Into the Wild Wood and Home Again

So, I'm dipping my feet in the AI information regarding ethical use of the models and services in the school setting. I did an online modular training yesterday, and I signed up for a webinar hosted by the NEA and ISTE+ASCD that will be in a couple of weeks. I have no interest at all in using AI myself, but I put myself on a committee at school tasked with developing an AI use policy and methods of teaching about AI/ using AI for classrooms. I'm probably going to play the role of naysayer, but someone has to watch out for academic rigor. I'm not a fan. I think, at the most innocuous, it is lazy to use AI when applied to writing and related tasks. It's inaccurate, although it's clearly being tweaked all the time to make it more accurate. That said, there was a punctuation error, an easy-to-fix one, staring me in the face on their presentation yesterday. ( sigh ) This, after they talked about using AI to review work for grammar and usage.  Two things trouble me so far...

Chapbook Party Update! I'm still working on the final details, but here goes: Wed., March 19, 7pm, on Zoom...conversation/ reading/ question and answer with Joann Deiudecibus! Sunday, March 30, 1-2 pm, at the Littleton Food Coop... in-person celebration/reading/book signing (with cookies!)  Today, I put five copies of my chapbook at the Coop, too, on the Local Authors shelf! I know it's really hard to get excited about anything these days-- we are all in survival mode. I do think, though, that surviving is a little bit easier with friends.  Stay tuned for more details as I get them all sorted. In the meantime, let me know if your book has arrived from Finishing Line Press, so I'm sure people have gotten them! Take good care, C

The ice is sliding off the roof with a rumble and crash. It's been raining and warmer for the last two days, and lemme tell ya, the house-shaking thuds are unnerving. Which, I'm glad, the ice has the good sense (!) to avoid falling on things like stacks of chairs on the deck and my car, but yeah... winter might be losing its grip a little.  Maybe. This happens just about every year, though-- we get a breath of springish air, and then wham! Sub zero and snow happens. Smart kids don't take their winter tires off until May. Or put away the coats.  That said, it's kind of nice not to have to run the oil furnace so much. And opening the winter curtains to let in actual daylight is nice, too.  I hate ice, though, and this rain at 34 degrees is a little sketchy. I'm glad I don't have to drive to work, G is off today, and Meg is not going anywhere til this evening (ugh, nightshift).  Have a good day, and be careful. The outside world is pretty bent on making things ...i...

Normally, I'd be railing on about things in the news. But there's no point in that; you all know what I think, and why keep the toxic narrative going?  We are --I am-- in survival mode.  Today, I am going to bake bread and fold laundry. What I've always done, instinctively, when there is chaos and disorder, is turn to domestic chores. It keeps my hands busy, and I feel like I've accomplished something.  I read last night that there's another wave of banned books coming, and I am trying to not lose my mind-- this time, if I read it correctly, if the books are even in the building, federal aid will be suspended. I can't find the list anywhere yet.  So, I'll bake. C

“There is no week nor day nor hour when tyranny may not enter upon this country, if the people lose their roughness and spirit of defiance.”  – Walt Whitman So, here I am, finding my solace and inspiration this morning from Walt Whitman.  We had a productive day yesterday, very busy with moving around furniture in the bedrooms upstairs, setting up a new bed frame and mattress, and so on. Hot, dusty work. But it's done, and sleep may be a lot easier. I sure hope so. Last night was good; I slept fairly well, but my tummy troubles kept me up and down a bit. This stupid gastritis is getting better, but I made a few poor choices (afternoon coffee) and my guts grumbled a lot. That said, the mattress is comfy. The new sheets and bedding are nice, too.  In short, I was able to limit my intake of the horrors, and maybe that'll help my disposition. Meg said it best the other day: we are all tired of living in history.  I hope you have a restful day. Be safe. Be vigilant. Be br...

In the first book of Samuel, there is the story of how Saul was leading an armed force against David, and, one night, David and Abishai came upon Saul and his soldiers sleeping. Abishai was all for taking Saul's spear and he wanted to "nail him to the ground with one thrust of the spear." That would have ended the threat in a rather permanent way. However, David said not to, as Saul was also one of the anointed by God. Mercy? Yes, but... The "yes, but" of it comes in part of the reading most people gloss over in preference for talking about the mercy part. David took Saul's spear and his water jug away. In other words, he did not allow Abishai to kill Saul, but he did neutralize the situation by taking away his personal weapon and his water, which would have severely limited him in battle or in the heat of the day--he'd have to have more care for his survival than for armed opposition. David limited Saul's ability to be a real threat, and he also sho...

I suppose it's the first day of "vacation" in my little world. In the practical sense, it's also just a Saturday, with the usual grocery-getting, house-cleaning, and so on. I'm not feeling like it's anything all that different. Isn't it funny that a vacation --even if it's just a stay-cation-- doesn't feel like one until the Monday morning when you can sit in your pjs and drink coffee?  Of course, I can't this week-- I set up a brake job for 8am on Monday. But you know what I mean, right? I'll loll about a few other days.  Today, though, I chose to scale back my activity level a little-- I will not be participating in the Open Mic at the Coop after all. I truly just want to be home. In fact, given the horror after horror after horror in the news, I kind of want to crawl into a dark closet somewhere.  Instead, what I'll do is take care of business. Keeping busy making sure my home is a haven is my only defense against the darkness, at le...