’ve got for today! I am feeling pretty good, glad to be writing again and not wearing a mask for a while. I hope you all are enjoying your weekend!
pamelascanepa 
You are doing fantastic, faithfully doing your therapy exercises, keeping masked up,and working great with your students! Amazing job!!
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Aw, thank you!
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Okay my fidgety friend. I want to give you a serious recommendation. Forget skateboarding and skydiving because they can seriously mess your body up. But, done wisely (which you’re good at) rappelling may have both the physical and emotional thrill you’re looking for. Look around and you almost certainly have an indoor climbing/rappelling center nearby where you can learn the ropes so to speak. Learn that in 1-3 visits and then find someone to take you to a real cliff somewhere between 30-75 feet high where you can walk (or easily climb) to the top then use some good gear and your new skills to walk backwards off the cliff edge for a life changing rappel down. I’ve taught many to do it and could see you going nuts for how much fun it is. I don’t have a tutorial per-say, but I do have a story where I taught a girlfriend how to do it when I was 21. I just wish I had photos of her face when she “got it” and made it back to the ground where, then there was no stopping her.
https://garyawilsonstories.wordpress.com/helping-her-reach-higher/
Local to us here, for reference is a place called Vertex.
https://www.climbvertex.com/
The climbing is fun, but for you, not the point. I think you would love the ride back down more than you can imagine. A place like this would help you get to try it.
Tell me about it when you catch your breath again.
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“Fidgety friend” is right! Rappelling does sound good! I took my son to a rock climbing gym 7 years ago. I am in better shape now, so I think I’ll see if they’re still open! Good idea! There us not much hilly terrain here, but maybe in NC where my brother lives. I may be hatching a plan! Thanks for your suggestion! Take care, Gary!
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I can’t imagine you with a bigger smile than I’ve seen in your photos, but please have someone standing by when you first hit the ground again because you will find a way to light up that smile even bigger than what I’ve seen.
Warning – rappelling is addictive.
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Awesome! 🙂
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Awesome! You are feeling good and are back at teaching. That sounds great! Even writing, and you are feeling better, FANTASTIC!
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Thanks, Maria! I hope you are also well!
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I like your mask. We just ordered some fun coloured ones for back to school. My boys are very excited to be returning to the classroom, masks and all. I have a bit of stress about it because my older boy is high risk but he misses his teachers and friends so we will give it a try. Thank you for teaching our children and keeping them safe!
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I hope it goes well for your kids and that your son stays healthy!
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Axe throwing!!! definitely axe throwing!!!
we seem far away from schools opening I suspect schools might not even open this year and they will just redo this calender year next year, although they are trying to get examination classes to start they final exam term (which should have started already after schools have been closed since March)
Its crazy.
So do you take thermal temperatures of the kids during multiple intervals in the day or someone else does so?
~B
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Hello, Beaton! Their temp is only taking as they engage school building, and not again unless they have symptoms or say they’re feeling sick. I don’t make the rules. Shrug. Yes, axe-theowing would be a great way to vent!
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Good luck in this crazy COVID school year. TEachers and students are high on that essential hero list.
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Thank you Antoinette. Your appreciation helps!
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I am not looking forward to teaching with the mask – I am worried about it actually especially as I am teaching my young students a new language.
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Understandably! However, we were told we could wear a face shield and have the mask off for teaching, but I put it back on when I have to pass out papers or materials.
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I love your mask. I happen to have a few with great designs, it keeps me a little positive at work plus the fact that surgical masks can be irritating to the skin with prolonged used. Clothed ones are lighter and easier on the face. But yes, it must be hard to teach, let alone talk, with a mask on. I miss teaching. My first job after graduating in college was teaching and even after that, I did part-time work. I have remaine friends with a few of my students to this day. I hope your therapy brings 100% recovery soon. Thanks for coffee!
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Thank you for the encouragement! I will be posting updates!
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