PostsMy COVID Side Hustle; "Uncommon Ground" SAVE THE LAKE! That was the battle cry of Sommers and his unusual group of friends as they struggled to preserve the natural beauty and retain the quiet comforts of life on Lake Victoria. But, with time running out, would they be able to overcome forces of nature, crooked cops, greedy politicians, and violent gangsters? Well, those of you who subscribe to or follow this blog were probably wondering where Ive been for the past year; no posts, very few tweets. So what did Schuetz do during COVID? Whats going on with him? Many of you may not have known I went off the social media grid during the past twelve months. No matter, were here together now. Like many of you, this past year was full of immense change, some of it good, some, not so much. But, it was also a year for some soul-searching and awakening. My remaining hair turned grayer, I gained a few unnecessary pounds, and I got back into coaching football, fun under the Friday night lights. Oh, that } } @media (min-width: 969px) and (max-width: 1167px) { #snippet_thumbnail_id_6026745110543850344 { background-image: url(https\:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-b-riuRwIoLw\/Xvnx8ElrXOI\/AAAAAAAAhpQ\/whZv-mUn5ewU7x7rEQNlsBFtCUdUNGE3wCK4BGAsYHg\/w1167-h778-p-k-no-nu\/20200628_092120.jpg); } } @media (min-width: 601px) and (max-width: 968px) { #snippet_thumbnail_id_6026745110543850344 { background-image: url(https\:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-b-riuRwIoLw\/Xvnx8ElrXOI\/AAAAAAAAhpQ\/whZv-mUn5ewU7x7rEQNlsBFtCUdUNGE3wCK4BGAsYHg\/w968-h645-p-k-no-nu\/20200628_092120.jpg); } } @media (max-width: 600px) { #snippet_thumbnail_id_6026745110543850344 { background-image: url(https\:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-b-riuRwIoLw\/Xvnx8ElrXOI\/AAAAAAAAhpQ\/whZv-mUn5ewU7x7rEQNlsBFtCUdUNGE3wCK4BGAsYHg\/w600-h400-p-k-no-nu\/20200628_092120.jpg); } } Three Days on the Road I believe that all roads lead to the same place - and that is wherever all roads lead to. - Willie Nelson Is today Saturday or Sunday? I woke up this morning at my usual time of five oclock. Checking my look in the mirror, apparently, a clowder of feral cats used my face as a scratching post sometime in the middle of the night. When did I become old and worn? I felt light-headed and broke out in a cold sweat. Thinking about the previous few days of travel, my fear was, even after all of my precautions, I had contracted COVID-19. This was too much to deal with at this early hour. Clearly, I was overreacting. I flopped back in bed and let the ceiling fan cool my thoughts and my skin. I couldnt sleep as my mind was reviewing the thirty-six hundred miles traveled over the past three days. If you are an over-the-road truck driver of someone who travels for a living, I have a deeper appreciation for what you do. My step-son, Billy, a junior at Arizona State University, needed Formative assessment encompasses all those activities undertaken by teachers, and/or by their students, which provide information to be used as feedback to modify the teaching and learning activities in which they are engaged. - Dylan William Last week, my old pickup truck started acting funny - loping, inconsistent idle, delayed erratic transmission shifts. Through years of experience, I know how most repair shops work, and Im not in favor of spending money diagnosing an issue I can research myself. It took roughly twenty minutes with Google and YouTube for me to pinpoint the problem. Luckily, I didnt need a new transmission, but I didnt have space or tools to do the repair myself. Several online forums and auto repair sites told me what I likely needed was an input speed sensor replaced on the transmission; a thirty dollar part, cool! I called a local repair shop, booked an appointment, and limped my truck to the shop. Its incredible how Storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world. - Robert McKee Its that wonderful time of year. Its time for us to submit our content for the handful of conference sessions well be facilitating during the coming year. Im fortunate enough to have been able to attend more than one hundred conferences through the years, I present at nearly all those I visit. I used to have an aversion to public speaking, thats long gone. My preparations and presentation strategies have evolved. Unfortunately, many of the so-called innovative #edtech sessions Ive attended recently are still mired in the sit-n-git style of the previous century. We can do better, and if we aspire to make our classrooms places of great learning, then we must do better. ** Caution, this post is likely to contain some snarky sarcasm, but for the most part, my purpose is to share some observations and some research-based practices to help you win your con