What a good day. Seriously. I am exhausted, I may write more in the morning to capture more details, lets start with topic sentences.
Set multiple alarms, woke up earlier than them all after the ocean silenced itself half an hour before them.
Had twenty minutes once downstairs, enjoyed a cup of tea and reviewed my notes for class. Skipped breakfast, no good milk- an eighth gallon left maybe, that expired today, I didn’t even try to sniff it.
Made it to class near perfectly timed to get to my seat and arrange my area, pulling out my laptop and notepads to place them on the the desk in front of me; seated for just a a few moments before being called forward to give our presentation.
Zachary first, then Tommy and myself. Zach had experience in pushing through a dislike of public speaking to give instruction in his service to our nation. I had thought I had noted the discomfort previously in his delivery, yet at some point called it out himself, integrating into a portion of his presentation of chapter 3. Tommy went next, inexperienced yet well studied and he delivered thoroughly. Somewhat anxiously and in the acts just previous to confidence continued through chapter 4.
To his credit, at one point he called out an error as he strayed from the notes that he was doing well in not staring at, and made a small incorrect statement. Paraphrased “Nope, that was wrong, let me say it again,” clearly indicated to me he the the importance of instruction: to convey correct inform, even and especially at the cost of being wrong (the internal admission and outward expression of such a clear sign the modified form will be correct, as well as that the entire process was being scrutinized.)
Beginning chapter 5, I played the #2586 video, the end first- high speed (at the end of my presentation, I offered to play the first part of the video. The tenth speed, 60 second clip versus six seconds of full impact footage. Apart from being a final ‘offer to encore’ allowing me to see the reaction to such a proposition (and evaluate and infer an information,) it allowing the first seven second playing to be a near perfect ‘attention grabbing’ introduction to my presentation.
Being I only wanted to play it once and give the briefest bullet points necessary to it, so as to not dwell speaking on myself, I wanted to warm the audience and ensure I had all eyes forward- they had just listened to ten minutes of student presentations. I figured I might as well use my awareness of the material (and past teaching experiences,) and wake them up to a new portion of presentation.
How awake is everyone this morning (at a relatively early 9:30 a.m. class,) I asked. Later I reiterated my comments as my level of full alert, high consciousness, at my first mention, I kept it bare and challenged everyone to stand up quickly (pausing for compliance, 50% in 3-4 seconds, growing to 75+ by the end of of ten second move and shake blood moving exercise.
Okay, I only want to show this once (the YouTube video was loaded and cued at the black interlude frames, the title clearly displayed for three or four minutes prior the my beginning,) as I disclaimed the footage briefly, no blood I said, although it was pretty rough landing and gave everyone the opportunity to divert their eyes if they so desired.
Seeing 30 simultaneous reactions was a pleasure and I clearly had everyones attention for the rest of my section on my physical and mental injuries and how it pertained to many of the elements in chapter five. Two pages of notes in my mini-legal pad notebooks, outlining forty pages with the precise topics presented page by page, heading by heading in my notation style. All the key words, headings and just enough words to trigger my recollection (if I do it just right.)
Mostly spot on, I felt, I was able to ad lib the entire content referring to my notes only as needed to ensure I moved on to the next topic (and a few times to ensure I hadn’t missed any details or sections as I flowed through the material. It felt good to speak up and to a classroom of people in a lecture hall. I did my best to sure my entire audience was attentive and focus, by being the same with each of them. Likely, my only opportunity (and other may say, requirement,) to give a presentation this semester. This also is making me rethink my online semester planned.
I am enjoying the classroom experience: so many others. Classrooms are not foreign to me over the last decade, however, so often my courses attended are a weeklong at most (and only contain half that in the classroom. Those also are usually crowded in small rooms, assorted seating
too tired must go fast.
Home, another afternoon smoke with my friend, a doctors appointment (very good appt- a new surgery soon, this doctor has a Dremel!) then home to make another batch of spaghetti for dinner, for which my friend, Heather, returned to join me. It is apparent to each of us that we are both attracted to each other. She now has an open invitation to avoid knocking and waiting to to be granted entry for each visit. She washed dishes as I cooked.
We talked more about our past and she brought forward at reflection that I was only able to vaguely confirm other than with an abundance of coincidental details, not only in the same graduating classes we had even attending school together, in the same class and teacher for sixth grade, and certainly shared some classes as we both attended together in seventh grade too.
I was showered with small gifts, inexpensive yet priceless, especially this sun pictured above. It along with some edging material shall soon adorn the front of my porch, tomorrow.
After class, Zachary called my presentation “phenomenal” and suggested enthusiastically that I would be a great teacher (the class itself had eagerly awaited and requested the slow-mo version.) No feedback from the near doctor, only a score, 30 of 30. And still no response to my question about his omission the word “no” in his previous slide however- I’d asked him, he coyly smiled and said he hadn’t yet time to investigate. I may email him to… remind him of the text of my question, and to force an answer? In response to my recent humanities submitted assignment (not the recent forum assignment,) on our classical music reflection, my teacher there gave feedback saying in part, “Insightful and polished remarks”, as I received 20 of 20, four above the mean score.
Heather told me how much she liked my bachelor pad. I mentioned how much I enjoyed her company. Tomorrow, we plan to plant a flower bed. I’ve been gifted bulbs for us to plant together.
Time to rest.