Blog Archives

Text Expanders: The Magical Time Saver You Need Right Now

This may not solve *all* of your current problems in life, but it may help with a few: that email you send every time a new student comes to class, the list of suggestions on how to improve your grade, wanting to leave the same comment on multiple students’ feedback, working in Google Docs or Forms and needing a math symbol, having a really long course title name that you always have to type out, being too lazy to type your entire name at the end of an email. The answer to all of these is:

Get a text expander!

I used to use one way back in Windows XP and I had a teacher say it was one of the most helpful things he ever installed. But then it didn’t work in Windows Vista and I sort of forgot about it because mostly I used MS Word and created my own shortcuts in there.

But then an article from Wired reminded me about them and I’ve been using one this week and, well, as I said, it’s magical.

I did about 3 minutes of research and went with Auto Text Expander. It seemed easy to use and was free. We’re a Google school so I do everything in Chrome now anyway. If you still do a lot of work in MS Office, you may want to research into one of the system-wide ones mentioned in the Wired article.

So anyway, what does it do?

Well, you set it up so you type a few letters and it expands it into your personalized phrase. Here are some examples it comes preloaded with:

(The %clip% code inserts whatever is on your clipboard.)

But you can really put ANYTHING in the expansion section. For example, maybe you need to send emails about failing grades. So you could make “failtest” to expand to:

“Hello,

Your student currently has a <!–?atec?–> in my class. This is mainly due to low test scores. My tutoring zooms are Monday and Wednesday at 2:00 pm.

Please let me know if you have questions,

Meg Craig”

Then you could make “failassign” to be the same thing, but have the reason being that they have not completed assignments. The <!–?atec?–> puts the cursor in that spot so you can input the grade.

But “my class” is fairly generic, eh? Well, you could type the actual course in the subject line of the email use the text expansion algI to put “Algebra I with Probability” in the subject line of the email.

So now your workflow would be:
1. New Email
2. Paste parent email into to:
3. Subject line: type algi
4. Body: type failtest, type the grade, send.

WHOA, am I right??!?!

I also added “gm” for Good Morning! as an email salutation and “tmc” for Thanks, Meg Craig for my signature.

I see this also being handy to leave feedback on Google and Desmos. Make shortcuts for commonly used comments (wn: “watch your negatives!”) and/or make specific comment shortcuts for the actual assignment. Like if everyone thought cosine was 0 at π, you could have “c0” expand to “Remember cosine is the x-coordinate! Where is π radians on the x-axis?”

Oh, ahem, did you also see what I did there with the actual π symbol? Yes, you can also use symbols in your shortcuts, and make shortcuts for just symbols. This could be life changing for all you Geometry teachers out there! Think trg = Δ, cng = ≅, exp2 = 2, theta = θ, sigma = Σ. I simply google “blah blah blah symbol” and copy and paste the symbol into the text expansion.

Did I mention this also works in Google forms?

(Ironically, it does not work in WordPress editing. So after you install it, you may want to check to see if it works in your programs before you spend too much time making phrases.)

With a little bit of time spent setting it up (psst…to edit the phrases, click the puzzle piece in the top right of your chrome address bar and select the expansion), I think you’ll find it will pay off in the long run! I’ll leave you with three hints:

  1. Make sure your code phrase isn’t something you’ll commonly type. For example, I used “es” for Environmental Science, which was great until I typed “these” and Environmental Science ended up in the middle. Changing it to evs solved the problem! That’s also why I used trg instead of tri for Δ (I mean, yes, you could also use delta but I was using it as a triangle in this context. Plus think of the delta math issue!)
  2. Make a little cheat sheet post-it for your computer monitor of your codes until you have them memorized.
  3. If you’re using Auto Text Expander, click export and copy it in an email to yourself in case you lose your backup!

I hope you give this a try and I really hope it adds a little well-deserved magic into your life!! Pretty soon you’ll be telling yourself:

Harry-Potter-Hagrid-Youre-A-Wizard-Harry - What's A Geek
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2020 Fitbos Challenge

Wow! Can you imagine it’s the FIFTH annual Fitbos challenge?!?

via GIPHY

Here are some FAQs about the challenge:

What is the #Fitbos20 challenge?  Set your own workout hours goal for the year, make that goal public by entering it on the first sheet at bit.ly/fitbos20. At the bottom, you’ll notice tabs for each month. This is where you can enter your daily workout times (if you’d rather enter them by week, just put the week’s totals in for one day). The front sheet should update your times.  Remember to put your yearly goal in as hours and your daily workout time in as minutes.

What if I want to do something other than hours, like miles or steps or pushups?
The spreadsheet is set up to convert minutes to hours. For each month, in cell 7 in your column, simply delete the “/60” part of the formula.

How did this start? In 2015, for some reason, I signed up for #500milesin2015. I made it (and did a 10K!) but not without some “knee awareness.” I wanted to still have a yearly goal but be able to vary the workouts, so I started a google spreadsheet in 2016. Each year I always end up slacking for the first half and then amping it up for the last quarter, but I have made my goals!

What should my goal be? I’m doing 200 because it’s (a) 2020 and (b) I’m crazy. Some people are doing 52 hours, some people are doing 314. I try to find the line between possible and believable and that is something different for everyone. We don’t judge.

What counts? We’re not the exercise police. If you think it counts, count it. My rule of thumb is, “Am I not sitting on my butt when I rather would be?” Hiking? Of course. Snow-shoveling? I’ve heard that such a thing is actually quite the workout. Dance-vacuuming? Hey, if you break a sweat and have a clean house, double bonus! Walking around the school during your planning period? Great way to get in some extra minutes and get re-energized! I personally do a mix of walking the dogs when the weather is nice and youtube videos and DVD’s from Jessica Smith when the weather isn’t. I also recently upped my game and started working out with Sydney Cummings-she posts a new video each day!

What if something doesn’t work on the spreadsheet? Yes, I was lazy and just made a copy of last year’s and did some tweaking, so there may be some wonkiness left over. Just shoot me a tweet (I don’t check blog comments very often) and I’ll try to get it sorted!

What if I’m a fitbit user? Sarah Martin (@Sarah3Martin) has a fitbit fitbos challenge group. You can give her your info and she will add you to the group for weekly challenges if you need more (or different) motivation.

What do I get when I complete my goal? Your hours turn green and you get a monthly shout-out on Twitter from me on or about the 5th of each month. As a new added bonus, if you finish your yearly goal, you get to sign up early for next year, meaning you can get a prime column! 🙂  (If you don’t get a prime column this year, some people like to color/fill their name to make it easier to find. Or you could make your own copy of the spreadsheet, put yourself in column B, then just copy and paste your times at the end of the month to the group sheet.)

Who completed the 2019 challenge? Congrats to:

Shelly (@shelleycarranza ) 152 hours (102%)
Tina (@TPalmer207) 126 hours (101%)
Shelli (@druinok) 135 hours (100%)
Kristina (@kqb) 160 hours (102%)
Dave (@daveLanovaz) 185 hours (100%)
Brett (@ParkerMathEd) 100 hours (100%)
Mary Anne (@mahiker) 422 hours (!!) (105%)
Becca (@rphillipsmath) 152 hours (102%)
Jennifer (@hhsmath) 190 hours (100%)
Megan (@megandubee) 242 hours (101%)
Kristen (@fouss) 188 hours (104%)
Danielle (@daniellereycer) 179 hours (120%)
Adrianne (@a_schindy) 52 hours (100%)
Me! 156 hours (104%)

What does it feel like to complete your #fitbos goal?

via GIPHY

And to answer your final question, “where do I sign up again?bit.ly/fitbos20!

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A Year of (PreAP) Precal

Here it is, my friends: a year of PreAP Precal as it happened. This is the doc I used with students before we made the move to Google Classroom (and before I made the move to not teaching math).

There’s not a lot earth-shattering here, but I’ve heard through the grapevine that people are still using my stuff, so I thought this might be a helpful resource as you plan out your year as a one-stop shop. I’ve linked to the relevant blog posts for each unit, which will also have the blank .doc or .pdf files for you to download, as well as commentary on how the lesson went.

As an added bonus, there are also study guides WITH an answer bank AND fully written-out keys AND study guide videos made by yours truly.

So without further ado, here is the google doc.

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Counting Down to Noon O’Clock

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I would like to announce that after eating the same lunch for 17 years (Ritz peanut butter crackers, trail mix, and peanut butter chocolate granola bar), this school year I resolved to start making lunches that were perhaps a bit better for me and I made it through the entire school year without eating peanut butter crackers once. And I was actually looking forward to eating lunch instead of just looking forward to it being lunch. 🙂

Of course, now they’re saying that having the same lunch every day is good for you, in the one-less-decision-to-make kind of way. But I’m still going to share my ideas so maybe it’ll help you if you do have decisions to make about lunch. Also, I’m not making any statement on the healthiness of these recipes, except for the fact that they use mostly fresh ingredients and a lot more vegetable and fruit servings than I was previously getting at lunch (zero). I usually made a recipe on the weekend that would make 3-4 lunches, then have a sliced apple with peanut butter and, yes, some trail mix on the other days. (BTW, whether or not you make your own lunch, you need this apple slicer in your life. Also BTW, I did quite a few experiments involving sprite, fruit fresh, etc, and found the easiest way to keep the apple from browning was to slice it right before school and store it in a plastic container in the fridge.) So here are some of my go-to recipes:

One Skillet Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry
It does involve a lot of ingredients, but it is yummy!

Tex-Mex Fried Rice
I actually just had this for lunch and it is also yummy! (I think I only have two food descriptors: yummy and gross.) It is a wee bit spicy as written. And it makes a TON so make sure you have your big frying pan for this.

Honey Siracha Glazed Meatballs
I make a half-batch (one pound of ground turkey) for four meals. Also, don’t tell anyone, but I use ground ginger instead of fresh because I can’t be bothered. (Don’t tell anyone that I use jarred minced garlic instead of fresh as well. I also use salted butter in recipes that say unsalted. I have yet to have anyone tell me my baked goods are too salty. [Or maybe they are and they’re just not telling me because they’re nice.] What I’m saying is if using dried spices or prediced onion gets you to switch out a processed meal for homemade, do it.)

Pasta Salad
I know there’s a thousand recipes for pasta salad out there, but I have the easiest one memorized: half a box of pasta, a tomato, a cucumber, 1/4 c of mayo, and 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning. Feel free to add in anything else you might enjoy, like bell peppers or grilled corn-off-the-cob.

Salad Salad
Remember what I said about prediced onions and such? May I also recommend trying a bagged salad? My favorite is Publix Apple, Feta, and Walnut, especially if it’s buy one, get one. I also had a delightful salad at a cafe yesterday that was spinach, almonds, craisins, and avocado with poppy seed vinaigrette that I can’t wait to make at home.
Protip: Use your kitchen shears to cut up the greens right in your salad container as you assembly your lunch. I use a container, similar to this one, that I found at Target.

Lightened-Up Creamy Chicken Soup
Perfect for winter! And yes, I am a nerd and spent some of my Christmas money on a lunch-sized Crockpot. I use it to warm everything up that needs reheating, not just soup. Hey, when you only have 22 minutes for lunch, you don’t want to spend 2 of those at the microwave. I just set a text reminder to turn it on about an hour before lunch.

I always looking for more recipes, so send some my way @outsideofadog07 on Twitter. (Oh, btw, I still check @mathymeg07 occasionally, but have mostly migrated to using this new account because it seemed easier to start from scratch rather than culling my follows and followers. Plus as an added bonus, on my new account, no one’s tried to censor me and tell me not to tweet! How refreshing!)

Category: Uncategorized

#Read2018 Books

Man, 114 books!

Instead of a top ten list, here are some titles I want to spotlight:

My five-star books:

How to Invent Everything: A Survival Guide for the Stranded Time Traveler By Ryan North

This book defies description: when it came out, it was at the top of the Sci-Fi and Non-Fiction bestseller lists for Amazon. A book that’s fun to dip into, but that I couldn’t stop myself from devouring in a couple days. Warning: it will make you want to tell everyone you meet about how humans really missed the boat with buttons.

Mr & Mrs American Pie by Juliet McDaniel

That’s right: I’m giving comedy its due. In terms of pure, delightful, actual laugh-out-loud-ness, this one is a pageant winner. Plus you know I’m a sucker for a found family/precocious kid story.

Goodbye, Paris by Anstey Harris

Remember what I said about found family? I also love books that make you want to travel, and this one makes me long to go to…Italy (you though I was going to say Paris, didn’t you?). Also, do not read while hungry: the food descriptions are mouth-watering! You may also not want to read in public. I may have started crying in front of my students while reading this.

[We interrupt this blog post to bring you the following advertisement. This was one of my Book of the Month club selections. I joined last March and I love it! You can either get charged monthly for $15, or a year for $150. They give you five to choose from, and you can skip a month if you don’t like anything. You can also add-on for $10/book. If you’d like to try it, you can use my link and we each get a free book. We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.]

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

When I read this in January, I knew it was going to be one of my favorites of the year. A sprawling love story with a dash of old-fashioned Hollywood, it’s a book that reminds you why you slog through so many books: because sometimes you’ll find a treasure like this one.

One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid

For me, 2018 was definitely the year of Taylor Jenkins Reid. After reading Seven Husbands, I wanted to devour all of her previous work, and it did not disappoint. (I tried to stretch it out as much as possible, so I still have After I Do to read.) This was my favorite. You know when you’re reading and your heart gets in your throat because you don’t know what choice the character is going to make and you see that both choices aren’t wrong and it’s just really got you nervous? That is how I felt for the entire book. So, so good. Plus I want others to read it so we can discuss her decisions. Plus I want to read it again. Plus can I mention how nice it is to have a book where all the characters are pleasant to be around?

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah
Guys, don’t be like me and wait to read this book. This is the rare memoir that is both insightful (I must admit this is the first book I’ve read about South Africa) and funny. And not just, “oh, that is an amusing, wry tale” funny, but “hahaha, wait, you gotta hear this story!” funny. Read it now; thank me later.

Dear Mrs. Bird by A.J. Pearce

Maybe it was because I was reading this in Scotland, but I loved this story of a young woman in London during World War II. Although it is a war story, the most descriptive word I can think of is cozy. Perfect for a winter’s night by the fire.

The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives by Dashka Slater

I read a lot of YA books, and sometimes they feel like they’re just checking off a list of topical items to include. This one is non-fiction and organically covers so many interesting topics: transgenderism, racism, justice system, restorative justice. It makes you confront these issues, but personalizes them so it doesn’t feel like you’re being forced to do Important Topic Homework. It also includes some unique storytelling elements, which is just an added bonus.

Mr Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloane and The Oracle Year by Charles Soule

I paired these together because they both defy description, but I think if you like one, you’ll like the other. I’m a bit late to Penumbra, but I’m glad it finally made to the top of my TBR list. This is a book that you definitely have not read before, and you never know where each page is going to take you. The same can be said for The Oracle Year (another Book of the Month selection that I never would have read otherwise). What if you knew certain events would happen in the future? What would that knowledge be worth? Who would want that knowledge? What could you do with that knowledge? It reads like classic Grisham, with characters you know are up to something, but you’re not sure what, and you have to keep turning the pages to find out.

The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay

This was a re-read from 2014, but, man, does it still hold up. One of the best YA novels I’ve ever read. I can’t even think about the ending without tearing up. To quote from my sister, “If you are a teenager, have a teenager or have been a teenager, it will touch your heart.”

Otherwise Engaged and The Zygote Chronicles by Suzanne Finnamore

Two more re-reads, but I had a bit of a reading slump and these are two of my favorite books. Almost 20 years old, and the writing still zings. Like real-life love, I can’t explain why I love these books so much, all I know is that I do.

Four-star books that are still noteworthy:

Blood Water Paint by Joy McCollough
A novel in verse based on a real female artist from the 1600’s with topical connections to the #metoo movement? No, this is definitely a book that hasn’t been done before. And the writing is not just a novel in verse, but a beautifully crafted poem on each page. This one sticks with you.

The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal
You don’t read many sci-fi books set in the past (except Star Wars), so this a refreshing blend of dystopia (meteorite crashes into earth), historical (ladies wearing pants! gasp!), and science (how fast can we get to the moon?). If you liked Hidden Figures, I think you’d enjoy this as a fun what-if premise. I ordered the second book right away! (but haven’t gotten to read it yet.)

Adequate Yearly Progress by Roxanna Elden

I sent so many pics of passages to my friends from this book and could have sent many more! It’s a bit eerie how well Roxanna captured the current school environment. A very fun read that may hit too close to home for some of us!

Pandora’s Lab: Seven Stories of Science Gone Wrong by Paul A Offit

While not all seven stories are stellar, there’s some in here that really make you think. The brief history of how the opioid crisis began is just fascinating. I think these could also be the springboard of some interesting science/statistics lessons.

And that’s all folks! Be sure to tweet me @mathymeg07 with your favorites of 2018!

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2019 Fitbos Challenge

It’s back! The fourth annual Fitbos challenge! Because working out is always better with friends!

Here are some FAQs about the challenge:

What is the #Fitbos19 challenge?  Set your own workout hours goal for the year, make that goal public by entering it on the first sheet at bit.ly/fitbos19. At the bottom, you’ll notice tabs for each month. This is where you can enter your daily workout times (if you’d rather enter them by week, just put the week’s totals in for one day). The front sheet should update your times.  Remember to put your yearly goal in as hours and your daily workout time in as minutes.

What if I want to do something other than hours, like miles or steps or pushups?
The spreadsheet is set up to convert minutes to hours. For each month, in cell 7 in your column, simply delete the “/60” part of the formula.

How did this start? In 2015, for some reason, I signed up for #500milesin2015. I made it (and did a 10K!) but not without some “knee awareness.” I wanted to still have a yearly goal but be able to vary the workouts, so I started a google spreadsheet last year. Each year I always end up slacking for the first half and then amping it up for the last quarter, but I have made my goals!

What should my goal be? I’m doing 150 because it’s a nice number. 3 hours a week with a two-week vacation. Some people are doing 100 hours, some people are doing 275. I try to find the line between possible and believable and that is something different for everyone. We don’t judge.

What counts? We’re not the exercise police. If you think it counts, count it. My rule of thumb is, “Am I not sitting on my butt when I rather would be?”  Hiking? Of course. Snow-shoveling? I’ve heard that such a thing is actually quite the workout. Dance-vacuuming? Hey, if you break a sweat and have a clean house, double bonus! Walking around the school during your planning period? Great way to get in some extra minutes and get re-energized! I personally do a mix of walking the dogs when the weather is nice and youtube videos and DVDs from Jessica Smith when the weather isn’t.

What if something doesn’t work on the spreadsheet? Yes, I was lazy and just made a copy of last year’s and did some tweaking, so there may be some wonkiness left over. Just shoot me a tweet (I don’t check blog comments very often) and I’ll try to get it sorted!

What if I’m a fitbit user? Sarah Martin (@Sarah3Martin) has a fitbit fitbos challenge group. You can give her your info and she will add you to the group for weekly challenges if you need more (or different) motivation.

What do I get when I complete my goal? Your hours turn green and you get a monthly shout-out on Twitter from me. This year I set a calendar reminder for the 5th of every month for the shout-out — sorry I slacked a bit in the fall this year! I blame it on lack of new Astros World Series gifs. As a new added bonus, if you finish your yearly goal, you get to sign up early for next year, meaning you can get a prime column! 🙂  (If you don’t get a prime column this year, some people like to color/fill their name to make it easier to find. Or you could make your own copy of the spreadsheet, put yourself in column B, then just copy and paste your times at the end of the month to the group sheet.)

Who completed the 2018 challenge? Congrats to:

Shelly (@stcarranza) 159 hours (106%)
Tina (@TPalmer207) 126 hours (100%)
Shelli (@druinok) 150 hours (109%)
Dave (@daveLanovaz) 182 hours (101%)
Brett (@ParkerMathEd) 100 hours (100%)
Megan (@MeganHeine) 299 hours (115%)
Mary Anne (@mahiker) 357 hours (!!) (119%)
Pam (@pamjwilson) 132 hours (101%)
Jennifer (@hhsmath) 197 hours (109%)
Megan (@megandubee) 258 hours (103%)
Elissa (@misscalculate) 2026 miles (100%)
Me! 150 hours (100%)

What does it feel like to complete your #fitbos goal?

And to answer your final question, “where do I sign up again?bit.ly/fitbos19!

Category: Uncategorized

Teacher Emergency Supply Kit

Today I had to make an emergency stop at the drugstore on the way to school due to the world’s worst blister. (Seriously, this thing woke me up in the middle of the night! Yes, I used a blister blocker stick. No, I did not think to rub it on the tops of my toes.) But it reminded me of a blog post I’ve been meaning to write: the teacher’s emergency kit. Treat yourself by getting a cute container (or a shoebox), filling it with this stuff, and putting it in your desk or closet. You’ll thank me later. (Also, how great of a gift would this be for a student teacher/new teacher?)

Basics:

Bandaids Our school nurse provides some, but you know exactly what type they are-those scratchy fabric kind that are about 5 inches big. I ran out of my personal stash yesterday (hence the blisters), but I usually have a regular assortment and a cartoon one. Students love the cartoon ones.  (Also, if you’re not using heel liners in every shoe that you wear without socks, how do you survive?)

Shout wipes Hey, remember when the entire sleeve of your writing arm was the same color as your overhead markers? Good times. But marker accidents still happen!

Manicure kit I wish I didn’t have to say this, but since it happened at our school once: do not give yourself a manicure at school. But isn’t it nice to not have to wait until you get home to take care of that broken nail? (Mine was actually a freebie from a long time ago, but here’s a really tricked-out version that has a lot of extra stuff that makes me feel queasy. I would say just nail and cuticle clippers and nail file would be enough.)

Feminine Products I put mine in a discreet pencil bag, which makes it less awkward to give out when someone asks.

Lint roller/sheets I guess this isn’t completely necessary if you don’t have pets, but still handy, especially if you accidentally brush up against that shelf that no one’s dusted this year.

Hand lotion Unless you’re the type of with-it person that already has some in their purse. As a person that’s sensitive to smells, may I recommend unscented?

Compact mirror FYI, I’m going to be the person that tells you if something is wrong if you can fix it (arugula in your teeth: yes. Eyebrows drawn on crookedly: no.). In case you don’t have a me in your department, an after-lunch check might be called for.

Floss See above.

Your (legal) pain-reliever of choice Pep rallies, am I right?

Snacky-snack Depending on your willpower/cravings, keep some granola bars, goldfish cracker bags, and/or chocolate in your desk. You’ll thank me when you end up grading past dinner.

Change for the vending machine For that emergency drink/snack when all you have is a twenty and two dimes in your wallet.

Above and beyond:

Sewing kit Ok, maybe you’re not going to whip out a needle and thread to sew on a missing button, but the tiny scissors come in handy. At least get some various-sized safety pins.

Fashion tape Ladies, let’s talk about bra straps. There’s no reason for us to see them at work. Keep some at home and at work. (Note: You can amazon it, but it usually cheaper at Ulta or Bed, Bath, and Beyond)

Contact solution/eyeglass cleaner For those with less-than-perfect vision.

USB phone cord For when you forgot to plug in your phone the night before.

Toolkit Flat-head & Phillips screwdrivers, small hammer, set of mini “precision” screwdrivers : You’d be surprised how often these come in handy, especially once everyone on your hall knows you have them.  I keep all my tools in a separate box to loan out.

Mini umbrella For when the weatherperson lied. Again. (Not going to lie to you, I think I’ve used mine twice in ten years because I always forget I have one!)

I think that’s it! Anything supplies that comes in handy that I missed?

[Edited 8/14/18 to add suggestions]

Of course Elissa is always prepared. I swear by Cold-Eeze Cherry Cough Drops (note: you may want to have some regular non-medicated cough drops for students.)Leslie must be grading absolute value inequalities tests, amirite?!?!Casey is not taking any chances with garlic sauce at lunch.Kathy has a toddler. No wonder she needs extra help in the afternoon. 

[Edited 8/26 to add even more suggestions!]

I was going to blame the fact that I have short hair be the reason that I forgot bobby pins and hair ties, but I guess that doesn’t work with Kristen suggesting them!
Some smart ideas from Kathryn. I really wish I would have gotten a wipeable placemat before I spilled dressing all over the place on Friday.

Duh, of course we need Chapstick!! Thanks, MegHan!

Math by the Mountain is super prepared…. (pro tip: I have one class bring in hand sanitizer for their class supply)And both Tina and MbyM are having some DAYS, people…
Thanks for all the suggestions!  I hope these ideas help make those days just a little bit easier for you! 🙂

 

Category: Uncategorized

Yummy Yummy In My Tummy: Dinner

Inspired by Math by the Mountain’s weekly meal prep posts, I’m sharing some yummy recipes today. Now, I consider myself a pretty good baker, but (cue Richard Nixon voice) I am not a cook. I’m a math gal; I need specific rules to follow, none of this “a dash” “10 – 50 minutes, depending” or “to taste.” So if I can make these recipes, I bet you can as well.

Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
Recipe from Genius Kitchen

Mr. Craig gets the credit for finding this recipe. I’m not a big pasta eater, but I usually clean my plate on this one. And now that we’ve made it about once a week for the last six months, we have it down to a science and can get it on the table in 15 minutes. After cooking it that many times, I’ve tweaked the recipe by (1) cutting out the tomatoes, green onions, and Parmesan cheese (but that’s just weird pickiness and laziness of not wanting to chop things) (2) increasing the cream to ¾ cup because more cream is never wrong, and (3) using the Buitoni refrigerated linguine-it just seems a bit tastier than boxed.

Yoste Roast
Recipe from Today Show

I made this from the What Can I Bring? cookbook and Mr Craig could not stop raving about how yummy it was! It’s even better the next day(s) on sandwiches. Even though a roast that big is kind of pricey, we got 4 days worth of dinner out of it. And those meals were darn good. Serving as sandwiches would also be a great party dish. Now a bit of truth in advertising: my roast turned out like a pot roast, delicious, tender, and fall-apart, not like the lovely strips in the picture. I just wanted you to be prepared in case you had this big, elegant, Pinterest display planned, as I’m sure you normally do for dinner.

Sheet Pan Chicken
Recipe from Barefeet in the Kitchen

Spoiler: if you come over to my house for dinner, you’ll probably be getting this meal. It is so easy, yet looks impressive when you plate it. Plus you put it in the oven 50 minutes before dinner and then you’re done. Be careful not to overcrowd your sheet pan or you won’t get the perfect crispiness on the potatoes or green beans (and I think the crispy green beans are my favorite part!). Also, maybe I’m just a meatasaur, but one chicken thigh is not enough for me. When I’m serving 4 people, I keep the potatoes and green beans the same, but buy another pack of chicken thighs, mix everything up in the biggest bowl I have, and split the recipe across two sheet pans.

The Sugar Cookies that Will Change the Way You Think about Sugar Cookies

We have a local German bakery that has the best sugar cookies that I have been trying to duplicate forever. These do not duplicate them, but they are even better. Now the problem I have is that nobody “wants” sugar cookies. I get requests for chocolate chip, chocolate crinkles, peanut butter…, but sad ol’ sugar cookie never gets invited. But I bring them anyway because people don’t know what they really want until I tell them and, what do you know, these cookies become the life of the party and always get invited back. Seriously, I found the recipe in October and I think I’ve made them seven times already (and I haven’t baked at all in January!).

I used a google hack of adding “best” when I searched “sugar cookie recipe,” and read a few of top hits, then modified this one from A Spicy Perspective  by (1) cutting the recipe in half [pro-tip: WRITE all the half amounts on a post-it so you don’t accidently put in the wrong amount when you’re glancing at the recipe] (2) adding ¼ teaspoon of almond extract (3) using the smallest OXO cookie scoop and baking for about 8 minutes.

Man, just typing about them makes me want to break my no-baking-in-January pledge! Enjoy! 🙂

Category: Uncategorized

My Year in Books

This year I definitely embraced my librarian-ness and read 94 books (ooh, so close to 100!). You can my Goodreads Year in Books here, or just look at all the pretty covers:

I have been thinking it hasn’t been a great year for books for me (there’s probably an additional 10-15 not listed that I did not finish), but looking back there have definitely been some that have warmed my heart! I am quite stingy with my 5 star ratings (it must be a book that I want to put in the hands of every person that I know), but these are the ones that made the cut.

My Favorite Book of the Year

Chemistry by Weike Wang
I love this type of writing of style: short, succinct, and a bit snarky. This is the only book I’ve ever left on my Kindle after reading it because I knew I wanted to read it again. Which I am doing right now and loving it just as much as the first time. It follows a woman trying to get her PhD in Chemistry and it is funny and sad and moving and smart. For all you math lovers out there, the epigraph of the book is the mathematical definition of epigraph. Swoon! (psst, if you like this style of writing, check out Suzanne Finnamore’s Otherwise Engaged and The Zygote Chronicles, two of my favorite books of all time.)

Other Five-Star Books:

Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crowe by Jessica Townsend
Yes, I know you’ve heard a lot of “this is the next Harry Potter,” but this might actually be true in this case (there’s already plans for a movie). There is just so much to love about this book–it’s fast-paced, heartwarming, and wonderful world-building. If you have kids, this would make a great read aloud (I know because this was the book I did read it aloud on our Thanksgiving road trip to Houston. Made the 11-hour drive fly by!)

Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
John Green at his finest, making you love a girl with mental health issues without turning her into a manic pixie dream girl. I think anyone who knows someone dealing with mental health issues should read this, by which I mean everyone should read this.

I’m Just No Good at Rhyming by Chris Harris
This brought back memories of the wonderfully fun, nonsensical poetry of Shel Silverstein. Another great book to read aloud, but be prepared for pleas of “just one more!”

The War that Saved my Life and The Way I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
I love books that make you want to give every character a hug and a warm mug of tea. I also love any book involving found family. And I love books with imperfect heroines. Summary: I loved these books.

The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery
“Why would I want to read a book about octopuses?” BECAUSE OCTOPUSES ARE AWESOME. And this book is wonderfully written and gives you a sense of awe and wonder about nature and life. AND ALSO OCTOPUSES ARE AWESOME.

American Fire: Love, Arson, and Life in a Vanishing Land by Monica Hesse
So I read that other best non-fiction book of the year about crime and it felt a little bit like homework. The story was interesting, but I just couldn’t get into it. Then I read American Fire and remembered that the telling of the story is just as important as the story. Even though the culprit is known early in the book, Hesse kept me on the edge of my seat for the whole wild ride.

Cloud and Wallfish by Anne Nesbet
Yes, it has a really weird title. But every time I see this book in the library, I clutch my heart and let out a little sigh because it’s another book where you want to give every character a hug and hot cocoa. Plus, feel old as the history of the Berlin Wall is explained to children who have no memory of seeing pieces of it for sale in department stores. Also has a beautifully written scene about jigsaw puzzles.

See You in the Cosmos by Jack Cheng
First: THE DOG IS OK. I repeat, THE DOG IS OK. (Yes, I did have to flip forward, which I never do, to check.) Do you like rockets? Do you like kids and narrators that see the world a little differently? Do you like found family novels? Do you like books where the DOG IS OK? Then read this already, ok?!?!

Some Writer!: The Story of E.B. White by Melissa Sweet
Make sure to read the book-book of this and not the ebook, because each page is a work of art. I had no idea E.B. White may be one of my favorite authors. And it introduced me to this letter.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
I did have to bump this rating up from 4 to 5 because I spent the entire year telling people to read this book. An important read that would make a great school-wide book club choice.

Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
This book is indescribable, as it is “not exactly a memoir,” but more if you had a super-awesome, funny, smart best friend who would email or text you random bits about her life. Knowing that she died from ovarian cancer in March (but not before trying to find her husband a new wife), makes many of the entries that much more moving. Another book that needs to be read in book-book form and not an ebook.

The Inquisitor’s Tale: Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog by Adam Gidwitz
This was almost going to be my favorite book of the year. It reminded me of the best part of Harry Potter, which is the band of three against the world. There are dragons and knights and books and, of course, holy dogs! This would also be a great read aloud and has so much to discuss about morality, friendship, otherness, books, history….  I plan on listening to the audiobook for the start of my fitbos challenge next year, but then again, the book is so charmingly illuminated, I may want to read the hardcover again. I really want someone else to read it so we can talk about how magical it is.

For 2018, I’m going to try to tweet my reviews using #read2018. Please join me!

Category: Life Outside of School | Tags:

#Fitbos18

It’s back! The third annual Fitbos challenge! Because working out is always better with friends!

Here are some FAQs about the challenge:

What is the #Fitbos18 challenge?  Set your own workout hours goal for the year, make that goal public by entering it on the first sheet at bit.ly/fitbos18. At the bottom, you’ll notice tabs for each month. This is where you can enter your daily workout times (if you’d rather enter them by week, just put the week’s totals in for one day). The front sheet should update your times.

What if I want to do something other than hours, like miles or steps or pushups?
The spreadsheet is set up to convert minutes to hours. For each month, in cell 7 in your column, simply delete the “/60” part of the formula.

How did this start? In 2015, for some reason, I signed up for #500milesin2015. I made it (and did a 10K!) but not without some “knee awareness.” I wanted to still have a yearly goal but be able to vary the workouts, so I started a google spreadsheet last year. Each year I always end up slacking for the first half and then amping it up for the last quarter, but I have made my goals!

What should my goal be? I’m doing 150 because it’s a nice number. 3 hours a week with a two-week vacation. Some people are doing 100 hours, some people are doing 275. I try to find the line between possible and believable and that is something different for everyone. We don’t judge.

What counts? We’re not the exercise police. If you think it counts, count it. My rule of thumb is, “Am I not sitting on my butt when I rather would be?”  Hiking? Of course. Snow-shoveling? I’ve heard that such a thing is actually quite the workout. Dance-vacuuming? Hey, if you break a sweat and have a clean house, double bonus! Walking around the school during your planning period? Great way to get in some extra minutes and get re-energized! I personally do a mix of walking the dogs when the weather is nice and youtube videos and DVDs from Jessica Smith when the weather isn’t.

What if something doesn’t work on the spreadsheet? Yes, I was lazy and just made a copy of last year’s and did some tweaking (I changed % month to monthly hours left because math is hard), so there may be some wonkiness left over. Just shoot me a tweet (I don’t check blog comments very often) and I’ll try to get it sorted!

What if I’m a fitbit user? Sarah Martin (@Sarah3Martin) has a fitbit fitbos challenge group. You can give her your info and she will add you to the group for weekly challenges if you need more (or different) motivation.

What do I get when I complete my goal? Your hours turn green and you get a monthly shout-out on Twitter from me.

Who completed the 2017 challenge? Congrats to:

Kristen (@fouss) 170 hours (100% of goal)
Shelly (@stcarranza) 110 hours (100%)
Tina (@TPalmer207) 120 hours (100%)
Shelli (@druinok) 135 hours (113%)
Sue (@dsrussosusan) 2,418 miles (120%)
Dave (@daveLanovaz) 179 hours (105%)
Mary Anne (@mahiker) 425 hours (!!) (106%)
Jennifer (@hhsmath) 185 hours (109%)
Jim (@mrdardy) 207 hours (114%)
Megan (@megandubee) 278 hours (110%)
Laura (@laura_wagenman) 280 hours (102%)
Elissa (@misscalculate) 2017 miles (100%)
Me! 170 hours (100%)

What does it feel like to complete your #fitbos goal?

And to answer your final question, “where do I sign up again?bit.ly/fitbos18!

Category: Uncategorized