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1. Emma took the AP English test last week online from home. She thinks it went well. I have already told her that even if it didn't, it doesn't matter and that it will clearly be the fault of the extraordinary circumstances under which she took it rather than her ability. Her teacher did single her out to her class as the student with the best essays so they should cozy up to her as a study buddy which made her happy. I am a little concerned that even if she does well, colleges won't accept her scores; I understand the concern that cheating may occur given the testing environment, but I really hope colleges will accept the scores. She's going to come out of high school with 24 hours of college classes taken through dual enrollment. If she can add three or six from this and three or six from the AP Environmental Science she'll take next year, she'll be able to finish a baccalaureate degree in three years or less. Whoooo!
2. I went to a socially distanced get together in a colleague's yard for about two hours. There were ten of us in lawn chairs spread very far apart from each other. It was unseasonably cool (I actually got cold) which was nice. I enjoyed talking to people outside my immediate family, but it also felt really weird. It's strange how quickly my brain has rewired to feel unsafe as soon as I leave my home although I genuinely don't see how all of us staying outside and being that far apart from each other could have been much of a risk. They started doing this weekly a couple of weeks ago when restrictions began lifting, but I probably won't go back again simply because the heat and the bugs are upon us now. The halcyon days of going outdoors are basically over. It was pretty awesome with a stiff breeze at 60 degrees. At 90 with gnats in my teeth? Not so much. LOL
3. I talked to my parents today, and they started going back to church yesterday. *sigh* Honestly, I am surprised and grateful that their church suspended operations at all, and I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens. It makes me so angry and worried, though. (And then because this is what I do, I instantly jump to dwelling on the reality that if they get sick or worse, we can't go be there with them and worrying that will make everyone in the family mad at us.) I suppose I sound like a hypocrite given #2, but I think there's a real difference in being inside a building close to other people and sitting on surfaces that other people have sat on and touched when you have cancer (dad) and autoimmune disease (mom) and in sitting in your own chair outside in the breeze twelve feet or more from others. IDK
3. I signed the contributor release with McFarland for the book chapter. I have been so worried during this process that it would fall through somehow, but it seems on track to be published in fall. I had to laugh at the "I realize I will never make a single cent off the sale of this book" line of the release, though. Now I just have to write the chapter for MLA, and I'll be in really good shape. I ended up buying the version of Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl they want all the contributors to cite from since library services are largely suspended; that arrived last week, so I can start writing it whenever the mood strikes. Of course, the October deadline does not exactly light a fire under me. LOL
4. In the last few weeks we watched Shazaam (super cute with an ending I did not expect but totally loved) and Detective Pikachu (super cute with an emotional resonance I did not expect). Definitely would recommend both.
5. We have been watching Trollhunters on Netflix, and it is an amazing cartoon. It's by the same people who do the animated series based on How to Train Your Dragon, and the voice cast is amazing (including Kelsey Grammar and Anton Yelchin). I'm so glad Fiona picked it to watch; it's really funny and deeply emotionally affecting. I've cried several times while watching it. I think a lot of you would really enjoy it.
6. I have not forgotten about all your fic prompts! Several of them are shaping up to be actual fics maybe and not just drabbles, so stay tuned. Also, we finished re-watching The Defenders this weekend, so expect some comments on that soon.
2. I went to a socially distanced get together in a colleague's yard for about two hours. There were ten of us in lawn chairs spread very far apart from each other. It was unseasonably cool (I actually got cold) which was nice. I enjoyed talking to people outside my immediate family, but it also felt really weird. It's strange how quickly my brain has rewired to feel unsafe as soon as I leave my home although I genuinely don't see how all of us staying outside and being that far apart from each other could have been much of a risk. They started doing this weekly a couple of weeks ago when restrictions began lifting, but I probably won't go back again simply because the heat and the bugs are upon us now. The halcyon days of going outdoors are basically over. It was pretty awesome with a stiff breeze at 60 degrees. At 90 with gnats in my teeth? Not so much. LOL
3. I talked to my parents today, and they started going back to church yesterday. *sigh* Honestly, I am surprised and grateful that their church suspended operations at all, and I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens. It makes me so angry and worried, though. (And then because this is what I do, I instantly jump to dwelling on the reality that if they get sick or worse, we can't go be there with them and worrying that will make everyone in the family mad at us.) I suppose I sound like a hypocrite given #2, but I think there's a real difference in being inside a building close to other people and sitting on surfaces that other people have sat on and touched when you have cancer (dad) and autoimmune disease (mom) and in sitting in your own chair outside in the breeze twelve feet or more from others. IDK
3. I signed the contributor release with McFarland for the book chapter. I have been so worried during this process that it would fall through somehow, but it seems on track to be published in fall. I had to laugh at the "I realize I will never make a single cent off the sale of this book" line of the release, though. Now I just have to write the chapter for MLA, and I'll be in really good shape. I ended up buying the version of Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl they want all the contributors to cite from since library services are largely suspended; that arrived last week, so I can start writing it whenever the mood strikes. Of course, the October deadline does not exactly light a fire under me. LOL
4. In the last few weeks we watched Shazaam (super cute with an ending I did not expect but totally loved) and Detective Pikachu (super cute with an emotional resonance I did not expect). Definitely would recommend both.
5. We have been watching Trollhunters on Netflix, and it is an amazing cartoon. It's by the same people who do the animated series based on How to Train Your Dragon, and the voice cast is amazing (including Kelsey Grammar and Anton Yelchin). I'm so glad Fiona picked it to watch; it's really funny and deeply emotionally affecting. I've cried several times while watching it. I think a lot of you would really enjoy it.
6. I have not forgotten about all your fic prompts! Several of them are shaping up to be actual fics maybe and not just drabbles, so stay tuned. Also, we finished re-watching The Defenders this weekend, so expect some comments on that soon.
