My World of Wonders - aka the Wednesday W's for April 19

Well that was a stressful week. 

What have I been up to? Work, work, work.  I had three sets of training materials due, and a surprise of another set due in a rush for something I agreed to do a few weeks ago, and the follow up was delayed.  Budgeting has been complicated, and illogical.  I am glad this will be the last time I have that nightmare to deal with.  I offered to throw myself under the bus to balance the budget if needed (retire at the beginning of the new budget year.) My boss tried again to discourage me from retiring.   

Where have I been? The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts - Symphony Hall Saturday evening for a National Symphony Orchestra performance.  The office, and out for a few walks. The car repair place, the power windows on the convertible needed to be re-programmed, I didn't know that was a thing.   

Who have I talked to? My sweet bear, my colleagues at work,  a couple of delightful neighbors, one of whom is retiring from George Washington University in June, one who works at the Pentagon and never really describes what he does.  I run into them on my morning commute to the office a couple of days a week.  

What am I reading? I hope to finish Founding Gardners this week, and there are a couple of new books loaded on my Kindle.  

What have I been watching? Deadliest Catch is starting a new season,  Battlebots,  and the new season of Parkers Trail, and my YouTube faves.  

Who did I reach out to?  There was an email from the law school I attended that one of my professors is finishing her 35th year of teaching.  I remember her class.  I emailed her congratulating her on making a difference, the things I learned in her class empowered me to make a real difference for two clients, and to be a part of a major research and policy project.  She made a huge difference for me.  In her reply she thanked me, and said it is time to step away, she has decided to retire.  

Two stories from her class.  When handing out an exam, her instruction was if you are not sure of the answer, write something relevant.  She continued that the direction was something "relevant," she used to say write something - anything, and one student gave her all of the words to the Gilligan's Island theme song (original and revised lyrics.) 

 

I stopped by her office one day, and she asked me wait for a second while she closed a document on her computer.  She was writing exam questions.  A couple of years before she left a draft exam open on her computer and left her office for a few minutes.  She came back and edited the question, taking out one of the parties.  When she graded exams, three students had answered that question discussing the party she had editing out.  One of them had printed the draft question from her office computer while she was away, and shared it with two friends, who also failed for cheating on the exam. 

Who Deserves an Atta-Boy?  Grace for being a memorable law professor.  

Who Deserves a slap? Kentucky for passing liberal gun laws, on the same day of a mass shooting with an AR15 in Louisville.  There are not enough slaps to go around on this one.  

What is being planned?  A training in Pennsylvania near Maddie,  and one in Nebraska in the fall.