teaching, traveling, taking pictures
Class of 2020. Family and friends of graduating students. Teachers, support staff, and administrators. Thank you for the opportunity to say a few words during your commencement ceremony. I consider it a great honor to be addressing you on this momentous day, during an atypical period of history for this country and for the entire… Continue reading Quarantine Commencement Address
The following is a writing exercise about the quarantine using 20 different types of figures of speech. For an explanation of any FoS that might be unfamiliar to you, please refer to the article that inspired my exercise. Alliteration: The quarantine quashed my quests to foreign locales for the foreseeable future. Anaphora: I want to… Continue reading “No Walk in the Park!”: the Quarantine and Figures of Speech
"Do we really want to travel in hermetically sealed popemobiles through the rural provinces of France, Mexico and the Far East, eating only in Hard Rock Cafes and McDonalds? ... I know what I want. I want it all. I want to try everything once."Anthony Bourdain Taiwan Ireland Brazil Lebanon Vietnam Singapore Malaysia
It has been about a year since I purchased my Huawei P30 Pro. A year ago, I was in the market for a new phone but was more interested in a device that could serve as my back up camera, so I was mostly looking for a top of the line camera in a phone.… Continue reading One Year with My Huawei P30 Pro: A Photo Retrospective
Prior to the Coronavirus pandemic, when I was able to travel, I tried regularly to send my nieces a postcard about my adventures and whereabouts. However, since I have been on lockdown, like most of the world, my adventures have been nil and my daily life less interesting. Still, if I were to send my… Continue reading Quarantine Postcards
Morning. Sunlight fills my curtainless bedroom, waking me up at 7am. I begin the day by making my bed. I then head to the kitchen to boil water which I pour into a French press. As my coffee steeps, I water my plants. For the next hour, I drink my coffee and think about the… Continue reading Quarantine Mornings
Gauntlet: "a strong glove with a long, loose wrist."Gantlet: "go through an intimidating or dangerous crowd or experience in order to reach a goal."Google Dictionary These are weird times. Currently, most of the world is some state of quarantine, and many people are practicing social distancing. Being cooped up in my apartment, teaching online several… Continue reading Conan’s Gantlet of Grammar
Hello Conan, I hope you are well. Are you considering returning to the U.S. given the DOS level 4 restrictions? Whatever you do, I hope you are well-connected and keeping up your spirits! Best wishes, Friend ---------- Forwarded message --------- The Department of State advises U.S. citizens to avoid all international travel due to the… Continue reading Response to Fwd: Global Health Advisory – Level 4 Do Not Travel, March 19, 2020
Conan! How are you? Are you guys having classes? Is the university closed? I got a job at XXX University! I need your advice as to how to transition and start somewhere new. I am not sure how to begin. Can you give me some advice??? Hey, friend! I am doing well. Thank you for… Continue reading Response to a Friend on Teaching, Traveling, and Job Transitioning during the Covid-19 Pandemic
A journey is like marriage. The certain way to be wrong is to think you control it.John Steinbeck
